American Comics: Multiverse of Madness

262. After the Storm.

The torrential rain was gradually subsiding. It came quickly and left just as fast, barely giving anyone time to react.

A beam of sunlight pierced through the clouds, slowly descending through the gaps, illuminating the ruins of the once grand White House. People scattered across the Times Square, as the rain interrupted their battles. The ever-escalating war had now come to a halt.

Various factions were withdrawing, shrinking their spheres of influence. HYDRA was destroyed, the Red Skull had fallen, and otherworldly superheroes and Thor had appeared. One after another, these terrifying, headline-worthy events were overwhelming, leaving everyone breathless.

The leaders of these forces urgently needed to discuss their next steps. The arrival of a new world was foreseeable, but no one knew what shape it would take. They had to be ready for anything.

The mercenaries, still in shock, and the journalists who had risked their lives to get here, were all rushing to flee New Babylon. They were eager to report the news to the world.

Although Red Skull had live-streamed the battle to the entire world, video footage was just that—video. Those who had witnessed the scene firsthand were preparing to embellish the story and spread the word.

At this moment, the magnificent city that Red Skull had built from scratch had been reduced to a pile of rubble.

The streets were littered with shattered glass from shop windows, with craters from explosions and shellfire marking the city. People were rushing to treat the wounded before finding an empty house to take cover in. After fighting for so long, they could finally breathe a sigh of relief.

HYDRA's soldiers had been defeated. They were retreating through secret tunnels out of the city, but everyone knew HYDRA was finished. Beating down a defeated enemy was the first rule of the wasteland.

Supporting Ashley as they reached the surface, Black Canary quickly spotted Pietro, soaked to the bone.

When Thor's hammer struck, sending lightning through HYDRA's bunker, the gravitational field restraining Pietro had been destroyed. But the burst of lightning was too terrifying, and Pietro didn't dare approach for a while.

"Quite the scene, huh?" Pietro joked.

Having survived, Black Canary and Ashley exchanged small smiles. After everything they had been through, all they wanted was to rest, take a long shower, and sleep.

"What happened to the HYDRA soldiers outside? What about Red Skull? Did they rescue Jason?" Black Canary couldn't help but ask.

"Don't worry. By the time I got here, the battle was already over. We're just cleaning up now. I didn't expect Bullseye to still be a threat, though," Pietro replied.

Bzzz bzzz bzzz.

A burst of static buzzed in their earpieces. With the signal jammers disabled, communication was restored. Then, a voice came through.

"…Lance, is that you?"

Black Canary froze, as if time had stopped for her. A few seconds passed before she hastily spoke. "Jason! Yes, it's me, it's Lance. I'm so glad you're alright."

"They told me the Justice League outside was fake, just an illusion pulled from your memories. I don't really understand…"

"Don't worry. Wait for me. Where are you? I'm coming to find you right now." Black Canary anxiously interrupted Jason, the hammer in her hand spinning with a whooshing sound, as if she was about to leap into action at any moment.

Pietro and Ashley could fully understand Black Canary's emotions right now. Meeting an old friend from her world in this new one was definitely something to be excited about, so they quietly stood by, not interrupting.

After chatting for a while, Black Canary couldn't contain her feelings any longer. She just wanted to be in front of Jason immediately and tell him everything she'd been through recently.

"Alright, now that we're all gathered, I'll take you to find Alex and the others," Pietro said, shaking his head with a hint of resignation. He then approached Ashley with a playful look. "Want me to carry you?"

"No way, you're all damp," Ashley replied, wrinkling her nose.

"I'll carry Ashley," Black Canary said, scooping her up with a smile, then nodded to Pietro. "Quicksilver, lead the way."

"Alright, keep up."

Pietro put on his goggles and dashed off in a blink, the water on the road scattering in all directions, leaving a clear path behind him. Receiving the legacy of Thor didn't just mean gaining godly power and control over lightning; Black Canary had also inherited part of Thor's memories.

These memories vividly depicted how to use divine power and how to wield Mjolnir in battle and flight, allowing Black Canary to quickly learn how to harness these new abilities. However, finding a combat style unique to herself on top of these powers would depend on Black Canary's own insight and creativity in the future.

The group gathered in the wine cellar, marking a historic moment.

A raven perched on a branch outside the ruins, curiously observing the people gathering underground, its gaze cutting through the rubble and debris.

After the battle, Alex and the others reunited. While expressing their thanks to the wine cellar's owner in their hearts, they all raised their glasses.

"The plan was a huge success. I mean, it went way better than I expected. Honestly, Alex, you should've told me earlier how powerful you are. I bet even Doctor Strange couldn't match you," Barton laughed heartily.

"Even if you praise me, I'm not pouring you another drink, old man. You've had more than enough already, and it's not good for your recovery," Alex replied.

"It's just a scratch, like a mosquito bite," Barton waved it off casually.

At that moment, Ashley spoke up. "Alex, my dad's eyes... are you sure they can't be healed? I remember you've got the eyeball guy."

"They can be healed," Alex answered immediately. "Magic can easily solve that problem, and I'll figure out a way to handle the cost for you. Red Skull once severed the flow of magic, but things are different now."

"Does that mean this world has magic again?" Barton asked curiously.

"In a way, yes. I've planted seeds of magic from another world in this one. As for how they'll grow and sprout, that depends on this world's fundamental energy."

Alex took a sip of his drink, then glanced at Black Canary with a smile before continuing. "And we have Lady Lance to thank for activating Thor's powers. With divine energy revived, this world will see more and more strange phenomena."

Black Canary didn't say a word. She simply raised her glass and lightly clinked it against Alex's.

No words were needed.

.....

📢30 advanced chapters on p@treaon📢
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263. Worries.
264. Adding Another Layer of Lock.
265. Preparation and Departure.
266. Apokolips War.
267. Batwoman Under Siege.