Today, the front of the Baxter Building was a sea of people. Beneath a temporary stage sat a massive crowd of onlookers and journalists. The Daily Bugle recorded the scene, providing a special feature report on the event.
"Today marks a momentous occasion. The interim director of the Baxter Building, acting in accordance with the wishes of Reed Richards, has sponsored and formed a brand-new team of superheroes. This team, known as the New Fantastic Four, will join the noble cause of protecting the people!"
"Now, let us welcome—the New Fantastic Four!"
Jonah Jameson introduced the names of these new guardians of the people with great fanfare. Unlike many other heroic organizations, the identities of all four heroes in this New Fantastic Four remained concealed.
Spider-Man was the first to leap onto the stage without hesitation. His white suit drew heavy inspiration from the Future Foundation suit of another timeline, though the material was made of a symbiote and featured the number '4.' Following him were Wolverine, Logan, and the Ghost Rider, Johnny Blaze. The last to enter was the Hulk.
They appeared before the public wearing suits of similar style and material, formally announcing the establishment of the New Fantastic Four.
This was one of the schemes Peter was using to draw Kang's attention—a brand-new Fantastic Four that even he had never seen before. Even now, Peter wasn't entirely sure why Reed Richards had entrusted the Baxter Building to him, leaving instructions that should Reed meet with an accident, Peter was to assemble a New Fantastic Four.
But this was an opportunity—a way to leave Kang bewildered, thereby creating an opening and a chance to strike.
After the heroes appeared, Peter Parker, the current head of the Baxter Building, stepped forward. He began introducing these four unique yet unfamiliar superheroes, explaining the reason for the team's birth: they needed a group to inherit everything Reed Richards had built upon his spirit of scientific exploration.
The subtext of his speech was clear: the original Fantastic Four were, in all likelihood, truly dead.
The crowd erupted in cheers. They actually knew nothing about this team called the New Fantastic Four, but that didn't stop them from celebrating. And Jonah was right; as far as the citizens of Kang's Dynasty were concerned, they were indeed completely ignorant of this roster.
First, there was Peter, who naturally would not reveal his true identity. Then there was Johnny; the Ghost Rider was undoubtedly an outlier among mainstream superheroes. Most people were unaware of his existence, and the few who did know of him considered him an urban legend. Almost no one realized the Ghost Rider was real, let alone figured out who he actually was.
Wolverine, in this world, was a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, and a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent naturally could not disclose his identity. As for the Hulk? Apologies, but in this rewritten world, the Hulk had only made his first appearance two days ago.
Thus, J. Jonah Jameson asked the most vital question.
"But, we cannot help but ask—"
"Who exactly are the New Fantastic Four?"
It wasn't just J. Jonah Jameson asking this question.
Indeed, who the hell were these New Fantastic Four!
Kang, who was currently receiving Magneto, pondered this question absentmindedly. He had some understanding of the Hulk and Wolverine, as they were relatively famous heroes. Regarding Spider-Man and the Ghost Rider, however, he was completely in the dark. He couldn't match these two with any superheroes he knew.
"Do not waste Kang's mercy, Magneto," Kang said bluntly to the elderly mutant who was pleading his case. "You are in no position to bargain. The only reason I have allowed you and your mutants to survive is simply because I see no benefit in erasing you."
"But…"
"Twenty thousand mutants is my limit. From a demographic perspective, any fewer and your contribution would be far lower than that of others. I have generously allowed a mutant nation to exist, but I will not permit a privileged mutant nation. You are not special."
Magneto desperately wanted to say something, but he merely looked at the Cosmic Cube in Kang's hand and finally nodded in resignation.
As for Kang, he was preoccupied with other thoughts; he hadn't been particularly invested in Magneto's visit to begin with.
One of the most important things on his mind was investigating the New Fantastic Four. However, in his view, this wasn't a particularly critical matter. It seemed more like a target thrown out by some rebels or other schemers to draw fire and distract him.
The proof was in the intelligence provided by S.H.I.E.L.D.: Strange had finally appeared.
Faced with the Sorcerer Supreme, Kang never dared to be careless. In this era, only Strange had escaped unscathed. Kang had tried using the Cosmic Cube to rewrite Strange's past so that he would never become the Sorcerer Supreme, but he failed. He had tried going back in time personally to prevent Strange from becoming the Sorcerer Supreme.
Then, he had encountered a bald woman who could move freely during a time-stop. She had chased Kang down and beaten him the entire way, so he had returned. He intended to use the Cosmic Cube in this era to strike at Strange.
Therefore, the matter of the New Fantastic Four could be left to S.H.I.E.L.D.; he needed to focus his energy on the Sorcerer Supreme.
On the other side, Magneto, having failed in his negotiations, could only nod helplessly and leave. Twenty thousand mutants were about to be thrown onto the battlefield like cannon fodder, and he had no way to stop it. Perhaps Charles was right; they needed to resist Kang and restore the world to the way it was meant to be.
The world did not need a Cosmic Cube, much less a tyrant.
"However, there is no need for mutants to lead the charge," Magneto muttered.
The others—Namor, Black Panther, Hydra, Doom, Mr. Sinister—did they really care for Kang? Did they have no rebellious sentiment at all? That was impossible. Each of them knew that as time passed, they too could be rewritten by Kang with the Cosmic Cube in an instant, or even directly replaced. The longer things dragged on, the more disadvantageous it would be for those would-be tyrants.
"They will surely strike first. When that time comes, we'll see. I hope Charles has a complete plan."
As Magneto thought this, he left the sword-shaped flagship hovering over New York. He frowned, and for a split second, he couldn't resist reaching his hand out toward the flagship.
But in the end, he lowered it, feeling utterly powerless.