On the twenty-six arenas, contestants faced off in pairs, swiftly determining winners and advancing through the ranks.
Elemental ability users put on dazzling displays of power, while more down-to-earth close-combat fighters engaged in brutal hand-to-hand brawls. Others from the technological side fought with advanced weapons.
Everyone showed off their own skills, keeping the audience constantly thrilled.
But most of it was just flashy. Their actual strength was only so-so. Many ability users, taken individually, might not even be a match for ordinary agents who had undergone systematic training.
That was normal. The Marvel Universe did indeed have all kinds of ability users, but those who could truly stand out and become widely known were few and far between.
And even if some had decent abilities, without training and development or real combat experience, they still posed little threat.
The Super Heroes from the Hero Alliance were much better in that regard.
There was no need to mention those with powerful abilities. Even those whose abilities were not particularly strong could often defeat opponents more powerful than themselves.
There were exceptions, though. For example, the ability users trained by S.H.I.E.L.D. also had fairly strong combat abilities.
Moreover, before S.H.I.E.L.D.'s contestants took the stage, they had generally already obtained information on their opponents. Someone helped analyze their weaknesses and provided the most suitable combat strategy.
Still, that only allowed them to defeat opponents somewhat stronger than themselves. Against true experts, they would still lose.
For example, before a strength-type S.H.I.E.L.D. ability user faced Thor, he had put on a special skintight suit capable of insulating against lightning. Yet Thor still sent him flying with a single hammer blow. He could not even withstand one move.
"Loki is a little strange!"
Hawking sat there watching the matches in each arena. Everyone else was