"This guy is too cunning!"
Tony Stark growled through gritted teeth, his face a mask of remorse and fury. His hands were clenched into tight fists, the knuckles turning white from the force.
"Damn it, how can Zhongsu be so strong?" he muttered to himself. "My Quinjets, my agents... destroyed just like that."
(S.H.I.E.L.D.: Your agents?)
Remember, just moments ago, Zhongsu had destroyed over a dozen of his Quinjets with astonishing speed and pinpoint precision. These high-tech weapons of war had proved as fragile as paper before Zhongsu.
Worse still, dozens of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents had lost their lives in this sudden catastrophe. Many of them were elites whom Tony had personally selected and trained, and their sacrifice tore at his heart.
"How could I let this happen?" Tony blamed himself. "I should have anticipated that Zhongsu possessed this level of power. I never imagined that magic and demons truly existed in this world."
Yet, what was done could not be undone; he could not change the current reality. He knew that no matter how reluctant he was to accept it, he had to face this brutal truth. Meanwhile, he could only watch helplessly as that figure vanished into the air, shaking his head in frustration. The figure had come and gone like a ghost, leaving him feeling powerless and defeated.
He knew Zhongsu's escape meant an even greater threat loomed ahead. Much like an alien invasion, the crisis would only grow larger, not smaller.
"I can't just give up like this," Tony muttered to himself. "I have to rethink my strategy and find Zhongsu's weakness."
Because right now, even if he wanted to pursue him, there was nothing he could do. His Quinjets were virtually all destroyed, and his agents had suffered heavy losses. More importantly, given Zhongsu's strength, giving chase would only put him in greater danger. Zhongsu's abilities and cunning far exceeded his expectations.
This made Tony realize he needed to re-evaluate his opponent and devise a new plan.
Tony took a deep breath, trying to calm his emotions. He knew this was no time to wallow in failure and anger; he needed to stay cool, analyze the situation, and figure out a countermeasure.
His gaze gradually grew resolute. He knew the battle was far from over, and he had to prepare for their next encounter.
***
"Uncle, our plan didn't seem to work. That demon got away."
Tony Stark reported the situation to Uncle with a solemn expression, his tone laced with deep worry and unease. "Now that he's vanished, we don't know what he'll do next."
Upon hearing this, Uncle wore a look of helplessness and anxiety. He let out a deep sigh, as if his heart were heavy with regret and remorse.
"Zhongsu's power exceeded our expectations. We didn't foresee this," Uncle said slowly, his voice weighed down by pressure. "We meant to gather everyone's strength to suppress him, and then seal him away, but things didn't go according to plan."
A glimmer of self-reproach flashed in Uncle's eyes. He knew this failure dealt a massive blow to everyone. Yet, his resolve remained unshaken.
"Don't worry, though. The moment he shows his face again, I will definitely try to seal him once more."
Uncle's words were firm and powerful, conveying a deep-seated courage and sense of responsibility. Everyone present was moved; they knew Uncle would do everything in his power to protect the world from the ravages of demons.
If an old man possessed such high-minded determination, what about the rest of them?
Just as everyone was immersed in tense discussions, pondering how to track Zhongsu—
Meanwhile, Zhongsu's chest was still being eroded by the Chi Magic. The pain sank deep into his bones, almost unbearable!
"Pain, this is awful!"
Indeed, Chi Magic possessed immense lethality against demons! However, to an entity as powerful as Zhongsu, this was merely a minor setback. He believed he could recover quickly and continue executing his evil plan.
"Damn Chi Magic!"
When Zhongsu the Thunder Demon walked up to a street corner and spotted a transformer, the tension in his heart finally eased a little. Electricity was the energy he could acquire most easily, and it was a vital source of his power.
He eagerly reached out both hands to touch the transformer, feeling the powerful current surging within it. As he made contact, a mighty wave of electricity poured into his body. He closed his eyes, reveling in the nourishment of this energy.
Immediately afterward, as the thunder and lightning power surged through his body, the wound on his chest began to heal rapidly. He could feel his vitality and vigor returning, as if infused with infinite strength.
Watching his body gradually recover and feeling his power return, Zhongsu wore a satisfied smile.
"Haha, this feels amazing! This is how I'm supposed to be," he muttered softly, confidence glinting in his eyes.
With his body recovered, Zhongsu finally had the leisure to observe his surroundings.
"This is actually a world where the multiverse has merged?"
Zhongsu looked around and found himself in Queens, New York, in the United States. The place felt both strange and familiar to him; he had seen similar scenes on Earths in other dimensions, but this place seemed to hold even more unknowns and dangers.
It seemed a superhero lived right around here. Which one was it again?
Zhongsu frowned, pondering how to survive in this new world. He knew that with his current strength, he was not yet strong enough to fight those potentially formidable enemies. Therefore, he decided to temporarily conceal his true identity to avoid unnecessary trouble.
"Looks like I need to keep a low profile."
He waved his arm lightly, casting a simple magic spell to transform his demon form into that of an ordinary young man with blue hair and blue eyes. This transformation reminded him of what he looked like when he ruled his kingdom.
"That way, I won't draw too much attention."
Zhongsu inspected his new appearance and nodded in satisfaction. He began to stroll down the streets of Queens, trying to gain a better understanding of this world.
Night fell, the streetlights cast a dim yellow glow, and Zhongsu walked alone down the quiet street. The surrounding buildings cast long shadows in the night, as if hiding countless secrets.
His pace was steady and unhurried. Although he was a demon whose power had been diminished over the long years, his perception remained as sharp as a panther's in the night.
Suddenly, the sound of metal scraping broke the quiet of the night—the sound of a firearm being cocked.
The sound was not unfamiliar to Zhongsu; he knew what it meant.
"Listen up, pal in front, hand over all your cash, or you'll get a taste of lead!"
A rough voice came from behind, laden with threat and greed.
Zhongsu stopped in his tracks. Instead of turning around immediately, he tilted his head slightly, catching the man's figure out of the corner of his eye. He could sense the other's nervous aura and the cold, metallic feel of the handgun.
Scenes like this were hardly uncommon in the Marvel Universe, but to him, it was merely another boring interlude.
He turned around unhurriedly to face a disheveled-looking middle-aged man. Greed and fear flickered in the man's eyes as he clutched a pistol, the muzzle pointed straight at Zhongsu. The man's body trembled slightly; it was clearly his first time doing something like this.
"Hand over all your money."
The corners of Zhongsu's mouth hooked upward, a hint of disdain flashing in his eyes. He knew this man had no idea what he was dealing with.