Chapter 532: The Plot Takes Another Strange Turn (Patreon)

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In a moment, a dazzling halo of colors radiated from Stark. While it didn't reach the grandeur of the light exhibited by demon gods, it possessed a mysterious and dazzling brilliance. The damaged Mech armor, repaired by magic energy, was restored to its original perfection.

The entire armor was now a gleaming gold and crimson, with the golden parts adorned with a mysterious red hue. A halo of light unfolded behind Stark, forming a shield of magic energy that refracted into a rainbow of colors. Amidst the sturdy mechanical aesthetics, a touch of eerie beauty was added.

Simultaneously, the moonlight behind Schiller grew brighter. A crescent moon rose behind him, and the phantom of Khonshu seemed to float within it.

Two figures, one gold and one silver, radiated brilliant light across the eclipsed sun. As they clashed, their radiance merged, creating a second sun that seemed to come alive in the dark of night.

With the magic shield in place, Stark's close combat became a strength. Guided by JARVIS, who had gathered more data and analyzed Schiller's movements, Stark inclined to approach Schiller. He used the magic glow attached to his palm to fend off Schiller's attacks.

Schiller was not to be outdone. He had refrained from displaying much combat prowess earlier, all to avoid JARVIS' analysis. But now, the blade of his scattered knife moved like a blossoming flower, launching attacks from various deceptive angles, blocking Stark's movements. Sharpened blade lights aimed for lethal targets.

In the midst of the sprawling battle, Steve struggled to find an opening to intervene. Before long, Spider-Man swung into view and still baffled, asked, "Captain, what's happening? Why are they fighting again?"

"The negotiations between Stark and Schiller fell apart," Steve summarized the preceding events.

In such a situation, he couldn't provide Peter with too much detail. However, Peter interpreted it differently, his expression growing serious. He asked, "So, what do we do now? Whom do we need to stop?"

"Whom to stop? Of course..." Steve paused himself here, unsure why Schiller had suddenly turned to violence against Stark. And looking at Stark, he seemed somewhat hesitant to retaliate.

Spider-Man surveyed the scene and urged, "We need to stop them quickly. This commotion has grown too large. When I arrived, I heard people speculating, 'Can superheroes manipulate an eclipse? Will they extinguish the sun?' This could lead to panic!"

The aerial conflict intensified, even parting the clouds. Stark confronted the frenzied Schiller. Despite half of Schiller's face being covered by the mouthpiece of the Moon Knight's suit, Stark could still perceive the coldness and cruelty he had never seen before in his eyes.

This reminded him of what he had seen in Schiller's hospital room in the Temple of Thought Asylum. Suddenly, he realized that the person he was facing now might be that genius serial killer.

With this thought, Stark believed that a swift conclusion was necessary. Such a personality was uncontrollable; if Schiller's target shifted away from him, it would be disastrous.

"Steve! Steve! And Peter, are you there? Come help stop him!" Stark shouted.

Steve and Peter had been itching to join the battle on the sidelines. They took advantage of Stark engaging Schiller and attacked from below.

While Steve clearly sided with Stark, Peter seemed to lose sight of the distinction. He didn't aim to aid Stark against Schiller; rather, he positioned himself between them, appearing suspiciously like a double agent.

"Hey! Peter! What are you doing? Stay clear of my flight path!" Stark hastily pulled up, avoiding Peter obstructing his trajectory. But Peter retorted, "No, Mr. Stark, you can't just charge in like that. Dr. Schiller could get hurt."

Before he could process this, a massive cross-shaped blade light hurtled towards him. Stark dodged as best he could, but it grazed his arm, causing the magic shield's energy radiance to dim. Stark roared, "Then why didn't you stop him when he attacked me?!"

"I can't do magic! I couldn't stop him!"

Steve covered his face in exasperation.

Soon, other members of the Avengers arrived on the scene, Venom being the first.

Venom roared and charged straight at Schiller.

Stark wondered why Venom was acting so recklessly, but then a massive beam of light sliced through the air. Venom's symbiotic body was dispersed by the attack, causing him to cry out in pain. In the next moment, he shifted his aggression toward Stark.

Following Venom, the other symbiotes also entered the fray. Despite their usual tensions with Venom, when faced with this situation, they naturally sided with Stark.

Schiller wasn't without allies either. Answering the call of the Moon God Khonshu, the Moonlight Killer, Jack, reappeared. Wrapped in bandages and with red-glowing eyes, he looked even more terrifying in the eclipse-lit night.

Suddenly, radiance descended from the center of the battlefield. The figure of Strange emerged, his voice carrying an air of authority:

"Cease this at once! The power of magic should not descend upon New York. Those who misuse magic will be expelled from Earth..."

As the words were spoken, deep red ribbons surged towards Stark. Dodging and yelling, Stark protested, "It's not just me using magic! Isn't Schiller using magic too?"

"He's using demon gods' magic."

Strange responded while battling, leaving Stark stunned. He exclaimed, "I'm using demon gods' magic too! I am a demon god myself!"

"Demon gods are even less welcome on Earth. Go back to your dimension!"

"Damn it, you're just settling personal scores!"

Just then, like a fleeting rainbow, a radiant young woman with a dazzling halo appeared in the center of the battlefield. Her voice resonated through the sky, compelling everyone to listen to her teachings.

"I come on behalf of Asgard. Asgard implores that internal strife within Earth cease. All issues can be resolved through dialogue. We do not seek to meddle in Earth's affairs, but peace is the pursuit of all..."

"Meaningless wars only result in needless casualties. Rational discourse is the only way out..."

With a bang, a shield narrowly missed Lady Loki's hair as it flew past. Steve chased after it while shouting, "Sorry, miss. Please make way!"

"Lady Loki, are you..."

Lady Loki's words were cut off by a thunderbolt that struck down. Thor appeared behind her, covering her mouth. Addressing everyone, he said, "Apologies, apologies. She's been mentally unstable during her confinement. I'll take her back immediately..."

"Thor! What are you doing? I came for peace!" Lady Loki shouted. Thor, dragging her away, gritted his teeth and said, "Please stop causing trouble. I acknowledge that Sif barged into your room and argued with you. She was wrong. Let's return now; your confinement isn't over yet..."

During the sibling tussle, a massive blade light swooshed down. It sliced off a lock of Thor's hair. Thor stared at Schiller, astonished, and demanded, "What are you doing?!"

Schiller's response was another swift strike.

Now, the situation above New York had turned peculiar. It mainly consisted of Stark's faction, Schiller's faction, peacemakers, and the troublemakers with no apparent purpose.

These individuals soared through the sky, radiant like multiple suns suddenly added overnight. Though they flew at high altitudes without causing substantial damage to New York, the ensuing panic resulted in a massive traffic jam.

Various television networks set up equipment at intersections, eager to capture the hot topic. Some daring ones even reached the rooftop of a building near Captain America.

A bearded reporter held a camera up to Steve's face, asking, "Captain America, since your resurrection became widely known last year, this should be your first appearance in the public eye, participating in a superhero battle..."

"How do you assess this superhero 'civil war'? What sparked this conflict? And where do you foresee its conclusion?"

"It's not a civil war." Steve set the tone for this 'war,' stating, "It's merely an exercise. For this purpose, superheroes from various backgrounds have been invited."

"Do superheroes need exercises too?" The reporter, Bob, expressed surprise.

"Of course. Besides combating crime on the streets, superheroes must remain vigilant against potential alien invasions or space wars. We're always prepared for that. So today, with S.H.I.E.L.D.'s permission, we're conducting an exercise among superheroes."

Steve cleared his throat. He was familiar with this script, given his background in public relations. He extended his hand, pointing to the sky as he introduced:

"The golden side is represented by Iron Man Stark, mainly employing science and technological, as well as biological science and technology, complemented by AI's strategic tactics. They're currently in the lead."

"Meanwhile, the silver side, led by... well, Moon Knight, relies mainly on mystical powers."

Frowning, Steve adopted a serious expression, addressing the camera, "Previously, you may have heard of incidents where monsters trapped in seals broke free. The reason the government didn't suppress the information and organized this exercise today is to reassure everyone that those monsters aren't as terrifying, as superheroes are stronger."

"Everything is within our control. So, don't panic if you encounter such situations again. Follow the plan..."

As Steve passionately tried to provide reassurance, a subtle change occurred on the battlefield.

Schiller's actions began to slow down, Stark noticed. The aggressive attacks waned, and Schiller even paused mid-attack, shaking his head. He seemed somewhat disoriented.

From Stark's perspective, Schiller was likely experiencing hallucinations again. So, Stark shouted, "Schiller! Stay focused! Don't let it control you. Those are just your illusions..."

However, Stark was surprised to hear Schiller, hovering in mid-air, gritting his teeth and cursing at the air, "You're all so noisy!"

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Next Chapter>>Chapter 533: The Strange Twist of the Plot (Part 2)