Of course, this friend wasn't Banner, but Banner wouldn't give an honest answer either. And, wary of the Hulk, no one dared to question him.
The matter should have ended there, but S.H.I.E.L.D. began to infight, arguing over the ownership and use of the scepter. Thor's purpose in coming here was to take back the scepter and Loki. Now that Loki was locked up in the dungeon, and S.H.I.E.L.D. refused to return the scepter, Thor, eager to return and clean house, could only temporarily leave the scepter behind.
When Peter rushed back, Saiki Kusuo stopped him outside the house.
(It's best not to go in looking like that. It'll worry Aunt May.)
Concerned about his aunt, Peter, although he really wanted to go in and see her, obediently stopped at Saiki Kusuo's words.
"Is she alright?"
(Of course. I promised you I would keep her safe.)
Reassured, Peter relaxed and asked about Loki.
"How's that melodramatic god doing?"
(I've already sent him back to Asgard. I had Banner remind his brother. As long as he doesn't act foolishly, things should be quiet for a while.)
Peter was still a little uneasy. "I'm just worried that the melodramatic god's brother isn't reliable."
(If Loki really escapes, I'll use other means.)
Saiki Kusuo finished speaking and took out a banana-shaped stick.
(This is a tool to erase someone's memories. If Loki comes looking for trouble again, I'll give him a whack.)
However, the conditions for using it were a bit complicated. And it didn't erase memories out of thin air; instead, it replaced the memories one wanted to forget with other memories. Saiki Kusuo couldn't control what memories were substituted—the person could end up remembering anything.
S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Avengers initiative was aborted before it even formed due to arguments and disagreements.
"So, because Captain America and Iron Man had differing opinions, the alliance failed. I get that. But why are you coming to my house? S.H.I.E.L.D. should be able to accommodate you better."
Saiki Kusuo looked at Banner, who had brazenly come to his door, with an impatient expression.
Aware that he was intruding, Banner scratched his head sheepishly, but his tone was quite matter-of-fact.
"As I told you before, I don't trust them, and they're wary of the Hulk. They don't see me as a teammate. You monitored S.H.I.E.L.D.'s helicarrier, so you should know they built a small holding cell inside—that's for me. I don't want to be caged by them, to become their weapon."
Clearly, after Saiki Kusuo told Banner about Natasha's true intentions, the genius had already figured out S.H.I.E.L.D.'s purpose in recruiting him.
He sat across from Saiki Kusuo, his face full of sincerity.
"Because of the Hulk, I'm homeless. To avoid casualties, I've been to refugee camps, deserted deserts, even the deep sea. I've always tried to stabilize my emotions, but the Hulk always finds a way. You're the only one who can control the Hulk. Kusuo, I hope you can help me."
Unfortunately, the trouble-averse Saiki Kusuo wasn't buying it. (Cut the sob story, and don't try to guilt-trip me, Doctor. I don't fall for that.)
"Oh, is that so?"
Banner seemed to have anticipated Saiki Kusuo's refusal and wasn't disappointed. Instead, he mentioned a name to Saiki Kusuo.
Another genius, Saiki Kusuke.
"But Dr. Saiki has already agreed to let me stay. He said that if Kusuo didn't agree, he'd go to Mrs. Saiki. The kind Mrs. Saiki would definitely agree to my request."
Saiki Kusuo: "..."
His mother was involved. Saiki Kusuo's tone turned several degrees colder. (Hey, don't drag my mother into this. She's just an ordinary person.)
"Precisely because she's an ordinary person," Banner emphasized. "You have telepathy; you should know why your brother agreed to let me come here."
It was because he knew that he wanted to refuse. If he had known things would become so complicated, he shouldn't have agreed to take on the Hulk in the first place. No, they shouldn't have come to New York at all.
With Kusuke's help, things were easily settled on Saiki Kurumi's end.
This house was originally bought by Kusuke as a filial gift to his parents. Although it wasn't expensive, it was quite spacious, more than enough to accommodate Banner.
Probably due to Kusuke's intervention, S.H.I.E.L.D. didn't come looking for Banner. Not only that, but other organizations interested in Banner also stayed away.
A week passed peacefully, and then news came from S.H.I.E.L.D. that the scepter had been stolen.
Saiki Kusuo learned of this news from Banner. Although the doctor claimed to want to distance himself from them, he was secretly keeping an eye on their research.
Upon learning that the scepter had been stolen, he immediately sought out Saiki Kusuo.
(I refuse.) Knowing what he wanted, Saiki Kusuo refused cleanly.
However, Banner didn't give up and continued to persuade him. "The Asgardian, Thor, said earlier that Loki's scepter contains the strongest power in the universe. If someone with malicious intent uses it to control Earth, all of humanity will be doomed."
Especially since the people who stole the scepter were from HYDRA.
Now, HYDRA agents had infiltrated S.H.I.E.L.D., attempting to dismantle it from the inside. If Director Fury hadn't sensed something was wrong and taken precautions, S.H.I.E.L.D. would probably no longer exist.
"So, if they had let Thor take the scepter, none of this would have happened," Saiki Kusuo said.
For the sake of his family, Saiki Kusuo wouldn't let that happen. The immediate priority was to deal with S.H.I.E.L.D.'s internal spies. Only by capturing them could they obtain the location of HYDRA's headquarters and the scepter.
Saiki Kusuo's telepathy played a crucial role, easily identifying all the spies like a cheat code.
Natasha slammed a HYDRA spy attempting to report to headquarters to the ground and knocked him out before he could commit suicide.
"Well done, Doctor."
Straightening up, Natasha tossed her curly hair. She winked at Banner, her smiling face filled with a charm that could drive men to madness.
Even knowing that she had ulterior motives, her voice seemed to be filled with magic, making the men who adored her willing to give everything for her.
Banner averted his gaze, his expression seemingly calm, but his clenched fists revealed his inner turmoil.
Unlike Natasha, who was always beating around the bush, the straightforward Steve simply patted Banner on the shoulder. "Thanks to your friend, including the Loki situation. Please express my gratitude to him."
Banner nodded, mentally asking Saiki Kusuo about their next plan.
(To avoid trouble, it's best for S.H.I.E.L.D. to handle both the scepter and HYDRA.)
Saiki Kusuo didn't want to expose himself too much in front of these people with ulterior motives. Although he could brainwash them afterward, the sheer number of people involved would complicate things.
S.H.I.E.L.D. and HYDRA officially went to war. Stark, who was on vacation with his girlfriend, was also called in to help.
During the battle, the unexpected Thor also arrived. He brought bad news.
Loki had escaped.
This undoubtedly worsened their current situation.
"Loki's goal is undoubtedly the scepter. If we retrieve the scepter, we can lie in wait and capture Loki."
During a temporary meeting, Thor proposed this idea. Stark teased him.
"Well, I didn't expect you to come up with such a reliable plan."
"Shut up, Earthling. Do you want to test the power of Mjolnir?"
"Hey, calm down, buddy. I'm just joking."
Joking at a time like this made the serious Steve quite dissatisfied. He reminded them sternly, only to be rudely called an old fossil.
Seeing that the group was on the verge of another internal conflict, Natasha clapped her hands, trying to get their attention.
"Hey, guys, now is not the time to argue. Please understand that our enemy is HYDRA, not our own teammates."
"I suddenly thought of a way, I don't know if it will work."
Hawkeye, who had previously been controlled by Loki and became his puppet, and had only recently broken free, suddenly spoke.
When everyone's attention was on him, he pointed at Thor. "Earlier, this big guy said that Loki's goal is the scepter. Why don't we let Loki deal with HYDRA?"
"And then we reap the benefits?" Steve interjected, quickly raising an objection. "That's too risky. There's no guarantee Loki won't choose to cooperate with HYDRA."
"You have to understand that in Loki's eyes, humans are inferior beings. Loki wouldn't cooperate with them; he would only use them as tools. But HYDRA won't easily let an alien control them, so they're bound to fight, Captain," Stark analyzed.
Although Stark seemed quite unserious at ordinary times, he was still quite reliable at critical moments. Letting go of his prejudices, Steve nodded in agreement with his view.
"So, what should we do now?" Natasha asked.
"Of course, we leak the news that the scepter has been stolen. I think with Loki's arrogance, even if he suspects it might be a trap, he'll still rush over."
Loki did suspect that this might be a message deliberately released by S.H.I.E.L.D., and as Stark predicted, even if he suspected it, he would still go to the HYDRA base to retrieve the scepter.
Not only because of his confidence but also because the person controlling him was already impatient with his failures.
[Listen carefully, this is your last chance. If there are any more mishaps, I will report to the Master. You know what will happen to you if the Master gets angry.]
The warned Loki gritted his teeth in hatred, remembering the process of his forced submission, yet he was also afraid of the other party's power and had to obey their orders.
Last time, he was too careless and was ambushed by a cunning brat. This time, he would definitely not fail.
With his excellent social skills, he quickly infiltrated HYDRA. After learning the location of the scepter from a cadre, Loki shed his disguised gentle appearance.
Loki, who was a "jobber" in front of Thor, easily dealt with the members who came to stop him. However, when he stood in front of the scepter, ready to reach out and grab it, he saw a blur, and a huge impact sent him flying.
Stuck in the wall, unable to move, Loki: "..."
This familiar technique and force made him curse explosively, warmly greeting the other party's parents.
But unexpectedly, the one who pushed him in was not the Hulk, but a young-looking teenager.