Tony Stark swiftly used the Nano Armor on his right hand to form a cannon muzzle, raising it toward where the sparks had appeared.
Steve Rogers's body tensed, both fists clenched as he prepared for battle.
Bruce Banner endured his headache with a frown and turned to look toward the spot in the room where the sparks had emerged.
Clint Barton flicked out his right hand, letting several small explosive arrows slide from his sleeve and into the spaces between his fingers as he watched the center of the sparks.
Natasha Romanoff picked several black, needle-like spikes from her Widow's Bite with her fingers, concealing them in her palm as she looked toward the flashing sparks.
The ring of sparks quickly expanded, revealing Stephen Strange.
"Stephen?" Tony Stark looked astonished. The cannon on his right arm dissolved into a torrent of nanomachines and flowed back into his arm.
He had not seen Stephen in a long time.
Ever since He-El had defeated Odin, the King of the Gods, and granted Earth independence, Stephen Strange had returned to Earth with him. After returning, Stephen Strange had never appeared before the Avengers again, nor had Tony Stark seen him at S.H.I.E.L.D. He had vanished like The Spectre.
Tony Stark had not expected to see Stephen Strange here.
What surprised him was not merely Stephen Strange's appearance, but the people who had come with him.
Tony Stark's eyes swept curiously over Loki and Thor. As for Pietro Maximoff and Wanda Maximoff, Stark did not know them and paid them little attention.
"Stephen, why are you..." Steve Rogers lowered his clenched fists, his combat stance relaxing. His gaze kept shifting between Stephen Strange, Loki, and Thor, astonished that Stephen Strange was associating with Loki and Thor.
Thor was one thing. They had fought alongside