The blinding radiance that erupted the instant Su Ming's body shattered.
It was like a miniature star had exploded right before their eyes, instantly robbing everyone of their sight.
The Avengers' temporary gathering point.
"Tony!
Did that high-tech visor in your tin can suit see what happened?
Damn it, this light... I feel like my retinas are about to burn through!"
Dr. Banner clutched his eyes tightly, hunched over in pain,
and turned to Iron Man beside him for help.
Future Tony turned his head, his gaze beneath the nanotech mask swiftly sweeping over their surroundings—
the two Captain Americas had both raised their Vibranium shields to protect their heads and faces,
Hawkeye and Natasha had turned sideways, lowered their heads, and shielded themselves with their arms,
Rhodey's War Machine crackled with sparks,
while Thor had simply wrapped himself up like a dumpling in his red cape.
Only his 2012 self, wearing a battle-damaged Mark armor whose visor had long since gone black from overload,
still stubbornly held his head high, "standing guard" in entirely the wrong direction.
JARVIS had already been forced into shutdown the instant the energy erupted, its sensors overloaded.
Tony understood immediately.
His past self was simply suffering for the sake of his pride.
He deliberately broke the heavy atmosphere with a casual tone,
trying to ease everyone's anxiety:
"Hey, relax, big guy.
Look on the bright side. At least that light didn't come with a heat effect,
or we wouldn't be standing here discussing our eyesight right now.
We'd already be seven-tenths cooked,
and maybe there'd even be a little 'barbecue aroma' drifting around..."
Natasha keenly caught the forced lightness in his voice.
The tight string in her heart loosened slightly,
and she instinctively took it as a sign that Su Ming was unharmed:
"Come