126
Chapter 126: Fearful Dreams
Regardless of the world you inhabit, the most common, far-reaching, and indiscriminate attack is the sonic attack.
In the realm of martial arts, there's the roar of the lion; in fantasy worlds, there's the howling of banshees; and in the Marvel universe, there's Wanda's scream...
Wanda, in her uncontrolled state, let out a scream that was not only deafening but also laced with overwhelming psychic power.
Fear spread swiftly. In an instant, a thick red mist emanated from her body, enveloping the entire battlefield.
Aside from Thor, who was protected by a psychic barrier, everyone within a few miles—friend or foe—was engulfed in fear.
Everyone froze momentarily, then stiffened and remained rooted in place. Stark collapsed immediately, and if J.A.R.V.I.S hadn't responded so quickly, he might have ended up like the future War Machine.
Where am I? Natasha looked up at the ominous sky.
She could immediately tell that this was not Earth. Though the atmosphere and water were suitable for human survival, the silence was eerie.
Beside her stood Thor, his dark demeanor peculiar. Opposite them was a monstrous figure with a skeletal face, floating in the air, neither human nor ghost.
"Thor Odinson, son of Odin..."
"Natasha Romanoff, daughter of Ivan..."
A rasping voice came from the Red Skull: "What you seek is near, accompanied by your fear. The Soul Stone is revered among the Infinity Stones. It possesses its own intelligence, and everyone who seeks it must make a sacrifice."
"A sacrifice for what?" Natasha inquired, intrigued.
"A soul, and it must be the soul of someone you love most. To obtain the Soul Stone, you must relinquish your love. This is an eternal bargain. Only through such a sacrifice can one truly appreciate its value."
Natasha was taken aback, then suddenly realized something and looked at Thor with affection: "I didn't expect to understand your heart at the last moment. It turns out your true love is me. In that case, I have no regrets."
She then ran towards the cliff and jumped off...
The illusion shattered, leaving the aftermath unknown. Natasha felt a pang of sadness and rubbed the tears from her eyes, bewildered.
What just happened? Could this be real?
She awoke relatively quickly and surveyed her surroundings. Regardless of their allegiance, everyone had lost consciousness.
In Hawkeye's illusion, he saw himself being beaten by Thor on the helicarrier due to Loki's control...
In Steve's vision, he saw the top of a snowy mountain and Bucky falling into the abyss...
The Hulk saw an enemy resembling a giant purple potato, attacking him with a series of powerful blows. Despite his efforts to resist, the opponent far outmatched him in strength and skill...
Stark found himself standing on a devastated battlefield, his armor in tatters.
He observed numerous superheroes, including familiar faces like Hulk and Thor, as well as many unfamiliar ones.
In his confusion, a voice devoid of emotion spoke directly into his ear: "There are no superpowered beings in this world."
Suddenly, it felt as if the entire world had gone silent.
Around him, Hulk was shrinking, eventually becoming Bruce Banner.
Thor, who had once wielded his battle axe to wreak havoc, fell from the sky as his lightning powers vanished.
Captain America's imposing 6'2" frame shrank to that of a skinny 5'3" boy...
Various unknown superheroes appeared, such as a magician with a golden energy sword, a woman whose body glowed, and a blue-skinned individual controlling an embroidery needle...
In an instant, everyone had become mortal! Only Stark, War Machine, and Falcon remained unaffected, representing the technological superheroes.
"No—"
Stark jolted awake from the nightmare, looked around, and asked, "What happened?"
J.A.R.V.I.S responded: "Sir, a mysterious psychic force spread, causing everyone, including yourself, to fall into an illusion."
"Illusions?" Stark exhaled in relief.
But a thought took root in his mind and lingered.
What if one day superpowers failed? At that point, only technology could safeguard the Earth!