After greeting a few colleagues on-site, April made her way toward the exact spot where she had noticed the disturbance earlier. Her steps slowed as she approached the sewer opening, her curiosity battling against a faint, creeping unease that settled in her chest.
She stopped at the edge and leaned slightly forward, peering down into the dark pipes below.
The tunnel stretched into blackness, swallowing light completely, like a bottomless abyss waiting silently beneath the city. The faint sound of water echoed upward, hollow and distant, making the entire place feel colder than it should have been.
For a brief moment, April felt a chill run through her body.
It wasn't anything she could explain. Just a feeling—like something might be watching her from down there.
She stayed still, eyes focused, waiting.
Seconds passed.
Then more.
Nothing happened.
"…I'm probably overthinking it," she muttered under her breath, straightening up and shaking off the unease.
With one last glance into the darkness, she turned and walked away, her footsteps gradually fading into the distance.
A few seconds later—
Two dark green eyes opened slowly from within the shadows.
Raphael poked his head out cautiously, blinking a few times before raising a hand to his forehead.
"…Why does that feel familiar?" he muttered, frowning as if trying to recall something just out of reach.
"You idiot! What are you staring at? Move!"
Mikey's voice echoed from deeper within the sewer, snapping him out of it.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm coming!" Raphael shot back, quickly retreating and rushing after him.
The group didn't waste time. With their enhanced intelligence and coordination, they moved efficiently through the area, searching every corner of the scene for clues. Unfortunately, aside from a few torn pieces of clothing scattered among the debris, there was nothing of real value left behind.
Still, that didn't stop Donnie from analyzing what little they had.
"These fragments…" he said, examining them carefully. "There's a high probability they belonged to that individual—the one we saw in the footage. If we can run tests, we might be able to extract something useful."
Leonardo nodded, his expression serious.
Even without realizing it, they had already reached a conclusion.
Whoever that man was—
He wasn't just powerful.
He was something more.
Without Liam knowing, four turtles and one rat had already set their sights on him. In their minds, he wasn't just a person—he was the embodiment of a higher path, a living symbol of what ninjutsu could truly become.
And they intended to follow that path, no matter what it took.
——
The next morning, as the first light of dawn spread across New York City, the aftermath of the night before finally hit the public.
April's report exploded across headlines.
"Thunderstorm Destroys Factory? Another Powerful Mutant Emerges in New York."
The article detailed the destruction with vivid precision, emphasizing the sheer scale of the event. According to her analysis, if something like that had occurred in a populated area, the damage would have been catastrophic.
After all, not everyone could withstand electricity like Electro or survive it the way Spider-Man could.
Ordinary people would die.
To the public, it felt like a blade hanging over their heads—one that could fall at any moment.
The brief calm they had enjoyed over the past two days shattered instantly, replaced by fear and uncertainty.
…
Inside S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters, the mood was just as tense.
Steve Rogers stared at the news report, his expression darkening as he pinched the bridge of his nose.
"More enhanced individuals… and they're getting stronger," he said quietly. "If this continues, we won't be able to protect civilians without expanding our capabilities."
"Relax, Cap."
Tony Stark leaned back casually, completely unfazed.
"My armor is more than enough to deal with anything out there."
Steve's head snapped toward him, irritation flashing across his face.
"Enough for everything?" he shot back. "You struggled against one rogue enhanced individual not long ago. Where exactly is that confidence coming from?"
Tony smirked, pushing himself up from his seat.
"And yet, he got away from you too," he replied without hesitation.
Before Steve could respond, Tony had already stripped off his outer clothing, revealing the sleek armor beneath.
"If he shows up again," Tony added, "I'll make sure he doesn't walk away this time."
He paused briefly, then waved a hand dismissively.
"Anyway, I've got a pool party to get to. That's all for today."
With that, the thrusters ignited, and the Mark III armor launched him into the air, blasting out of the facility in a streak of light.
The blatant disregard left Steve standing there, his expression dark and unreadable.
After a moment, his thoughts drifted elsewhere.
"To be honest… compared to him, the Butcher was far more reliable," Steve muttered.
"He was ruthless, yes. But he protected people. Maybe we were too harsh… maybe we should've guided him instead of pushing him away."
Clint Barton leaned against the wall, arms crossed, considering the words carefully.
As someone who had carried out countless covert operations, he understood what it meant to eliminate threats. But unlike Liam, he had always done it quietly, hidden behind the veil of duty.
"People like that…" Clint said slowly. "They're dangerous, but they get results."
He shook his head slightly.
"Still don't get why Fury let him go."
"Tap. Tap. Tap."
The door opened before anyone could continue the discussion.
Maria Hill stepped in, her expression composed as always.
"Given the current situation," she announced, "Director Nick Fury has authorized the recruitment of a new enhanced individual. He'll be joining as part of the Avengers initiative."
As she finished speaking, another figure entered the room.
A man in a blue shirt and black-rimmed glasses.
He adjusted them slightly before offering a small nod.
"You can call me Dr. Banner," he said calmly. "I specialize in combat scenarios… though I'd prefer you never see me when I'm angry."
For a brief moment, the room was silent.
Then laughter broke out.
The tension eased, replaced by a lighter atmosphere.
Steve stepped forward, placing a hand on Banner's shoulder.
"Welcome to the team."
Hill didn't laugh.
She knew exactly what kind of power stood behind that calm exterior. If left unchecked, the man in front of them could level the entire city on his own.
"A double-edged sword…" she thought silently.
——
Meanwhile, deep within the research division, Fitz had thrown himself completely into his work.
Ever since making his promise, he had pushed himself beyond his limits, refusing to become disposable again. The pressure drove him forward, unlocking a level of focus he had never reached before.
On the first day, he completed the preliminary design of a combat suit.
On the second, he refined its structure, optimizing every component.
By the third day, he had selected materials and adapted the design to better align with symbiote-based properties.
That night, he stood before Nick Fury, presenting the finished prototype.
Dark circles hung under his eyes, but his posture remained rigid, filled with pride.
"This is the first-generation combat suit," Fitz explained. "While it's not perfect, it can more than double the user's combat ability and significantly enhance speed. In theory, even a normal soldier could run a hundred meters in eight seconds while wearing it."
Fury raised an eyebrow.
"And if Steve wore it?"
Fitz paused briefly before answering.
"He could probably suppress an entire battlefield on his own."
A slow smile spread across Fury's face.
"Outstanding work, Agent Fitz," he said. "Call Steve to the training ground. We'll run a test tonight."
Fitz nodded, a spark of excitement flickering in his eyes.
This was it.
His chance to prove himself.
His chance to make up for everything.
But just as he turned—
Something caught his attention.
A pair of bright black eyes.
Watching him.
From inside the ventilation duct.
He froze.
Then blinked.
The eyes were gone.
"…Did I just imagine that?"
.....
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