Steve stood up and looked at Tony seriously. "Coward. Do you know you sound like one right now? No matter what we do, we're trying to stop disasters. This isn't what we wanted, but we still have to take responsibility for the consequences. Does signing this agreement mean we can't fulfill that responsibility? When the time comes, the consequences of our actions should be borne by us—not pushed onto the United Nations!"
After saying that, Steve turned and left. He didn't want to continue the discussion.
Tony called out to his departing figure, "Responsibility? And how exactly are we supposed to take responsibility? How do we make up for their losses? With money? Whose money do you think it's been every single time? So who's the real coward?!"
Sam followed shortly after.
As for the others, they remained—but none of them intended to stay much longer.
There was no absolute right or wrong in this matter. It was simply a difference in perspective. Different intentions didn't necessarily mean opposition—perhaps that was the true situation.
Tony picked up the phone from the table, turned off the projection screen, and walked over to the bar, pouring himself a drink.
Unlike Steve, he was more determined to sign the agreement. Steve spoke of responsibility and commitment, but in Tony's eyes, he hadn't truly acted on those words.
Natasha walked over and looked at him. "I don't really have a say in this. My position doesn't allow me to choose. So I'll go sign it—with you."
She poured herself a drink as well.
Tony looked at her. "There's still Carl and Diwan. What if they leave this world? We'll be facing even more problems. For those who've already been hurt, this is the most we can do. Maybe in the future, superheroes can build a better system for the world."
Natasha understood both Tony and Steve—but she couldn't voice her own stance. She had to walk this path. That, perhaps, was her sorrow.
Maybe… this was what it felt like to be free of responsibility.
She took a quiet sip of her drink.
At that moment, Vision walked over, his expression as blank as ever. "I disagree with the agreement—and I also disagree with Steve. We should be supervised, but we must not be controlled by the United Nations. If this agreement is signed, the Avengers will cease to exist."
Tony said nothing. Even with his intelligence, there was no easy answer. With 117 countries already backing the agreement, this wasn't something that could be easily changed.
There were only two paths.
Sign it—or don't.
The Avengers could be rebuilt if they disbanded. But once human lives were lost, there was no undoing it.
Tony didn't think of religion or salvation. Instead, he remembered the cries of children in the ruins—their confusion, their pain. Those cries pierced his heart like blades.
After leaving, Steve rode his motorcycle back home.
He thought about himself seventy years ago.
Back then, he was a soldier—a man who fought for world peace. If it had been that version of him, he would have signed the agreement without hesitation.
But things were different now.
Seventy years of time had been torn away from him. Even after living in this world for five or six years, it was still hard to truly belong.
The modern world was completely different from the one he knew. The ideas between nations had changed. Wars were fewer—but far more dangerous.
And worst of all, the only person he truly loved had died just days ago.
At his most broken moment, he was forced to face all of this. He couldn't stay calm—nor could he talk to Tony rationally.
Back in his apartment, Steve collapsed onto the couch, covering his face with his hands.
Pain always came with confusion—and Steve felt lost.
He had thought the team was unbreakable. He never imagined a single agreement could tear them apart.
Nor did he know how to change Tony's mind.
Maybe only time could ease all of this. Maybe one day, they would become strangers.
But when the world faced danger, he would still stand up.
That was his will. His belief.
Knock knock.
Someone was at the door.
Steve rubbed his face and went to open it.
It was Sam.
"Why are you here?" Steve asked.
Sam walked in and sat on the couch. "Because I believe in you."
Steve smiled faintly. "Thanks."
"No problem. I think you're right. I'm not signing that agreement either. For us, it's no different from being enlisted again."
Sam picked up a beer from the fridge and took a casual sip.
Steve sat down, staring silently at the beer in his hand. Sam didn't speak either.
After a long silence, Steve said, "I don't belong in this era. I should be on the battlefields of World War II—not here, dealing with this unreasonable agreement."
Sam placed the bottle on the table. "Back then, life wasn't exactly great either."
Steve nodded, drained his drink in one go, and tossed the can into the trash.
"In seven days, I'm not going. And from now on… Captain America will only appear when he's needed."
"Strange… you still haven't learned this spell?"
Diwan looked at the familiar yet unfamiliar man with confusion.
Every time she passed by the training grounds, she saw him waving his hands around awkwardly like a fool—yet accomplishing nothing.
Strange knew about Diwan. It had been nearly half a month since he was rescued. He had already learned about Carl and Diwan, and aside from initial surprise, he didn't think much of it.
All he wanted was for his hands to recover.
"I heard you're good with magic. Can you help me?" Strange asked.
He had lost count of how many times he had tried—but nothing worked.
Diwan waved her hand. "What you need is to believe in yourself. You're still doubting yourself—I can't help with that. I'm looking for Carl. Have you seen him?"
"I saw him going to breakfast about an hour ago," Strange replied. "After that, I don't know."
"Alright."
Diwan left to look for Carl.
Carl was in the library, talking with Wong.
After half a month, the people of Kamar-Taj had finally begun to move past the grief of Hayden's death. Wong had also returned to his usual serious demeanor.
"You really need to learn about famous people—and listen to their music. Otherwise, you'll miss out on happiness!"
Carl sat on a stool in the library, while Wong stood at the librarian's desk, looking puzzled.
"Why would that make someone happy?"
"You don't get it. Music can move your emotions. Listen to this."
Carl pulled out Diwan's phone—he had taken it earlier after answering a call.
He opened the player and started an intense, fast-paced track.
"Listen carefully. You'll feel yourself move with the rhythm."
Wong listened closely.
Before he knew it, his feet began to tap along with the heavy beat.
Carl grinned. "See? It makes you move! Do you still feel down?"
Wong stood up, nodded silently—and began awkwardly moving his slightly chubby body to the music.
Carl laughed.
Just then, Diwan walked in—and froze.
"…What is he doing?"
She turned to Carl. "Did he lose his mind?"
Carl pulled her over and sat her on his lap, annoyed. "You call that dancing crazy? Then what do you call what you do at night?"
"…Huh?"
Diwan stared at Wong again. "That's… dancing?"
Then she looked at the phone playing music. "Why do you have my phone? Don't you have your own?"
"I answered a call this morning and forgot to return it."
Carl picked up the phone and said to Wong, "Find someone else to listen with—I'm taking this back."
Wong nodded. That brief moment had felt… freeing.
Diwan smiled sweetly. "Uncle Wong, you should learn to dance properly. Watch how people do it on TV when you have time."
But thinking back to his stiff movements and serious face, she couldn't help but shiver slightly.
How did Carl even manage that?
The music continued playing as they both sat there idly.
"Who called you?" she asked.
"Tony. He wants me to sign the global agreement."
Diwan leaned into his arms. "Will you?"
Carl nodded. "For people like us—beyond normal authority—Tony wants me on his side."
Diwan frowned. "So someone disagrees with him?"
Carl recalled the earlier conversation and explained, "The agreement puts the Avengers under UN supervision. They won't be able to act freely anymore. Tony supports it—but Steve refuses. That's where the conflict comes from."
Diwan snorted lightly, beginning to understand. "What does that have to do with you? We're not even from this world. We could leave anytime—and never come back."
Of course Carl knew that.
"For us, it doesn't matter whether we sign or not. There's no right or wrong here. But from Tony's perspective, I'm a key figure. My decision could influence the entire team. He wants to preserve the Avengers—so as long as I sign, that might stabilize things. As for Steve… whether he signs or not doesn't matter as much."
Diwan thought for a moment. "Still, I think it's better not to sign. At first, no one controlled you—and now suddenly multiple authorities want oversight. That defeats the whole purpose of the Avengers."
Carl gently smoothed her slightly messy hair. "In my opinion, it's not that simple. From the moment this agreement appeared, the Avengers were already affected. They're no longer whole."
Diwan agreed.
There wasn't just one leader in the team—but two.
Tony, who had run Stark Industries since he was young, wasn't someone who changed his mind easily.
And Steve, who had fought in World War II, understood the meaning of personal belief better than anyone.
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