Hey, Banmido here! If you're enjoying the story and want to support my work (and get early access to advanced chapters), head over to Patreon and search for banmido.
Thank you for reading. It truly means a lot.
The door to Val Fontaine's office swung open, and Nick Fury stepped in, his boots clicking against the cold, polished floor. The space was sleek, meticulously designed to reflect prestige and power.
Behind the large, imposing desk sat Val Fontaine, her fingers moving slowly over a set of documents. She didn't look up when Fury entered, her focus entirely on the papers in front of her.
The room was tense, the atmosphere thick with unease.
A man with a slanted golden 'S' stood on Val Fontaine's right, his figure tall and imposing, almost glowing with an ethereal golden light. His hair, bright as sunlight, cascaded around his shoulders, Fury couldn't help but study them, his one eye narrowing slightly as he took in their imposing forms.
Sentry, Fury knew, was a byproduct of Fontaine's little pet project, an attempt to create the next generation of beefed up super-soldiers. Of a thousand candidates injected with the experimental serum, only Robert Reynolds had survived.
The rest? Dead. But Reynolds? He'd become something far more, a powerhouse with more raw strength than most people could comprehend. Fury had encountered him once, and that was enough.
On the opposite side of Fontaine, Ares loomed with a presence that could shake mountains.
The God of War was a mountain of muscle, wearing a suit of armor that glinted like blood-soaked steel. His face was hard, scarred, his eyes burning with the thrill of battle.
His very stance radiated the desire for destruction, a predator waiting for the scent of conflict.
Fury let out a quiet exhale, his gaze flicking between the two of them before finally resting on Fontaine. "Nice little team you've got here, Fontaine. Got your little pet project Sentry, and your personal psychopathic war-machine. All that muscle couldn't be for little ol' me?"
Ares smirked at the comment, uncrossing his arms as he took a step forward, his presence overwhelming. Fury didn't flinch. If anything, he was used to gods with egos the size of planets.
"Is that how you see me, Fury?" Ares' voice rumbled like distant thunder, a dangerous calm in his words. "A psychopath?" His lips twisted into a grin, sharp teeth flashing.
"I don't need to be told who I am. I'm the God of War. War is my calling, my craving. And I don't care about your little human politics." He turned his head toward Val, who didn't even flinch. "I just want to kill the strongest. That's all. You can have your plans for world control, but when the time comes, I'm taking the best fighters down, whether they're yours or someone else's."
Fontaine's expression didn't change. She sat there, smug, but Fury saw the glint of something twisted behind her eyes. A hunger for power, a desire to shape the world in her image. She wasn't like Ares; she wasn't driven by the thrill of violence.
No, Fontaine was driven by a cold, calculating ambition that knew no bounds. She truly believed she was the only one who could save the United States, and maybe the world.
"You don't get it, Fury," Fontaine finally spoke, her voice laced with quiet authority.
"The old world is crumbling, and I am the only one with the resolve to put it back together. The Avengers, your little team of 'heroes' They've failed. They've left us vulnerable, and I'm here to fix that."
Fury's gaze hardened, not impressed by her lofty ideals. "So you plan to control everyone with fear and strength, is that it?"
"Fear is a tool. And strength is a necessity," Fontaine answered, her tone as cold as the steel her office was made of.
She stood up slowly, walking around the desk to face him. "I'll do what's necessary to restore order, Fury. It's not about whether people like me; it's about effectiveness. I will lead this country and this world into a new era—one where control is absolute and unquestioned."
Fury's jaw clenched, the weight of his next words heavy in the room. "You're gonna burn it all down. And when it does, I'll be waiting to watch you crash and burn, Fontaine.
You think you can control superhumans like you control your underlings? You think you can manipulate people into believing you're the answer to all of this? You've underestimated this whole situation."
She smiled, not a hint of humor in her expression. "Maybe. But you, Fury, are the one who's underestimating me. I don't care what you think. You've failed already, and I'm just getting started. I'll make sure this world never falters again, even if I have to break every rule to do it."
Fury's gaze flickered to Sentry, then to Ares, before settling back on Val. "You'll never control it, Fontaine. Not with him," he nodded toward Sentry, "and not with him." His eyes shifted to Ares. "Sentry's a ticking time bomb, and Ares? Well, you're dealing with a guy who thrives on chaos. Both of them will turn on you eventually, and you'll realize you've surrounded yourself with monsters."
Ares' grin widened, clearly enjoying the verbal sparring, while Sentry's expression remained unreadable. But Fury could feel the tension, the underlying instability that radiated from them both.
"That's your problem, Fury," Fontaine said, her voice cutting through the tension. "I don't need to control them.
They're just tools. Powerful, dangerous tools. And the world is full of people who can't be reasoned with. The only way to lead is to make them follow, by whatever means necessary. We will be the ones to shape the future of this world, not you."
Fury's eye narrowed as he gave them one last, hard look. "I'm telling you, Fontaine. You're playing with fire. And when it all burns down, I'll be right there to watch you choke on the ashes."
Val stood taller, unfazed, her gaze never wavering. "You're dismissed, Fury. You can watch all you want, but the future won't belong to you. It will belong to me."
Fury turned to leave, but not before he tossed a final warning over his shoulder.
"I'll be watching," he said, his voice low and filled with venom. "Every move you make. And when you fall, and you will fall, don't say I didn't warn you."
The door clicked shut behind him, leaving Fontaine, Ares, and Sentry standing in silence.
Ares whistled in respect.
"He has guts, I like that."
They filed into the Quinjet's dimly lit cabin, the hum of engines already thrumming beneath their feet. Kamala and Kate made for the midsection seats; Naruto dropped onto the floor, hoodie pulled over his head, looking goofy as always.
Fury's gravel voice cut through the quiet. "Before we launch, I want you to meet your newest teammate."
A knock on the compartment door, and it opened to reveal a girl no older than sixteen. Curly brown hair framed her face; she wore a blue denim jacket with the American flag printed on both sides of the shoulders, black pants with white stars all around, and black and white converses.
She was pretty for her age but had a cocky smirk plastered on her face.
"This is America Chavez," Fury announced. "Student of Dr. Strange. She'll be joining us on this mission and future missions as your new teammate."
Kate offered a polite smile. "Welcome aboard, America."
Kamala beamed. "Yeah, glad to have you with us!"
Naruto peeked up from behind his hoodie, brow furrowed. "Hold on, since when are you the one adding new members, Fury? Shouldn't we all vote on this? I mean, democracy, right?"
Fury's head snapped towards Naruto. "We're dealing with a disaster. Save the pleasantries. Put on your big‑boy pants and work with us, or stay on the ground and stay out of our way."
His lone eye locked onto him like a laser sight. "It's a crisis, not a book club. Either suit up or sit this one out."
Naruto muttered, "Geez, alright, General Cyclops."
America stepped forward, arms crossed tight. "You got a problem, sunshine? Say it straight."
Naruto stood, brushing off his pants with deliberate slowness. "Yeah, I've got a couple. Like why Doctor Strange's magical school bus rider is tagging along with us like this is some kind of high school field trip."
Fury didn't even blink. "Because she can crack holes through the multiverse. That good enough for you?"
America's fists began to glow with swirling blue energy. Her voice dropped into a threat. "I've put down monsters that'd snap your spine like a breadstick."
Naruto snorted. "Cool story. We handing out medals for bedtime stories now? Glitter fists don't impress me."
She stepped closer, hair lifting with an unseen current. "These 'glitter fists' folded the Scarlet Witch and her nightmare of demons. What have you done lately?"
He leaned in, voice a mock falsetto: "'I BeAt ThE sCaRlEt WiTcH!' Oh no, not the evil soccer mom! Want a gold star or a juice box?"
Kamala quietly reached for her seatbelt.
Chakra cracked through Naruto like static lightning as golden flames kissed his shoulders.
"Say that again, Ramen Head," America growled.
Naruto smiled. "Gladly."
The pressure dropped. One side of the cabin shimmered with chakra; the other with dimensional energy. Sparks snapped in the air. Kate braced herself. Kamala ducked.
Inside Naruto's head, Kurama groaned. "Really? You're gonna fight her in a flying tin can? Idiot."
WHAM.
Fury's boot slammed down like a gavel.
"Alright! Cut the shit, both of you!"
The chakra and energy fizzled out. Naruto and America stared each other down for one last second, then Naruto cracked a large grin.
"Okay, not bad. You've got real power."
America smirked. "You're not too shabby yourself… for a walking ramen head."
They laughed, then bumped fists.
Next thing anyone knew, Naruto had his arm around her shoulder like they'd been teammates for years. America didn't shrug him off, just rolled her eyes and gave him a playful elbow to the ribs.
Kamala blinked. "Wait, are they… friends now?"
Kate sighed, "None of this makes sense."
Kurama sighed. "Great. Two knuckle-headed idiots with god-like powers and zero impulse control. What could go wrong?"
The Quinjet soared high above the clouds, slicing through the sky like a black blade. Below them, the Oklahoma plains stretched endlessly. But what mattered wasn't on the ground.
It floated above it.
New Asgard shimmered in the sunlight, a suspended city of Asgardian design and modern technology, a glimmering fusion of magic and steel. Towering halls gleamed with golden trim, longships drifted lazily in formation, and at the heart of it all, the massive central palace rose like a beacon in the sky.
From the cockpit, Nick Fury's voice came through the cabin. "We're in visual range. Prepare to land."
The Quinjet was thirty thousand feet up when everything glitched off at once.
The lights flickered, screens blanked, the engines hiccupped then hummed with a different frequency.
Kate blinked from the cockpit. "Uh. We just lost navigation."
"No, we didn't," Fury muttered.
A soft shimmer swept across the Quinjet's windshield, archaic runes spreading like glowing frost across the display. Then a calm, melodic voice filled the cabin:
"Midgardian transport vessel identified. Systems temporarily overridden for atmospheric stabilization. Do not be alarmed."
"Translation," Kamala said, gripping her seatbelt, "we're being autopiloted."
Naruto blinked at the screen, then slowly grinned. "Okay. That's kinda sick."
The Quinjet descended without resistance, gliding toward a landing pad suspended off the edge of a cliff-like platform. As they touched down, the hatch hissed open and a welcoming committee of Asgardian warriors armed to the teeth waited.
At the center stood King Valkyrie.
She wore sleek black and gold armor, her long braid swinging over one shoulder. Sword sheathed. Cape flowing. Calm, focused and slightly amused.
"Nick Fury," she said as they stepped out, her voice carrying just enough dry warmth. "Still crashing parties with style, I see."
Fury smirked. "Wouldn't dream of landing uninvited. Nice air traffic control you've got."
"Old spell work," she said, gesturing to the sky. "New applications. Beats radar."
Her gaze drifted over the team, Kamala, Kate, America… and Naruto, who hung back slightly, hands in his hoodie pocket, trying to look as innocuous as possible.
She gave a nod to the teens. "So. These are the ones making headlines. The Young Avengers?"
"Don't believe everything you hear," Kamala said quickly.
"Especially from Fontaine," Kate added under her breath.
Valkyrie's brow lifted, but she said nothing. She motioned them inside of the palace.