NOVEL WEB Chapter 9: N08 - Fantastic Four!
S.H.I.E.L.D. Headquarters...
After contacting the various Hydra leaders with a humbled face, Alexander Pierce came to a grim conclusion:
There was still one missing piece of the fragmented Immortality Card whose location remained unknown.
In short, Hydra had gained virtually nothing from this wave of rankings—in fact, quite the opposite. Their existence had been fully exposed to the world.
Result: A massive loss!
Pierce looked at the card fragments in his hand, eyes welling up with tears. The more he stared, the brighter his eyes shone. A thought crossed his mind—rebuilding Hydra from the ground up. Only by doing that would the rewards they received hold real value.
At his seaside villa, Tony Stark was watching the footage of his parents' assassination, his eyes bloodshot with rage.
His fists clenched so tightly that his nails dug into his flesh—but he didn't even notice the pain.
He had always believed their deaths to be an accident… but now, he knew the truth.
"Hydra… you bastards!"
Tony Stark roared through gritted teeth.
After calming himself down, he entered his workshop. He needed to build a stronger suit for revenge.
Ten minutes later, the eighth organization on the Marvel List was announced.
[8th Strongest Organization: The Fantastic Four!]
The Marvel List then began to display images and footage of the Fantastic Four.
It introduced each member, their personalities and powers, how they obtained their abilities and initially resisted them, followed by a scene of their victory over Doctor Doom.
[Ranking Reward: Choose one of two options]
-Option 1: A card that removes the side effects of superpowers + one permit to travel through the multiverse.-Option 2: A card that enhances one superpower + a ticket to a parallel universe.
[Note: The Parallel Universe Card allows its holder to travel between alternate universes.][Note: Since there's no official leader in the group, the reward will be chosen by group vote.]
[Johnny Storm – Human Torch]: Hahaha! We're ranked eighth? This... this is awesome!
[Ben Grimm – The Thing]: Seems like this ranking isn't based on numbers… probably power level.
[Reed Richards – Mr. Fantastic]: That would make sense. Now we have to decide on the reward.
[Human Torch]: I vote to boost my power! Imagine how epic I'd be if I leveled up even more!
[Ben Grimm]: I want the card that removes side effects. I'm sick of this body! I'd rather be normal than live like this!
[Susan Storm – Invisible Woman]: Johnny, pick the side effect removal card. We need to think about Ben.
[Mr. Fantastic]: I agree with Sue.
[Johnny Storm]: Fine, fine. @Stoneman, you owe me. I gave up my moment in the spotlight for you!
A short while later, the team voted and chose the side effect removal card.
[(Quicksilver – Mutant World)]: Oh, so superpowers have side effects now? At least your team's tight-knit… unlike some other people. @Hydra
[Magneto]: Is this sorry excuse for a coalition what you call "unity"?
Magneto wasn't happy with Hydra, and the reason was simple. The Marvel List had exposed how Hydra not only oppressed its enemies… but even its own members.
Hmph. To Magneto, "Inhumans" were just mutants from another world.
The Hydra leader didn't respond in the chat channel. After being exposed by the Marvel List, internal division had begun to tear the group apart.
In the Fantastic Four's universe – Headquarters:
After voting, the Marvel List distributed the side-effect-removal card equally to all four members.
Unlike the self-serving Hydra bosses, the Fantastic Four wanted genuine unity and immediately combined the fragments together.
"Ben, use it now!" Mr. Fantastic said eagerly. "Let's see if it really removes the negative effects. I could use the data."
Ben Grimm nodded, glanced at the card in his hand, and said to himself, "Use."
The card suddenly turned into glowing particles and merged with his body.
In a flash, Ben Grimm transformed from The Thing back into a normal human.
Mr. Fantastic, who was monitoring the machine, was stunned.
"That… that was way too fast!"
He stared at the equipment piled in front of him, clearly annoyed.
"All those months of research… wasted just like that?!"
Johnny laughed sarcastically and patted Reed on the shoulder.
"Some things, buddy, just don't make sense with science."
Reed sighed and turned to his teammates. "There's still that portal—the multiverse pass. Anyone interested?"