S.H.I.E.L.D.'s alarm did not scream this time, but emitted a low
An unsettling hum, like an echo from the abyss.
"It's not a physical invasion, it's not an energy explosion," Bruce·Banner's voice sounded in the command center
With confusion and a hint of subtle fear, "The very fabric of reality... becomes 'thin' in certain areas."
Mainly concentrated in areas with a long history, legendary hauntings or where a large number of deaths have occurred."
Nick Fury's single eye scanned the dozens of faint flash points marked on the global map. "Explain clearly, doctor."
"It's like... the walls are getting thinner," Banner tried to describe
"Things on the other side are easier to see through. Energy readings show negative energy and a sharp increase in mental pollution index.
Kamar-Taj What do you say over there?"
Strange's portal opened directly at the command center. He walked out quickly, his face looking pale and serious as never before:
"Worse than dimensional erosion. This is not an external invasion, but an internal... festering.
Earth's own Ethereal Layer is undergoing large-scale tearing and silting
The barrier between the realm of the dead and the real world is failing."
Wang followed him and added:
"There has been a surge in reports of paranormal incidents around the world, but it's not just about ghosts appearing.
Some dark existences that have long since rested, their remaining thoughts and even parts of their bodies
It's seeping back into reality through these 'Thin Points's."
Thor held Mjolnir tightly, sensing the changes in the air:
"I smell the breath of Helheim, but it's different... more chaotic, more... hungry."
Avengers quickly split up and went to each "Thin Points" to investigate and maintain stability.
Tony and Rhodes use technological equipment to try to strengthen the structure of reality; Natasha and Clint deal with the chaos caused;
Steve coordinated the evacuation of people; Wanda and Vision tried to use their own energy to purify pollution;
Strange and Wang Ze tried their best to close the cracks in Ethereal Layer.
However, the situation quickly deteriorated.
In an ancient cemetery in New York, a crack suddenly widened, and thick, almost substantive darkness poured out.
Accompanied by the wails and screams of countless dead people, a huge consciousness composed of countless painful faces and twisted limbs
--an ancient "Grudge Aggregate" --crawled out of it, and wherever it passed, life withered, colors faded, and reality itself seemed to be rotting.
Avengers's attack had little effect. The energy weapon was swallowed by darkness
Physical attacks pass through it like smoke, while magic is contaminated and distorted by the extreme negative emotions.
"That rift must be closed!"
Strange shouted, Bands of Seraphim wrapped around it, but was easily torn apart by the polymer.
Wanda's Chaos Magic bombarded it, causing its volume to expand a bit.
"It's absorbing my power! Absorbing pain and fear!"
The aggregate roared silently, and more darkness poured out of the cracks.
Its tentacle-like limbs swept around, and the building collapsed like a sandcastle.
"Can't stop it!" Rhodes struggled to avoid the dark pursuit in the air.
In this desperate moment--
That turbulent darkness, that huge Grudge Aggregate
And the tearing crack suddenly... solidified.
It's not that time has stopped, it's more like a noisy and harsh symphony that has its sound source suddenly cut off.
All the mind-crushing noise, the negative energy fields that pollute reality.
The oppressive feeling at the soul level... disappeared completely in an instant.
Grudge Aggregate maintained a posture of baring his teeth and claws, but it seemed as if all his strength had been drained away
The dark and painful faces that made up its body quickly dissipated and collapsed like an ebbing tide.
In the end, only a few wisps of harmless black smoke were left, floating in the air.
The torn crack seemed to be smoothed away by an invisible hand and disappeared, leaving only the cemetery that had returned to normal order.
Avengers was stunned on the spot, at a loss.
Tony's armor scanned the empty air. "What happened? The energy readings... all returned to zero? It's like... they were forcibly muted?"
Strange sensed the flow of magic around him, his face full of disbelief:
"Ethereal Layer... was temporarily 'reinforced'? In a way I can't understand.
... The pure and extreme power of 'existence' forcibly smoothes out the wrinkles?"
Their eyes subconsciously turned in the direction of Malibu.
Stark Villa Beach.
Xiao Han adjusted his lying position impatiently. At that moment,
He felt an extremely unpleasant "impurity" mixed into the sunlight and the energy field of the planet beneath him.
It is not directed at him, but a widespread "pollution" and "noise" originating from the soul level.
It's extremely subtle, but it makes the process of absorbing energy no longer pure and smooth, like clear water with mud mixed in.
He didn't even bother to use Super Vision to check the source, he just subconsciously
After a little "concentration", he slightly "expanded" his huge and stable biological energy field for a moment.
It was like shaking the tablecloth gently, shaking off the dust on it.
Therefore, those "impurities" that depend on the instability of the reality structure and the tearing of Ethereal Layer
In this silent shock, it was forcibly erased.
"Okay." He murmured to himself, relaxing again and enjoying the restored "pure" sunshine.
New York Cemetery.
Avengers looked at the calm scene and looked at each other.
"He... what did he do again?" Clint put away the arrow and asked blankly.
"He may just feel noisy..." Natasha speculated, with a complicated tone.
Strange looked at the sky, frowning. "No... not exactly. Those dark existences, their essence is 'instability', 'chaos' and 'negative'.
And his existence... is absolutely 'stable', 'orderly' and...'powerful'.
Just like oil cannot exist on water, when his will is a little more serious
These low-level 'chaos' will be 'rejected' by nature."
Doctor Banner thoughtfully. "So, he is not actively attacking, but... his existence itself
Does it have a natural 'purifying' or 'dispelling' effect on such phenomena?"
"That's understandable," Strange nodded, then shook his head
"But this only treats the symptoms, not the root cause. If the root cause of Ethereal Layer's tearing is not removed, the 'dust' will gather again."
Sure enough, reports from around the world showed that although "Thin Points" in other regions was temporarily stable, it did not disappear and negative energy was still slowly accumulating.
The crisis was only briefly postponed.
Fury's voice came from the communicator, breaking the silence. "Record all data. Doctor Strange, Wang
I need you to find a fix for Ethereal Layer as soon as possible. Everyone else, stay alert. We've just earned a moment of respite."
At this moment, Xiao Han has long forgotten that small "interlude". For him, the world has only temporarily returned to "quiet", and that is enough.
As for how long the "quietness" would last, he didn't care.