A calculated smile played across Jason's lips as an undeniable conclusion formed in his mind: the North American deity must be eliminated.
As this decision crystallized, Black Panther T'Challa descended from his cloaked aircraft, landing with catlike grace beside Jason.
Watching the Wakandan king's anxious behavior sparked an unexpected strategic idea. The European goddess and her reduced angelic host lacked enough strength to overcome the vampire hordes. However, if T'Challa could persuade Shuri to abandon her vengeful path—and by extension, her mysterious alliance with the North American deity's representative—a far more elegant solution presented itself.
Success hinged entirely on the strength of their sibling bond.
"Jason," T'Challa's voice carried barely contained urgency, "what news of my sister?"
Jason gestured toward the vampire-infested cityscape with studied nonchalance. "Considering the current situation, her safety represents the least of our concerns."
T'Challa's attention shifted toward the distant bridge where massive forces clashed. From his aerial approach, he had witnessed firsthand the supernatural conflict's intensity—both the vampires' relentless savagery and the angelic legion's powerful capabilities.
Even from this distance, the angels' deteriorating position appeared unmistakable.
As if confirming his assessment, the remaining celestial warriors suddenly executed coordinated vertical rise. Their magnificent wings beat frantically as they attempted desperate aerial evacuation.
Predictably, they managed mere hundreds of meters before the trap activated—thousands of vampire bats appearing across the skyscape with unnatural synchronization.
These creatures hurled themselves toward the angelic formation with suicidal dedication. Upon reaching proximity, they exploded with explosive force, releasing precisely targeted clouds of black mist.
Jason and T'Challa exchanged meaningful glances, both recognizing the inevitable outcome.
The Angel Corps faced inescapable doom.
While each individual bat-bomb possessed modest destructive capacity—roughly equivalent to conventional grenades—their overwhelming numbers created an impenetrable barrier across all potential escape routes.
Jason's tactical assessment identified the obvious countermeasure: immediate dispersal into smaller units. Though the suicide bats presented a serious threat against concentrated formations, scattered targets would significantly improve survival probability.
Yet such tactical flexibility appeared beyond the European deity's capabilities. Military adaptation required experience she fundamentally lacked.
Moreover, the angelic host remained bound by divine imperative to protect their goddess—decentralized retreat would violate their fundamental purpose.
T'Challa refocused on their immediate objective. "Do you know Shuri's location? I must speak with her."
"Sure," Jason confirmed. Since their arrival, he had methodically employed his spatial manipulation abilities to isolate Shuri's position.
The technique leveraged fundamental physical principles—just as massive objects distort spacetime through gravitational influence, powerful supernatural energies created detectable spatial anomalies.
Conventional mechanical systems remained invisible to such detection, though sufficiently advanced energy sources like Stark's Arc Reactor technology created traceable signatures.
After eliminating several possibilities, Jason had identified the most probable location. Careful examination revealed precisely what he anticipated—faint traces of celestial energy.
His suspicions confirmed, Jason briefed the Antarctic goddess, instructing her to maintain purely defensive posture with her monster legion—under no circumstances initiating offensive action without explicit authorization.
With preparations complete, Jason extended his hand, spatial energies coalescing into a shimmering portal. He gestured for T'Challa to follow as he stepped through the dimensional opening.
Shuri and the black-robed figure reacted with visible shock as the portal appeared within their command center.
Their extensive precautions—multiple overlapping isolation barriers incorporating both darkness energies and celestial light concealment—should have rendered their position undetectable.
They failed to recognize that these very protective measures created distinctive energy signatures that actually helped Jason's tracking efforts.
T'Challa emerged from the portal, his eyes immediately finding his sister. Despite her transformed appearance—dark, gothic aesthetics replacing her former vibrant style—recognition was instantaneous.
"Shuri!" he stepped forward with unconcealed emotion. "At last I've found you!"
"T'Challa..." Shuri's voice carried complex emotional undertones.
The sudden appearance of her brother triggered deep conflict. Memories of Wakanda—their shared childhood, scientific collaborations, familial bonds—seemed to belong to an entirely different lifetime. She recognized her brother's unshakable moral code and the impossible position her actions created.
How many millions had died through her orchestrated apocalypse? Ten million? Twenty million?
America would never forgive. The world would never forgive. She couldn't return to Wakanda without bringing catastrophic consequences upon their homeland.
Unless...
Unless she conquered the entire world.
T'Challa approached with arms extended, attempting to embrace her. Shuri stepped backward, maintaining separation.
"Brother..." her voice faltered momentarily. "Why have you come here?"
Confusion flickered across T'Challa's features. "You..."
He paused, voice softening to near-whisper. "Shuri, let's go home. Mother misses you desperately. Wakanda needs you."
Grief and guilt shadowed his expression. "I failed to protect you—my carelessness left you vulnerable. I should have listened to your warnings about foreign visitors. The borders have been sealed, all outsiders expelled."
His voice carried absolute conviction. "I promise when we return, you'll be safe. Wakanda will be safe..."
T'Challa continued his heartfelt appeal, but Shuri's expression remained disturbingly detached, betraying no emotional response.
Jason stepped forward, recognizing T'Challa's approach had reached an impasse. "Shuri, perhaps we should discuss this situation directly."
The Wakandan princess frowned, her negative impression of Jason evident. Despite his global reputation as humanity's savior, her most vivid memory involved diplomatic negotiations where she believed both she and Wakanda had suffered deep disrespect.
"I see nothing requiring discussion," she responded coldly.
Jason maintained his measured approach. "The deaths of millions suggest otherwise."
Shuri's eyes hardened as she evaluated Jason with predatory assessment. "Do you intend to kill me? You're welcome to try."
Her voice carried absolute certainty. "It changes nothing. This disaster continues with or without me. America will answer for its crimes."
"I understand America must face consequences for its actions," Jason acknowledged. "But surely you recognize that bureaucrats and military leadership must bear responsibility—not innocent New York civilians."
"Innocent?" contempt filled Shuri's response. "Every American citizen finances their nation's aggression through taxation. The bullets that killed my countrymen came from their contributions. How can you claim they bear no responsibility?"
Her expression twisted with righteous fury. "They enjoy security and global privilege provided by American dominance. Yet when consequences arrive, suddenly they have 'nothing to do' with national policy?"
Jason and T'Challa exchanged knowing glances before Jason countered. "Most people throughout history exercise minimal control over their destinies. How can ordinary citizens possibly influence national policy?"
He continued with philosophical precision. "Regarding taxation—no American welcomes this financial burden. One critical truth remains: countless Americans experience oppression and exploitation from their own government, just as your people suffered from foreign intervention."
Jason's voice carried genuine conviction. "Those extracting actual benefit are corporations, financial institutions, political elites. Beyond these power structures, Wakandans, New Yorkers, Asians—ordinary people everywhere—share common humanity. Yet most vengeance targets precisely these powerless populations."