Chapter 122: Rogers Isn’t Dead?

"You…when did you…" Green Goblin stared, stunned, at the golden mech now blocking the NYPD.

He hadn't even seen it move. Shock mixed with a hint of anger, spurred by a faint, almost imperceptible fear deep within him—one he quickly suppressed, unaware of how completely Alan's presence was dominating him.

If Norman were in control of this body, his cautious nature would have prompted him to retreat at the first sign of defeat, waiting for a chance to rise again later.

But with Green Goblin in charge, driven by his manic and obsessive second personality, he couldn't read the situation clearly. Especially after receiving Mephisto's power, his inflated strength brought with it a bloated confidence.

Green Goblin leaped upward, summoning his glider beneath him. "So, speed is your game?" His mouth twisted into an exaggerated grin, eyes gleaming red as he fixed on Alan, like a vampire bat stalking prey it wouldn't rest until it devoured.

He extended his hand behind him, conjuring green flames that burst forth instantly, accelerating him to top speed with his glider. Wrapped head to toe in green fire, he became a chilling missile, with trails of icy white crystals left in his wake.

"You're trying to play with fire?" Alan remarked, reaching toward the five-element crystal on his Emperor Belt. A fiery red energy charm materialized before him, etched with countless flame symbols, coalescing in the center to form the bold character for "Flame."

Lightly tapping the charm with his Emperor Sword, Alan declared, "Emperor: Blazing Slash!"

An inferno erupted from the Emperor Sword, vaporizing the coldness Green Goblin's icy flames brought. The searing strike cleaved toward Green Goblin, sparking an immediate clash of extreme heat and cold. A violent energy shockwave burst outward from Green Goblin, whipping into a fierce storm.

Tony quickly lowered his mask and used the Mark suit's boosters to keep his balance. Gwen crouched low, her fingers gripping the ground tightly as the hood of her suit flapped wildly in the turbulent wind.

"What kind of power… is this?" Tony muttered, astounded.

Gwen was equally incredulous. She'd seen Emperor in action once before in the sewers, but it hadn't left her with a clear sense of his power—back then, he'd only subdued Dr. Connors and a few mutated lizard officers. Never had she imagined his strength could be this overwhelming!

This scene was also unfolding on the screens at S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters, where Nick Fury had risen from his seat, his one eye fixed intently on the display, beads of sweat dotting his forehead. The intense energy fluctuations even disrupted the video transmission, causing the feed to flicker.

Beside him, Agent Hill was left speechless in shock. Such power, to her, was no less than a human-sized explosive device. She wondered if such a force could really exist in this world.

Before now, Hill had quietly harbored doubts about Fury's Avengers Initiative. She'd believed that no matter how strong individuals became, they couldn't possibly stand against the might of a national system.

Even an Alpha-level mutant like Magneto, faced with the massive machinery of the national system, had to lay low like a turtle, waiting for an opportune moment to act. Just like that time Nick Fury went alone to confront Magneto—Magneto didn't dare make a move against him. Such was the power backing Nick Fury.

But now…

The power displayed on the screen by these two individuals was beyond their control. At that moment, Hill found herself without a single doubt left about the Avengers Initiative. In fact, she felt a newfound respect for Nick Fury's foresight.

Watching the clash between them, memories resurfaced deep within Fury's mind, of that person…that powerful woman who single-handedly intercepted an entire alien fleet from entering Earth's space. It was because of her, and the events they'd faced together, that led Nick Fury, once he became the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., to initiate the Avengers Initiative without hesitation.

"Hill!"

"Yes, Director!"

Sensing Fury's seriousness, Hill stood at attention and looked at him.

"Tomorrow, I want to meet Bruce Banner personally."

Hill's face changed. "Director, he's still unstable. If you approach him recklessly and he…"

Before she could finish, Fury interrupted her. "There's no more time. The Avengers Initiative must move forward. I don't care what those bureaucrats have to say. I make the calls for S.H.I.E.L.D.!"

Seeing Fury's determination, Hill nodded. "I'll arrange it right away."

"What's the status of the Arctic excavation project?"

Hill produced a report. "Recently, an Arctic exploration team discovered a shield with a five-pointed star under the ice. After excavation and analysis by S.H.I.E.L.D., it was confirmed to be Captain America Steve Rogers' vibranium shield from seventy years ago."

"Back then, Captain America deliberately flew a plane into the Arctic to stop a bomb from detonating. Since then, he's been lost without a trace." Hill reviewed the report and continued, "Howard Stark later initiated a recovery mission but only managed to find the Tesseract. Steve Rogers was believed to be lost at sea."

Fury flipped through the report. "I'm aware of that. Was Rogers' body found near the vibranium shield?"

"Not yet. However, we did locate the plane wreckage, which suggests his body should be nearby."

Hill hesitated, then asked, "Director, I don't quite understand. Why go to such lengths to retrieve Rogers' body? Is it just because he's a World War II hero and a symbol of American values?"

She knew Nick Fury wasn't one to waste resources on something purely symbolic. This mission involved some of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s top operatives.

Fury looked at her calmly. "Why do you think Howard Stark was so intent on finding Rogers?"

Hill thought it over before responding, "Because of their close friendship, and maybe due to the influence of the first Director?"

S.H.I.E.L.D.'s first Director, Peggy Carter, had been Steve Rogers' love interest and was a legendary figure who helped shape both Captain America and S.H.I.E.L.D. It was she who eventually handed S.H.I.E.L.D. over to Fury.

Fury nodded. "Carter's connection, Howard's friendship… but the biggest reason is that Howard believed Rogers wasn't dead."

Hill's eyes widened. "What?"

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