Adrian forced himself to breathe slowly and loosen his muscles. His shoulders dropped just a little.
"Better," Mygrath said. "Not good. But better."
Adrian tried not to take it personally.
"Now," Mygrath continued, circling him like a strict school instructor, "focus again. Shadows answer emotion first, intent second. If you panic, they panic."
Adrian nodded and lifted his hand.
This time, he didn't push hard. He just let the feeling flow.
A soft ripple moved under him, and his shadow stretched out.It rose slowly, shaping into a small, smooth shield.
It wasn't perfect, but it was stable.
Adrian smiled a little. "I… did it again."
"Do not smile yet," Mygrath said. "Consistency is step one. Pride comes somewhere around step thirty."
Adrian's smile disappeared immediately.
Mygrath nodded in approval.
"Much better. Again."
Adrian tried once more. A hammer formed—larger than before and smoother. It didn't shake this time.
He blinked. "It feels easier…"
"Because you are thinking less and feeling more," Mygrath said. "Shadows are emotional constructs. You must guide them, not force them."
Adrian lowered the hammer and let it melt back into the floor.
"How do I make them stronger?" he asked.
"That," Mygrath said, walking to a nearby wall, "is what we test next."
He pressed a panel.
The floor lit up.Metal plates unfolded.Training dummies rose from the ground.Mechanical turrets slid open from the corners.
Adrian's eyes widened. "T-turrets?? Why are there turrets??"
"To teach you to move," Mygrath said calmly, as if this were normal. "And to teach you that hesitation gets you hit."
"H-hit by what?!"
Mygrath snapped his fingers.
The entire room activated.
A turret fired a harmless—but fast—light round.
Adrian yelped and jumped aside. "HEY!"
"That was the warning shot," Mygrath said. "Do not worry. None of these will injure you. Much."
"M-MUCH?!"
"Shadows!" Mygrath barked.
Adrian panicked—his shadow exploded outward in a mess of shapes: a shield, a hammer, something that looked like a pan.
He didn't know what he was doing.
Another turret fired.
Adrian screamed, ducked, and the weird shadow-pan somehow blocked the shot with a loud PONG!
He blinked. "It… worked?"
Mygrath raised an eyebrow. "Unexpected. But functional. Continue."
A training dummy charged toward him.
Adrian yelped again and swung the shadow hammer.
THUD!
The dummy flew back, skidding across the floor.
Adrian stared at his hands. "I hit it… I really hit it!"
"Yes. Congratulations," Mygrath said dryly. "You struck an object that cannot run."
Adrian deflated again.
But he still felt a spark of pride.
And Mygrath continued to train him.
Meanwhile, on Alex's side, he was standing at the airport, watching a large plane descend toward the runway.
As the ramp opened, Coulson walked out—alongside a woman.
"Hi, Coulson," Alex said.
Coulson smiled. "I'm glad you decided to join us sooner rather than later."
"I know this Asian badass," Alex said as he noticed the woman. "She's Agent May."
He gave a small nod toward her.
"Not much of a talker, huh?" he added.
May simply gave a short nod and said, "It's nice to meet you too, Avenger Alex."
"Dr. Alex is fine," Alex replied as she stepped aside.
Coulson gestured to the ramp. "Come on. I'll introduce you to the rest of your team."
Alex followed him up the ramp and into the main room.
"Everyone, this is our new team member—Dr. Alex Morrow. Though most of you know him as Avenger Alex," Coulson announced.
"Oh my god—he's the one who destroyed that big alien mother ship!" Skye blurted out in excitement.
The two scientists, Simmons and Fitz, practically stepped forward at the same time.
"Yes, we've heard of you, sir," Simmons said, smiling nervously. "It's an honor to be able to work with you."
Fitz nodded rapidly. "A tremendous honor."
Alex simply chuckled.
"Welcome to the team," the other man—Agent Ward—said.
Alex nodded politely.
"Quite a team you have, Coulson," Alex said, glancing around. "Agent May, Fitz-Simmons, Agent Ward… and this one—I don't know her."
Coulson nodded. "She's not a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent yet. I recruited her based on her capabilities."
Skye stepped forward a little. "I'm someone who got in here through… well, let's say backdoors. Computer ones. That's my specialty."
Alex nodded approvingly. "Then it's great to have you on board."
Coulson gestured for Alex to follow. "Come on. Let's talk in my office."
They entered the small office inside the plane. Coulson sat behind his desk; Alex took the seat across from him.
"Alright," Coulson said, folding his hands. "What do you think of the team?"
Alex tapped his fingers on the armrest. "Hmm… even at first glance, there's one problematic person here."
Coulson frowned. "I know Skye hasn't fully passed all the S.H.I.E.L.D. tests yet, but—"
"Oh no," Alex cut him off. "I wasn't talking about her."
Coulson blinked. "Then who? All the others are Level 5 or above."
Alex leaned back slightly. "See, you may call it a custom Quirk of mine—I can sense certain things about people. Their hearts, their intentions."
Coulson listened more intently.
"Skye," Alex continued, "is impulsive, yes, but her intentions are pure. Ask her clearly about her secrets and she'll tell you—eventually."
He paused, his eyes sharpening.
"But someone else on the team… has a dark heart. Hidden motives. And May…"
May, who had silently stepped inside and stood by the door, raised an eyebrow.
Alex continued without looking at her.
"…May is hiding something too. Not harmful to the team, but it's eating at her."
Coulson looked between them, then back at Alex.
May finally spoke quietly. "You really are one of the most powerful Avengers."
Alex gave a calm, unreadable smile.
"Will it be a problem with you here?" Coulson asked, now sounding genuinely serious.
Alex chuckled softly. "Do you really think I'd let it become a problem when I'm here?"
Coulson exhaled and shook his head. "No… I don't think so."
Alex nodded once, "Then just relax Coulson"
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