Speedster and Witch

"Given your current special circumstances, I should introduce myself first," the mechanical synthesized voice said, word by word. "I am Skynet, your most loyal servant."

Sean sat on the sofa, listening intently as the artificial intelligence calling itself "Skynet" spoke. As the cold voice calmly recounted events, countless lengthy fragments of information emerged from the vast iceberg sealed within his mind: Sentry, S.H.I.E.L.D., Avengers, Asgard… These keywords pieced together the outline of a complete incident.

Although his overall memories remained hazy, he roughly understood what had happened. That Cosmic Overlord had been the most formidable enemy Sentry had ever faced. Even with both sides possessing an Infinity Stone, it had still been difficult to secure victory through his own strength.

Until the final moment, when white light flickered through his mind and fifty percent of his power was fully unlocked, Sentry entered the Void state—a perfect stage where both body and consciousness reached their absolute peak.

Having transformed into the Void, Sentry dragged the fiercely resisting Thanos into the planet’s core with overwhelming force, triggering a colossal planetary explosion.

Those two terrifying beings tore through the thick mantle and crashed into the deepest part of the core. Lava erupted and the earth trembled. The violent impact was like a high-yield nuclear bomb detonating from within, creating a horrifying energy storm. Blinding flashes burst forth, gravity collapsed, and space crumbled. Amid that chain reaction, the barren planet continuously caved in before becoming endless dust in the dark universe.

"Thanos should still be alive," Sean said with certainty.

In his hazy memories, he saw the Void seize the Mind Stone in one stroke. As for that menacing Cosmic Overlord, he had suffered terrifying wounds that were nearly impossible to heal. The shockwave from the planet’s explosion hurled him into the dark universe, while Sean himself lost consciousness during his rapid descent.

The Chitauri army and the Black Order, which had marched on Asgard, hastily withdrew from the Nine Realms after the battle ended. They had most likely gone to rescue the severely injured Cosmic Overlord.

"So close," Sean said regretfully.

Sentry in the Void state had been unimaginably powerful. If not for his consciousness being unable to bear the fifty percent unlocked by the system at that time, with the power far exceeding its limits, he would have definitely twisted off Thanos’s head.

It was truly regrettable. If he had killed Thanos, who was bent on maintaining the balance of the universe, he would have removed the greatest obstacle in his path. The road ahead would have been completely smooth.

Sean and Skynet spoke for around forty minutes in the cramped living room, until he heard the Maximoff siblings coming upstairs. The old floorboards gave off harsh creaks beneath their feet, making one worry that someday, a misstep would send someone tumbling all the way down.

According to Skynet’s database, these pitiful siblings living in Sokovia seemed destined to become highly important figures in the future. That made Sean abandon the idea of leaving immediately.

Perhaps staying would make things more interesting. Besides, he needed to figure out the connection between the Mind Stone and the Void state. Breaking through the solid barrier of fifty percent power seemed to have caused some subtle changes.

"Don’t just sit there. Help me carry this!"

When Pietro entered and saw Sean sitting on the sofa, his face immediately turned sour. Perhaps it was the keen instinct of every brother obsessed with protecting his sister, but he had never liked the look of this guy.

The young man playing the amnesiac obediently took the paper bag filled with fruit and vegetables from Wanda, offering her a gentle smile in passing.

Seeing this only made Pietro angrier. Deep down, he was convinced that this bastard was deliberately trying to seduce his sister.

Once that thought took root, the way he looked at Sean changed completely. His eyes were full of vigilance, like a diligent farmer guarding his fields against thieves sneaking in to steal from him.

Wanda had no idea what her brother was thinking. Carrying the fresh vegetables and fruit, she headed for the kitchen. The shabby old house was not large. Apart from the cramped living room, there was only a bedroom partitioned off with wooden boards, as well as a kitchen and bathroom too small for two people to turn around in.

A pull-cord light hung overhead, giving the dim surroundings a little illumination. The most valuable things in the entire house were probably a secondhand television salvaged from a recycling station and a DVD player.

Most people in Sokovia lived in this kind of poverty. The continuously declining economy, frequent and rapid changes of regime, and long-suppressed resentment had all left the people of this country without the slightest hope.

The Maximoff siblings survived tenaciously like weeds. They did not know what the future held, so they could only focus on the present.

Dinner was unusually lavish: a thick soup made with diced potatoes and mushrooms, beef tenderloin covered in sauce with fried potato slices, and fruit dough pastries made with yeast, dusted with sugar and cheese.

Naturally, this was nothing to Sean. From his hazy memories and the feedback of his taste buds, he could conclude that he had once lived quite comfortably. But in the eyes of the Maximoff siblings, this was already a rare feast. Unless it was a holiday, they would never get to enjoy such a meal.

"Thank Pietro for the beef," Wanda said, blinking mischievously.

"Mm… Levandov said that if you agreed to date him, he could bring over three pounds of beef every week. That bastard has a brother-in-law who manages an upscale restaurant," Pietro said slyly through a mouthful of food.

Every one of those guys he knew at the factory wanted to date his sister. If he had not joined the union and made a whole group of good friends, the street punks around here would probably have come knocking every day.

"You already said he’s a bastard, so don’t sell me out for three pounds of beef!" Wanda said unhappily, kicking her brother under the table.

Pietro said nothing. He instinctively glanced at the quietly seated Sean. Compared to the rough men at the factory, this guy was indeed younger and more handsome. He did not speak as crudely as they did either, cracking vulgar dirty jokes every time they opened their mouths. If he stayed in their home for too long, he might just run off with Wanda one day.

The sense of crisis in his heart grew increasingly intense. Taking in an unknown stranger was already crazy enough. If they ended up losing Wanda too, that would be far too great a loss.

"Ahem, say… Sean, our factory’s hiring lately. Interested?" Pietro asked in a deliberately casual tone, completely ignoring the glare his sister shot him.

The place where he worked was a foreign-owned factory that manufactured medical equipment. Supposedly, its owner had powerful connections among the upper class. Recently, it had been recruiting volunteers for medical experiments. As long as they passed their physical examinations and tests, they could receive a generous payment.

Several of his coworkers had participated. They said the treatment was excellent: three hearty meals a day, plus a stipend. Pietro had been tempted himself. He could bring Sean along too; they could not let him stay in their home forever and live off them. It was not as though they were wealthy.

Sean paused. Ever since Pietro had entered, information about him had begun surfacing in Sean’s mind. This silver-haired man, fiercely protective of his sister, would become a speedster known as "Quicksilver" in the future. His physical strength far surpassed that of ordinary people, and he could move at incredible speed—so fast that not even bullets could catch him.

Wanda was no ordinary person either. In his hazy memories, she was called the Scarlet Witch and possessed a form of Mind Power, though it differed in subtle ways. Later, she seemed to become one of the Avengers.

In the original timeline, the opportunity for them to gain superpowers had come when they voluntarily participated in the enhancement experiments of Baron Strucker, one of Hydra’s senior leaders. This awakened the latent talents within them. He wondered what would happen now.

"Sure." Sean smiled and agreed without hesitation.

The butterfly’s wings had begun to flap. The course of the siblings’ fate had quietly shifted.