Absorbing the Mind Stone

"Captain, is it over?"

Steve, looking exhausted, and Valmont, whose clothes were already in tatters, returned to S.H.I.E.L.D. Fury had been waiting at the entrance for quite some time.

"More or less." Steve said wearily, "Thanks to the Mind Stone. Otherwise, I really wouldn't have been able to deal with their abilities."

Fury's expression remained unchanged. "Guards, take the two of them to the interrogation room."

Steve's expression froze. "Director Fury, what do you mean by this?"

Natasha ignored Steve's confusion and cuffed him and Shendu.

"Sorry, Captain. This is a necessary procedure for now. You know that Chitauri infiltrators can temporarily become one of us. You'll have to stay in the interrogation room for a while," Fury explained.

Three days later, the interrogation room door opened again, and Tony came in to take them out.

"Looks like you two haven't been doing too well lately. How did you both end up in an interrogation room?" Tony teased.

Shendu waved a hand. "It's a long story. Fury needed to prove that we hadn't been replaced by the Chitauri."

Tony raised an eyebrow and paid no attention to Steve beside him. "Fury? That idiot? If he doesn't know, would I not know? We should be thanking heaven that you didn't go replace the Chitauri instead."

After saying that, he deliberately looked Steve up and down. Seeing the confused look on his face, Tony explained, "Just joking. There's no way you could do that."

Shendu noticed Tony's behavior. Tony knew he could change his form; he was now testing whether Steve had been replaced.

Sure enough, he was the most troublesome person in S.H.I.E.L.D.

Shendu narrowed his eyes slightly. If he had not taken a liking to Tony's scientific research abilities, he would have replaced him in the laboratory long ago.

Tony also noticed Shendu's fleeting expression. Pretending to joke, he said, "Hm? What do you think I meant? Don't tell me that joke was actually true."

Shendu shrugged and answered in the same joking tone, "Who knows?"

Now that the Mind Stone was in his hands, he only needed an opportunity to make this arrogant man before him submit to him.

Shendu was in no hurry. He would let this clown jump around a little longer.

"Sorry for the trouble," Fury said with a hint of apology when he saw Tony bring Valmont and Steve over. "You know the situation called for it. I know you can handle it, but just in case, these were necessary measures."

Steve showed an understanding expression and returned the stone from his pocket to Fury.

"The stone's power is indeed formidable. Please keep it safe."

The first thing Fury did upon receiving the stone was use its ability to examine the three people before him again. After confirming it was the genuine stone, he placed it inside a box prepared long ago.

"You suspected the stone was fake."

Steve voiced his first dissatisfaction since entering the office. "You were doubting my abilities? Doubting that I might lose the stone?"

Fury was made somewhat awkward by Steve's sudden question. "Captain, it's not that I don't trust you. This was just a precaution. Who knows whether the Chitauri could create a stone that looked identical on the surface?"

Shendu snorted coldly beside them. He had long expected Fury to pull something like this. When he used the Monkey Talisman to create the Mind Stone, he had imbued it with mind-reading abilities. Fury had never used the stone before, so he could not possibly know its capabilities. As long as he discovered that it was related to the mind, that would be enough.

"Should we do another energy test? I really feel Captain is being treated unfairly. He puts in all the effort and gets nothing in return."

Shendu mocked him from the side. He was not afraid that an energy test would reveal anything abnormal. The prototype for this Mind Stone was merely a high-powered battery under a curse.

Fury's expression became even more awkward. When he had placed the stone in the box just now, he had indeed run an energy test on it. The result was the same as before: its energy could not be analyzed.

"Let's not discuss that for now. There's nothing wrong with the stone, and there's nothing wrong with you two."

Fury took the opportunity to change the subject. He picked up a file from the side and handed it to Shendu. "Mr. Valmont, in my capacity as Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., I would like to invite you to join S.H.I.E.L.D. I hope you'll accept."

Shendu raised an eyebrow. "Join S.H.I.E.L.D. and be constantly suspected like Steve? To be treated as a pawn by my superiors, one that can be discarded at any moment?"

The smile on Fury's face froze. He had not expected Valmont to care so much about this matter.

Tony laughed. "Fury, you don't know this, but Valmont and Steve are very close now. Valmont even saved Steve during the previous battle. When Valmont was still a dragon, Steve even affectionately called him Little Dragon."

Seeing Tony help smooth things over, Fury's expression returned to normal. He put away the file. "That was indeed my fault. However, if Mr. Valmont wishes to join S.H.I.E.L.D., its doors will always be open to you."

Neither Tony nor Fury noticed that Steve and Shendu's reactions were completely different from theirs.

After hearing Tony's excuse for Fury, Steve's body trembled involuntarily, and his eyes carefully glanced toward Shendu.

Shendu lowered his head, pretending to reminisce as he concealed the flash of killing intent in his eyes.

"Let's not bring up the past," Shendu said, raising his head with an appropriate smile on his face. "Director Fury has his own considerations. I understand."

Seeing Shendu's changed attitude, Fury let out a breath of relief. "Captain, you've worked hard these past few days. Go back and rest. There's a mission for you next week."

"No problem," Steve answered crisply.

After the three left the office and entered the hallway, Tony suddenly said, "The results are out. Want to know what they are?"

Shendu knew Tony was referring to his blood. "Sure. I'm curious too."

Tony turned and left. Shendu watched his retreating figure. Once Tony had thoroughly researched the Mind Stone, this insect that had offended him time and again would surely kneel before him.

"Master."

After Tony left, Steve called out respectfully, his eyes filled with reverence.

Shendu remained with his back to Steve. "For the next period of time, you and Natasha will work together within S.H.I.E.L.D. Tell me everything related to the Talismans."

"Yes."

Steve's figure retreated into a patch of shadow and vanished.

Back at his residence, soundproofing and concealment formations unfolded. An orange-yellow stone floated quietly before Shendu.

The Mind Stone truly was a fine thing. Shendu could now clearly sense his body's craving for it, as well as the resonance between it and the three Talismans within him.

Shendu activated an absorption formation, and the stone slowly descended into it. He could feel an inexplicable connection forming between the stone and himself, while an indescribable pleasure spread through his body.

Power. His power was evolving. It was unlike the satisfaction Thanos felt in the movies when he controlled the stones through the Infinity Gauntlet to gain power. This was a feeling of complete clarity.

Shendu could now sense the thoughts of every living creature around him and anticipate their next actions, but this state did not last long.

A vast amount of information suddenly flooded into his mind, and Shendu felt a soul-rending pain spread through his entire body.

Shendu abruptly turned toward the empty air beside him. The Mind Stone had amplified the demon's instincts, allowing him to sense a pair of eyes there. "Damn it, the Watcher again."