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

Chapters 553, 1022, and 1023: Tony: You think you're the only 'monster'?
As an "old-fashioned" figure from the last century, Captain America displayed impeccable manners, exuding the gentlemanly charm of the old era.

However, before he could finish speaking, Tony Stark, who was standing next to him with his arms crossed, casually twirling around as if he were in his own living room, couldn't help but interrupt.

This time, his tone clearly carried a hint of undisguised dissatisfaction, and he couldn't help but chime in:

“That’s right, we originally wanted to call ahead to make an appointment with you, which would undoubtedly demonstrate the good upbringing of the Avengers, but the problem is…”

He deliberately dragged out his words, his gaze unabashedly sweeping across to Hawkeye, who was clearly already somewhat embarrassed. "Even though we've been fighting alongside Patton for so long, we had no idea he actually hid such a large farm in Queens, and a... uh, beautiful wife."

He eventually changed the word "secret agent" that was on the tip of his tongue to "wife".

But the subtext of those words is already quite obvious.

For someone like Tony Stark, who is extremely insecure, or rather, has a strong desire for control and values ​​his team highly, the fact that a close comrade-in-arms concealed such important personal information, especially after experiencing Ultron's 'betrayal' and Tucson's 'disastrous defeat,' undoubtedly touched the deepest, most sensitive nerve in his heart regarding 'trust'.

Even if others might consider such privacy issues insignificant.

But in his view, this issue concerns absolute trust among team members... which is clearly a big problem.

Only the closest comrades-in-arms will share their innermost secrets with everyone.

Hawkeye clearly sensed the dissatisfaction and resentment in Tony Stark's tone, but he wasn't angry. Instead, he smiled understandingly, looked at Tony Stark and the others with sincerity, and offered his explanation:

“I’m sorry, Tony, listen to me. It’s not because I don’t trust everyone… This was the only request I made to Director Fury when I chose to join S.H.I.E.L.D., and it was one of the prerequisites for me accepting this job.”

"So anything about Laura, about this farm, about my children... this information is absolutely top secret and doesn't exist in any level of S.H.I.E.L.D. files, not even on paper!"

He took a deep breath, his gaze sweeping across the tranquil farm outside the window, a hint of longing and deep weariness in his eyes. He subconsciously tightened his arm around Laura's waist, his movements filled with endless tenderness.

"This is the last piece of pure land I've left for myself. My original plan was to wait until I could no longer work and retired, then completely disappear from the world and live out the rest of my life here with Laura and the children, far away from all the troubles of the world."

“Every day I grow vegetables, raise chickens, spend time with Laura, and teach the children archery…”

"I just never expected that this last safe haven would come in handy under these circumstances and in this way."

Then he looked up at the crowd in front of him and said in an extremely firm tone, "But please believe me, this is absolutely the safest place right now."

"Neither the ubiquitous media outside nor that damned electronic ghost of Ultron can find this paradise that has been deliberately 'erased'."

“We can catch our breath here, tend to our wounds, and think about what to do next.”

As everyone listened to Hawkeye's candid explanation and saw the undeniable sincerity in his eyes and his unreserved protectiveness towards his family, the slight resentment that had arisen from the crushing defeat and Tony Stark's words was successfully resolved at that moment.

Immediately, Hawkeye began to act like a true host, greeting everyone and preparing to assign them guest rooms upstairs so they could wash up and rest first.

However, there aren't many rooms, so some people will need to squeeze in.

However, at that moment, [Thunderbolt], who had been leaning against the door frame and seemed somewhat out of place, suddenly waved to [Hawkeye].

"Thanks, Barton, but no need to trouble you. I have a place to stay. I'm a light sleeper and it's too 'quiet' here, which makes me uncomfortable..."

He casually tossed out a remark, then turned and walked toward the gate, his signature blue uniform standing out prominently in the morning light.

"Jonathan!"

Upon seeing this, Captain America immediately frowned and followed. "Where are you going? It's dangerous outside. Ultron could be monitoring our every move from anywhere. If you disobey orders and act on your own, it could cause unnecessary trouble for everyone."

"It's too crowded here, and just waiting helplessly isn't my style..."

[Human Torch] stopped, but didn't turn around. He simply turned his head, his tone carrying the impatience typical of youth and a hint of disdain for Captain America's theory of 'collective action,' and replied somewhat coldly:
“I’m going back to S.H.I.E.L.D. to find my older sister and Reed. They’re both smarter than everyone here combined. I’m sure they can figure out where that metal goo called Ultron is.”

Before he could finish speaking, and before Captain America could try to dissuade him again, Human Torch suddenly burst into flames, instantly transforming him into a dazzling human torch.

The high temperature caused the surrounding air to distort instantly.

Two bursts of flame erupted from beneath [Thunderbolt]'s feet, and he shot straight into the sky like a meteor flying against the current, leaving a brief but brilliant orange-red trail across the gray-blue sky of dawn.

In the blink of an eye, it disappeared into the clouds to the southeast, its speed astonishing.

"This..." Captain America's outstretched hand froze in mid-air, and he could only helplessly lower it in the end.

He stared in the direction where [Thunderbolt] had disappeared, his brow furrowed, and he sighed deeply.

Clearly, not everyone in this battered Avengers team truly respects his leadership.

At least the newly joined members of the Fantastic Four are more accustomed to following Nick Fury's orders or adhering to their own logic.

Captain America felt helpless about this, but he was powerless to force the issue.

After a moment of silence, he turned and went back inside. The warm light and the aroma of food failed to dispel the heaviness in his heart.

His gaze swept over the faces of the crowd, which were etched with exhaustion, anxiety, and unease. He considered saving his words for tomorrow or a more suitable time...

But after thinking it over, he realized that time was of the essence, and every minute that passed could potentially give Ultron an edge. So, he took a deep breath and spoke in his steady voice:
"I think it's time for us all to sit down and have a proper talk."

Clearly, Captain America intends to use his personal charisma and leadership to rebuild the morale of this crumbling team in the lead-up to the next major battle.

"What to talk about?"

Tony Stark had already walked over to the somewhat old-looking wooden dining table, pulled out a chair and sat down, tapping his fingers idly on the smooth surface, making a soft, tinkling sound.

He glanced around the kitchen, which was clean but clearly not very well-off… at least not very well-off for him, and said in his characteristically sarcastic tone:
"Shall we discuss what to eat for lunch today? I think there's still some flour in the kitchen. Maybe we can bake some cookies ourselves? After all, we need to find something for everyone to do during our 'hiding' time, right?" His joke didn't elicit laughter; instead, it made the atmosphere even more tense.

“The captain is right, it’s time to have a serious talk…” A trembling voice interrupted Tony Stark’s teasing.

Everyone turned to look and saw Bruce Banner, still wrapped in a blanket, sitting on the single sofa closest to the fireplace. His trembling had not improved; in fact, it seemed to have gotten worse than before.

He slowly raised his head, his face pale, his bloodshot eyes behind his glasses filled with immeasurable pain, self-blame, and a near-desperate fear.

His voice trembled slightly from the emotional turmoil, each word seeming as if squeezed out from between his teeth with great difficulty:

“This time, the whole world has seen the Hulk… I mean, for the first time in a truly meaningful way, the destructive power and uncontrollable threat posed by the Hulk have been seen so clearly.”

He swallowed hard, as if something was stuck in his throat.

His gaze then quickly swept over everyone present, finally settling on the face of Black Widow, who had been standing by his side, her eyes filled with worry.

A deep sense of longing and reluctance flickered across his face, but it was quickly replaced by an almost desperate resolve, and his voice gradually became unusually firm:

"So... I think I have to leave."

"I must leave here, leave America, and leave all people before Director Fury or anyone else decides to send someone to arrest me again and put me back in that specially made 'cage' at S.H.I.E.L.D...."

He avoided Black Widow's gaze, which had suddenly turned sorrowful, and lowered his head, looking at his trembling hands as if there were something terrifying there.

Bruce Banner swallowed hard, looked up at Captain America again, his eyes pleading and confessing, and said with all his might:
"I'm going to find a place where no one lives... a desert, Antarctica, or some uninhabited island in the Pacific Ocean that isn't even marked on a map? And then, I'll never come out again..."

"Only in this way can it be the best choice for the Avengers and for all innocent civilians... so that I will no longer be a ticking time bomb that could be detonated at any moment."

"I really can't... I really can't let what happened in Tucson happen again."

The terrified looks in people's eyes on the street flashed through his mind again, along with the cars and buildings that Hulk had casually smashed.

The feeling of pleasure from destruction intertwined with endless regret afterward almost tore him in two completely different ways.

"No, Bruce!!"

Upon hearing this, Black Widow immediately knelt down and covered Bruce Banner's icy cold and trembling hands with her warm palms.

Those emerald green eyes, usually so adept at concealing emotions, were now filled with heartache and pleading, and her voice was gentler than ever before:

"Don't be like that, no one will blame you. The disaster in Tucson wasn't caused by you... it was Hulk... no, it should be Ultron! That damned robot was the mastermind behind it all!"

"So please don't leave me, okay?"

“We are a team, we have faced so much together... I believe we can find a way to eliminate the threat from Ultron.”

"I will definitely find a way for you and the Hulk to coexist peacefully. Believe me, there will be a way."

As she finished speaking, her voice even choked with emotion, and she added in an almost pleading tone, "If... I mean if, you really decide to leave here, then take me with you."

These words struck Bruce Banner's heart like the heaviest confession, but he had no idea how to respond.

"No, Natasha, you don't understand. There's no future for me with you..."

Bruce Banner lowered his head in pain, clutching his already disheveled hair tightly with both hands, letting out a suppressed, low sob, like that of a wounded beast:
"To everyone, I am a huge threat, like a time bomb, that could explode at any moment."

His shoulders were heaving violently, the immense pain almost crushing him.

This sad and powerless scene instantly brought the atmosphere in the entire living room to a freezing point.

Even the usually cynical Tony Stark slightly toned down his playful expression, looking at the nearly collapsing Bruce Banner and the Black Widow who was trying to hold him back with complicated eyes.

However, this heavy silence lasted only a few seconds.

"Wow, Captain, did you see that?"

Finally, Tony Stark's extremely untimely voice rang out again, instantly shattering the somber atmosphere that Bruce Banner and Black Widow had created in just a few words.

He spread his hands exaggeratedly, rolled his eyes, and his gaze shifted back and forth between Bruce Banner and Black Widow before finally settling on Captain America. He said in a playful tone:
"Actually, there's no need for Ultron to go through the trouble of dividing us... Look, just a few more rounds of these 'heart-to-heart talks' and we can start to disintegrate from within ourselves, and it seems to be incredibly efficient."

He paused, then turned his gaze to Bruce Banner, who was almost completely curled up in the blanket across from him.

Although his tone still carried his characteristic flippant teasing, a closer listen revealed a hidden effort to pull Bruce Banner out of despair, and a certain self-deprecating sympathy:

"But speaking of which, Banner, you don't really think that you're the only 'monster' in our weird and wonderful team, do you?!"

He pointed to the arc reactor on his chest, which emitted a ghostly blue light, and said, "Is there a former arms dealer here who can only survive on a pile of scrap metal?"

He then pointed to Captain America beside him, "And there's another old popsicle from the last century, genetically modified?"

Finally, his gaze swept over Black Widow and Hawkeye, "and... a top-tier female assassin from the Red Room, trained by the former S-League, and a... well, a rancher who likes to play with a bow and arrow?!"

He shrugged, feigning indifference, in an attempt to lighten the atmosphere in the living room, though with little success.

"Come on, Banner, when it comes to being 'abnormal,' we're all pretty much the same, so let's not look down on each other."

"As for the possibility that Ultron really wants to divide us by revealing our secrets, its database would probably have to run at full capacity for quite some time to do so!!"

(End of this chapter)