A chilling killing intent, like a dark tide, gripped Rimuru's mind.
Only one obsessive and cold thought remained in his mind: to transform into a mustachioed man who intimidated Europe, and to eradicate all the lurking Skrulls from the earth in the most thorough and clean way, to completely wipe out this alien race that mingled among humans and stole everything from this land, uprooting them completely and leaving no hidden danger.
The surrounding air seemed to freeze under the sudden surge of chilling killing intent, and the temperature inexplicably dropped several degrees.
Just as Rimuru was contemplating whether he could turn them into soap, a calm and familiar voice suddenly pierced through the layers of murderous fog, forcefully pulling him back from his wandering and decadent mind.
Rimuru? Are you alright?
It was Rhodey's voice.
In a flash, the overwhelming killing intent receded like the tide, rapidly receding into the depths of his heart and hiding in the darkest corner of his soul. Yet it did not completely dissipate, remaining lingering and oppressive, carrying with it an inescapable gloom.
Rimuru slowly came to his senses, his narrow eyes blinking slightly, but the coldness and solemnity in his eyes had not faded at all. His face was pale and cold, and an inescapable gloom lingered between his brows; his condition was extremely poor.
No one knew better than him the fear and unease he felt at that moment.
The Skrulls, as known to the world, are only briefly mentioned in the film, their appearances and hasty conflicts seeming like an insignificant interlude. But only those who experienced it firsthand, who truly understood the potential dangers ahead, knew that this was not a simple alien invasion farce.
Since that alien spaceship crashed on Earth in 1995, the first Skrulls have quietly infiltrated this land, and two decades have passed since then.
Twenty years of infiltration and dormancy is enough for a group of alien races skilled in Mimicry and infiltration to carry out a silent and gradual encroachment.
How many of their clansmen were actually in hiding?
Are they just a few dozen people, or are there already thousands or tens of thousands, scattered across every corner of the earth like chess pieces?
At what levels have they infiltrated? Is it among ordinary citizens, or within the political sphere, the military, S.H.I.E.L.D.., or even the inner circles of superheroes?
Countless cold questions frantically entered his mind, swirling, pulling, and bombarding his thoughts.
The thought that countless seemingly normal ordinary people and acquaintances in the human world he lived with day and night might be hiding sticky, ugly green bodies beneath their skins, harboring sinister thoughts of alien races spying on and scheming against humanity, sent a wave of nausea surging up from his chest and rushing to the top of his head, making his stomach churn and his whole body feel icy uncomfortable.
The film's plot is incomplete; it consists of edited and selected fragments.
The story only shows the scene where Rhodey is replaced by the Skrulls, but that does not mean that Rhodey was the only one who was replaced.
This thought, like a cold, poisonous thorn, pierced Rimuru's heart, growing deeper and deeper, breeding endless suspicion and murderous intent.
Coulson? That perpetually gentle, composed, and dedicated agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.., who has repeatedly stepped in to help in times of crisis—is his smile and his steadfastness genuine, or merely a perfect facade created by the Skrulls?
Tony? This arrogant, stubborn yet kind-hearted Iron Man before me, who time and again, with a mortal body, stood shoulder to shoulder with Iron Man to protect the world, fighting alongside me countless times, sharing life and death—could he have been quietly replaced while no one knew?
And what about Natasha, the Black Widow, a woman of composure and ruthlessness who walks between darkness and light? Could she too have been replaced by an alien race?
Not just them.
Of all those people who have crossed paths with you, interacted with you, or even been briefly close to you—those faces that have appeared in your life, on the battlefield, and in your field of vision—how many are genuine, and how many are fake?
Could it be that countless Skrulls, with familiar, approachable, and harmless appearances, repeatedly approach me, trying to probe my abilities, uncover my weaknesses, and record all the information about the strongest humans?
It's terrifying to think about.
Boundless suspicion, like vines, frantically coiled around his heart, making his breath catch in his throat. The murderous intent lurking in his heart grew stronger and hotter, almost breaking through his restraint and engulfing his entire body.
The mere thought of the omnipresent spies and lurking dangers surrounding him, and the fact that the human world had been quietly infiltrated by alien races twenty years ago, Rimuru unable to suppress the murderous intent in his heart.
Rhodey, standing to the side, saw Rimuru silent for a long time, his face pale and gloomy, his aura cold and oppressive. His heart skipped a beat, and he became tense and at a loss for what to do.
He subconsciously thought that it was his appearance or his stiff posture that had frightened Rimuru.
He quickly softened his expression, lowered his voice, and spoke with a tone full of apology.
"I'm sorry, Rimuru. Was my expression too scary just now? I didn't mean anything by it, please don't take it to heart."
Rhodey's nervousness and apologies did nothing to ease Rimuru's tension.
Tony and Pepper, who were not far away, noticed Rimuru's unusual behavior almost immediately.
They had spent the most time with Rimuru and understood his personality far better Rhodey.
Rimuru always seemed carefree, and even an alien invasion is just a trivial matter to him.
Rhodey's expression alone could not possibly elicit this reaction, much less reveal such a heavy, cold, and murderous look.
This is definitely not because he was scared.
He had an extremely serious and secret worry weighing on his heart, causing him to lose control of his emotions and harbor resentment.
Pepper frowned first, her gentle eyes filled with genuine worry. She took a half step forward and asked softly.
" Rimuru, something's wrong. What happened? You look terrible."
Tony also abandoned his usual carefree and irreverent attitude, his eyes sharp and concerned as he stared intently at the silent boy.
"That's right, don't hold it in. With your courage, you wouldn't be affected like this by something so trivial. Have you sensed some trouble?"
Three pairs of eyes, filled with concern, worry, and doubt, all fell upon him.
Rhodey's unease, Pepper's gentle concern, and Tony's keen inquiry were all genuine and heartfelt, without a trace of pretense.
Rimuru his eyes slightly, his long eyelashes trembling gently, concealing the murderous intent, suspicion, and gloom surging in his eyes, his heart caught in a fierce struggle.
Should we say something?
Should we reveal the shocking secret of the Skrulls' twenty-year infiltration of Earth and humanity?
The air froze instantly, so quiet that only the soft breathing of the few people could be heard, along with Rimuru's increasingly turbulent inner struggle.