Chapter 94: Chitauri Invasion

Stark struggled to his feet, his damaged armor sparking as he stumbled forward.

"The Stark Tower's the most likely target, and it's right in the middle of a densely populated area," Natasha said, glancing at Thor, who gave a nod of agreement. "Let's head there first!"

Steve, Bruce Banner, and the rest of the team immediately prepared to follow.

"I'm coming too!" a determined voice called out. Clint Barton stood at the door, suited up and armed. "This is partly on me. I have to make things right."

Natasha nodded, rallying the team onto a fighter jet bound for New York.

"Should I call her back?" Nick Fury asked Thor, glancing at the communicator he'd once used to contact Captain Marvel. Thor shook his head.

"No need. This invasion is just a cannon-fodder assault. As long as there are Asgardians on Earth, no real threat will reach us." Thor paused, then added, "Besides, Earth needs this trial to wake up those who cling to the illusion of peace. If they don't, if Asgard no longer there and a larger invasion happens, Earth may not survive the first wave."

This message carried a grave implication: Earth would soon face its most dangerous invasion yet—and the Avengers alone might not be enough to prevent the War from engulfing New York.

"Agent Hill, alert New Yorkers to evacuate the area immediately!" Fury ordered, his expression tense.

"But Washington officials won't approve evacuating a city of eight million, and it would take them a month of meetings to decide!" Hill replied.

"Damn it!" Fury cursed, frustration darkening his face.

"Stay calm," Thor reassured him. "Trust the Avengers. They'll protect as many as they can. And remember, it's not the aliens who could destroy New York—it's the politicians."

With a meaningful glance, Thor turned. "Hill, take me to Coulson's body."

Hill hesitated, but Fury nodded. "Go ahead."

In a nearby medical bay, Phil Coulson lay on a bed, unconscious. Though his breathing had stopped, his vitals fluctuated faintly on the monitor.

"Are you trying to use the experimental GH-325 serum to revive him?" Thor asked.

Fury nodded. "It's risky. Many trial patients suffered severe mental issues after recovery. But there's no other way."

"You may not have a way," Thor replied, producing a vial. "But I do. This is undiluted Extremis serum. I'll trade it for the Tesseract."

Fury hesitated but, realizing the Tesseract was already in Loki's hands, nodded. After the serum was administered, Coulson's wounds began to heal.

"He's stabilized," Thor said. "He'll need time to recover." With that, he opened a portal and disappeared.

Atop Stark Tower, a beam of blue light shot into the sky, connecting Earth with a dark void above.

Stark, clad in his damaged armor, tried to stall as his new Mark VII armor prepped for launch.

Loki sneered. "We have an army. What do you have?"

Stark shrugged. "We have a Hulk."

"The big green guy?" Loki laughed. "I thought he got lost."

"We also have Thor. And while he's an annoying pain, he's good at beating you up."

Loki's smile faltered, his irritation growing. "Mockery won't help you. Let's see what happens when your team turns against you." He pressed his scepter to Stark's chest.

But nothing happened.

Loki's face contorted in confusion. "Why… why isn't this working?"

Stark smirked. "Told you, it's not gonna work."

Angered, Loki grabbed Stark by the neck. "My army is coming, and you will all kneel before me!" With that, he flung Stark off the building.

Just in time, the Mark VII launched, intercepting Stark midair and locking onto him.

High above, a dark portal opened, and the Chitauri fleet began to pour through, alien ships descending in a frightening display of power.

"Oh, great," Stark groaned, looking up at the swarm. "Real-life sci-fi invasion."

As the Chitauri swept into the city, explosions erupted, debris showered the streets, and panicked civilians scattered.

"Damn it, we're too late," Steve muttered as he took in the chaos. He turned to the others. "Jane, Natasha, help Stark. Banner and Clint, focus on evacuating civilians!"

Steve then turned to a group of stunned police officers. "This enemy's out of your league. We'll handle it. Just focus on keeping people safe."

The officers hesitated, unsure whether to follow his lead, but the decision was made for them when a Chitauri soldier lunged at a terrified child nearby. Steve jumped in, raising his shield to deflect the attack and quickly dispatching the alien soldier.

The child looked up in awe. "Captain America! I knew you'd protect us!"

The police officers exchanged glances, noticing the iconic shield. The lead officer nodded. "Alright, Captain, we'll do as you say!"

Elsewhere, Bruce Banner and a group of civilians were cornered by Chitauri soldiers in an alleyway. With nowhere left to go, Banner looked back at the frightened crowd, offering a reassuring smile.

"Don't worry," he said softly. "You'll be safe."

Turning away, he let his anger rise, his muscles swelling as his shirt tore apart. In seconds, Bruce had transformed into the Hulk.

A loud roar echoed through the alley, and the Chitauri soldiers, undeterred, charged forward. But the Hulk was ready.

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