Battle of New York (III)

New York's night sky was dyed crimson by the fiery glow of explosions. Billowing smoke rolled across the city like a demon's tentacles, blotting out the already faint starlight. The pungent smell of gunpowder mixed with burning rubber and scorched flesh seeped into everyone's nostrils, making them nauseous. Just as the Avengers and their Midtown High companions had gained the upper hand through cooperation, an eerie mechanical hum suddenly rose from the ruins. It sounded like a summons from the depths of hell, drawing nearer as its frequency climbed higher and higher, painfully rattling their eardrums and sending chills down their spines. Li Stark shot upward in his armor, the shriek of grinding metal accompanying his heavy breathing. His wary gaze swept across the surroundings, his nerves stretched taut like strings about to snap. On his armor's radar display, countless red dots were rapidly converging.

The rubble on the ground began to shake violently, as if something horrifying were struggling to break free from beneath the earth. Cracks spread like a web, and amid the sharp crack of breaking concrete, several enormous slabs were forced upward. Then dozens of figures wreathed in blue flames burst from the ground. The veins bulging beneath their skin resembled twisted spiderwebs, dark red patterns slithering across their bodies, every pulse seeming to proclaim the virus's madness. The crazed red glow in their eyes looked as though it came from the abyss of Hell, while the stench of charred flesh and pungent chemicals poured from their bodies. These soldiers, modified by Hydra using the Extremis Virus, had long since had their clothes burned away by the heat, only exposing their terrifying bodies more completely.

"What is this..." Tony Stark's voice carried a rare hint of surprise. His armor rapidly analyzed the enemy's data as alarms echoed continuously through the cramped cockpit, their piercing shrieks seeming ready to rupture his eardrums. "The Extremis Virus? Hydra actually joined forces with that bastard Killian!" Recalling his past feud with Killian, anger and regret flashed through his eyes. His knuckles pressed so hard against the controls that they left pale marks.

Dr. Killian stood atop a modified Hydra war vehicle, wearing a specially designed protective mask. The vehicle's shell was covered in vicious spikes and flickering, eerie lights, while its engine gave off a deep roar like that of a beast. He laughed triumphantly, his laughter brimming with madness and twisted satisfaction. "Stark, didn't expect this, did you? This time, your end has come! Activate Plan B!" At his command, the ground shook even more violently, and more Extremis Virus Soldiers surged up from underground—roughly over a hundred of them. Like demons released from their cage, they howled as they charged at the group. Their cries seemed capable of devouring the entire world, shattering glass wherever their sound waves reached.

The abilities displayed by these Extremis Virus Soldiers were terrifying. With a single leap, they could easily vault onto buildings more than ten stories high. When they landed, the force of the impact shook the ground, sending surrounding stones flying like a rainstorm of rocks. With a casual swing of an arm, they overturned heavy cars as if they were toys, the shriek of tearing metal ringing through the streets as shards of glass rained down. Hawkeye stood atop a distant high-rise, calmly nocking and drawing an arrow, the taut bowstring humming. Yet before the arrow could reach its target, an Extremis Virus Soldier crushed it barehanded. The hardened arrowhead shattered in his palm like fragile glass, scattering tiny sparks. Some soldiers even caught incoming arrows with their bare hands and hurled them back at Hawkeye. They flew so fast that he had no choice but to dodge in embarrassment.

Even more horrifying was their regenerative ability. Hulk roared furiously, his enormous body like a moving hill, leaving deep footprints in the ground beneath him. He threw a punch at an Extremis Virus Soldier, instantly pulverizing the soldier's arm. Bone and flesh flew everywhere, blood splattering across the ruins. But blue flames immediately surged from the severed limb. Within the fire, the ruined arm regrew at a visible speed. Skin gradually covered it, veins reconnected, and in the blink of an eye, it was fully restored. Wanda's Scarlet Magic, fluid as living silk, wrapped around several Extremis Virus Soldiers, but its immense power could only restrain them briefly. In moments, the virus beneath their skin devoured the magical energy. After breaking free, the flames on their bodies burned even more fiercely, and they became faster, bloodthirsty light flashing in their eyes as they charged madly toward Wanda. Wanda retreated again and again, forming barrier after barrier with her magic, only for the enemies to smash through them with ease.

That was not all. The Extremis Virus Soldiers could also unleash high-temperature attacks. When they opened their mouths, they spewed blue flames of incredible heat. Wherever the flames passed, concrete roads instantly melted into scarlet lava, and steel building frames twisted out of shape with groans of unbearable strain. Claire and Jill rode motorcycles in an attempt to circle around and attack, the roar of their engines mingling with their hurried breaths. But to their horror, the enemies were no slower than they were, while several pursuing Hydra war vehicles kept firing shells. The Extremis Virus Soldiers aboard worked with the vehicles, releasing high-temperature flames to cut off their escape routes. The fire warped the surrounding air, and waves of heat struck their faces so fiercely they could barely breathe, smoke beginning to rise from the motorcycles' tires. At the same time, they used strength far beyond human limits to hurl heavy weapons. Massive stones and metal parts fell like rain, blasting deep craters into the ground. Claire made a sharp turn, barely avoiding a flying boulder. When it slammed into the ground, the scattered debris cut her cheek.

Gwen hid behind a wrecked car, her livestream camera shaking violently in her trembling hands. She cried out in terror, "Oh my God! New monsters have appeared! They look like modified humans! Everyone, hide!" The livestream chat was instantly flooded with panicked messages. The hope that had just begun to rise among the public was swallowed by fear once more, and despair spread across the internet. Viewers kept sending messages saying strange tremors had appeared in their areas too, afraid that these monsters would emerge at any moment.

"We can't keep this up!" Li Stark circled rapidly through the air, dodging enemy attacks. His armor's energy shield flickered continuously under the assault, emitting shrill warnings. Every flicker meant the shield was weakening. "Uncle, these soldiers' weak point should be the virus core in their chests. We need to focus our fire there!" His gaze was resolute, though he could not hide a trace of anxiety. Sweat slid down his cheeks and dripped onto the control panel.

Tony Stark nodded, raising his armor's repulsors to maximum power. A dangerous glow flashed from the emitters. "Listen up, kids! Keep pace with us. Don't act rashly!" However, the Midtown High companions, accustomed to fighting independently, still fell out of sync with the Avengers. As Li Stark and Tony Stark drew the enemy's fire and prepared to guide everyone into launching a fatal strike, Claire caught sight of a trapped little girl from the corner of her eye. The girl was curled up amid the rubble, covered in dust. Her terrified eyes and desperate cries were like a blade piercing Claire's heart. Almost instinctively, Claire broke formation without authorization and sped toward the girl on her motorcycle. The wind howled past her ears, and only one thought filled her mind: save that child.

"Claire! What are you doing?!" Captain America roared, his voice filled with urgency and anger. A gap had opened in their once airtight attack formation. He had no choice but to abandon his original position and rush over, swinging his shield to protect Claire. The shield collided with the enemy's attack with a deafening crash, leaving his arm slightly numb from the impact. This change threw the entire defense line into chaos. More Extremis Virus Soldiers took the opportunity to break through and charge toward the civilian shelters. As they rushed forward, they continued mutating. Some grew extra limbs, their joints twisting grotesquely like monsters', yet becoming even more agile. Others developed skin like indestructible armor. Bullets left only pale marks on it and could even ricochet back.

Watching the chaotic battlefield, Dr. Killian laughed even more wildly. His laughter echoed over the city like a demon's whisper. "Keep attacking! Let them know that Hydra's power cannot be stopped!" Behind him, several Hydra soldiers carefully carried mysterious crates. Purple light, similar to that of the magic circle beneath Stark Tower, radiated from the crates, while strange runes flickered in and out of view across their surfaces. Even the air around the crates warped with surging energy. Clearly, they were preparing something even more terrifying. A greater crisis was pressing down on everyone like dark storm clouds. Meanwhile, Loki and Amora watched the chaotic scene through a magical crystal ball, smiles of a successful scheme spreading across their faces.