Chapter 187: Do You Think I Care?
He had to set aside his curiosity for the time being as they returned to the carrier.
Although the people aboard the carrier couldn't hear Tony's conversation with Banner, Thor, and Loki, they had witnessed Tony's incredible combat prowess that surpassed human technology.
Most notably, the unstoppable Hulk had actually been subdued by Tony Stark, allowing Banner to return to his normal form.
Steve was the most shocked by this revelation. Even though he had seen videos and knew Tony was powerful, nothing compared to witnessing it firsthand.
The sound of air being torn apart echoed like thunder across the sky.
The fight between Tony and the Hulk resembled a clash between two monstrous beings that didn't belong to Earth.
Tony displayed extraordinary speed and strength, while Hulk's raw power was impressive as well.
Any normal creature, without protection, would have been shattered from a fall from nine thousand meters into the ocean.
Yet Hulk dropped down and remained completely unharmed, even engaging Tony in combat.
It appeared as though Tony was easily overpowering Hulk due to their vast difference in combat skills.
However, satellite surveillance showed that Hulk had sustained only minor injuries throughout the encounter.
There were no broken bones or loss of consciousness; rather, he seemed to grow stronger with each blow.
And Tony, not only excelled in technology, also demonstrated remarkable physical strength and combat techniques that were clearly expert-level.
In the end, Hulk reverted to Banner, but the fight had been due to Hulk's lack of skills; he felt frustrated and resorted to simply enduring the hits.
Had Hulk landed just one punch on Tony, he likely would have fought to the bitter end.
Regardless of the outcome, both Tony and Hulk exhibited powers that defied logic.
Steve had once thought that without his armor, Tony would lack any real strength, but now he realized that was a naive assumption.
Whether through technology or sheer physicality, Tony's abilities far surpassed his own.
Steve understood now why Tony had remarked that he had been viewing things through a narrow lens.
His beliefs and views were stuck in an era when he was considered one of the strongest humans.
"You all should take some time to understand each other's abilities. It's best to share your strengths," Tony advised.
"As for weaknesses, you can discuss those as needed; I'll be able to review everything later through the recordings."
"I have some matters to attend to, so I'll catch up with you all later."
"And Loki, get Barton and Dr. Erik back here."
"After that, I'll work with Dr. Erik and Banner to figure out how to open and close the portals."
"Our goal in this battle is to make the Chitauri realize that attacking Earth is not worth the trouble, not to engage them in an all-out brawl."
"Thus, managing the portals will be crucial; if progress is slow, we may need to extend the opening time."
"Alright, I have some tasks to handle now. I'll speak with you all later."
As Tony reentered the aircraft carrier and walked into the control room, he spoke with authority.
"What's he up to now?"
Nick Fury observed Tony's abrupt departure after issuing orders, feeling slightly irritated but suppressing his frustration.
"Tony went to find some allies," Thor said, glancing at Nick.
"Does he think this aircraft carrier is just a place he can come and go as he pleases?" Fury grumbled.
"Isn't that exactly what he's doing?"
"And if he doesn't find more help, with just the people here…"
"Even if we could scare the Chitauri off, how many lives would it cost?"
Loki, noting Fury's dark expression, casually crossed his legs and spoke with a hint of mockery.
"Watch your tone, Loki."
"You killed a lot of people in the last two days; we should have you locked up."
Loki's blatant disrespect and mocking gaze made Fury's forehead tense with veins popping as he replied, "Are you threatening me?"
"Do you think I care about the fate of humanity?"
"My willingness to cooperate isn't out of respect for you or fear of your sorry ship."
"It's because of Thor and Tony Stark."
"And neither of them needs to take orders from you."
Loki's expression turned icy as he spoke.
With Thor and Tony as allies, both of whom were stronger than him, he would play nice.
But aside from them, he considered everyone else present, including the aircraft carrier, beneath his notice.
While Hulk seemed fearsome, he lacked intelligence, so as long as Loki avoided confrontation, he'd be fine.
"Loki, tone it down a bit," Thor interjected, aware of the brewing tension.
Though he said this, if a fight broke out, he'd undoubtedly side with Loki.
Now that Loki was willing to help, Thor didn't want to let a petty feud over Nick Fury ruin their collaboration.
"Alright, my brother," Loki replied, understanding Thor's point, and smiled.
He then fell silent but continued to disregard Nick Fury entirely.
This infuriated Fury, who briefly contemplated contacting Captain Marvel.
However, he remembered Loki and Thor's father, Odin. If he called Captain Marvel to forcibly suppress Loki, it could provoke Odin's wrath.
In that case, he didn't know who would win in a fight between Captain Marvel and Odin, but Earth—the main battlefield—would undoubtedly suffer immense consequences.
So, Fury decided to suppress his anger for the time being.
"Dr. Banner, have you figured out how long until the Chitauri army arrives?"
Steve noticed the tense atmosphere and turned to Banner, seeking to break the tension.
"Loki said the plan is to open the portal within a week," Banner explained.
"So we can expect it to be no more than seven days from now."
"If Loki doesn't execute the plan properly, he might attract the Chitauri's suspicion."
"However, considering the circumstances, even if there's suspicion, it's better than being unable to close the portal if things go awry."
"Therefore, it might take a few extra days."
Banner was aware of Steve's concerns and voluntarily clarified the situation.