Chapter 10: The Phantom of Loki

"Still, it will have harmful consequences," two voices spoke in unison.

No, it should be said they spoke with the same voice.

The Nick Fury in the quiz show and the Nick Fury in the video were giving identical answers.

Both of them spoke at the exact same moment.

This coincidence was incredible.

"So, this works too?" Tony Stark was once again astonished. "Is this why you kept Loki around, to resonate better with your future self?"

The real Nick Fury gave Tony Stark an extremely speechless glance without saying a word, while the Nick Fury in the video asked, "What about Agent Barton?"

"Hawkeye?" Selvig pointed upward behind himself. "Perched in the nest."

"Agent Barton, where are you?" Nick Fury's voice called out, and Clint Barton slid down a rope to stand before Nick Fury.

"I gave you the task of careful surveillance, Barton," Nick Fury said, exasperated.

"Only by standing high can you see far," Clint Barton uttered a profoundly philosophical statement.

"Did you see anything that activated the Cube?" Nick Fury asked.

"No one entered or exited, and Dr. Selvig is innocent. No contact was made, no messages sent," Clint Barton replied. "If there's a problem, it won't be from us."

"From us?" Nick Fury had a bad feeling.

"Yes, the Cube is a door to the other side of the universe, right?" Clint Barton said matter-of-factly. "This door should be able to open from both sides."

"Both sides? A door to the other side of the universe?" Tony Stark almost immediately thought of the footage he had seen of the Chitauri invasion. "Fury, I hope I don't see this Cube connected to the arrival of the Chitauri in New York!"

"Stark, I think you'll be disappointed," Natasha Romanoff murmured.

Nick Fury fell silent, his gaze fixed on the video. In his heart, he also shared the same thoughts as Tony Stark and Natasha Romanoff.

Perhaps the arrival of the Chitauri is really related to this door.

As if confirming the thoughts of several individuals, the cosmic cube in the video began to stir, its energy churning incessantly. Finally, a dazzling blue beam of light shot out, slowly forming a portal.

"No doubt about it! The arrival of the Chitauri is definitely connected to this cosmic cube! Fury, you owe all of us an explanation!" Tony Stark exclaimed loudly. Although the portal in the video was small, it was identical to the one used by the Chitauri.

"Fury, theoretically, I should be on your side," Natasha Romanoff also spoke up, "but in this matter, I stand with Tony Stark. You can't keep us in the dark about such dangerous research."

"I assure you, whatever I may want to study in the future, I haven't started yet," Nick Fury said in a deep voice. "I haven't done anything yet, and now that I know the future, I won't do it."

"Sorry to be a nitpicker, but can we really trust the words of an intelligence boss?" Tony Stark said. "After we're out of here, it's best to let me personally go and see the place in the video!"

"Stark, you don't have that authorization."

"Then you better grant it to me. I have the ability to break in, as you know."

"There's someone in the portal, but they don't look like Chitauri," Natasha Romanoff's words caught the attention of Nick Fury and Tony Stark. The two fell silent and focused on the video.

In the portal, a person slowly stood up, a wicked smile on their lips. They looked like a villain.

But their appearance wasn't the strange, otherworldly form of the Chitauri. Instead, they looked exactly like an Earthling, except for their peculiar clothing.

A green robe, and they held a staff that looked somewhat... sorcerous.

"Seriously, did he come out of a game?" Tony Stark couldn't help but quip. "This company must have skimped on the artists' salaries, designing such an ugly outfit for him!"

"The thing he's holding in his hand is the same one I used to close the portal during the Battle of New York!" Natasha Romanoff said. "The two future fragments are connected. This person must be related to the Chitauri."

"But he's clearly not a Chitauri, but more like one of us Earthlings," Tony Stark felt his head spinning. "Who is he exactly? And what is he holding in his hand?"

"Covered in sweat, with a pale face and a weary expression..." Nick Fury observed attentively, "whoever he is, coming through that portal to Earth must have drained him significantly."

"Sir, please lower your spear," Nick Fury called out warily to the person who emerged from the portal in the video.

Loki, however, didn't respond with words. Instead, he answered with action.

He extended his staff, and a beam of energy shot out. If it weren't for Clint Barton's quick reflexes, pushing Fury out of harm's way, Nick Fury might have met his end with that single strike.

Bang! Bang! The sharp sound of gunfire erupted as other agents started shooting, but these individuals were like children in front of Loki, utterly defenseless. In a matter of seconds, Loki dispatched them all.

What caught particular attention was that when the agents' bullets hit Loki, sparks of electricity flew, and Loki remained unscathed! Bullets were ineffective against him!

"Is it his hideous sorcerer's robe that makes him bulletproof, or is he naturally resistant to bullets?" Tony Stark's eyes remained fixed on the video, a hint of astonishment flashing within.

"He turned my well-trained agents into mere punching bags," Nick Fury stared at the fight in the video and said solemnly, "whoever he is, he's extremely dangerous."

Loki almost swept through all the combatants, and after a while, Clint Barton stood up with his gun. However, before he could do anything, Loki had already approached him.

"You're different," Loki's staff tapped against Clint Barton's chest, and the latter's eyes instantly turned pitch black, but they quickly returned to normal.

After that, Clint Barton holstered his gun and ceased any attempt to attack Loki.

Nick Fury, who had just gotten up, witnessed this scene with a look of shock and then discreetly stashed the cosmic cube into a specially-made box.

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(End of this chapter)