New York beneath the moon.
The giant screen in Times Square cycled through Stark Industries' new energy advertisements.
The other screens showed Captain America calling on young people to enlist and defend their country.
The lively, blood-pumping music had fallen silent.
Even the shops' promotional loudspeakers were finally getting some rest.
Midnight here was quiet...
Elsewhere.
A night-shift meteorologist was jolted awake by blaring alarms.
Unknown tremors had been detected on the outskirts of the city, along with violent energy readings!
Given New York's habit of constantly running into bizarre incidents, the meteorologist immediately reported the situation to the military.
After a brief preparation, War Machine took off in response:
"Oh... God, that hangover was brutal..."
Inside the armor, Colonel Rhodes yawned as he flew toward the target location:
"Hiss—this direction..."
His dark face changed several times.
Su Ming's Base.
Boom—
The entire base shook violently!
It wasn't an explosion. Some unimaginably immense force seemed to be trying to break through the ground!
The ceiling and walls let out terrifying groans, while fine cracks spread through every corner like spiderwebs.
Dust rained down, and the lights flickered wildly.
The security system emitted a shrill alarm.
"An earthquake?"
Peter flipped over and crouched on the sofa, his Web Shooters instantly aimed at the floor. Even his voice had changed pitch.
"No... not an earthquake."
Wanda, who had also been startled awake, had gone pale.
She could feel an immense energy surging directly beneath them, so vast it made her soul tremble.
It was filled with an aura of Destruction.
Scarlet sparks burst uncontrollably from her hands.
Pietro flashed in front of Wanda, moving so fast he left an afterimage behind:
"What terrifying energy! It feels like the entire base is about to be blown apart!"
For the first time, Pietro's