NOVEL WEB Chapter 214: Chapter 213: Untitled
Daniel Davis had recommended Scarlet Witch (Wanda) and Quicksilver (Pietro) for the Avengers. Now, Wanda and Pietro had gained control over their powers. If Daniel hadn't had his own plans for Project Insight, he might have involved them in it. He was cautious, fearing Wanda's ability to see through his actions. Her chaos magic was exceptional; despite her recent mastery, she could already levitate, and in time, flying would be no issue for her.
For Daniel, flying required using the technique called "Moonwalk." As for Quicksilver's superpowers, Daniel had tested them. A common saying from the Yellow Ape was, "Speed is power." Theoretically, with Quicksilver's speed, his attacks should be potent. However, in reality, his attack power was only equivalent to an average person.
After various tests, Daniel understood that Quicksilver's ability was essentially just speed. He wasn't fast due to his physical attributes but because of his superpower. This realization reminded Daniel of another character with even greater speed but who often lost fights; their abilities seemed fundamentally similar.
"Let them come over and see for themselves," Stark said after hearing Daniel's suggestion.
The Avengers was a team of superheroes, not solely under Stark's control. Even though Stark provided the base and funding, Captain America held the most sway within the team, particularly among those from S.H.I.E.L.D. Stark was displeased, but with Peggy Carter rejuvenated, he felt helpless against her.
"Ah, I had forgotten about her. Perhaps there won't be a split this time," Daniel thought. Initially, he believed that the Avengers might avoid civil war but would at least experience division. Seeing Peggy Carter made him reconsider. Stark and Captain America weren't adept at handling government affairs, but Peggy, one of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s founders, was.
"Welcome aboard," Captain America and the others quickly accepted Wanda and Pietro when Daniel brought them to the not-yet-completed Avengers base. Their addition was a significant boost for the team, especially Quicksilver, whose abilities rendered hostage situations by terrorists ineffective.
The Avengers weren't solely activated for global crises, unlike their first four missions. There was no need to build a dedicated Avengers base if that were the case. The Avengers existed to tackle terrorist organizations, primarily HYDRA at this stage. Daniel had eliminated HYDRA's top brass but not its various bases.
In the original storyline, this was around the time the Avengers fought Baron Strucker—essentially, the events of Avengers: Age of Ultron. But now, their focus was on taking down Crossbones and his HYDRA strike team.
Stark was deeply invested in taking down HYDRA, driven by a desire for vengeance for his parents' deaths. Because of Captain America and Peggy, Stark couldn't retaliate against Bucky directly. Instead, he channeled his anger towards HYDRA, warning Bucky never to cross his path again, or he might not be able to resist seeking revenge.
Bucky, the Winter Soldier, was captured during the Battle of Insight, but not by Captain America, who struggled to fight his friend. It was Peggy who eventually captured him.
"Fortunately, the damage isn't too extensive. With blueprints, repairs will be straightforward," Daniel thought, looking at the Helicarrier. He had it towed to an alien planet, where he used it as a repair project, aided by the AI Red Queen. As for the crew, they had all been dealt with.
"Honestly, I don't see much use for this. It might just serve as a backup," Daniel mused, feeling somewhat aimless after obtaining the Helicarrier. Knowing its construction, he was disappointed to learn it could only fly within the atmosphere, unlike the Quinjet, which could travel into space.
He had to give credit to Pierce for getting the five major countries to agree to this project, likely imagining alien threats as simple as the Chitauri. Thus, the Helicarrier was built with heavy firepower as its main feature.
"Let's focus on my nanotech suits," Daniel decided, setting aside the Helicarrier project to work on modifying Ant-Man and Iron Man suits with nanotechnology.
He noted that they were running low on vibranium, a rare and valuable resource. Despite its high cost, Daniel didn't mind investing in nanotech suits. While his Fei Fei Group lagged behind Stark Industries in the Marvel Universe, his wealth across multiple worlds dwarfed Stark's, similar to how Stark's resources couldn't compare to Wakanda's.
"Stark postponed his nanotech project to pursue revenge," Daniel thought. He hadn't kept the breakthrough in nanotechnology a secret from Stark, who was too preoccupied to focus on it. With nanotech, transforming the Ant-Man and Iron Man suits was just a matter of investment, unlike Dr. Zhao Helen's Cradle of Life project, which focused on biological applications.
"It's really cool," Daniel admired the sleek, black nanotech Iron Man suit in the mirror. This suit was not only portable but also offered enhanced combat versatility, with customizable weapons and the potential to include auxiliary functions like medical assistance once the Cradle of Life was operational.
If all Avengers could be equipped with nanotech suits, it would be a game-changer. While characters like Scarlet Witch, Hulk, and Thor didn't need the suit's enhancements, it would significantly benefit others like Captain America, Carter, Natasha, Hawkeye, Falcon, and Quicksilver.
However, this idea was impractical, not because of cost but due to the potential for exploitation. If Stark provided a second person with a nanotech suit, it would attract unwanted attention and demand, potentially leading to conflict with the government.
"HYDRA's really in bad shape. But it's surprising how reckless they've become," Daniel observed. With their leadership decimated, HYDRA's tactics had shifted from discreet to overt, causing chaos and freeing detainees, including inhumans and mentally unstable individuals held in facilities worldwide.
Meanwhile, on Xandar, as Stark and the Avengers dealt with HYDRA, Daniel used a portal to travel to the Nova Empire, where he discreetly sold gravitational whorls—a technology still valuable despite being common in anti-gravity applications across the universe.
Despite being a common technology, gravitational whorls were prized for their efficiency, especially in habitation and mining applications. The transaction was smooth, with Daniel receiving a high price, along with valuable knowledge on its uses and other cosmic technologies, primarily for Stark's benefit.
"I didn't realize vibranium was more valuable than gravitational whorls," Daniel noted, surprised by its high market value, attributed to its technological advancements. He considered how Wakanda's vibranium had made it the most advanced nation on Earth, even surpassing Stark's technology.
Wakanda's concealment had protected Earth from cosmic threats, preventing potential exploitation by cosmic forces. Even the Ravagers, who once negotiated with Hale for gravitational whorls, would covet vibranium if they knew about it.
"The sight of these alien forms is unsettling. I admire Ego for being so versatile," Daniel thought, marveling at the diversity of alien life on Xandar. During his stay, he unexpectedly encountered Rocket Raccoon and Groot from the Guardians of the Galaxy, bounty hunting for cosmic criminals.
Rocket's expertise in weapon modification and Groot's combat skills made them an effective duo, successfully capturing a wanted individual without alerting the guards. Daniel chose not to engage with them, not wanting to interfere with the Guardians' future encounters with the Power Stone or Ego.
"Oh, I almost forgot," Daniel remembered, deciding to buy a few advanced computers like the one Rocket used. His previous visit left him unable to afford such equipment, but now it was different.
Back in Wakanda, Daniel observed the nation's careful concealment of its true wealth and technology, often downplaying its prosperity at the UN to secure aid. Wakanda's advanced technology, hidden behind a facade of poverty, allowed it to monitor and deter criminal activities within its borders discreetly.
"Even with their advanced technology, Wakanda remains cautious, revealing their true strength only when necessary," Daniel mused, noting their restraint even during World War II. He speculated that if another nation had such power, it might have unified the continent or even the world, but Wakanda preferred to keep a low profile while accepting international aid.
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