NOVEL NEXT 255. Who Wants to Be Next?
The magical energy that had filled the entire battlefield began to gradually dissipate. The strange energy from within Red Skull's body turned into streams of light, surging upwards like volcanic ash, rising towards the sky, and transforming into a dazzling display similar to the Northern Lights.
Near Red Skull's location, the area had suffered the worst magical corrosion. The top layer of bricks on the ground was no longer distinguishable, and the soil beneath had been churned up, becoming foul-smelling mud under the influence of various energies. Slowly, with Red Skull's demise, the entire battlefield began to descend into chaos.
As the supreme leader of Hydra, Red Skull's death didn't signal the end of the battle. On the contrary, it triggered an even more terrifying upheaval. At this moment, a wave of extreme madness engulfed all of New Babylon, gradually spreading to the entire world.
Red Skull was dead!
The city-state Hydra had ruled for decades was now teetering on the edge of collapse!
Everyone watching this execution ceremony had gone mad. Just like the war that shocked the world forty-five years ago, Red Skull's downfall was the spark, and the entire world was about to enter an even more chaotic era.
Hydra soldiers scattered in all directions. Without Red Skull and Zola's command, they couldn't grasp the situation, let alone form a cohesive fighting force.
As the saying goes, "Defeat is like a landslide." Some wanted to fight, others wanted to flee, and without anyone to lead them, almost all Hydra soldiers were running around the battlefield like headless flies.
Meanwhile, the gangs and mercenaries who had long gathered in New Babylon could no longer suppress their restless hearts. Seeing Hydra being crushed under the Justice League's offensive, they naturally wanted to take their share of the spoils.
With both the Justice League and Hydra suffering heavy losses, everyone believed they should be the "fisherman" who reaps the benefits.
In an instant, the flames of war reignited.
Hydra's defensive circle had yet to hold off the breakout attempt by Old Barton, when the next moment, the mercenaries surrounding them broke through. Surrounded by both internal strife and external enemies, Hydra soldiers were being slaughtered every moment.
Old Barton had just taken down a Hydra soldier when he narrowly avoided being riddled with bullets by mercenaries. The crazed attackers didn't care if you were Hydra or a superhero. Their goal was to kill anyone in their way as they stormed Hydra's fortress, heading straight for the White House.
Everyone knew that during Hydra's rule over USA, they had plundered countless treasures from around the world, and all those riches were now stored in the underground vaults of the White House. That level of wealth was like a juicy steak, and everyone wanted a bite.
"Are these people insane!?"
Gunfire echoed everywhere, and Old Barton found it hard to make sense of the chaos around him. If it weren't for Songbird protecting him, he would have died countless times by now.
"We need to get out of here."
Just as Songbird was about to speak, a loud explosion interrupted her. She turned to see a group of Hulk Gang members charging into the battlefield. These gamma-irradiated lunatics plowed through everything in their path, carving a bloody trail.
"...We really need to go," Songbird said, her mouth agape as she watched the situation spiral out of control. All she wanted now was to leave this place as quickly as possible.
At that moment, a red car sped by, screeching to a halt beside Old Barton. Songbird turned and saw the Old Punisher gripping the steering wheel with one hand while covering them with a gun in the other. In the passenger seat, Jason Todd lay unconscious.
"Clint, get in the car!"
The Old Punisher shouted loudly. He was a shadow of his former self, worn down by the passage of time. Aside from his iconic outfit, nothing about him resembled the man he once was.
Barton, pale-faced, didn't hesitate. He grabbed Songbird and got into the back seat. The battlefield was in utter chaos, and after winning the toughest fight, he wasn't about to die at the hands of these maniacs.
As Barton sat in the car, listening to the Old Punisher skillfully start the engine, something about the car's sound seemed oddly familiar, as if he had heard it somewhere before.
What he couldn't see was the prominent silver eagle emblem on the front of the red car's interior—a classic symbol of S.H.I.E.L.D.
"Frank, where did you get this car?"
"A friend lent it to me." The Old Punisher grinned, offering no further explanation. He simply released the steering wheel and pressed a red button next to the driver's seat.
"Hold on tight!"
The next moment, the car's power system roared violently. A burst of thrust shot from the car's undercarriage as the four wheels retracted. Within moments, the car was hovering in the air. The commotion quickly caught the attention of the nearby mercenaries. Seeing the high-tech floating car, their eyes filled with greed.
"Shoot it down!"
"Don't let that old man escape."
"Take down Hawkeye and the Punisher!"
"They're taking the superheroes from another world! Stop them!"
In an instant, the car carrying Barton and the others became the target of everyone's wrath.
Whether it was to gain fame by killing heroes or to pursue Red Hood, the agitators succeeded in drawing all attention to Barton and his companions. It wasn't just the mercenaries—members of the Hulk Gang also turned their murderous gaze towards the floating car.
"Thanks, Frank. Now we're everyone's number one target," Barton said sarcastically.
"Don't worry. This hover car is equipped with the best bulletproof system," the Old Punisher replied confidently.
As soon as he finished speaking, a laser beam pierced the car's undercarriage, slicing past Songbird and leaving a noticeable hole in the sunroof.
"..."
An eerie silence filled the car.
Below, mercenaries surged towards the car, firing various weapons. Bullets pelted the car's surface, leaving visible dents and scratches.
"We can't hold out much longer!"
"I know, I know. Just stay seated!"
The Old Punisher maneuvered the controls, trying to dodge the attacks from below. He knew that if he could just ascend high enough, no weapon could breach the car's defense systems.
Ordinarily, flying this car above Hydra's territory would have been suicide, with Dr. Zola's city-wide surveillance ensuring they'd be hit by missiles before reaching fifty meters. But now, with Zola gone and all of Hydra's anti-air defenses offline, if they could just break through the mercenaries' blockade, they would escape safely. However, those hunting Barton and the others weren't just mercenaries.
"We won't let you escape. That's our prey."
Several Hulk Gang members sneered as they charged forward. These beings with Hulk's blood in their veins were like small giants, and their leader stood over two meters tall, nearly the size of Hulk himself.
As he watched the floating car ascend, the Hulk Gang leader grinned menacingly. For him, smashing that "toy" was as easy as a leap. Finding his angle, the Hulk leader stomped down hard, propelling himself into the air at terrifying speed, aiming directly for the hover car.
As the car drew closer, the grin on his face grew wider, as if he could already see the car being torn to pieces by his hands. Then, blinding red beams shot out from the right.
Without any chance to react, the Hulk Gang leader was instantly blasted to pieces by two scarlet lasers mid-air. Like a balloon, his body exploded, and chunks of flesh rained down like a downpour. The crowd below fell into stunned silence. The once-excited mercenaries grew quiet, and the gunfire aimed at the car ceased.
A second or two passed, and fear slowly crept onto the mercenaries' faces. They stiffly turned to look in the direction from which the lasers had come.
At the edge of the battlefield, a short-haired girl floated calmly in mid-air. Her red cape fluttered behind her, and on her blue battle suit, a prominent "S" emblem stood out on her chest.
Her eyes still glowed faintly red, and anyone who saw the Hulk Gang leader's fate could sense the terrifying power she wielded.
"Anyone else?"
Lowering her head slightly, Kara gazed at the now silent crowd below. Her lips parted slightly, and she spoke slowly.
"Who wants to be next?"
.....
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256. Doctor Doom – Doom.
257. Ambush in the Shadows!
258. The Unfinished Battle.
259. The Death of Black Canary!
260. Wrath of the Gods!