Chapter Summaries

Chen Haoran learned that his powers had grown dramatically and prepared to leave Black Prison, while Lorelei adjusted to life on the island. In a secret call, Li Haiyang told Zhang Huan that Leo might be a powerful ally as they discussed renewed energy disturbances in Yunnan.

• Maya showed Chen Haoran data indicating that his firepower, endurance, and control had increased several times, and he worried about the mysterious threat inside him.
• Chen Haoran told Maya that Leo had allowed him to go out the next day, and Maya warned him to keep Black Prison's identity secret.
• Lorelei made a fire and ate coconuts on the island, resolving to follow Leo rather than return to her prison in Asgard.
• Li Haiyang secretly called Zhang Huan, who discussed border spies and a fresh eruption of abnormal energy in Yunnan.
• Li Haiyang said he had found someone extremely powerful who might help, and Zhang Huan asked in surprise whether he meant Leo.

Li Ye realized that Leo was connected to Black Prison and became terrified of what that meant for his family. He was left frozen on the sofa after Leo fixed him with another chilling stare.

• Li Ye recalled Black Prison’s violent methods and his own encounters with its Combat Squads, which had made him fear the organization.
• Leo’s claim that he founded Black Prison seemed increasingly believable to Li Ye as he recalled Leo’s strange presence and connections.
• Li Qian invited Li Ye to eat, but he collapsed back onto the sofa when he tried to warn her away from Leo.
• Leo gave Li Ye an icy look, and Li Ye feared that learning Leo’s identity had endangered his whole family.
• Li Ye sat powerless on the sofa, scared limp by Leo’s gaze.

Chen Haoran tested the destructive power of his fire abilities, but Leo warned that his poor combat skills left him vulnerable even to ordinary Avengers. Leo took him to the Sahara Desert to test his flying ability.

• Chen Haoran blasted through reinforced walls and wrecked a car with his fire attacks, then asked Leo how his power compared to the Avengers.
• Leo said Chen Haoran could not defeat Black Widow, Hawkeye, or Captain America because their combat skills had reached the peak of humanity.
• Leo teleported with Chen Haoran to the Sahara Desert to test his flying ability.
• Maya and Stacey entered the damaged testing room, recorded the destruction, and discussed Chen Haoran’s growth and Leo’s secrets.

Chen Haoran, the Flame Man, confronted Captain America and Black Widow after they tried to bring him in for a conversation, and he fought them off with his fire. The battle left Natasha unable to approach while Rogers steadily advanced behind his heated shield.

• Natasha and Rogers emerged from the shadows, and Rogers asked Chen Haoran to come with them and discuss joining the Avengers.
• Rogers recovered his shield with Tony Stark’s magnetic controller and charged Chen Haoran, who was knocked back before blasting the shield away with a pillar of fire.
• Rogers blocked Chen Haoran’s flames with his shield while Natasha threw a smoke grenade to weaken the fire and then leaped over it.
• Chen Haoran aimed his flames at Natasha, who dropped her pistols and retreated as his fire melted them.
• Rogers advanced through the flames behind his red-hot shield while Natasha warned him she was out and readied two more Taser Discs.

Rogers and Natasha struggled to stop Chen Haoran, whose flames and flight kept them at a distance. Rogers distracted him long enough for Tony to strike with Micro-missiles, knocking Chen Haoran to the ground as Tony prepared to scan him.

• Rogers pushed through Chen Haoran's flames toward him while Natasha's Tasers and gunfire failed to penetrate his Flame Armor.
• Chen Haoran rose into the air and attacked Rogers with a barrage of fireballs, forcing Rogers to dodge and retreat into a shop.
• Rogers threw two fire extinguishers to create a cloud of dry powder, then used the cover to climb a building and leap toward Chen Haoran.
• Chen Haoran used a burst of flame to fly backward and evade Rogers's shield, leaving Rogers to fall back to the ground.
• Tony fired two Micro-missiles at Chen Haoran, whose explosion knocked him out of the air and into a shallow crater.
• Tony arrived in Mark 43, prepared to fire and asked J.A.R.V.I.S. to scan Chen Haoran as Natasha approached with heavier weapons.

Tony, Rogers, Natasha, and Leo dealt with the aftermath of Flame Man’s attack, but the fiery superhuman escaped and Leo kept his identity hidden. Leo had sent Chen Haoran to an isolated island, where Lorelei attacked him after her attempt to bewitch him failed.

• Tony watched Flame Man flee, but the fiery figure vanished before Tony could pursue him.
• Leo appeared beside Rogers, and Tony, Rogers, and Natasha discussed Flame Man’s escape and the possibility that a powerful force was behind him.
• Tony returned to Avengers Tower, while Leo spoke with Rogers and Natasha over their private channel before disappearing into the crowd.
• Rogers and Natasha suspected that Leo and Tony might know Flame Man’s identity, then left to report the incident to S.H.I.E.L.D.
• A spatial rift brought Chen Haoran to Lorelei’s island, where Lorelei tried to bewitch him but could not pass through his fiery armor.
• Lorelei punched Chen Haoran.

After Leo stopped Hulk from fully transforming, Tony and Banner questioned Lorelei about her mind-control ability and began testing her. Li Haiyang arrived at the sealed-off Manhattan scene, recognized a possible connection to Leo, and returned to his restaurant.

• Banner recovered from his partial transformation and asked Leo how he had kept Hulk from emerging.
• Lorelei explained that her ability worked best through touch and was resisted by strong mental power, while Banner warned Tony about its danger.
• Tony took Lorelei to a prepared room to test her abilities, and Leo told Tony he could restrain her and planned to keep her on Earth only temporarily.
• Li Haiyang found Manhattan sealed off and the road badly damaged, then returned to his Chinese restaurant.
• Li Haiyang told his commander that he thought he knew who had caused the destruction and that it might involve Leo.

Chen Haoran reveled in the online controversy over Flame Man while Leo answered Red Whale’s summons in the Spirit World. In Central Park, Steve Rogers repeatedly outran Sam Wilson, who introduced himself as a member of the Veterans Services Department.

• Flame Man became the subject of widespread online debate over whether he was a hero or a criminal.
• Chen Haoran spent the night reading the news about Flame Man and celebrated the attention, though he wished people knew his identity.
• Leo sensed Red Whale calling him from the Spirit World, lay back down, and entered the golden space where the whale greeted him.
• Steve Rogers lapped Sam Wilson several times during a morning run in Central Park, telling him, "On your left."
• After Sam Wilson gasped for breath, Steve Rogers helped him up, and they introduced themselves.

Leo tasted premium red wine with Tony before Banner and Dr. Zhao Hailun reported that his body was extraordinarily powerful and began further tests. In space, Red Whale grew hungry during its evolution and approached an interstellar civilization, where it began attacking satellites.

• Leo sampled Tony's wine and enjoyed its flavor before Banner and Dr. Zhao Hailun returned with his test reports.
• Dr. Zhao Hailun praised Leo's recovery and endurance and urged him to come to her laboratory, while Tony objected to pressuring him.
• Tony led Leo to test his strength and other abilities, and Leo restrained himself to measure his progress.
• Red Whale consumed nearly all the auxiliary ships it had taken from Ronan's Dark Star and grew hungry as its metal needs increased.
• Red Whale headed toward an interstellar civilization, where its arrival was detected and its form resisted identification.
• The civilization's satellites began losing their signals, and its personnel realized Red Whale was attacking them.

Nick Fury suspected that Alexander Pierce had used higher authority to seal away the Lemurian Star, but his deep trust in Pierce kept him from acting decisively. Meanwhile, Rogers visited Bucky’s memorial and Peggy, whose words about starting over stayed with him, before arriving at the Veterans Services Center.

• Nick Fury examined the USB drive and suspected Alexander Pierce had bypassed his authority, but he still trusted his longtime comrade and headed toward Pierce’s office.
• Rogers left S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters and went to the Captain America Museum, where memories of Bucky brought him to tears.
• Rogers watched an interview with Peggy Carter and then spoke with her at her bedside about his doubts and the changed world.
• Peggy briefly mistook Rogers for the young man who had returned from the war, and he told her she still owed him a dance.
• Rogers left the hospital and entered a Veterans Services Center, where Sam Wilson addressed a group of retired soldiers.

Sam and Rogers bonded over their shared losses as Nick Fury grew suspicious of Alexander Pierce and tried to delay Project Insight. Fury was ambushed by police officers on the road, leaving him trapped in his car under heavy gunfire.

• Sam told Rogers that his wingman, Riley, had died during a routine nighttime rescue mission, and the two men discussed Rogers's uncertain future.
• Fury asked Pierce to arrange a vote delaying Project Insight, but Pierce agreed only after Fury promised to bring Iron Man to his niece's birthday party.
• After Fury left, Pierce contacted the Winter Soldier, deciding that Fury's suspicions made an attack necessary.
• Fury called Agent Hill and ordered her to reach Washington within three hours, then drove toward his secret base.
• Police cars rammed Fury's vehicle, surrounded it, and opened fire; Fury ordered the car to get him out and call Agent Hill.

Red Whale's failed attempts to communicate with a great white shark led to the shark breaking its teeth and knocking itself unconscious against Red Whale. After Leo rescued the shark, Red Whale defended him, revealed its colossal form, and carried him toward the surface with a protective Golden Light shield.

• The great white shark bit Red Whale, shattered most of its teeth, and then knocked itself unconscious by ramming Red Whale.
• Leo used Golden Light to revive the sinking shark, which struck him with its tail as soon as it woke.
• Red Whale charged the shark in anger, sent it flying, and transformed into a ten-meter giant with an enormous, suction-producing mouth.
• Leo calmed Red Whale before it could swallow the terrified shark, which fled at high speed.
• Red Whale let Leo climb onto its back and instinctively formed a Golden Light shield and Gravity Field to protect and steady him as it swam toward the surface.

Leo left Tony and Banner to rescue Nick Fury after hearing gunfire during Fury’s call. Once Leo caught up with him and destroyed the pursuing vehicles, Fury said he had to die first.

• Tony explained that his Anti-Lorelei Earpiece would cancel Lorelei’s singing, while Leo received a call from Nick Fury.
• Leo heard gunshots and Fury’s curse, then used the coordinates Tony sent to locate him.
• Nick Fury fought off a large group of attackers posing as police officers, escaping an ambush that he suspected S.H.I.E.L.D. had arranged.
• Leo found Fury’s bullet-ridden SUV and appeared in the passenger seat as the attackers pursued them.
• Leo destroyed the pursuing vehicles, but Fury insisted that he had to die first.

Li Haiyang visited Leo to confirm Chen Haoran’s identity, ask about enhancing Dragon Fang’s ability users, and invite Leo to meet Dragon Fang’s commander-in-chief in China. Leo agreed to return in a few days, warned that S.H.I.E.L.D. would soon face upheaval, and left for Avengers Tower on Red Whale.

• Li Haiyang confirmed that the Flame Man seen over New York was Chen Haoran, and Leo acknowledged it.
• Li Haiyang asked whether Leo could enhance Dragon Fang’s elemental ability users, but Leo said Chen Haoran’s flame serum was tailored to him and toxic to others.
• Li Haiyang invited Leo to meet Dragon Fang’s commander-in-chief in China, and Leo agreed to go after handling matters at home.
• Leo asked about S.H.I.E.L.D.’s presence in China and warned Li Haiyang that S.H.I.E.L.D. would face upheaval and Dragon Fang would have an opportunity.
• After Li Haiyang left to report to Zhang Huan, Leo flew with Red Whale toward Avengers Tower.

Tony and Banner learned that the Red Whale had an extraordinary density and was an A-class Starry Sky Giant Beast capable of threatening planetary civilizations. Tony warned Leo to keep it from staying on Earth too long, then described the precautions and unknowns surrounding Lorelei’s powers.

• Tony showed Banner J.A.R.V.I.S.'s scan, which estimated the Red Whale's density at up to eight thousand tons per cubic centimeter and warned it could sink through Earth's crust.
• Leo explained that the Red Whale was an evolved A-class Starry Sky Giant Beast and could reach about three thousand meters in its Complete Form.
• Banner and Tony reacted with shock as the Red Whale circled the lounge and returned to Leo.
• Tony warned Leo that Earth might not be able to restrain the Red Whale if it went berserk, and Leo reassured him.
• Tony told Leo that headphones blocked Lorelei's singing but that her touch-based control remained untested and difficult to reverse.

Leo followed Bucky as Hydra sent the Winter Soldier to target Nick Fury near Rogers's residence, while Fury contacted Agent Hill and hid in Rogers's home. Back at Stark Tower, Leo told Tony and Banner that Hydra had infiltrated S.H.I.E.L.D., and Tony offered J.A.R.V.I.S.'s help as Leo explained that the compromised records made Hydra difficult to expose.

• Leo watched Bucky receive orders to monitor Rogers's Washington residence and eliminate Nick Fury, then saw Bucky head toward the target.
• Nick Fury found a hidden escape route, used a secure communicator to contact Agent Hill, and arranged a death plan.
• Fury traveled to Rogers's residence through a concealed passage and waited for Rogers and the plan to unfold.
• Leo returned to Stark Tower and told Tony Stark and Banner that Hydra had taken over S.H.I.E.L.D. from within.
• Tony offered J.A.R.V.I.S. to analyze S.H.I.E.L.D.'s files, but Leo said Hydra's records were flawless and they would have to wait for its agents to expose themselves.

Leo brought the Red Whale to Avengers Tower, where Tony Stark and Banner learned it was a unique creature with a long history and the ability to change size. The chapter left Tony and Banner amazed by the Red Whale as J.A.R.V.I.S.'s scan revealed startling results.

• The Red Whale flew Leo through Avengers Tower's top-floor window, triggering an alarm that made Tony Stark prepare the Mark 43.
• Banner entered after hearing the alarm and was startled to see the Red Whale accompanying Leo.
• Leo explained that the Red Whale had existed for more than fifteen hundred years and was the only one in the universe.
• Banner examined the Red Whale while Leo revealed that it could grow far larger than its current size.
• Tony read J.A.R.V.I.S.'s scan results on his glasses and reacted with intense shock.

Leo helped Nick Fury prepare to fake his death and protect himself while exposing a weakness inside S.H.I.E.L.D. Fury escaped Bucky’s attack through the underground sewage system, while Leo watched Bucky leave and held back from intervening.

• Leo healed Fury with Golden Light and explained that it would protect him and let Leo locate him.
• Fury planned to expose himself to S.H.I.E.L.D. and recruit Captain America as an ally.
• Bucky attacked Fury’s car, but Fury escaped through the ground with an Ultra-High-Temperature Ionization Rod.
• Bucky found the car empty, reported that Fury had escaped, and left after receiving a new mission.
• Leo considered pursuing Bucky but decided to wait, while Fury fled through the sewage system.

Captain Rogers escaped S.H.I.E.L.D. pursuit after disabling a Quinjet and headed for the hospital to retrieve Fury’s usb drive, while Natasha considered joining his investigation. Meanwhile, the Red Whale carried Lorelei into space, where its Golden Light protected them as they set out to visit an acquaintance.

• Rogers disabled a pursuing Quinjet with his shield, escaped its crash, and evaded S.H.I.E.L.D. agents.
• Natasha saw Rogers escape and drove toward the hospital, suspecting he would retrieve Fury’s usb drive and considering helping him investigate.
• Rogers changed his clothes, disguised himself with a baseball cap, and headed to the hospital to find the usb drive.
• Kate and about thirty S.H.I.E.L.D. personnel questioned the order to pursue Rogers, but Pierce gave them fabricated crimes to justify the hunt.
• The Red Whale appeared in outer space with Lorelei aboard, protected by its Golden Light, and its boss said they were going to visit an acquaintance.

Tony showed Leo how he had restrained Lorelei with sonic waves and prepared headphones so she could communicate. Leo left with Lorelei aboard Red Whale, while Tony and Banner stayed behind.

• Tony explained Lorelei's Asgardian strength and how a specific sonic frequency could incapacitate her, then switched off the weapon.
• Red Whale sucked a carbon-nanosteel rod from Dr. Banner's hands and swallowed it, demonstrating that it absorbed metal.
• Tony entrusted the universe's safety to Leo, who agreed and said he was taking Lorelei with him.
• Banner failed to damage Red Whale with a cutting torch and returned to studying Veronica.
• Leo brought Red Whale into Lorelei's prison, then Red Whale grew to four meters and carried Leo and Lorelei away.