"Boom—"
The rubble and debris buried over Abomination were flung into the air as he roared and broke free. He didn't care how much damage he caused or how he had been sent flying earlier—his chest was now filled with nothing but rage. He wanted only one thing: to charge back and tear that strange man to pieces.
But in front of him stood two obstacles. One was the Hulk, who, after recovering consciousness, had tracked him down again. The other… was Mu.
"Roar~!"
"Quiet."
Mu appeared beside the Hulk and spoke coldly.
If the battle with Iron Monger had been the first time Mu got angry, then this was the first time the usually gentle Mu bared his fangs in true fury.
"Ugh~"
It seemed that Mu had left too deep an impression on the Hulk—or perhaps it was the sheer coldness of the aura Mu emitted now. The Hulk shrank back like a frightened child, trembling under the freezing pressure. Without realizing it, he retreated back into his body, allowing Banner to take over again.
"Saint… huh! So you're one of those Saint Warriors. Maybe you can actually—"
"Silence, filthy creature who has drowned in his own strength." Mu's icy voice cut through Abomination's words, his gaze dark and sharp.
"You—"
"I said shut up."
With a single command, Mu vanished from where he stood and appeared before Abomination, landing a fierce kick to his face. A cracking sound followed as Abomination's entire body shot backward, tumbling across the main avenue. Staggering to his feet, he twisted his jaw back into place.
"This kind of attack won't—"
"I told you to shut up!"
A golden light fell from the sky, Mu's foot slamming down and driving Abomination deep into the ground. No matter how he struggled, he couldn't move—Mu's slender leg pressed him down with the weight of a mountain.
"Let him go! He's…" General Ross arrived just in time to see the scene, immediately shouting to stop Mu. Hulk and Abomination were two sides of the same coin, and Ross wanted their serum for research—to control it, replicate it, and build an army.
Now, a perfect opportunity was in front of him. Of course he was tempted. He had already ordered his troops to prepare for combat.
Normally, Mu might have ignored him. But now, consumed by fury, Mu had no patience for Ross—especially since, within his cosmos, aside from a grain-sized love for his daughter, there was only blackness.
"Get out!"
Another roar erupted, the soundwave blasting outward with a wave of pressure. Rubble, debris, cars, even people—everything was blown aside in an instant.
"Y-You… open fire!"
"Hmph. Taste your own sin—[Crystal Wall]!"
A transparent, golden-tinged wall appeared in midair. Every bullet that hit it was instantly reflected back at even greater speed. Within seconds, countless soldiers fell, dead or wounded.
"Keep firing! Don't stop! Fire—"
"Enough! General Ross! Everyone, stop if you don't want to die!"
Just as Ross was about to lose control, Fury arrived with S.H.I.E.L.D. agents.
"Fury! You have no authority—"
Before Ross could finish, Fury threw a document in his face.
"Read it yourself, General. You've been dismissed. Everyone, stand down!"
Ross didn't believe him but still glanced down at the papers. The document accused him of abusing authority, conducting inhumane experiments, and causing countless casualties. All his titles and privileges were revoked pending investigation.
"No! Impossible! They… they're all fools!" Ross roared.
"Hmph. Save it for later. Take him away."
"No! You can't do this! I'm a general! You're just a director! You have no right to arrest me! My experiment will succeed—when it does—"
The soldiers looked completely lost. Their commanding officer had just been arrested mid-battle and accused of treasonous crimes. Who were they supposed to listen to? Would they be punished too?
"Alright, soldiers—lower your weapons and help the civilians." Fury's voice was calm but firm.
Still, the soldiers hesitated, uncertain.
"Listen up! You're soldiers—I used to be one too. The people you swore to protect are lying under that rubble, crying in pain. Do you think you're worthy of your uniforms if you ignore them?"
His shout snapped them out of their panic.
"Now move! Do what soldiers should do—help the wounded!"
"Yes, sir!"
The troops scattered to assist survivors. Fury exhaled, straightening his jacket before turning to approach Mu. He'd been observing both Hulk and Abomination for a while—Hulk could be a potential ally, while Abomination's power was something to study. Even though Fury knew it was dangerous, studying power didn't necessarily mean using it. A weakened or modified version of it could still benefit him.
But Tony Stark descended from the sky, landing directly in front of Fury.
"Step back."
"Stark? What are you doing?" Fury frowned.
"Put your schemes away, Fury. Mu's serious this time. If you don't want to die, stay back." Tony gave the warning but didn't stop him otherwise. He then flew off again to help with the rescue efforts.
Watching Tony leave, then looking at Mu still pressing Abomination into the ground, Fury's face darkened further. His mind was conflicted—he didn't want to lose this chance, but he also didn't dare take the risk.
"…Forget it. There will be another time." Fury decided at last, stepping back to see how Mu would deal with Abomination.
…
Outside the [Crystal Wall], all the chaos no longer mattered to Mu. His mission was simple: execute Abomination.
"The starlight is dazzling… do you find it beautiful?"
"Mmfff—"
Abomination could only grunt—his mouth was still buried in the ground.
Mu hadn't expected an answer anyway. It was a question to himself.
"Beautiful, yes… but also deadly. For beneath the stars, there is only one path forward."
As he spoke, Mu lifted his foot off Abomination's head. Abomination immediately lunged, trying to grab and crush Mu—but before he could even move, an immense force slammed into his chest. Mu's right leg was raised high.
"Saint… War… rior…"
Abomination's body rose into the air, his furious roar echoing across the battlefield.
Mu ignored him completely. His hands opened and clenched, seizing golden light as if holding two miniature suns. The radiant energy spread around him—beautiful, dazzling, yet terrifying.
"[Starlight Extinction]!"
The golden beam shot upward, engulfing Abomination entirely. He didn't even have time to scream before the light devoured him. The pillar of light pierced through the clouds, splitting the night sky and turning darkness into day.
Everyone instinctively shut their eyes. When they opened them again, Abomination was gone. Only Mu remained, standing amid the ruins. His golden armor gleamed in the firelight, his pale purple hair flowing in the wind, his white cape unstained by dust—holy and fearsome at once.
"…The path that leads only to death."
Was it a farewell to his fallen enemy—or a prayer for the dead? No one knew. Though Mu's voice had returned to its usual gentle tone, it still carried chilling power.
As his rage faded with Abomination's death, Mu didn't leave right away. Instead, he used his telekinesis to lift all the civilians trapped beneath the rubble. Then, a soft green light floated before him—a book inlaid with sapphire-like gems: the Book of Resurrection.
"[Dew of the Stars]."
The book opened, releasing a warm, golden beam into the sky. Unlike the destructive light before, this one radiated peace and healing. Just standing in it eased people's pain.
The beam reached the clouds, dyeing them gold. Then, gentle golden rain began to fall across the ruined city. The drops seeped into everyone's bodies—wounds closed visibly, pain faded, hidden illnesses dissolved, fatigue disappeared.
"T-this is—"
"A miracle! It's a miracle!"
"God! God has finally revealed Himself!"
…
"Please, don't misunderstand," Mu said softly. "I come from Sanctuary. I am Mu, the Gold Saint of Aries—not a god." With that, he vanished.
"He's a Saint! A Gold Saint!"
"Oh, my God—no, my Saint! He's amazing!"
…
With just one small gesture, Mu had unknowingly won countless new followers for Sanctuary. But neither Melin nor the other Saints cared about that. Mu's only reason for speaking up was to make sure no one mistook his identity.
Everyone cheered—everyone except Fury.
The louder the cheers grew, the darker his face became. The influence of Sanctuary and its Saints was spreading beyond control.
Even though Sanctuary had launched an official website and given basic information about the Saints, most people had treated it like a joke. But now, Mu's display had changed everything. His actions had turned public sentiment in Sanctuary's favor overnight.
Especially among those saved that day—Fury feared that if S.H.I.E.L.D. ever went to war with Sanctuary, these very people would stand against him.
"Director, what should we do now?" Coulson asked cautiously, fully aware of Fury's thoughts.
"Help the injured, clean up the aftermath," Fury replied grimly. "And find out what exactly happened today that made a Gold Saint act in person."
"Yes, sir."