Replacing Natasha

Natasha held her breath and moved as quietly as possible.

The situation was terrible. She had no idea what method Shendu had used to make the main door impossible to destroy. Surrounded by watchful "Natashas," she would definitely be discovered the moment she got close.

Now, Shendu sat quietly among the "Natashas."

Shendu was in no hurry. Natasha had nowhere to run. He was like a cat, endlessly toying with prey already caught in its claws.

Natasha kept moving, making sure Shendu could not pinpoint her location by sound. "There's nothing you can do to me in the current situation. S.H.I.E.L.D. will notice something is wrong soon enough, and when they do, they'll definitely arrest you!"

Shendu's tone was amused. "You mean you want to use my power to stall for time and turn the situation around?"

Shendu looked up at the ceiling as though contemplating something. "Do you think you're some old man who knows magic?"

Natasha said nothing further. The warehouse was left with only the sound of the "Natashas'" joints grinding against one another.

"Enough. This game of cat and mouse should end."

Shendu stood, raised a hand, and every "Natasha" in the factory received his command. They retreated to stand before him, lining up in several orderly rows that stretched from the factory's front entrance to its back door.

The "Natashas" marched toward the other side in perfect unison, their heavy footsteps growing louder and louder in Natasha's ears.

He was trying to compress her space. Natasha quickly realized Shendu's intention. She wanted to break through the encirclement, but she could not. There was no way to get through without touching one of the "Natashas."

"Damn it!" Natasha watched countless versions of herself draw closer as the available space around her rapidly shrank.

Natasha took a deep breath. Rather than be trapped like a turtle in a jar, she might as well take a chance.

She focused all her strength into her legs and leaped with all her might. As expected, she did not escape the encirclement.

One of the "Natashas" felt a weight settle on her shoulder, causing her body to sink involuntarily. The other "Natashas" noticed it in an instant and all pounced.

A perfectly octagonal stone rolled out from the crowd and came to a stop beside Shendu's feet.

Shendu picked up the talisman. Long-lost power surged through his body, making his form flicker. "Some of my power has returned. It isn't much yet, but it's enough for use inside S.H.I.E.L.D."

Natasha felt the pressure on her body lessen and broke free of her restraints, only to discover that the "Natashas" had turned back into mannequins.

Shendu looked at the bedraggled Natasha and spoke leisurely. "Tell me, how did it feel to use my power?"

Natasha stared coldly at Shendu without answering. She swiftly bent down, picked up the pistol on the ground, and fired at him. "You let your guard down."

Shendu merely laughed from the side, looking as though he were watching an ant make a lot of noise.

There was no sound of a gunshot.

Natasha felt the object in her hand change. Looking down, she saw that the pistol had turned into a banana.

Natasha fell into despair. She knew there was no escaping now.

"S.H.I.E.L.D. won't let you get away with this!" Natasha snarled. "If you kill me, S.H.I.E.L.D. will definitely notice something is wrong!"

"Is that so?" Shendu paid no mind to Natasha's threat. "Have you forgotten what those mannequins looked like? Every one of them is you."

Shendu's shadow suddenly stretched, and a ninja emerged from it.

"Natasha, S.H.I.E.L.D.'s top agent. Has that title gone to your head? Do you really think S.H.I.E.L.D. will take notice if you disappear?" Shendu's tone was filled with disdain.

Seeing Natasha still standing, the ninja who had been behind Shendu appeared behind Natasha the next instant.

Natasha felt a kick strike the hollow behind her knee. Her body lost balance, and she fell to her knees before Shendu against her will.

As if he had just remembered something, Shendu smiled. "Let me tell you your place in this world."

"In your world, the poor rely on mutation, while the rich rely on technology. Like Banner and Tony."

"And you..." Shendu paused, his smile becoming even more unrestrained. "You are merely an ordinary person who underwent genetic modification to gain the abilities of a top agent."

Natasha knelt there, listening to Shendu's condescending mockery. His words stirred a monstrous wave in her heart. She could already sense what Shendu was about to say next.

"Mutation or incomplete mutation, you are still ultimately within the realm of ordinary people. And..." Shendu abruptly changed direction. "After you die, Natasha will still exist within S.H.I.E.L.D."

The ninja behind Natasha returned to Shendu's side. Natasha saw that it had now completely taken on her appearance, a perfect replica of her in both looks and mannerisms.

"Oh, and one more thing. She is far more capable than you."

Shendu's final sentence completely shattered the last line of defense in Natasha's heart. She was only an ordinary agent, with no superpowers and no technological support. She was only an ordinary person.

Even a ninja Shendu had summoned at will could crush her in every way.

"You are nothing but trash! Dead weight in the Avengers!"

Leaving the ninja transformed into Natasha behind, Shendu turned and left the factory. Before long, the ninja emerged from the factory as well.

"Play Natasha's role properly inside S.H.I.E.L.D. Do not act on your own without my orders."

Shendu then recalled what Glenn had said before, that there was something wrong with Natasha, and added, "Afterward, tell me everything Natasha has kept on file."

Natasha nodded, and her body turned into a shadow before vanishing.

Shendu looked at the distant sky. He knew that observer had been watching him. He provoked it, saying, "All you can do is watch. The next one will be one of this world's pillars of spirit, Captain America."

S.H.I.E.L.D. certainly already had an identity ready to handle the aftermath for him, and Tony no longer trusted S.H.I.E.L.D.

S.H.I.E.L.D. now only wanted to maintain good relations with him and make use of his power. From now on, Shendu's actions would no longer be subject to unnecessary restrictions.

When Shendu recalled the look on Steve's face when he had called him Little Dragon after first arriving in this world, his fists clenched uncontrollably. Before, he had not had enough power. Now, there was no need for him to worry about so much.

That big fool was probably still busy dealing with the mole.

With that thought, Shendu headed toward S.H.I.E.L.D.

S.H.I.E.L.D.

Natasha walked out of her office and immediately saw Steve waiting outside her door, his face haggard.

"Captain?" Natasha looked puzzled. "It seems you've run into some trouble recently. Don't worry, I've been investigating the mole as well."

Steve looked at Natasha's concerned expression and forced himself to rally. "It's nothing. There's just been a lot going on lately. You should be careful too. Valmont and I were attacked before."

Natasha nodded. "I understand."

Seeing Steve about to leave after delivering his warning, Natasha continued, "I recently went to see Tony. He seems quite interested in those darts."