Chapter Summaries

Bennett confronted Loki on the hillside and briefly subdued him, but Thor, Tony, and Steve’s brawl caused the slope to collapse and drew them into another fight. Bennett finally knocked the three men apart with a shock wave, then discovered his nose was bleeding and struggled to stop it.

• Thor hauled Loki out of the plane, and Tony, Steve, and Bennett followed while Natasha stayed behind.
• Bennett glided down to the hillside, where Loki used an illusion to approach him and held a dagger to his throat.
• Bennett escaped Loki’s hold, fought him with his sword, and brought him under control.
• Thor smashed Tony into the hillside, collapsing the slope and sending Bennett and Loki tumbling downhill together.
• Steve struck Loki with his shield, and Thor, Tony, and Steve resumed fighting while Bennett called for them to stop.
• Bennett blasted the three men apart with a red shock wave, then panicked when his nose began bleeding.

After Loki’s schemes plunged the Helicarrier into chaos, Bennett tried to reach him but arrived as Loki stabbed Coulson and escaped. Bennett used his burst to revive Coulson, whose fading consciousness heard a mysterious woman sing and offer comfort.

• Nick Fury imprisoned Loki aboard the Helicarrier, where Loki taunted him and questioned S.H.I.E.L.D.’s motives.
• Tony, Steve, and Dr. Banner confronted Nick Fury over S.H.I.E.L.D.’s Tesseract-powered weapons as Dr. Banner began losing control.
• Barton attacked the Helicarrier, and the Hulk rampaged through it while the others struggled to stop the assault and repair its propulsion systems.
• Bennett headed for Loki’s cell, where he found Loki free, Thor trapped, and Coulson stabbed with Loki’s Scepter.
• Loki dropped Thor from the Helicarrier and vanished, while Bennett used his burst on Coulson and a mysterious singing voice comforted the wounded agent.

Nick Fury used Coulson's apparent death to push the Avengers Initiative, while Barbara healed Coulson and then pursued Hulk after he fell from the Helicarrier. The chapter left Barbara searching for Hulk and an old farmer wondering what kind of god the Anemo Archon was.

• Nick Fury found Coulson alive and uninjured after Barbara's singing healed him, and Coulson explained that Loki had escaped.
• Coulson urged Fury to use his supposed death to motivate the others, and Fury announced Coulson's passing before explaining the Avengers Initiative.
• Aunt May drove Peter and Ned back to New York after their math competition, but her car struck someone who had fallen from the sky.
• Barbara saw Hulk leap from the Helicarrier and jumped after him, hoping to calm him with her singing.
• Barbara asked an old farmer for directions to Hulk, thanked him, and ran off after invoking the Anemo Archon.

Barbara found Dr. Banner after he crashed naked into May’s car, and she offered to help him on Bennett’s behalf. Banner joined May, Peter, and Ned for a ride toward the city, leaving the group to travel together.

• May, Peter, and Ned found Banner lying naked in front of their car after he crashed into it, and Peter helped him sit up.
• Banner apologized, explained that Hulk lived inside him, and borrowed a dress from May.
• Peter and Ned excitedly questioned Banner, while May remained cautious and seated him in the front passenger seat.
• Barbara ran up to May’s car asking for a green-skinned man, then recognized Banner and introduced herself as a Deaconess of the Church of Favonius sent by Bennett to help him.

Banner, May, Peter, Ned, and Barbara traveled toward New York, where a sudden alien invasion interrupted their plans. As an army emerged through a portal above the city, Barbara vowed to protect everyone.

• Barbara explained to Banner that she was a deaconess and an idol, and May agreed to let her travel with them.
• Peter and Ned met Barbara in the car, and May invited her and Banner to join their celebratory Chinese meal.
• The group entered New York and a police officer told May to take the children home because of an emergency evacuation.
• A blue beam opened a huge portal above the city, and Banner identified the figures pouring through as an army.
• Barbara prayed to Lord Barbatos, then left the car and declared that she would protect everyone.

Tony realized Loki was using Stark Tower to open the portal and failed to stop the Tesseract device as the Chitauri invaded New York. Barbara revealed her Hydro powers, destroying attackers and healing the wounded, while the Avengers arrived to find her leading a cheering crowd.

• Tony flew to Stark Tower, where JARVIS told him the Spatial Reaction Device was powered by itself and Selvig said it could not be stopped.
• Tony attacked the invading Chitauri, but the aliens overwhelmed New York and began slaughtering civilians and defenders.
• Barbara told May, Peter, and Ned to seek shelter, but Chitauri craft reached them before they could escape.
• Dr. Banner transformed into Hulk, who smashed several Chitauri craft and fought the aliens swarming him.
• Barbara summoned Hydro to destroy Chitauri and heal the wounded, drawing the survivors around her as their protector.
• Steve and the Avengers flew over Barbara performing for the crowd and saw Chitauri explode whenever they approached her.

Barbara reached the Tesseract on Stark Tower and tried to remove it while Thor fought Loki, but its energy surged into her and triggered a tremendous explosion. As Barbara fell from the rooftop, someone caught her ankle with a golden-gloved hand.

• Barbara had Hulk carry her to the rooftop of Stark Tower, where the Tesseract portal device stood.
• Tony directed Natasha and the others toward the tower while Loki noticed Barbara approaching the device and went to stop her.
• Thor confronted Loki and fought him as Barbara passed her hands through the energy barrier and grasped the Tesseract.
• The Tesseract's energy flooded into Barbara, and a blue explosion hurled her off the rooftop.
• A figure with a golden-gloved hand caught Barbara by the ankle and called for the Traveler to pull her up.

Lin Ze’s consciousness fractured across several characters after the Tesseract’s energy surged, causing him to awaken in different bodies. The chapter ended with Tony reuniting with Qiqi as a wind barrier and music kept the Chitauri at bay.

• Lin Ze caught Barbara as Aether, then realized his consciousness had shifted into several characters at once.
• The Tesseract’s energy briefly blinded Natasha, who narrowly avoided crashing her fighter jet into a building.
• Bennett fell onto the front of Natasha’s jet, and Steve and Barton watched as he slowly woke up.
• Thor recognized Fischl and greeted her and Oz.
• Tony caught Qiqi in his armor, rushed into a building, and tearfully welcomed her back.
• A wall of wind stopped the pursuing Chitauri as gentle singing and string notes filled the air.

Venti joined the battle at Stark Tower and helped Tony defend against the Chitauri, while Lin Ze coordinated the others against Loki. The chapter ended with Loki writhing from Barbara and Fischl’s Electro-Charged attack as Venti invited Tony to watch.

• Venti arrived on Stark Tower’s roof, greeted Barbara and the others, and used his wind powers to repel Chitauri attackers.
• Tony learned that Venti had come at Aether’s request, while Venti agreed to tell him stories in exchange for drinks.
• Loki damaged Natasha’s fighter jet with the Scepter, forcing her to make an emergency landing as Thor and Fischl struggled to restrain him.
• Barbara struck Loki with a Hydro attack, and Fischl’s Oz hit him with Electro after Lin Ze warned Thor to move away.
• Venti continued fighting Chitauri beside Tony, then suggested they go watch Loki’s electrifying predicament.

As the Chitauri invasion worsened and gigantic alien beasts poured through the portal, Lin Ze organized the group to rescue civilians and defend the city. Venti began summoning an old friend to help them fight the monsters.

• Natasha, Barton, Tony, and the others watched a huge armored beast emerge from the portal as Chitauri attacked civilians.
• Hulk leaped onto the beast and beat it down, but several more identical monsters flew out and began destroying buildings.
• Lin Ze assigned Fischl to support Iron Man and sent Barbara and Qiqi to find Bennett, rescue civilians, and protect Natasha, Barton, and Steve.
• Lin Ze trapped Loki inside a Geo construct, and Thor left for battle without realizing what had happened.
• Venti reassured Paimon that an old friend would help, then played the Holy Lyre der Himmel to summon them.

Susanna was rescued from the Chitauri by Steve, Barbara, Qiqi, and Bennett, who then helped evacuate civilians and fight through the city. As the Chitauri’s flying behemoths attacked, Dvalin arrived to destroy them and told Venti to do something useful.

• The Chitauri discovered Susanna hiding beneath a reception desk and pinned her to the floor with a spear.
• Bennett, Qiqi, Barbara, and Steve rescued Susanna; Barbara healed her wound, and Steve led her outside.
• Barbara and Qiqi helped heal wounded civilians while Bennett and the others fought Chitauri and escorted people toward safety.
• Fischl attacked the Chitauri from between buildings, while Tony and JARVIS joked about melodramatic battle quotes.
• Chitauri behemoths descended toward the city, but Dvalin collided with one and unleashed tornadoes that tore through the invaders.
• Dvalin told Venti to do something useful, and Venti replied, "Ehe!"

Venti repeatedly disturbed Dvalin’s sleep with lyre messages, provoking the dragon to cross into New York and attack the Chitauri. As Dvalin rampaged, Lin Ze protected the rooftop, and Venti joked that the furious dragon was going through menopause.

• Venti used his lyre to pester the sleeping Dvalin and lure him toward a world full of monsters.
• Dvalin grew enraged, broke through the barrier between worlds, and flew to New York after Venti.
• Dvalin attacked the Chitauri, biting a behemoth in half and shredding enemy forces with his wind blades.
• New Yorkers filmed Dvalin’s battle and reacted with amazement as footage spread through a livestream.
• Lin Ze used Geo to knock down Chitauri soldiers sneaking onto the rooftop and formed a barrier around their bodies.
• Paimon asked Venti why Dvalin was so angry, and Venti joked that Dvalin was going through menopause.

With Dvalin and the others turning the battle in humanity’s favor, the Avengers and their allies nearly cleared Manhattan of the Chitauri. The World Security Council secretly launched a nuclear missile at the city, and Fury warned Tony that it would arrive in three minutes.

• Dvalin guarded the portal and destroyed Chitauri reinforcements while the heroes evacuated civilians and pushed back the remaining troops.
• Thor, Venti, Fischl, and the others fought the aliens as Lin Ze managed the team’s abilities and struggled with exhaustion.
• Steve and Tony reported that the battle was nearly under control, while Hulk returned from fighting a giant beast.
• Fury refused the World Security Council’s order to launch a nuclear strike, but a fighter took off without his approval.
• Fury called Tony and warned him that a nuclear missile was headed for Manhattan with three minutes before impact.

Thor and the others stopped Loki’s invasion after Tony carried the nuclear missile through the portal and returned with Dvalin. With the portal closed and the crisis over, Lin Ze’s group celebrated and went to find kebabs, though the expected Stone Gate had not appeared.

• Thor confronted Loki and urged him to stop the invasion, while Dr. Selvig explained that Loki’s Scepter could penetrate the Tesseract’s barrier and might close the portal.
• Lin Ze used Loki’s Scepter on the Space Machine, but Tony revealed that a nuclear missile was already on its way and carried it into the black hole.
• Dvalin flew into the black hole and returned with Tony, while the Chitauri soldiers lost power and Fury’s command room celebrated.
• Lin Ze touched the scepter to the Tesseract and closed the portal, and Dvalin flew away and vanished from S.H.I.E.L.D.’s surveillance.
• Tony suggested the group get kebabs, and Lin Ze agreed despite wondering why Celestia’s Stone Gate had not appeared.

After the battle, the Avengers and the children found the kebab shop deserted, so Lin Ze and Barbara cooked grilled meat for everyone while Tony arranged burgers and Coconut Milk. Steve stopped Venti from drinking beer, and Venti insisted he was over six hundred years old.

• The group arrived at the kebab shop and found it empty, with furniture scattered across the floor.
• Lin Ze and Barbara cooked grilled meat while Tony arranged for burgers and Qiqi's Coconut Milk to be delivered.
• Barton, Thor, and Dr. Banner arrived and joined the others for the meal.
• Steve took the beer away from Venti and offered him Coconut Milk instead.
• Venti protested that he was not a minor and claimed he was over six hundred years old.

Nick Fury defended his decisions about the Tesseract, the Avengers, and the superpowered children before the World Security Council. Three months later, Tony Stark was caring for the children while working through the night, then discovered Venti was drinking in his wine cellar.

• Nick Fury told the World Security Council that Thor had taken the Tesseract and that the Avengers had earned a vacation.
• Fury rejected the Council's demand to supervise the children, saying Stark would look after them and warning that the Avengers would oppose interference.
• Three months later, JARVIS urged Tony to rest after he had spent more than seventeen hours working in the laboratory.
• Tony learned that Paimon had eaten five extra-large ice creams, Bennett and Aether had visited Captain Rogers, and Fischl had ordered five hundred cleaning robots.
• Tony asked where Venti was and learned that he was in the wine cellar drinking Tony's wine.

Lin Ze learned that the missing Stone Gate had stranded him in this world because it needed repairs, and he met Ceros, his liaison from the Time Variance Authority. After Ceros made a successful pull on Lin Ze’s tablet, Lin Ze and Bennett clung to him and begged him to stay.

• Steve noticed Lin Ze’s distraction and reassured him that the Stone Gate might return, while Lin Ze remembered Minister Wu’s message about its repairs and an incoming liaison.
• After training with Steve, Lin Ze and Bennett headed toward Stark Tower, where Ceros introduced himself as their Time Variance Authority liaison.
• Lin Ze mistook Ceros for Senior Zhuang Ruo, then questioned him about the Authority, but Ceros said he could not explain much and had little information himself.
• Ceros produced Lin Ze’s gacha tablet and offered to make a pull; Lin Ze asked him to tap it because Ceros claimed his luck was average.
• After the pull, Lin Ze and Bennett clung to Ceros and begged him to stay, calling him their brother.

Lin Ze returned to Stark Tower with Bennett, where Tony cared for Paimon and heard about Bennett’s combat training. Tony was suddenly overwhelmed by extreme anxiety, but Venti’s music eased his distress.

• Lin Ze let Ceros leave after making him promise to keep his liaison job, then wondered whether he had seemed too eager to keep him around.
• Lin Ze and Bennett returned to Stark Tower and found Tony stopping Paimon from eating more cake.
• Bennett demonstrated his new combat moves, slipped, and broke a decorative vase, but Tony reassured him and praised his training.
• Tony jokingly teased Paimon about missing the Traveler, and they chased each other around the living room.
• Tony was struck by intense dread, checked on Qiqi, and had JARVIS scan him; JARVIS diagnosed extreme anxiety.
• Venti played the Holy Lyre der Himmel, gradually easing Tony’s gloom and unease.

Venti helped Tony settle down to sleep, while Lin Ze sent new characters to a mission in New York. In East Malaysia, officials searched for a missing biological specimen, and Barbara led Peter and Ned toward Wanmin Restaurant, promising them a free meal.

• Venti soothed Tony with music and tucked Qiqi into bed, then played Tony’s requested song as a lullaby.
• Lin Ze decided to use new characters for the mission and left the others at Stark Tower to keep Tony company.
• Officials investigating a crashed spacecraft in East Malaysia learned that one biological specimen had escaped and ordered a search.
• Barbara met Peter and Ned again, congratulated them on getting into Midtown High School, and invited them to eat.
• Barbara promised Peter and Ned they could eat for free at Wanmin Restaurant and hurried them there.

Barbara brought Peter and Ned to Wanmin Restaurant, where Rice welcomed them as friends of the chef. Xiangling prepared new dishes for the visitors, and the chapter ended as Guoba entered their room ahead of the food.

• Barbara led Peter and Ned past the restaurant's long queue, where a man accused them of cutting in line.
• Rice recognized Barbara, explained that she was a friend of the head chef, and escorted the group inside.
• Rice told Barbara that Xiangling had blown up the black-backed bass and was being kept inside as punishment while the owners went to buy more supplies.
• Barbara asked Xiangling to prepare signature dishes for Peter and Ned, and Xiangling eagerly agreed to let them try her new creations.
• Guoba entered the private room, and Xiangling called from outside that she was bringing in the dishes.