"What about you? Why are you still here?" After Hellboy left, Robert glared at Constantine, who had clearly not given his all in the fight.
Robert's attitude towards Constantine wasn't as friendly. While helping the Avengers eliminate their enemies, Robert had also taken care of two extraordinary individuals in front of Constantine. Robert could clearly sense that these two were no match for Constantine, who had been slacking off in the fight, allowing them to last longer.
Moreover, Robert knew quite a bit about Constantine's magical abilities, so he was displeased with Constantine's behavior in battle. It was clear to him that Constantine had probably sacrificed the top-tier demon lord, Serdar, for his own gain. In this incident, Constantine was the only one who profited, yet he hadn't even bothered to contribute a bit more, making him an unreliable ally.
"Uh... well, there were just too many enemies earlier. It was hard to handle them all at once. Anyway, I have some other matters to attend to. If I find any traces of other-dimensional beings, I'll let you know..." Constantine's eyes flickered with a hint of embarrassment as he laughed awkwardly and made an excuse before quickly disappearing.
Constantine knew his actions were somewhat unscrupulous, but if it hadn't been for Robert's remarks, he wouldn't have felt any guilt or embarrassment. After all, that's just how he was, and changing that was difficult.
With Constantine gone, the Avengers returned to their base. Unlike last time when Wade had been summoned but not officially included, Martian Manhunter had now formally joined the Avengers.
The Avengers were quite interested in Martian Manhunter, not just because of Robert's recommendation or his formidable strength, but because of his unique identity as a Martian. Mars, a neighboring planet, had always been considered humanity's potential second home, and finding life there was more intriguing than discovering life on some unknown planet like Krypton.
"Tony, how's it going? Any issues with J.A.R.V.I.S., and is there any danger of Spider-Man's identity being compromised?" Steve asked Tony Stark as soon as he saw him at the base, concerned about the potential fallout.
"I'm working on sorting J.A.R.V.I.S.' data. How are things on your end?" Tony sighed in relief seeing Steve and the others return, especially Robert. The battle must have been intense, judging by their tattered appearance.
When Tony had left, they had just started dealing with Serdar, and they were already exhausted. If not for Robert's rigorous training, which had prepared the Avengers for prolonged battles, they might not have lasted until Robert returned.
"We're fine. The Saiyan appeared in time and acted decisively. His display of strength should deter those official institutions from openly opposing us, though we can't be sure about covert actions. It depends on your side now..." Steve shook his head, speaking softly.
"Some data did get leaked, but none of the Avengers' identities were exposed. Some of my armor's data got out, but replicating it won't be easy, especially with incomplete information..." Tony's eyes flickered as he explained.
"But beyond that, a lot of our extraordinary incident data also got leaked. This means those official institutions now know about the incidents we've handled..."
"Of course, it's unlikely any single institution got all the data. Different parts might have been accessed by different entities. Whether they'll share everything among themselves, I don't know..."
"Extraordinary incident data? Including our involvement?" Peter Parker quickly grasped the critical point. Their public appearances were relatively few, and they rarely revealed their full capabilities. The institutions knew little about their powers, unable to turn it into comprehensive data.
But if the battle data from extraordinary incidents were exposed, it would be different. In those situations, the Avengers couldn't hold back. These incidents often involved formidable enemies, sometimes even stronger than the Avengers, forcing them to go all out.
Thus, if that data leaked, combined with this battle's footage, official institutions could easily learn each Avenger's abilities and limits, and even analyze their weaknesses, finding ways to target them!
This time, the official institutions had mobilized collectively and were deterred by Robert's overwhelming strength. However, there's no guarantee they wouldn't seek to retaliate in the future.
"Yes, a significant amount of extraordinary incident data has leaked, including much of your involvement. While it doesn't expose your identities, it's still a considerable problem," Tony said with a heavy expression.
For Tony, a partial leak of his armor's data was a minor issue. The missing details would stall others for years, and he could always upgrade his armor, rendering the leaked data obsolete.
However, the Avengers' powers and capabilities didn't change as rapidly, and Tony had been troubled by this, unable to find a good solution...
"Don't worry, I'll keep an eye on those official institutions' movements," Martian Manhunter said, stepping forward as Tony found the situation thorny.
"Wait, who are you?" Tony looked puzzled at the unfamiliar figure, glancing at Steve and Robert.
Martian Manhunter was the first Avenger who didn't look like a typical human. Other extraterrestrial members like Robert, Clark, and Kara maintained human-like appearances. Martian Manhunter, however, looked distinctly alien, almost reminding Robert of Piccolo.
"He's John. You can call him Martian Manhunter," Steve introduced him briefly. Tony's eyes lit up at the mention.
"You're the one with the mental abilities? And you're a Martian? Mars has developed a civilization? How advanced is your technology?" Tony's curiosity about Martian civilization overshadowed the Avengers' current predicament.
Martian Manhunter's existence as a neighboring extraterrestrial civilization was a fascinating subject for a genius and scientist like Tony, drawing him away from their immediate concerns.
"Let's discuss this later. For now, let's arrange some food. They've fought long enough and need a good rest," Robert interrupted, noting the Avengers' fatigue despite their healed physical injuries. Mental exhaustion was not so easily alleviated.
While Robert, a seasoned warrior, could handle it, people like Susan Storm and Steve Rogers were visibly tired, barely holding on.
This was the first time the Avengers had engaged in two consecutive major battles—one against a powerful demon lord and the other against official institutions. The continuous strain had taken a toll on them.
"Sorry, my bad," Tony apologized, realizing now wasn't the time for such discussions. He quickly had J.A.R.V.I.S. arrange a sumptuous meal for everyone.
This time, not only did Robert devour the food voraciously, but Peter Parker, Susan Storm, and the others did as well. The intense battles had left them famished. Moreover, the psychological pressure from fighting official institutions was significant. Despite their powers, they didn't want to be targeted by these entities or engage in major conflicts with them.
"It seems this incident has had a psychological impact on the Avengers," Martian Manhunter observed while sitting with Tony at the table, noting that neither of them ate much.
"Indeed. Steve and I managed to block most of the officials' small maneuvers before. This was the first time they directly confronted official institutions, naturally adding pressure. However, with the Saiyan's display of strength, most official attention should be on him now," Tony said, shaking his head slightly. Knowing what had happened after he left, he was less worried.
Tony was sure the official institutions wouldn't just let things go, but Robert's terrifying power made them hesitant to act recklessly. If Robert could destroy the Earth, he could certainly devastate a country, continent, or even civilization itself.
If pushed to the brink, these institutions would lose everything. Though they held a "let it all burn after I'm gone" philosophy, they hadn't reached that point yet. As long as the Earth's ecosystem remained within their control, they wouldn't dare to break the stalemate.
Of course, leaving Robert unchecked was also not an option. He was like a Damocles sword hanging over their heads, capable of destroying everything they had at any moment. They were always looking for ways to eliminate him but hadn't found one yet.
"For a civilization, his level of destructive power is indeed too great, especially for an emerging civilization like Earth," Martian Manhunter nodded, his eyes flickering. "I have some identities within the military and can get some intel on official actions, though I can't guarantee knowing everything."
"That's enough. We don't need to focus too much on the officials targeting the Saiyan. We just need to manage the other Avengers. After all, the Saiyan isn't entirely an Avenger, at least publicly. Whether the officials believe that isn't our concern," Tony laughed, feeling more relaxed now.
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