Chapter Fourteen: A Hammer Falls from the Sky

Ultraman Tiga, also known as Captain America, harbored a deep hatred for Monk Evil. Captain America was no Buddha—if even the enlightened can be angered, how could a mere man restrain himself? So, when Captain America transformed into Ultraman Tiga, his opening move was nothing less than his ultimate attack.

“Zepellion Ray!”

Monk Evil, who was locked in battle with the Hulk, had no time to dodge; and as the speed of light is the fastest known on Earth, the Zepellion Ray struck Monk Evil's head before he could react, blowing it to smithereens.

The Hulk, or rather Dr. Bruce Banner, saw Monk Evil—who had been overpowering him—reduced to a corpse that could not be deader. He glanced at the towering Ultraman Tiga not far away, then promptly turned to flee.

“Stop him!” barked General Ross, who had been hiding nearby.

Ultraman Tiga didn’t spare General Ross a glance. Instead, he fired another beam, disintegrating Monk Evil’s remains until not an atom remained.

“Damn! Captain, you’re unstoppable!” Yang Xin shouted. Monk Evil was no ordinary foe; even though the Hulk was weakened at the moment, Monk Evil had managed to thrash him, which spoke volumes. Yet this formidable non-human was dispatched by Captain America in an instant—what kind of power did Captain America wield after transforming into Ultraman Tiga?

One wondered how many Zepellion Rays Thanos could endure.

Yang Xin threw an arm around Captain America, who had just reverted to his normal form, and grinned, “You should’ve said this after defeating your enemy: ‘I haven’t even tried, and you’re already down…’ Wouldn’t that have sounded epic?”

“Uh, actually, I did give it my all—my absolute all, otherwise I wouldn’t have reverted so quickly,” Captain America replied hastily, evidently not getting the joke.

“The Zepellion Ray drains that much energy?” Yang Xin asked in surprise.

“It’s not just the energy it uses. The power of light also worked to heal my entire body, which took a toll. So this time, I had to make it quick.”

“I see. No lingering injuries?” Yang Xin pressed.

“None at all. I feel amazing. It’s as if my body broke through some limit—I feel this warmth all over, and I can actually sense myself absorbing solar energy. It’s slow, but I can clearly feel myself growing stronger,” Captain America said, excitement in his voice.

Yang Xin looked Captain America up and down. “Are you sure you’re Steve Rogers and not Clark Kent?”

Hill bore a striking resemblance to the Amazon next door, and now here was Captain America, who seemed just like that other universe’s Superman—getting stronger simply by basking in sunlight…

“When we’re back, you’ll have a full check-up,” Nick Fury said, his face impassive.

“It’d be best to wait until Hydra’s wiped out. Who knows what they’d do if they got hold of Cap’s blood,” Yang Xin interjected coolly.

“And besides, it’s best if General Ross hears nothing about me.”

“Don’t worry,” Nick Fury replied, adjusting his eyepatch.

“Damn it, this Sharingan really suits Nick Fury—better than the memory-eraser from Men in Black,” Yang Xin cursed inwardly.

“I was hoping to see all the heroes gang up on Monk Evil, but Cap settled it alone—boring. And now General Ross is here, so I’m not getting involved in any political wrangling. Natasha and Hill can escort me home. Unless something big comes up, leave me out of it—I plan to enjoy our little trio,” Yang Xin said, waving Nick Fury off and boarding Fury’s personal helicopter.

“Melinda, after you drop Mr. Fantastic off, bring my copter back. Otherwise, that kid might hack it,” Nick Fury instructed Melinda before going off to spar verbally with General Ross.

After shaking hands with Captain America in farewell, Yang Xin returned to the Manhattan villa district with Natasha and Hill.

The moment he shook Captain America’s hand, the Treasure System’s voice echoed in Yang Xin’s mind: “Mission complete. Skill randomly acquired from Steve Rogers: Captain America’s Unyielding Will: Braveheart.”

Yang Xin couldn’t judge the value of this skill. It wasn’t the sort with immediate effect, but rather a metaphysical, ideological talent—perhaps even touching upon spirit or soul…

With the impending calamity, Yang Xin resolved to consciously strengthen himself, and thus sparred with Natasha daily. Through these bouts, Yang Xin discovered a drawback to randomly acquired skills: his mind and body were out of sync.

For instance, when Natasha launched a scissor kick, his mind would instinctively flash through several evasive and counterattack options, but his body simply couldn’t keep up…

So, Yang Xin switched to training with Hill. Rather than sparring, Hill began by putting him through the standard rookie agent training used at S.H.I.E.L.D. Academy—a far more suitable approach for him.

In just seven days, Yang Xin went from being unable to block even a single move from Hill to holding his own after three or four exchanges. By the end of the week, he could match Hill move for move.

But this parity was limited to technique. Yang Xin’s greatest weakness was now exposed: he lacked stamina—even compared to Hill’s untransformed state. More often than not, after just a dozen moves, he’d collapse from exhaustion. Thus, increasing his physical endurance became the focus of his training.

It was mortifying to realize that even in a more intimate contest with Hill or Natasha, his stamina would fall short of theirs…

A man cannot accept defeat in these matters! Determined, Yang Xin threw himself into training with renewed vigor.

One day, as he was drenched in sweat from his workout, Coulson arrived, smiling pleasantly.

“I told you not to disturb me unless it was important. This must be Nick Fury’s idea, and it’s never for anything good,” Yang Xin said, seeing through Coulson’s smile.

“There’s news—good news, in fact. Fantastic news. Interested in taking two beautiful ladies on a trip? Experience the unique sights of New Mexico? I hear there’s a little shop there with authentic Mexican burritos.”

“Ha! I knew it. No one gives without reason. So, what’s the real deal?” Yang Xin replied, his tone betraying that he’d already guessed everything. What could be happening in New Mexico, after all? It had to be the exiled prince of Asgard—Thor’s arrival.

“It’s nothing, really. Just thought you might like a little trip,” Coulson insisted, still smiling.

“Out you go. I’m not seeing you off,” Yang Xin said, rolling his eyes in exasperation.

“All right, all right, there is something. It’s odd, really—a hammer fell from the sky in New Mexico, and Director Fury hopes you’ll take a look,” Coulson quickly admitted, handing over a few photographs.

Yang Xin didn’t take them, instead signaling for Hill to do so. She glanced at them, then lost interest.

Yang Xin’s indifferent reaction left Coulson speechless, inwardly frustrated. “You could at least show some reaction—what does ‘oh’ even mean?”

“Are you familiar with this hammer from the heavens, sir?” Coulson pressed.