199

Chapter 199: The Young Avengers

A few months ago, the Avengers held an internal meeting to discuss a long-considered plan. To be precise, this was not a new plan but an extension of the Avengers' original concept—the Young Avengers.

A long time ago, during SHIELD's era, Nick Fury had envisioned this idea when he formed the Avengers, but it was put on hold.

Not every Avenger has an extended lifespan, and many will grow old and retire eventually.

The purpose of the Young Avengers is to train a group of promising individuals who could become Avengers in the future. They would gain experience by handling relatively straightforward super-powered incidents.

When the time comes for the Avengers to retire, these Young Avengers can step in to fill their ranks.

It's worth noting that the original Spider-Man, Peter Parker, was considered a member of the Young Avengers from the start, and Stark took notice of him early on.

However, during the Infinity War, Peter Parker stepped up to participate in the conflict despite his youth, and he has since become a full-fledged Avenger.

The Young Avengers training program is divided into two locations: The Avengers Base on the coast of New York and New Asgard.

Most of the training takes place at The Avengers Base, under the guidance of seasoned Avengers like Rhodes and Falcon.

A select few promising candidates are brought to New Asgard, provided they agree. In reality, they are all eager, as Thor is known to be the most formidable fighter among the Avengers.

The only requirement is that they must meet the basic conditions of New Asgard Island.

.....

"Your Highness!"

As Thor entered the castle gate, two rows of valiant soldiers in silver and white armor saluted him.

Here, it's the Valkyrie!

When Thor retrieved Valkyrie's soul from Hela, it was delayed due to his busy schedule.

Over the past five years, Thor has resurrected those fallen heroes as his own warriors.

They are true fighters—thorough and unwavering in their loyalty. Once they choose their allegiance, they remain dedicated until death.

Even in the face of Hela's vengeful nature, they suppressed their emotions to avoid causing Thor any discomfort. Thor's reconciliation with Hela brought them relief, and they were aware of it.

One reason Hela's room is numbered 404 is that Thor considered their feelings.

The surviving Valkyrie from Sakaar is not included.

Years of indulgence have rendered her unfit for combat.

Fortunately, due to the ongoing exchanges and cooperation between Thor and the Grandmaster, a chief executive is needed to stay in Sakaar for an extended period, making her the ideal candidate.

The Valkyrie residing in the castle are all former warriors. They are elegant, beautiful, heroic, and powerful, though they tend to be overly serious.

Luckily, this is only the case during the day...

When Thor arrived at the training ground, Natalia was already there.

Behind her stood three girls, around seventeen or eighteen years old, seemingly high school students. They were promising candidates from the first batch of potential Young Avengers.

"Let me give you a brief introduction."

Natalia pointed to the girl on the far left and said, "This is Gwen Stacy.

About half a month ago, she was accidentally bitten by a strange spider.

She is gradually awakening her super abilities.

The type of ability is somewhat similar to Peter Parker's; I heard he was also bitten by a spider..."

"Wait a minute..." Thor looked puzzled.

What does it mean for a girl to arrive at the new island of Asgard? Even if everything is normal, many would dream of it.

Those who choose to come to New Asgard Island instead of staying at The Avengers Base likely have a high regard for Thor or are fans of his.

"What's wrong?" Natalia asked, noticing his strange expression.

Thor was wondering if he had inadvertently misled Peter Parker in some way, though he wasn't aware of it yet.

Reflecting further, Thor realized that Spider-Man in this world had a rather unusual preference, similar to Bruce Banner. Just like Banner's fondness for his Shuri, Peter Parker seemed obsessed with MJ.

However, such thoughts were not suitable for direct conversation.

Thor changed the subject casually: "Ah... I was just thinking—first Peter Parker, then Gwen Stacy... What kind of spider is so extraordinary that it has bitten two Avengers?"

He glanced at Natalia and quipped, "Could it be a widow?"

"Bang—" Natalia's hand playfully smacked Thor's face.