The Savior of American Comics? I'm the Subspace Evil God!

Chapters 428, 772, and 773: Nick Fury's Principles

"It was inspired by Carol that I later drafted a proposal to protect the Earth from unconventional threats by gathering various heroes."

Nick Fury glanced smugly at the crowd before him. "You guessed it, it's the Avengers today!!"

Everyone:? ? ?
No, what are you raving about? Who guessed it?

However, Nick Fury apparently didn't mention that the codename "Avenger" was something he had plagiarized from Carol Danvers's codename when she was a pilot.

After all... he's a person who cares about his reputation.

While Captain America and the others were marveling at this, they couldn't help but look at Nick Fury with complicated expressions. No wonder this old schemer always liked to put on such an arrogant attitude before; it turned out he had such a trump card hidden in his hand!

But unlike the others, Tony Stark was not reassured. Instead, he frowned and asked:
"Fury, if you were to compare Thor with this Carol Danvers, who do you think is stronger?"

Nick Fury understood that Tony Stark wanted to accurately assess Carol's fighting ability in order to better prepare for the upcoming battle and develop a more detailed plan.

And that's exactly what he wanted to see.

After pondering for a moment, he stroked his chin and said, "If we judge solely on their performance on the battlefield, then Thor and Carol should be split 40/60..."

"Solzan six?"

"No, it's Carol who accounts for six!"

Nick Fury stated realistically, "If you add the arrangement of the battle and the control of the pace of the campaign... then Thor only accounts for 20% at most."

hiss~~
Everyone was slightly shocked again, after all, Thor's power was undeniable.

Putting aside the hammer that can summon lightning and provide precise navigation, Thor's own strength alone is enough to put him on par with Hulk, who has transformed into the head of a demolition company.

Yet, even with his immense power, Thor was still no match for Carol Danvers.

Is this woman some kind of superheroine?
“Tony, Carol’s strength is undeniable,” Nick Fury reminded him with a look of conviction. “If it weren’t for that, Earth would probably be gone by now.”

"Originally, I planned to use this trump card to deal with Carol... cough cough, that bastard, but the situation is critical this time, and I have already contacted Carol in advance, but whether she can arrive in time is unknown."

"Because in the last ten years or so, Carol has been fighting for justice in the universe and protecting the weak, so no one can be sure which star system she is in now, or how long it will take before she receives my rescue message."

Captain America and the others now understood Nick Fury's true purpose in gathering them: it was a contingency plan devised in advance in case Carol Danvers couldn't arrive on time!
To avoid any unexpected events that might catch everyone off guard.

But did he just let it slip that he wanted to use Carol Danvers to deal with Karl Mara?

Tsk tsk, this one-eyed black guy really does hold grudges...

“Frey, if this Carol you mentioned can’t get here in time, it means we’ll have to face Ronan’s fleet head-on.”

Tony Stark frowned and said seriously, "If the enemy attacking this time is a starfleet even more powerful than the Chitauri, then we probably won't be able to fight back at all!"

"What do you mean?" Nick Fury looked at the other person with some dissatisfaction.

Tony Stark continued without mincing words, "Because most of us don't even have the ability to fly, let alone fight in space..."

"Moreover, if that madman named Ronan doesn't intend to launch a ground invasion, but instead launches missiles directly from outside the atmosphere to the ground for a saturation bombardment, then we will be helpless!"

Captain America and the others frowned deeply upon hearing this, because Tony Stark's statement made perfect sense.

In ground warfare, these so-called superheroes can still be of some use.

However, once they enter the realm of aerial combat, or even space combat, the vast majority of them will be reduced to the same 'useless' state as ordinary people.

No, to be precise, apart from Tony Stark, who has the ability to conduct routine combat in space, even Thor himself cannot operate in space for extended periods.

What's more, Thor is currently 'drifted out of contact'...

what?
You mean Thunderbolt?
Although Thunderbolt also possesses the ability to fly, the flames on his body are extremely dependent on oxygen for combustion.

In other words, once he enters the oxygen-free environment of space, the flames on his body will automatically extinguish.

Therefore, the initiative in this war was firmly in the hands of their enemy even before the war began.

"You're right..."

Nick Fury, unusually, did not argue, but sighed helplessly, "Actually, the reason I gathered everyone here this time is not only because I was worried that Carol wouldn't be able to get back in time, but also because of another matter."

"That is, as far as I know, the reason Ronan dared to openly attack Earth again without fear of Carlo's threats is because he recently obtained a powerful weapon called the [Infinity Stones]. This has multiplied his strength and allowed him to destroy Earth in ways far beyond our imagination!"

"So I'm worried that even if Carol can get back in time, she might not be able to drive out Ronan's fleet this time!"

That one sentence plunged Captain America and the others, whose spirits had just begun to lift, into despair.

No, you're being a bit silly, you bald-headed guy!

What the hell do you mean by telling us this?

If even a superwoman like Carol Danvers can't handle Ronan, then what are we left with no options but to throw our lives away?

Did you really just say the phrase "far beyond our imagination"?

Tony Stark seemed particularly bothered by the word, and his face, which he usually spent a lot of money on to maintain, was now shrouded in an indescribable gloom.

Black Widow, who knew him best, immediately recognized that the severe anxiety he had developed about unknown threats during the Battle of New York seemed to be on the verge of erupting once again.

Previously, in an effort to cure his "heart disease," Tony Stark secretly spent tens of millions on psychological treatment. However, the final results were all somewhat unsatisfactory.

Fortunately, Pepper Potts's thoughtful companionship and the advent of the "Iron Legion" successfully alleviated Tony's symptoms and helped him emerge from the shadow of anxiety.

Who would have thought that Nick Fury's words today would once again bring to light the 'anxiety' that Tony Stark had been suppressing deep in his heart.

“Yes, that’s what my informant told me.” Nick Fury gave the other person a deep look. “This time, it will be an extremely severe test for all of us.”

"The reason I'm telling you this isn't to put pressure on you, but simply to see just how determined you are to defend the Earth!"

"Excuse me, did you just say 'the determination to defend the Earth'?"

Tony Stark sneered, "If that's really what you think, then you should take the initiative to call the Vought Group, or even the Subspace Group... and do your best to persuade Homelander and Karl Mara, and everyone else who is capable of joining us in resisting Ronan's army. Only in this way can we possibly have a better chance of winning in this unequal war!"

"impossible."

Without a second thought, Nick Fury slammed his fist on the table and stood up, yelling at Tony in a fit of exasperation:
"Whether it's Homelander or that bastard Karl Mara, in my eyes they're no different from Ronan. They're all the root of evil, and I absolutely cannot tolerate those kinds of guys becoming heroes who protect the Earth... Absolutely not!!"

“Fury, don’t you understand? Your personal likes and dislikes, and the grudges between the two of you, are not important.”

Tony Stark bluntly retorted, "The important thing is that when faced with life-or-death situations, we must learn to be flexible."

hiss~~
Everyone present held their breath in their hands, feeling a chill for Tony.

You're really brave, kid. You actually dared to talk to that petty black guy like that. Aren't you afraid he'll make things difficult for you later?

However, no one dared to speak up for Tony at this crucial moment.

Because every single one of these people, including Captain America, is completely under Nick Fury's thumb.

in other words……

They have absolutely no standing in front of Nick Fury!
"Perhaps other things are possible..."

Nick Fury remained unmoved, shouting with unwavering resolve, "But on this matter, my principles will not change in the slightest."

"Ha ha……"

Tony Stark laughed in fury, letting out a contemptuous snort from his nose. "So, you'd rather watch the Earth be destroyed by Ronan's army than swallow your pride and cooperate with Karl Mara?"

"you……"

Nick Fury's face was contorted with extreme rage, his bloodshot eye glaring menacingly at Tony Stark. Instead of directly answering the man's question, he evaded the question, saying:

"If even we can't protect the safety of the Earth and safeguard our cherished family and friends, then the Avengers have no reason to exist!"

Anyone with a discerning eye could tell that Nick Fury's words were tantamount to an ultimatum. However, as Tony Stark slowly rose to his feet, he retorted with a hint of accusation:
"Listen, a supervillain is about to destroy the Earth. It doesn't matter who you ask for help from now on. I just hope that you can continue to stick to your principles after everyone else has died!"

After saying that, he ignored the murderous glare Nick Fury gave him and walked out of the conference room without looking back.

"Who else wants to be like him and contradict me?"

Nick Fury stared wide-eyed, scanning everyone in the conference room. If he had some reservations when facing Tony Stark, the wealthy and powerful patron who provided money, technology, and manpower, he had none when facing Captain America and the others.

If anyone dares to 'jump' out right now, he will absolutely not hesitate to order them to be locked up in the highest-security [Raft Prison], so that they will never see the sun again until the day they die of old age.

"Since no one objects, let's all go and make preparations."

Having regained his 'dignity' among the group, Nick Fury waved impatiently. Captain America and the others slunk out of the meeting room and headed to the armory prepared by S.H.I.E.L.D. to select weapons and equipment that might be needed in the upcoming battle.

"Sir, um..."

After all the Avengers had left, Maria Hill glanced furtively at her boss's expression and then cautiously said:
"Should we inform the public that Ronan will be coming to Earth so that they can prepare for potential dangers in advance?"

"Fuck you, do you not have a brain?"

In a fit of rage, Nick Fury unleashed a torrent of abuse, "Giving those commoners advance warning will only cause widespread panic, and will serve no other purpose... Besides, compared to the imminent danger to the Earth, who cares about the lives of these ants right now?!"

"Yes, I...I understand."

Maria Hill nodded silently, about to quietly leave the meeting room, when her phone suddenly rang. She took it out and her expression instantly became complicated.

"Ahem, it seems that officer has run into trouble."

"Damn it, didn't I tell you guys I hate riddle people the most? What happened this time? Can't you just tell me directly?"

“Okay.” Maria Hill swallowed hard, then mustered her courage and said, “Just now, the Daily Bugle issued a warning that Ronan’s fleet is about to attack Earth!”

"What did you say?!"

Nick Fury's voice became extremely sharp with anger. He suddenly stood up, snatched the tablet from Maria Hill's hand, and looked at the live broadcast playing on it.

In the video, John Jameson is speaking eloquently to the camera: "Dear viewers, just now, we received some astonishing news from an insider: an alien fleet is heading towards Earth!"

"This Kree Empire interstellar fleet, led by Ronan the Accuser, is expected to arrive on Earth in a day and will most likely launch a direct attack on Earth."

"And this is not the first time [Commander] Ronan has launched an attack on Earth. In fact, more than a decade ago, he personally led a fleet to invade Earth..."

(End of this chapter)