Chapter 106: Internal Strife

No, something is wrong with everyone’s emotions.

Michael glanced back at the scepter, finally grasping Loki’s scheme. Loki had first planted a seed of doubt in the psychologically fragile Banner, then used calculated rhetoric to goad him into admitting the containment cell was built for the Hulk, thereby nourishing that seed. Finally, by leveraging S.H.I.E.L.D.’s Tesseract project, he magnified Banner’s inner anxiety until the influence of the mind-altering magic took deep root.

The final step was to trigger the pre-set magic within the scepter, inciting a full-blown internal conflict among the group. This served to detonate the magical seed within Banner, pushing him into the abyss and awakening the Hulk. This explained why, once the explosion occurred and everyone else regained their composure, Banner’s state continued to deteriorate until the frenzied Hulk was unleashed.

In truth, the Hulk’s mental growth had been significant; after the incident with the Abomination, he had become capable of distinguishing friend from foe. But in this state of artificially induced madness, the Hulk recognized no one.

Since that was the case, Michael decided to let the chaos unfold. To obtain the Tesseract, he chose to remain a detached observer.

However, two people noticed the shifting atmosphere: Gwen and Peter. They sensed the danger acutely, but with so many people in the room, they could not immediately pinpoint the source.

Loki’s mental magic worked through subtle, imperceptible shifts; the others were unaware of the intrusion. Only Michael remained unaffected.

Seeing Banner on the verge of a breakdown, Natasha urged, "Loki is trying to use you. You need to calm down."

"And what about you?" Banner countered. "Are you not here because you’ve been flirting with him?"

"Yes, but I’m not the one acting paranoid because of you. What I need to know is why S.H.I.E.L.D. is using the Tesseract to build weapons of mass destruction."

"Because of him?" Nick Fury gestured toward Thor, who was watching the scene unfold.

"Me?" Thor was bewildered. Why him? He was just a spectator.

Fury continued, "Last year, an uninvited guest arrived on Earth, engaged in a battle that leveled a small town. We realized not only that there were other beings in the universe, but that our weapons were backward and our defenses pathetic."

Thor immediately clarified, "Our people harbor no malice toward your planet."

"But you aren't the only civilization in the universe, are you? And you aren't the only threat. There are far too many uncertain adversaries out there."

"So that’s why you used the Tesseract?"

Thor argued, "It is precisely because you used the Tesseract that you drew Loki and his cohorts here. To other worlds, this is a signal that you humans are preparing for advanced warfare."

"Advanced warfare?" Fury retorted immediately. "That was forced upon us. We had to take countermeasures."

Tony interjected, "Like nuclear deterrence?"

Michael chuckled. "Nick Fury, you are simply too arrogant. Do you really think the Earth would stop spinning without you, the 'beacon of the world'? If it weren't for your actions, Earth would never have been exposed to such danger. Do you have any idea how many people are working in the shadows to maintain peace on this planet?"

Fury snapped back, "Are you suggesting the sorcerers have been protecting us, Doctor?"

"Isn't that the truth?" Michael nodded. If Earth hadn't entered the age of superheroes, enemies from beyond the stars would not have ventured here. Unfortunately, the emergence of super-soldier serums, mutants, Tony’s armor, and Spider-Man had qualified Earth to face the cosmos, and their reckless exploitation of the Tesseract had alerted the rest of the galaxy.

Earth was no longer safe.

"Kunlun, Shushan, Mount Tai, Kamar-Taj—these places hold immortal legacies that have protected our world for ages. It was your unauthorized research that shattered Earth’s peace."

"Earth is known as Midgard in the cosmos, the very center of the universe. Yet, for all these years, few aliens dared to come here, all thanks to the silent sacrifices of those who work in the shadows."

"But, Nick Fury, you’ve broken all of that for your own selfish ends. Do you think you have the right to compare yourself to those true idealists who have spent centuries in anonymity guarding this world? Don't tell me that after labeling yourself a 'beacon' so many times, you’ve actually started to believe it."

Having said his piece, Michael felt a sense of relief. He continued, "Furthermore, as far as I know, the Phase Two weapons project was mandated by those bigwigs on the Security Council. Do you really think they did it to fight aliens?"

Fury, stung and defensive, snarled, "What right do you have to judge me? You’re no true idealist yourself. Was your path to success clean? Did you wash your hands of it once you made your fortune? Michael, isn’t your true goal to become one of those lords in Congress? Why else would you be carrying that dragon-head cane, pretending to be some seasoned veteran?"

Seeing Michael lashed out at by Fury, Tony laughed with delight.

Fury immediately turned on him. "You still have the nerve to laugh? Do you have any idea how the Starks built their fortune? Do you think just 'washing your hands' makes you a hero?"

Steve interjected, "If he were still making weapons, he’d be buried in the Middle East right now."

"Wait, why is the spotlight on me again?"

"Because you laughed."

"And you’re blameless?" Steve challenged.

Tony replied, "Did I ever go off and bomb other planets?"

Natasha, still holding onto a shred of reason, tried to intervene. "Can you all stop being so childish? S.H.I.E.L.D. is merely monitoring potential threats."

That remark struck a nerve with Banner. He retorted sarcastically, "Is Captain America a potential threat, too?"

The most clear-headed among them, Peter and Gwen, sensed that something was wrong, though they couldn't identify the cause. Gwen leaned against Michael’s shoulder and whispered, "Don’t you think this is strange?"

"A little. Everyone seems so irritable."

"I feel uneasy."

"Stay alert," Michael said, taking Gwen’s hand.

Max, no longer able to control his state, stumbled toward the exit, looking as though he were suffering from severe motion sickness. Peter noticed him and called out, "Max, where are you going?"

"I’m going to the deck for some air."

"I’ll go with you. It’s suffocating in here."

Peter followed Max out. He had a lingering feeling of dread, but with everyone caught up in their heated argument, he assumed it was just the tension of the brewing conflict.

Meanwhile, Hawkeye was piloting a S.H.I.E.L.D. transport ship, approaching the Helicarrier. Because the leadership was preoccupied with their bickering, he passed through security with ease and was cleared to dock.