Steve and Bucky's love and hate

"Ah! Ah!"

Screams rang out one after another. Once the American soldiers were engaged at close range, they became lambs to the slaughter, utterly helpless against the Shadowkhan.

The Claw Shadows and Shadow Ninjas handled the soldiers, the Trolls took on the tanks and armored vehicles, and the Night Bats dealt with every helicopter overhead.

The Four Legions worked in perfect coordination, inflicting devastating casualties on the military.

Helicopters exploded in the sky, blossoming into brilliant fireworks.

The tanks, hailed as the kings of land warfare, were like toys in the Trolls' hands, torn apart on the spot.

The supposedly elite soldiers became helpless lambs under the Claw Shadows' brutal slaughter and the Shadow Ninjas' assassinations.

In just one clash, the military's forces were routed on every front!

The battlefield had truly become a hellscape, with blood staining the entire ground red.

Meanwhile, Peter and Flint were still fighting inside the café, but by now, everyone had completely forgotten about them.

Although they had sparked the battle, the two of them no longer mattered at this point. It had become another showdown between Tony and S.H.I.E.L.D.

Nick wanted Tony to know that S.H.I.E.L.D. was no pushover, while Tony wanted to break S.H.I.E.L.D.'s backbone once and for all.

Soon, the roar of a motorcycle came from the distance, and Captain America made his grand entrance in his American-themed combat suit!

He held the Vibranium Shield, a mask covering his face, and every bulging muscle attested to his strength.

At the sight of him, Nick, who had been tense the entire time, breathed a sigh of relief and immediately approached. "Captain, you're finally here."

Captain America nodded and asked directly, "Where's the enemy?"

Nick hesitated slightly at that, then finally pointed at Tony. "He's the source of all this chaos. Kill him, and it'll be over."

Captain America immediately turned his gaze toward Tony, his eyes filling with murderous intent.

Then he bent forward slightly, preparing to attack.

But just then, Tony stepped out of the car, raised his chin slightly, and looked at Captain America. "What, after sleeping for seventy years, you're going to attack your benefactor's son the moment you wake up?"

Those words immediately stopped Captain America in his tracks, while Nick's expression changed in an instant.

Only then did he remember something: Tony's father had helped develop the super-soldier serum Captain America had received.

Calling him Captain America's benefactor was no exaggeration.

Would Captain America still attack Tony now?

As that thought ran through his mind and his expression shifted, Nick quickly said, "Don't listen to his nonsense. Just take him out."

At Nick's urging, Tony burst out laughing.

"What, is the self-proclaimed righteous Captain America planning to repay kindness with betrayal?"

At those words, Captain America stopped moving entirely.

"Who are you?"

"Howard Stark is my father."

Tony did not give his own name. Instead, he gave the name of his predecessor's father.

Captain America's expression changed at once, and his brows knitted tightly. Howard was an old friend. Back when he was weak, it was Howard's help that had given him the chance to receive the super-soldier serum.

Even the equipment he wore had been personally made for him by Howard.

He had never expected his first battle after waking up to be against his benefactor's son.

For a moment, Captain America stood frozen, unable to move.

Watching this, Nick grew so anxious that he had to shout, "Steve! Look around you!"

"All of this was caused by the man in front of you. Are you going to turn your back on your beliefs?"

Those words instantly jolted Steve out of his memories. Seeing the mutilated bodies strewn all around him, the hesitation in his eyes vanished.

"No matter whose son you are, you have to obey the law."

"America is a free country, but that doesn't mean you can do whatever you want!"

With that, Steve took an attacking stance again.

Tony was not surprised by his reaction. In fact, everything was going exactly as he had expected.

There were many superheroes in Marvel, but few possessed genuine conviction. Steve happened to be one of them.

In his heart, his beliefs came first. Everything else had to take a back seat.

So Tony's earlier words had not been an attempt to claim a connection. They were more of a test, to see whether Steve really was as the stories described him.

Now, it seemed he was.

Of course, that did not stop Tony from smearing his reputation a little.

"Tsk, tsk. You won't even spare your benefactor's son. You really are a heartless bastard."

"As they'd say in China, you're an ingrate who bites the hand that feeds him."

Steve's expression did not change in the slightest at the taunts. Although he looked young, he was already an old relic, long past letting other people's words disturb his composure.

But not everyone saw it that way. Once Tony finished speaking, the way S.H.I.E.L.D.'s people looked at Steve subtly changed.

Before this, Steve's image in their hearts had been overwhelmingly positive, almost saintlike.

Now, however, that image had begun to crack. Look, the legendary Captain America, who supposedly served his country and its people, was willing to attack even his benefactor's son.

The change was silent and seemingly insignificant, but the human heart was a strange thing.

A good man could spend his whole life doing good, then commit one bad deed and become an unforgivable villain.

A bad man could commit every evil imaginable, but one good deed would make people believe he had turned over a new leaf.

Steve's current situation was much the same. There might be no visible harm in the short term, but the future was another matter.

"Enough talk. You're coming with me!"

Steve snorted coldly and charged straight at Tony. This time, he did not hold back.

Watching him, Tony kept smiling and stood perfectly still, making no move at all.

Had Nick not known what Tony was capable of, he would have thought Tony had given up resisting and was ready to surrender.

Just as Steve was about to reach Tony, a figure appeared in front of Tony at tremendous speed, blocking Steve's path.

Bam!

A dull impact rang out, and the newcomer sent Steve staggering back with a single punch!

It was not that Steve was weaker than the newcomer. He simply had not expected the sudden attack, so he had pulled back some of his strength at the last moment to defend himself.

Steadying himself, Steve raised his head to look at the newcomer, and a familiar face came into view.

His pupils instantly contracted, his eyes filling with disbelief.

"Bucky!"

Bucky looked at Steve with a complicated expression and said softly, "Long time no see, Steve."

A bitter smile tugged at his lips after he spoke. He had never expected Tony's first assignment for him to involve dealing with an old friend. Honestly, if he could, he would have preferred a different opponent.