"Fire-control radar activated!"
"Computer, lock onto targets!"
"Three… two… one… fire!"
Black Canary's melodic voice echoed in the communications loop shared by six people.
The next moment, the sky lit up in a spectacular display of fire and light.
Each fighter jet launched hundreds of missiles simultaneously, creating a massive barrage of explosions.
A two-kilometer stretch in the northern sky was cleared, wiping out the single- and double-rider Chitauri flying crafts in an instant.
A regular fighter jet wouldn't have had so many missiles, but these customized jets were equipped with pen-sized missiles similar to Iron Man's arsenal, which made all the difference.
Traditional missiles would have been overkill for these small, motorcycle-sized crafts, but these pen-sized missiles were just right.
Although not as powerful as the missiles Iron Man uses, they were devastating enough against the lightly armored Chitauri. Anyone caught in the blast radius, even if just grazed, would lose limbs and be rendered incapable of fighting.
By now, Batman's mind was filled with questions.
He had personally overseen the modifications to these five fighter jets. All eight missile pods were loaded with small, low-damage pen-sized missiles. Batman had always been puzzled by this strategy of focusing on the sheer number of enemies while ignoring their individual strength.
But now, seeing the results, he was convinced that Atreus must have known about the Chitauri invasion beforehand. There was no other explanation for such a specifically tailored counterattack.
Still, this was good news for New York and humanity.
Batman put his doubts aside and focused on the battle.
After several missile volleys, the six fighter jets were out of ammunition. Normally, American military jets would return to base at this point.
But these six jets didn't. Except for Batman's, the other five had been heavily specialized for combat. Each plane carried two Vulcan cannons with an insane 2,000 rounds of ammunition—far more than the 1,350 rounds carried by the famous A-10 Warthog.
The most extreme feature of these planes was their ability to link their firepower. With five planes connected via data link, their ten Vulcan cannons created a massive web of firepower that shredded any Chitauri crafts within a two-to-three-kilometer radius like bugs.
No!
Calling it "moths to a flame" would be more fitting.
With the fire-control systems in sync, even Chitauri soldiers clinging to the sides of buildings were hit with precise, efficient bursts of cannon fire.
As soon as these strange-looking jets entered the fray, the Chitauri presence over New York was quickly diminished.
Unfortunately, their dominance didn't last long.
The Chitauri kept sending wave after wave of bio-soldiers, expendable cannon fodder, while their vehicles were the only valuable assets.
When thousands of Chitauri crafts swarmed in, firing lasers like rain, the formation of the heroes' planes began to falter.
The differences in piloting skill became evident immediately.
Within moments, Katana and the Huntress were shot down.
They barely managed to eject from their jets before they exploded. The Chitauri weren't known for sparing pilots. Fortunately, the women weren't using regular parachutes.
Mechanical wings unfolded from their packs—modeled after the Vulture's flight suit—allowing them to glide safely to the ground.
The Huntress had a better situation, able to perch on a high platform like Hawkeye and pick off enemies. Katana, however, had to land on the ground and fight alongside Captain America and Black Widow, clearing out the Chitauri infantry.
But this is where the difference in combat ability was apparent. Despite the powerful imagery of Katana and Captain America's shield cutting down Chitauri soldiers, their killing speed couldn't keep up with the relentless pace of the Chitauri dropships.
Meanwhile, the four remaining Batwing jets were also struggling.
"Damn it! There are too many of these bugs!" Catwoman cursed.
Even with their computer-assisted targeting, dodging the constant barrage of lasers was enough to make anyone's head spin.
Then Gwen's voice came through: "Head to 42nd Street!"
Without hesitation, they followed.
Although the two types of jets looked different, both were based on the same core technology, derived from the Harrier Jump Jet and the V-22 Osprey. Using their vertical take-off and landing capabilities, along with powerful boosters, the jets sped between the concrete jungle of skyscrapers with incredible agility.
Within moments, they arrived.
The two buildings looked like any ordinary Manhattan skyscrapers. But as the four jets, chased by over two hundred Chitauri crafts, flew past, something unexpected happened. A massive web dropped between the fifty-story towers.
Caught off guard, the Chitauri crafts crashed headlong into the web, like mindless insects.
The incredibly durable web ensnared seventy or eighty Chitauri vehicles, while the rest, trying to brake in mid-air, collided with each other, exploding into fiery balls.
The four jets immediately turned around and unleashed a barrage of firepower on the clustered Chitauri.
"Boom!" A series of explosions shattered all the windows along the street-facing sides of the buildings.
In the chaos of war, there was no time to worry about collateral damage.
"No entry!" Peter Parker laughed loudly.
The intervention of the two Spider-Men improved the situation considerably.
At that very moment, on the top floor of Stark Tower, Thor watched the carnage below with fury.
And just as luck would have it, Loki was waking up in his hands.
Furious, Thor lifted his mischievous brother high into the air. "Loki! Look at what you've done!"
As Loki groggily opened his eyes and saw the destruction of New York at the hands of the Chitauri, he smiled. "This is reality, dear brother! It's too late to stop it now!"
But even as he spoke, Loki wasn't about to hold back. He stabbed Thor with a small T-shaped dagger while his brother was distracted.
"Argh!"
Seizing the moment, Loki used his illusion magic to escape, diving off the building, only to be picked up mid-air by a Chitauri craft.
"Loki, you—" Thor was furious.
Previously, Atreus might have described the relationship between Thor and Loki as "Loki tormenting Thor endlessly, while Thor remained as devoted as ever."
But now, Atreus had a new analogy: it was as if Thor had eaten Loki's disgusting cooking and immediately had his memory wiped, only to eat it again.
Still, with Loki's escape, Thor turned his attention back to the battle.
A single blast of lightning cleared out a huge swath of Chitauri soldiers.
At that moment, Dr. Bruce Banner arrived, riding his trusty little moped…
That day, the citizens of New York finally realized how lucky they were to have so many superheroes protecting them.
(End of Chapter)