Chapter 19: Wings of Justice

Chapter 19

James recalled scenes from "The Amazing Spider-Man" and hesitated before speaking, "I think I saw something on the news about the Osborne Group developing a technology for storing a long cable in a compact space. Check it out. As Spider-Man, it'd be a shame if you couldn't spin webs like a spider."

"Alright, let me look into it. Hey, there's a bio-cable with high tensile strength. Each ball can hold hundreds of meters. I can use this to create a web launcher. That's a fantastic idea. I'm on it..."

After hanging up with Peter, James pulled out the Zodiac Knight suitcase and began contemplating his next move.

As a Zodiac Knight Reserve, James knew there was only one way to get stronger: understanding the universe and donning the armor.

But he wasn't yet at the level to don the Zodiac Knight armor, and he didn't know how to retrieve the Saint Cloth from the Zodiac Knight Armor Box.

So if he wanted to boost his strength enough to take on Hawkeye in the short term, he'd have to find another way.

Without access to the Golden Armor, he'd have to settle for Bronze.

While Bronze Armor couldn't match the defensive power of Golden Armor, it should suffice against Hawkeye and his deadly arrows.

Initially reluctant to create this suit, James now saw it as a necessity.

Though not as formidable as Golden Armor, Bronze was a rare commodity for him.

Though not as formidable as Golden Armor, Bronze was a rare commodity for him.

Seated cross-legged atop the Zodiac Box, James made a vow: If he survived the night's training, he'd never again let anyone threaten him with arrows.

With a resolve bordering on desperation, James endured a grueling hour-long session on the Zodiac Suitcase, twice the duration of the previous night.

As he neared collapse from exhaustion, the Zodiac Suitcase automatically terminated the session.

Thankful for the intervention, James had nearly pushed himself to the brink of self-harm.

Unconsciously, he began absorbing the energies of the universe, his body tingling with power.

When the energy subsided, James opened his eyes, twin flames dancing within them.

The flames spread across his body, tearing away his tattered jacket to reveal a golden-red Vermilion pattern on his back.

Then, the flames surged, enveloping him entirely. Five seconds later, the fire dissipated, leaving him clad in a black battle suit.

Bronze Armor, activate!

The ink-black robes, emblazoned with the Vermilion Bird, surpassed even the Silver Robes in coverage, nearly matching the Golden Robes. Plus, there were black wings on his back.

Staring at his reflection, James glimpsed the true Star Warrior, Sentinel, within himself.

As James willed it, the black wings unfurled, lifting him off the ground with a gentle flap.

"Getting more fiery by the minute," James muttered, the black helmet obscuring half his face beneath a tangle of bangs.

"Since I've taken on the Sentinel name, it's time to do what a guardian does. I'm coming for the Russian Mafia's lives."

With a burst of black wind, James vanished from the room.

Outside the abandoned factory, Barton relocated to a new surveillance spot. Despite James and Peter's retreat, as an agent, he couldn't linger in the open for long.

Back in the car, Jimmy conferred with Barton over the communicator.

"Who were those two?" Jimmy asked, a hint of fear in his voice. "The one I fought had little combat experience, but incredible speed. His body was like stone. He hardly reacted, yet my hands went numb."

Barton, peering through his telescope, responded, "I'm not sure, but they're definitely not ordinary humans."

"Natasha's on par with you at Level 7. If she doesn't know, I certainly won't," Jimmy said, tapping the steering wheel thoughtfully.

"But once this mission's over, you'll likely level up and gain access to classified intel."

"Don't get ahead of yourself," Barton cautioned. "Even if we make contact, you won't know if your level's up to snuff... Wait, what's that?"

Jimmy looked skyward, but saw nothing in the darkness.

Through Barton's telescope, however, a humanoid figure approached, flapping its wings.

The figure drew closer, revealing itself as a winged humanoid.

"Woah! Is this for real?" 

The flying figure, its wings propelling it at speeds unmatched by any known bird, hovered over the abandoned factory.

"This goes against all scientific logic," Barton observed, awestruck. "He's like a real-life birdman."

Knocking on the microphone, Barton whispered, "Nat, I think we're in trouble."

Back in the workshop, the short-haired woman sat with the Rankoff brothers, puzzled by Barton's report.

"What do you mean, a birdman?" she asked, perplexed.

The Rankoff brothers, equally intrigued, chimed in, "Natasha, what's your take on this?"

"I'm... seeing it for myself," Natasha began to explain when a bright light caught her eye. Through the window, a black "birdman" soared past, wings flapping defiantly.

The compound, bustling with Russian Mafia members, erupted into chaos at the sight.

Leaders Vladimir and Antony watched, unwilling to intervene, while their third in command took charge

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