Chapter 25: Sudden Enlightenment! Off to the Afghan Desert!
Well… I should probably bring a gift for the meeting.
Ethan Lee browsed through the various random rewards he had collected from Hell's Kitchen:
Master Ball – Guaranteed capture! No exceptions!
Laser Sword – The Force is with you.
Elder Wand – Avada Kedavra!
Fire Kirin AK-47 – Da-da-da-da~!
Revised Golden Light Mantra – Unlock hidden potential!
Tifa's Photo – A holy relic!
"..."
Ethan hesitated.
Master Ball? What am I supposed to capture? Pass.
Laser sword? What if I accidentally hold it upside down? Too dangerous.
Elder Wand? Gwen doesn't use magic. Nope.
Fire Kirin AK-47? …Better not.
The Golden Light Mantra seemed like the best choice. Gwen was fluent in Chinese, so she might be able to learn it.
As for Tifa's photo… well, that didn't count.
Still, he needed something extra. Maybe an upgrade for Gwen's web-shooters?
The problem was that he lacked the necessary research facilities to develop enhanced spider-silk launchers.
Then it hit him—
Isn't Stark still kidnapped in Afghanistan?
If he rescued Tony, not only could he develop advanced web-shooters, but he might also gain access to Stark Industries' technology.
Even better—he could manipulate Stark Industries' stock for profit. Perfect.
Although he and Tony weren't particularly close, they had some level of acquaintance, so lending a hand wouldn't hurt.
With newfound determination, Ethan grabbed Skye's laptop and hacked into the military's database.
Sure enough, Colonel Rhodes was already leading search operations, taking down terrorist strongholds along the way. Stark was in one of the last areas left to check.
---
Two Days Later
The deserts of the Middle East were in chaos.
Reports of mysterious natural disasters spread like wildfire.
Terrorist hideouts were being annihilated by what could only be described as divine punishment—sandstorms, lightning strikes, even localized droughts.
Their organizations crumbled. Their morale shattered.
Ethan initially had no interest in dealing with them, but every time he approached Stark's last-known location, he was met with bullets and explosives.
So, he responded in kind—by sending them straight to their maker.
---
A Mysterious Encounter
While searching for Stark, Ethan spotted a small village nestled among the dunes. Unlike the terrorist camps, this place looked like a civilian settlement.
It was one of the last areas he needed to check. He descended to ask for information.
"No—!"
A young boy, digging in the sand for water, froze at the sight of a dark figure descending from the sky.
His voice trembled. "A-Are you a god?"
Ethan noticed the boy's tattered clothes and the cracked earth beneath him. Activating his suit's translation module, he asked, "What are you doing?"
"I…"
The boy hesitated before suddenly dropping to his knees, making a gesture Ethan didn't recognize.
In a desperate voice, he pleaded, "Lord God, our town has not seen rain for months! The oasis has dried up. Please, send us rain!"
Do I look like the Dragon King to you? Ethan thought.
Still, the extreme dryness in the air was undeniable.
Back in New York, Gwen and the others lived comfortably, while these people couldn't even find water. The contrast was jarring.
He sighed. "Alright, look up."
"Huh?"
The boy hesitantly tilted his head toward the sky.
Then, a single raindrop landed on his cheek.
Drip.
"...It's raining!"
Within seconds, the downpour intensified, soaking the parched land.
The villagers erupted in cheers.
---
The Rescue Mission
After unintentionally playing rain deity, Ethan gathered intel from the villagers.
They mentioned a terrorist group called the Ten Rings operating nearby.
Wasting no time, Ethan set off toward their stronghold.
As he arrived, he spotted gunfire erupting from inside a cave. The Ten Rings operatives were gearing up to storm in.
What a coincidence.
Is that Ethan in the cave? Buying time for Stark?
Without hesitation, Ethan descended at full speed.
The moment he hit the ground—
BOOM!
A powerful shockwave rippled outward.
The earth trembled violently, sending terrorists flying. A nearby sand dune collapsed, trapping them in a sinkhole.
Had Ethan exerted his full strength, he could have buried the entire stronghold beneath the desert.
Both the terrorists and the other Ethan inside the cave were dumbfounded.
What the hell is this monster?!