Chapter Thirty-Three: The Curtain Rises!

"Extract!"

Hao Yun felt a refreshing energy pour down from the top of his head, and his mind's processing speed shot to its peak in an instant. Merely by observing, he could discern what those around him intended to say and do.

"What a pitiful tactic—couldn't they have sent in the army first?"

Hao Yun's lips twitched as he muttered to himself. Beside the surveillance screens, when Rod saw a blue beam pierce the sky and countless aliens on single-pilot flying machines flood in, he couldn't help but slam the table and curse.

"What a pitiful tactic—couldn't they have sent in the army first?"

"Bang!"

Hao Yun's lips twitched again. Angel sat in silence, anger simmering, her movements so abrupt that her elbow brushed her sleeve against a glass, knocking it to the ground.

"Bang!"

Hao Yun closed his eyes. Countless images formed in his mind, and in reality, every scene he envisioned was unfolding just as he saw it.

"Tony, we can't wait any longer."

That was his mother, Angel. The Special Agents pouring out of the Trident Building were suffering appalling casualties, and she was deeply worried the nearby residents, who hadn't managed to evacuate, would meet the same fate. She was desperate to join the fight.

"No. S.H.I.E.L.D. must withstand the first wave! Our primary targets are the Black Order, as the Ancient One named them!"

That was Tony. As the CEO, he understood better than anyone the strategy of sacrificing the few for the many. Plus, S.H.I.E.L.D. couldn't even issue a call for aid. If they joined the battle now, they'd be punished for it later.

Hao Yun gradually understood the mechanics of Observation Haki.

Observation Haki did not truly allow one to see the future. Its real function was to enhance the five senses and the brain's computational power. By analyzing the information fed back through his senses, Hao Yun's mind could predict what enemies, allies, and the battlefield as a whole would likely do next.

Put simply, to train Observation Haki was akin to installing a computer in one's brain. At a low level, it was like a basic laptop; at a medium level, a high-end gaming rig; at the highest level, perhaps a supercomputer.

With his LV5 Electromaster abilities further boosting his cognitive processing, surviving the Chitauri invasion on the New York battlefield shouldn't be too difficult.

Around the Trident Building, Loki stood atop the roof, arms spread wide. Behind him, Dr. Erik controlled the portal device made of iridium, connecting it to the power source.

"Your Highness, shall I activate the portal?"

In the distance, Captain, Natasha, and Hawkeye were already in position. Nick Fury landed on the rooftop aboard the Quinjet piloted by Hill and confronted Loki.

"Dr. Erik, shut it down!"

"It's too late! It can't be stopped! It's going to show us a brand-new universe!"

Erik, seemingly bereft of reason, gazed at the slowly rotating device with a fanatical, worshipful expression.

Loki smiled wickedly as he approached Nick Fury. "I told you, the boot never cares for the death of ants. Now, you'll see just how the boot crushes them."

"Loki, do you really think you've won?"

Nick no longer wasted words on Erik, knowing the man was under Loki's control. His gaze towards Loki was icy and severe.

He had already instructed Hill: if all else failed, hit the call button and contact Captain Marvel, Carol!

He believed that, no matter how formidable Loki's forces, they were no match for Captain Marvel. But contacting Carol meant Earth would have admitted its inability to defend itself, and would be forced to come under the Guardians of the Galaxy's protection.

"Ha! Isn't it obvious?"

Loki raised his hands high. "Your so-called Avengers Initiative failed. None of Earth's strongest follow your orders. How do you intend to fight me? With veterans? With agents?"

He placed his hand on the control panel, his voice rising operatically.

"Look forward to it! The new era has begun! Midgard will enter the age of Loki!"

"Bang!"

"Whoosh!"

The iridium device spun slowly. The Tesseract's energy was drawn forth to its limit, and a blue beam shot straight into the sky.

"Rip!"

The sky above tore open, a massive circular portal unfurled, and the Chitauri vanguard, long awaiting their moment, surged out like a swarm of locusts, ravaging the area around the Trident Building.

Nick Fury clenched his jaw. War had officially begun. Words were useless now—only battle remained.

He turned and strode into the aircraft, roaring at the five world leaders displayed on the screen.

"How much longer will you wait? Where is the army? The aliens are invading and you're just going to stand by?"

"Nick Fury, foreign affairs have always been S.H.I.E.L.D.'s responsibility..."

The American representative still tried to pass the buck. The incident was at the Trident Building—not the city center, but still within New York! If the army was sent in and there were massive casualties, the blame would fall on him.

He wanted to shift responsibility.

"Idiot! The aliens are here! This is a crisis for all of Earth! What good is arguing about responsibility now? What we need is the army, the army!"

"Nick, mind your tone..."

"Shut up! Don't you realize if they take this stronghold, the first place they'll strike is the White House!"

Nick roared, utterly exasperated by the politicians' dithering. Did they really think if New York fell, the rest of the world would be spared?

Did they believe, if the aliens conquered New York, Earth could just nuke them?

A planet that hadn't even left its own solar system boasting about its weapons to a force that traversed the galaxy—it was like a child waving a knife at an armed adult. Ludicrous.

Evidently, the American representative hadn't thought this through. On the contrary, he even ordered Nick to launch the nukes.

"They wouldn't dare! Earth has nuclear weapons..."

"This is New York! Nearly ten million people live here!" Seeing the man was serious, Nick was furious. "And they have spaceships! Do you really think, if you blast the planet apart, the Chitauri armada will even be scratched?"

"Look! They're attacking with energy weapons, not explosives that won't even detonate in space!"

Nick pointed angrily at the Chitauri vanguard swarming like locusts. At last, the U.S. representative fell silent.

Their longstanding technological superiority was shattered by brutal reality. At last, he realized their enemy was a cosmic force—not another nation on Earth.

"I... The U.S. Air Force First, Second, Third, Fourth, and Fifth Wings will support immediately!"

"Good! Get the Army to move faster! We don't have enough people—we can't hold out for long!"

Nick cut the connection, then raced back to the Helicarrier aboard the Quinjet.

Earth would never fall!