Chapter Summaries

Fury and Barton investigated the theft of the Tesseract, reviewing footage that showed a black-haired youth using black mist to put guards to sleep. Elsewhere, Kurumi and Red Queen discussed how their virtual illusion could drain and strengthen users’ mental energy as they continued monitoring Fury.

• Fury questioned the two agents who had fallen asleep while guarding the Tesseract, and Agent B showed him the surveillance footage.
• Barton said the agents did not appear to be acting and recommended a psychological comparison to rule out suspicion.
• Kurumi watched the investigation with Red Queen and discussed using the virtual illusion to extract mental energy, adding forced logout as a safeguard.
• Fury reviewed footage of the black-haired youth incapacitating guards with black mist and wondered whether his strange gear was technological.
• Fury recalled the Tesseract’s history and grew furious that it had been stolen despite dozens of armed guards.

Fury investigated the black-haired youth’s combat suit and the handprints left at the Tesseract facility, while Kurumi decided not to erase the evidence. Tony studied Nightmare’s armor and its energy system, then realized he had left Little Pepper waiting alone.

• Fury identified Stark Industries, Hammer Industries, and Umbrella as possible sources of the youth’s custom combat suit and planned to have Coulson investigate the goggles.
• Fury and Barton examined the laboratory and found black palm prints on the broken Tesseract storage frame; Barton suggested the prints might have been left deliberately.
• Kurumi acknowledged that the Black Gold Gloves had left matching prints and refused to erase them.
• Tony examined fan-made diagrams of Nightmare, learned it used an energy reactor, and considered asking Miss Brooks about it.
• Tony returned to the living room and found only cold burgers after leaving Little Pepper waiting.

As Umbrella prepared to launch its virtual world, Kurumi entered the closed beta and explored a floating city modeled on Red Queen’s mother planet. After unlocking permissions, Kurumi restored her real-world power and teleported to the city’s edge, where she saw an enormous whale-like creature leap from the ocean.

• Umbrella announced that its virtual-world closed beta would begin in a week, drawing worldwide attention while Fury struggled to find the thief who had stolen the Tesseract.
• Red Queen confirmed five thousand beta testers, and Kurumi entered a nutrient pod as the countdown ended.
• Kurumi appeared in a white house, then explored the floating city instead of entering Red Queen’s designed game.
• Red Queen told Kurumi the city was modeled on her mother planet from two hundred and thirty-nine years ago and unlocked permissions at Kurumi’s request.
• Kurumi applied her real-world power, teleported to the city’s edge, and watched a giant whale-like creature leap from the ocean.

Kurumi discussed the virtual city's capacity and her stalled spiritual breakthrough with Red Queen while they waited for the next world. Meanwhile, a man entered the virtual community and livestreamed his first impressions to viewers.

• Kurumi learned from Red Queen that the city could house ten million people, though they planned to prioritize around three million with strong spiritual strength.
• Kurumi said her spiritual strength had remained at peak [Alpha] and that Earth-199999 lacked enough ambient energy for her breakthrough.
• A man appeared in an apartment, examined his body, and realized he was inside the virtual community while livestreaming.
• The streamer demonstrated the community's realistic senses and joked with viewers as their comments and donations flooded his stream.
• The streamer used voice control to open the curtains, revealing a futuristic city and a simulated weather report.

Dewey explored Umbrella’s virtual community, marveling at its futuristic city and discovering that a test account controlled by a young lady was inside. He changed into a retro outfit and asked his viewers where to find her.

• Dewey admired the virtual city and found that only fifteen people were in the community despite thousands of players being online in the game.
• Dewey projected the map and discovered that his neighborhood was on the outskirts of a city large enough to rival a province.
• A viewer told Dewey that Umbrella had confirmed the community contained a young lady’s test account.
• Dewey deleted the map information, changed into a retro outfit, and asked his viewers where the young lady might be.

Du Wei left the residential complex in Berla and walked toward the outskirts while entertaining his livestream audience. After reaching the edge of the floating city and admiring the ocean, he spotted a viewer’s message claiming there was a figure nearby.

• Du Wei agreed with his viewers to explore the outskirts of Berla in search of bugs and cute girls.
• Du Wei left the residential complex and explained that Berla was a Class C city on Huosi, the Huosi Commonwealth’s home planet.
• Du Wei walked toward the city’s edge because he lacked enough Huosi currency to take transportation.
• Du Wei reached the city’s railing, admired the ocean with his viewers, and saw a message saying that someone had spotted a figure.

Du Wei spotted Kurumi in the virtual world and became so captivated by her that he followed her toward the city. When Kurumi finally stopped and asked what he wanted, Du Wei was left speechless.

• Du Wei noticed a black-clad girl in the distance and approached her while his livestream viewers speculated about her identity.
• Du Wei saw Kurumi and the floating Red Queen, then became captivated by Kurumi's appearance.
• Kurumi walked toward the city, and Du Wei followed her while Red Queen rested on her shoulder.
• Kurumi stopped, turned to Du Wei, and asked in English whether he needed something, leaving him confused.

After failing to communicate with Kurumi, Du Wei watched her leave as she mapped the city with her eyes closed. Kurumi then attempted to break through to [Beta] in Umbrella’s laboratory, where her concentrated mental power pierced the gray mist and left a white speck.

• Du Wei struggled to explain himself to Kurumi in broken English, and she walked away while the livestream chat mocked his failure.
• Kurumi spent half a day walking with her eyes closed as Red Queen maintained her frequency and waited for inspiration to help her reach [Beta].
• Kurumi returned to Umbrella’s laboratory and told Red Queen to channel mental power into her if the breakthrough failed.
• Kurumi’s golden figure attacked the gray mist with a tornado of mental power, but the mist blocked the strike.
• Kurumi compressed the sea’s golden water into a giant spear and drove it into the gray mist, leaving a white speck as the spear dissolved back into the sea.

Kurumi broke through to the [Beta] realm after Red Queen used magical-pattern machines and her computing power to infuse her with pure mental energy. After stabilizing her new realm, Kurumi learned that she had been unconscious for a little over two days, and Red Queen mentioned a video that might interest her.

• Red Queen operated four magical-pattern machines and carefully infused pure mental energy into Kurumi until her soul sublimated and she entered [Beta].
• Kurumi awakened and Red Queen urged her to absorb the remaining energy while she shut down the machines and suppressed it.
• Kurumi stood and the ownerless mental energy parted around her before gathering at her beckoning and disappearing.
• Kurumi returned to the office, where Black Cat rubbed against her leg and Red Queen proudly settled on her shoulder.
• Kurumi asked how long her breakthrough had taken, and Red Queen said it had been a little over two days and mentioned an interesting video.

Kurumi watched footage of Hulk fighting a military man whose reckless pursuit of power ended in his death, while Red Queen proposed studying his regenerative abilities. As Kurumi returned to her research and the energy converter advanced, Red Queen watched a figure gestating in a nutrient pod; meanwhile, Hulk and a rooster-combed yellow monster battled in New York.

• Kurumi watched a blurry video of Hulk defeating and killing a military man who had attacked him, and Red Queen noted the man's exceptional durability and regeneration.
• Red Queen suggested modifying her people to gain similar regenerative abilities, but Kurumi refused to make monster-like subordinates.
• Kurumi resumed researching why she could not inscribe magical patterns, while Red Queen sold enchanted items to Stark and the energy converter made progress.
• Red Queen watched a small figure gestating in a nutrient pod, then appeared beside Kurumi when someone called for her.
• Hulk and a rooster-combed yellow monster fought through New York's streets, leaving the city in chaos and causing numerous casualties.

Fury tried to recruit Tony Stark to respond to two monsters fighting in New York, warning that Pepper and Stark Industries might be in danger. Tony refused to play the hero, arranged for Kurumi to protect Stark Tower, and left Fury searching S.H.I.E.L.D. records for the person he had found.

• Fury learned that General Ross had taken charge of the New York crisis and complained that S.H.I.E.L.D. should handle it.
• Fury called Tony Stark and warned him that Pepper might be endangered by the two monsters fighting in New York.
• Tony asked about Pepper, then rejected Fury's attempt to persuade him to intervene and contacted Kurumi instead.
• Kurumi understood that Tony wanted Stark Tower protected and agreed to watch over it for the sake of its energy converter.
• Tony told Fury to pull S.H.I.E.L.D. agents back because he had found someone to protect Stark Tower.
• Fury searched S.H.I.E.L.D. records and found an image of nearly black armor bearing a red-and-white umbrella emblem.

Kurumi Brooks received Fury’s warning that Hulk and Abomination were heading toward her street and promised Umbrella would handle the crisis. She deployed the upgraded Nightmare armor and flew toward the fight, planning to collect blood and lure Hulk somewhere uninhabited.

• Fury called Kurumi after learning that Hulk and Abomination were rampaging through New York.
• Kurumi warned Fury that Umbrella would handle the monsters and that S.H.I.E.L.D. should prepare to fight the military over their bodies.
• Fury contacted Pierce and assigned agents tasks while considering the political and funding fallout.
• Red Queen showed Kurumi the upgraded Nightmare armor and explained that its new alloy could pierce Hulk’s skin.
• Kurumi put on Nightmare and flew toward the battle, ordering Red Queen to help lure Hulk into an uninhabited area after Abomination was dealt with.

Abomination attacked Hulk and General Ross’s helicopter, trying to kill Ross and his daughter while the craft buckled under his grip. Hulk hurled Abomination away, but the helicopter crashed; Ross and another survivor emerged as Abomination prepared to attack them with a boulder.

• Abomination fought Hulk while a helicopter fired on him, then grabbed the craft and threatened General Ross and his daughter.
• Abomination killed the machine-gunner and crushed the helicopter’s landing gear as Hulk clung to his leg.
• Hulk lunged at Abomination’s waist and threw him into the ruins, but his back struck the helicopter and it crashed.
• Abomination mocked Hulk, then threw a boulder toward two figures who staggered out of the burning helicopter.

Kurumi piloted Nightmare against Abomination, whose unusual strength and resilience led her to suspect he had been injected with blood from Phil Virus-mutated beasts. Hulk then charged back into the fight and slammed Abomination into the ruins.

• Nightmare intercepted rubble that was about to hit Ross and his daughter, then struck Abomination and sent him crashing through a building.
• Abomination recovered and fought back, but Kurumi used Nightmare’s thrusters and Adamantium leg to strike his jaw and back.
• A broken bone spike hit the filming drone, cutting off Fury’s view of the battle.
• Kurumi noticed Abomination was far tougher than expected, and Red Queen suggested Ross had injected him with blood from Phil Virus-mutated beasts.
• Hulk rushed past Kurumi and rammed Abomination back into the ruins.

Hulk fought Abomination in New York but was repeatedly struck in the crotch and knocked unconscious after changing back into Doctor Banner. As Abomination taunted him and Nightmare held back, blue energy began gathering through her armor.

• Hulk attacked Abomination with a barrage of punches, but Abomination blocked his blows and countered.
• Abomination knocked Hulk’s support arm away, punched him in the abdomen, and kicked him in the crotch.
• Abomination rammed his crest into Hulk’s crotch, then Hulk fell into a crater and changed back into Doctor Banner, unconscious.
• Abomination taunted Hulk while Nightmare stayed beside the crater and Fury watched from the rear.
• Blue patterns on Nightmare’s leg armor lit up as energy surged through her armor and her bone wings spread.

Kurumi used Nightmare to ambush Abomination and protect Doctor Banner, then faced the monster in a direct fight. Abomination recovered from her opening kick and charged again, but Nightmare stopped its punch with a spear.

• Abomination searched for the vanished Nightmare and attacked when it sensed a touch on its shoulder.
• Kurumi and Red Queen watched as Abomination headed toward the crater and prepared to attack Doctor Banner.
• Nightmare appeared in midair and kicked Abomination into the ruins, while Kurumi picked up Banner and injected him with blood.
• Abomination tore broken bone spikes from its back, stood up, and charged Nightmare with a bone-spiked fist.
• Nightmare flicked its spear into Abomination's fist, breaking its spikes and forcing it to retreat.

Kurumi, piloting Nightmare, fought Abomination through New York as he hurled cars and demolished buildings to keep her at bay. The battle drew live news coverage and prompted the military to move in, while Fury suspected Kurumi was deliberately taking revenge on him.

• Abomination hurled a concrete pillar at Nightmare, but Kurumi shattered it with a storm of spear thrusts and landed a burning strike to his ribs.
• Abomination began tearing down walls and throwing them at Nightmare, trying to outlast the armor and find a weapon that could counter her spear.
• Nightmare accidentally redirected flying rubble into Fury's second drone, destroying it as the fight continued across the city.
• New York Times helicopters broadcast the battle, and angry government officials ordered troops to advance and push the combat into an already demolished area.
• Fury learned the army was entering the city and worried that Kurumi was taking revenge on him; then someone kicked open his door.

Coulson warned Fury that the yellow monster was approaching, and Fury watched Abomination chase Kurumi’s black mech through New York. Kurumi and Red Queen lured Abomination to a S.H.I.E.L.D. building, where Kurumi trapped it with a gravity grenade’s force field.

• Coulson reported that the yellow monster was heading toward Fury, and Fury evacuated by helicopter with him.
• Fury watched from the air as Abomination demolished buildings while chasing Kurumi’s black mech.
• Kurumi and Red Queen discussed targeting Abomination’s rooster comb to obtain blood for research.
• Kurumi drove Abomination into a S.H.I.E.L.D. building and declared it their battlefield.
• Abomination attacked Nightmare with SUVs, but Kurumi’s spear pierced them and wounded Abomination, which quickly healed.
• Kurumi fired a gravity grenade and kicked Abomination into its range, where the force field bound it in a weightless state.

Kurumi’s Nightmare captured Abomination’s blood and left him for S.H.I.E.L.D. and the military to fight over, while the battle damaged S.H.I.E.L.D.’s building. Back at Umbrella, Kurumi realized she had forgotten to provoke Hulk and learned that General Ross had taken Doctor Banner.

• Kurumi used Red Queen to black out the battlefield’s cameras while Nightmare collected Abomination’s blood, stabbed him, and pinned him with another gravity grenade.
• Nightmare escaped as Fury ordered S.H.I.E.L.D. to collect Abomination, and S.H.I.E.L.D. and the military argued over the captive and the gravity-grenade fragments.
• Fury brooded over the ruined S.H.I.E.L.D. building and other losses while both sides quietly noticed Abomination’s missing crimson crest.
• Kurumi discovered the blood samples in Nightmare and pulled Abomination’s crest from storage, then learned that General Ross had taken Doctor Banner instead of Hulk escaping.
• Kurumi told Red Queen to send Andre to retrieve Hulk and consider recruiting him, then wondered why she had forgotten to provoke him.

Red Queen completed her consciousness transfer into a doll-like body and learned to walk and dress herself. She rode the silver cube to Kurumi’s top-floor office, where Kurumi was still asleep.

• Red Queen’s consciousness upload into the doll body proceeded smoothly while Umbrella’s computers monitored the nutrient pod.
• After the pod opened, Red Queen stepped out and quickly taught herself to walk in her new body.
• Red Queen dressed herself, checked her reflection in a mirror, and prepared to leave the laboratory.
• Red Queen summoned the silver cube, sat on it, and flew through a hidden passage to Kurumi’s office.
• Red Queen arrived to find Kurumi lying asleep on the bed.