Support me and be 30 chapters ahead of webnovel:
patreon.com/Draco_
Guys, I have a request. I'm short on my college sem fees, and if you could donate, that would help me immensely!
paypal.me/Un1que01
I will gift everyone who donates a membership to my patreon equivalent to their donation. I will appreciate your help!
******
"Fitz, have you tracked down the locations of the seven hammers yet?"
At S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters, the newly appointed director, Phil Coulson, turned to Leo Fitz, head of the technology division, and asked.
After the Insight Incident concluded, S.H.I.E.L.D. had ultimately secured victory with George's help. However, the agency was no longer trusted by the world's governments and had suffered a significant loss in power.
Even so, a dying camel is still larger than a horse. Once the world's foremost intelligence organization, S.H.I.E.L.D. still retained a considerable edge, even with only its remaining agents and technology. No ordinary organization could compare.
As a result, the U.S. government took over, providing financial support and fully integrating S.H.I.E.L.D. as a dedicated American agency—on par with the CIA and the FBI—though with different responsibilities.
The CIA's primary role was to collect intelligence—both openly and covertly—on foreign governments, corporations, and individuals, covering political, cultural, and technological sectors. It also coordinated activities with other domestic intelligence agencies and disseminated reports across the U.S. government.
The FBI, on the other hand, specialized in counterterrorism, counterespionage, and criminal investigations, holding jurisdiction over more than 200 federal crimes.
S.H.I.E.L.D., in its new role, was tasked with handling all supernatural incidents within the U.S. It also managed the government's uneasy relationship with the Superhuman Academy—an institution viewed as a ticking time bomb, yet with no clear strategy for containment.
A week ago, S.W.O.R.D., the agency responsible for extraterrestrial security, detected the sudden appearance of seven distinct hammers descending from outer space to Earth.
This was anything but normal.
Thus, S.H.I.E.L.D. took over the investigation, tracking the hammers' locations to determine whether they posed a threat to national security.
"Using the data provided by S.W.O.R.D., I analyzed the energy fluctuations emitted by the hammers and developed a tracking system linked to our radar. We've successfully pinpointed their locations," Fitz reported.
He then added, "And there's more. I discovered that, aside from those seven hammers, there's an eighth hammer with similar energy readings. This one appears to have existed on Earth long before the others arrived."
Fitz displayed the radar screen and continued, "The eighth hammer is located in Sokovia. Interestingly, four of the seven newly arrived hammers also landed there, overlapping with the eighth hammer's position.
The remaining three hammers initially landed in different locations—one in Wakanda, one in the waters near Spain, and one in Miami, Florida.
However, all three have now converged in Sokovia."
"Sokovia… could Hydra be involved?"
Coulson frowned at the revelation.
Alexander Pierce was eliminated, but that didn't mean Hydra was completely wiped out.
Interrogations of captured Hydra agents revealed that the organization still had multiple bases worldwide. Pierce had merely been the head of one faction.
Intelligence indicated that Sokovia housed a particularly large Hydra base.
Now, with one hammer originally present there and the other seven converging in the same location, it was hard to believe Hydra wasn't connected to the situation.
"It looks like we're heading to Sokovia."
Without hesitation, Coulson decided to lead a team personally to investigate the mystery of the eight hammers.
"Notify May and assemble the strike team. We leave in thirty minutes."
"Director! Emergency situation!"
Just then, a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent burst into the room in a panic.
"Sokovia—it's rising into the air! The entire city is flying, and it's headed straight for Washington, D.C.!"
"What? Fitz, patch into the satellite feed!"
Coulson's expression changed instantly. He turned to Fitz, who immediately began operating the system, bringing up live satellite footage.
As Fitz's fingers flew across the controls, a projection of Sokovia appeared on the screen.
The satellite feed displayed a shocking scene: the entire city of Sokovia hurtling through the sky at high speed. At the forefront stood an enormous serpent, flanked by the Eight Hammer Wielders, with countless Hydra soldiers filling the city behind them.
"Oh, shit! Notify the Secretary of Defense—authorize missile interception immediately!
And get in touch with George, the headmaster of the Superhuman Academy. We might need his help!"
On the other side, the great serpent sensed the incoming wave of missiles streaking toward them. A faint smirk of disdain appeared on his face. He didn't even bother to act himself. Instead, he merely gestured toward the Eight Hammer Wielders behind him.
"Mortal weapons—primitive and laughable. Even the Dark Elves, now extinct, wielded greater power.
Killian, handle this."
"It would be my honor, my great lord!"
A middle-aged man, slicked-back hair and clad in a sharp suit, suddenly erupted in roaring flames. With a flick of his hand, his crimson hammer soared into the air, streaking like a comet. The fire engulfed the sky, obliterating the missiles in an instant.
This man was Aldrich Killian, one of the original creators of the Extremis virus. A week ago, a blazing red hammer had descended before him.
When he grasped it, he discovered that his already enhanced body—empowered by Extremis—had undergone yet another transformation. He was no longer merely human. He had ascended into godhood.
At that moment, he understood his true purpose: to serve and follow his master for eternity—the God of Fear, Kull.
The great lord. The one and only truth.
"It seems everyone is growing impatient. Very well, let's speed things up."
As the intercepted missiles detonated in the sky, Kull felt a surge of fear energy flowing into him. His power had recovered even further.
With renewed strength, he accelerated Sokovia's flight. Before the second wave of missiles could launch, the city had already arrived over the White House.
"Pitiful mortals… Tremble in fear!"
Kull gently tapped his scepter against the ground. In response, the entire city of Sokovia came crashing down.
*BOOM!*
The impact was cataclysmic.
Inside the White House, an emergency meeting was in session. The President, the Vice President, the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Defense—every high-ranking official in attendance—was instantly crushed beneath the city's weight, reduced to nothing but pulp.
The devastation extended beyond the White House. A vast portion of Washington, D.C., centered around the impact site, was obliterated upon Sokovia's descent.
The immense fear that spread through the city rose into the air, coalescing around Kull, who absorbed it greedily. His power swelled once more.
"My children… Go forth and spread fear. Let the mortals of this world tremble.
This is only the beginning."
At Kull's command, the Eight Hammer Wielders led the Hydra forces into battle, storming the arriving military units. Chaos and carnage engulfed Washington as the massacre began.
And this horrifying spectacle?
It was broadcast live to the entire world.
Journalists, always willing to risk their lives for breaking news, had unknowingly found themselves in the safest position of all.
Kull had allowed them to remain untouched. He wanted the world to witness this catastrophe. The more people who saw the carnage, the greater the fear he could harvest.
This was all part of his plan.
(End of Chapter)