This time, the Avengers went straight for the heart of the invasion. Though they had only defeated a few hundred of the Cantel soldiers, their main goal was the enemy leader, and they succeeded. With their commander captured and taken down, the remaining Cantel soldiers on the mothership surrendered almost immediately.
On Earth , only a few Cantel vanguard teams had been sent down to fight. They were a tiny fraction of the massive number of aliens still aboard the mothership. But on the ground, the scattered vanguard teams were quickly losing. With Iron Man's Iron Legion joining the battle, the Cantels in several human camps were pushed back and steadily defeated. The Cantel ground troops had been holding on, hoping for backup from their mothership and commander, but now, instead of reinforcements, they received devastating news: the legion commander was gone, and he had abandoned them.
With the realization that they'd been left behind, the ground forces lost heart. They were defeated not just in battle but in spirit. One by one, they began to surrender.
Back on the mothership, while the Avengers had secured control, tens of thousands of Cantel prisoners were left on board. Handling so many captives would be a massive job, but it was just the kind of mission the Ninth Office cleanup team was trained for.
Agent Ivan Petrov and his team were the first to board the captured mothership. As soon as they stepped into the main bay, they were stunned by what they saw.
The space was so massive it seemed to stretch on forever, and it was filled wall-to-wall with long-armed Cantel aliens lying flat on the ground, their hands raised in surrender. The sight of thousands of aliens, all lying prostrate, looked almost like a vast field of snow stretching into the distance.
Ivan Petrov and the officer beside him exchanged an uneasy look. No words were needed—they both understood the situation immediately.
They'd faced a smaller group of Cantel soldiers on the ground and knew how strong these aliens were in combat. Without the Iron Legion's help, human forces could have been overwhelmed. But this… the sheer number of aliens aboard the mothership was overwhelming. There were ten times, maybe even a hundred times more soldiers here than they'd faced on the ground. The officer shuddered at the thought of these troops being deployed across Earth. The planet wouldn't have stood a chance.
At that moment, Iron Man's armor flew over the rows of surrendered aliens, moving smoothly above the heads of the stunned Cantels. Charlie had just finished interrogating some Cantel captives and was ready to hand things over to the team now arriving to secure the ship.
The soldiers who'd just boarded took in the incredible number of alien troops. Even with the aliens surrendering, the soldiers felt a pang of fear. No one moved forward. The sight was simply too intimidating. But when they noticed Iron Man standing confidently, they felt a surge of relief and courage. Just seeing him made them feel safer, as though his armor alone could protect them all.
The soldiers soon reached the Avengers, who stood casually among the surrendered aliens, chatting as if it were just another day on the job. The lead officer glanced at the thousands of aliens lying around them, then looked at the five Avengers, amazed at how calm they were after such a massive battle. After a moment, he couldn't help but ask, "Mr. Stark… is your team really just five people?"
Stark grinned. "Good counting," he replied with a hint of sarcasm, as if saying, "Glad you can handle math up to five."
The soldiers behind the officer couldn't help but stare in shock.
Five people… had taken down an entire alien mothership full of warriors?
They remembered fighting just a small fraction of these aliens on the ground and barely surviving. Now, standing among the Avengers, they couldn't believe how powerful these heroes were. The Avengers were not just fighters—they were legends.
Thor, standing nearby, twirled his hammer casually. "Honestly, I could've done this alone," he said with a grin, but then added, "But the team fought well. They're worthy warriors, the best partners I could ask for. If they ever fall in battle, they'll earn a place in Valhalla."
The other Avengers rolled their eyes, but a few soldiers actually nodded, believing Thor's words.
Stark chuckled. "Well, that's our job done. The rest is up to you guys," he said, glancing at the Ninth Office agents.
The agents wanted to reassure him that they'd handle it, but looking at the endless rows of surrendered aliens, they couldn't help but feel nervous. After all, they weren't Avengers.
"Don't worry—Spider-Man will stick around to help out," Stark said with a sly grin.
Spider-Man, surprised, blinked. "Wait… I will?"
Stark gave him a pointed look, and Spider-Man quickly caught on. "Oh! Yes, sir, of course. I'll stay here and make sure everything's under control."
With that, the Avengers' main mission was over. The remaining alien prisoners were handed over to the Ninth Office, who would decide what to do next—whether to imprison the aliens, study them, or use them in other ways. Charlie didn't mind what they chose, as long as he got regular updates.
This battle shook the entire world.
A large-scale alien invasion wasn't just science fiction anymore; it had become a terrifying reality. The invasion might have ended in just half a day, but the impact would be felt for a long time.
This victory also turned the Avengers into legends. The story of five heroes storming an alien mothership, capturing the enemy leader, and forcing an entire alien army into surrender spread like wildfire. The Avengers' names were on everyone's lips, celebrated and admired by people worldwide.
Leaders around the world breathed a sigh of relief at the news of the victory, but they were also stunned by what they'd learned about the Avengers' power.
Many had already known that the Avengers were strong enough to protect the planet if they chose, but only five of them taking down an entire alien army? That was beyond belief.
It was less of a story about humans defending themselves and more about aliens making the mistake of picking a fight with the wrong heroes—and paying for it.
Everywhere, people cheered for the Avengers. The five heroes became instant icons, worshiped and admired. Some even began forming fan clubs and groups devoted to them, calling them gods and hoping to learn more about them.
But while the world celebrated, Charlie stayed cautious.
The envoy's last words echoed in his mind. One alien had managed to escape, carrying the coordinates of Earth's Polar Star. If the envoy's warning was accurate, the next alien force to come might be much harder to defeat.
Charlie had thought about chasing down the fleeing legion commander, but without a hero capable of interstellar travel, it was impossible. His current heroes couldn't leave the solar system, and Earth didn't yet have the technology for long-distance space travel.
For now, the best plan was to keep building their strength, preparing for whatever threat might come. Getting new heroes, leveling up, and gaining more power were their top priorities.
Despite the looming uncertainty, today's battle had brought huge rewards. The Avengers had defeated two major enemies, gained a massive amount of hero points, and saved up enough for a few hero draws.
In the first round of ten draws, Charlie had no luck, which left him a bit frustrated. But in the second round, as he watched the screen, he suddenly saw a bright flash followed by a glowing green light filling the screen. His heart skipped a beat as he realized what he'd drawn.
A new A-level hero.
Charlie's eyes widened, and he nearly jumped in excitement.
The legendary member of the Justice League, bearer of the most powerful weapon in the universe, the hero known for his courage—
Green Lantern.