Wings Hardened

As the Sorcerer Supreme, Ancient One, suppressed the portal, she silently watched Evenson show off. "He’s using an extraordinary magical artifact."

Because of the difference in their realms, Ancient One could feel the soul-annihilating power of awakened Usaless far more deeply than her apprentices could. At the same time, she was worried. Earth actually possessed such a powerful magical artifact; it seemed this dark wizard’s inheritance truly was anything but ordinary.

Yet she also secretly breathed a sigh of relief. My purpose is to witness the death and despair of invaders. Judging from those words and his actions, this dark wizard’s stance should be the same as hers. Then… she would need to consider her attitude carefully when contacting him.

Klayya, who had been replaced and sent to rest, took out a small notebook and rapidly scribbled something inside. Those lines were really amazing. Perhaps one day, she could use them as her own entrance speech.

Evenson’s declaration had been utterly domineering. Whether it had shocked anyone else or not, it had certainly shocked him. Since he had already said all that, why not make a fitting move to go with it?

With a whoosh, the wings behind him spread open. Mm, his wings were strong now. He could fly. "Alien scum, it’s harvest time!" He leaped into the air! "Huh? Aaaaaah!"

It was said that people who jumped off buildings to kill themselves were resolute at the moment they leaped, only to regret it halfway through the fall. Evenson had no idea who had said that, and there was no one who had successfully jumped to their death to come forward and verify it, but Evenson had this to say: whoever said that, get your ass out here. I promise I won’t beat you to death!

Who regretted it halfway down? He regretted it the instant he jumped! Because at that moment, he suddenly realized something: how the hell was he supposed to use the things on his back?

Evenson had never flown in his life, and this was only the second time he had grown wings. So he plummeted straight down. "I’m gonna die, I’m gonna die, I’m gonna die! Why could Carter glide the first time, while I can only free-fall?!"

Served him right. He was asking for death! Did he not think about Carter’s background? She might have started as a clerical officer, but later she had fought plenty of hard battles alongside the Howling Commandos. Gliders and parachutes were practically second nature to her, so of course she got the hang of wings so quickly.

That was why, if you had zero experience, you shouldn’t mess around blindly. Did he really think that growing a pair of New Orleans grilled chicken wings meant he could soar into the sky? That was way too naive!

Luckily, when Evenson had fallen to the third floor, he finally managed to flap his wings and fly through sheer persistence. It was truly a blessing in disguise. Otherwise, there might have been a news headline in the future: Shocking! An Avenger unleashed his ultimate move, killed not a single enemy, and died in the street—the reason is too embarrassing to reveal.

"That scared the hell out of me…" After steadying himself, Evenson patted his chest. If he had died like that, he might have become Usaless’s most ridiculous owner to ever die.

Evenson slowly landed on the ground. Looking at the Chitauri closing in around him, he decided to turn his grief and indignation into strength and reclaim his dignity. "Pain… suffering… my hatred burns in the abyss!"

Evenson pointed Usaless forward, and more than a dozen Corrosion Seeds immediately shot out from the scythe and entered the Chitauri’s bodies.

The struck Chitauri trembled as they dropped their weapons, letting out incomprehensible howls. Some clutched their stomachs and rolled across the ground, while others lay prone and repeatedly pounded the earth with their fists. All of them were enduring unimaginable pain.

"Urgh…" Moments later, those Chitauri all grabbed their throats in unison, mouths hanging open as though they wanted to vomit something but could not. Then their bodies began to swell and deform at a visible rate.

Pop! Pop! Pop! In the end, their bodies burst like overinflated balloons, producing crisp explosions.

If the power of Evenson’s original Corrosion Seeds had been like high-explosive grenades, and he could only throw three at a time, then with Usaless’s enhancement, there was not only more of them, but every single one packed a punch! Each was as powerful as a rocket-propelled grenade!

Mighty Shadow Power erupted, instantly swallowing the enemies ahead. Even the aircraft sweeping past at low altitude were caught up in it. When it dispersed, there were no corpses and no wreckage—only a massive crater and the black sand remaining within it.

But that powerful attack did not frighten off the Chitauri. After all, they were merely weapons created for war. Their incomplete souls could not grant them overly rich emotions.

Evenson slowly turned around to face another wave of incoming Chitauri. Behind the shadows, his mouth slowly split into a grin, black scorching vapor spilling from within.

"Ha!" Black shadow flames surged from his mouth and swallowed every Chitauri before him. They did not even have time to scream before they were vaporized into gas.

The flames pouring from Evenson’s mouth slowly withdrew back into it, like a videotape playing in reverse. Only a few lingering sparks remained outside, still burning stubbornly, as though they would not go out until they had reduced whatever they clung to into ash.

"What terrifying power… and what terrible evil." Olivann, the keeper of the New York Sanctum, had seen every one of Evenson’s movements. He was equally shocked by the strength Evenson had displayed.

He even felt somewhat fortunate that he had not discovered him too early. Otherwise, if he had gone knocking on the man’s door, his fate likely would not have been much better than these aliens’.

It seemed that fellow had always acted carefully and concealed his tracks not because he feared them, but because he was wary of the great Buddha seated behind them. Olivann had also recognized reality: within The Order, no one but the Sorcerer Supreme was a match for this man. Thinking back on how they had once wanted to capture and judge him, it was hard to admit… but they truly had not known their place.

What? You said he was only impressive because of that weapon, and anyone could take off on the spot if they stole it? Olivann gave anyone who said that a look usually reserved for idiots. He was not blind; of course he knew how formidable that weapon was. But was something that made his soul feel ready to leave his body just by focusing his gaze on it really something one could lay hands on?! He would probably become a walking corpse before even getting close.

"However…" Olivann’s gaze sharpened. "He is still on the evil path! Though his strength is astonishing, he has never received orthodox training. His fighting style is simply a complete mess. The Sorcerer Supreme could definitely suppress him."

Judgment came from understanding. In Olivann’s eyes, the proper way for a mage to fight was to condense two glass blades out of magical power, swing them wide, and charge in to hack away. The way Evenson fired biubiubiu from afar was nothing but heretical, unorthodox trash!

"Your lives are meaningless. You will die like straw." Unlike the other Avengers, Evenson did not leap and dart about. He did his best to maintain a spellcaster’s elegance. Leaning on Usaless, he advanced at a measured pace, lightly waving his left hand as though shooing flies. Any Chitauri that dared approach him melted like candles into puddles of pus.