[A confrontation finally erupted between the two sides. At Captain Rogers' final command, a thunderous explosion tore through the battlefield. Rogers charged first, leading the assault straight toward the opposing line.]
[Black Widow shook her head helplessly when she saw it unfold, "There won't be a good outcome," she muttered.]
[Nearby, Parker watched as both sides accelerated into combat and said, "They don't look like they're planning to stop."]
[Tony replied calmly, "Neither are we."]
[With that, Tony and Rhodey took off simultaneously. Wanda unleashed her powers, and Sam spread his wings wide as he soared into the air. The battlefield descended into complete chaos as Tony's fist smashed into Rogers' shield with a deafening bang.]
[Everyone found their opponent, and the fighting erupted on all fronts. Explosions flared abnormally across the scene, rattling the entire area.]
The audience fell silent. This was a battle that should never have happened.
[Clint and Black Widow clashed at close range. After several rapid exchanges, Barton used his bow to force her to the ground.]
[Black Widow hurriedly said, "We're still friends… right?"]
[Barton smiled faintly. "That depends on how hard you hit me."]
[She twisted her body, clamping her legs around Barton's head and flipping him over. As she raised one leg, the electric shock device was about to strike when Dark red energy suddenly wrapped around her ankle, freezing her in place.]
[Wanda waved her hand and sent Black Widow flying aside. Looking at Barton, Wanda said coolly, "You were holding back."]
[Bang! Bucky's metal arm locked around Black Panther's neck. Black Panther drove his knee upward in retaliation.]
["I didn't kill your father," Bucky said grimly.]
["Then why were you running?" Black Panther roared. With brute force, he pried Bucky's metal arms apart, spun, and sent him flying with a powerful kick. His claws extended, aiming straight for Bucky's throat. But Wanda intervened again, locking Black Panther in place before hurling him directly into the boarding passage.]
[Parker swung in on a strand of spider silk. Rogers hurled his shield, slicing the web apart midair. Landing inside a vehicle, Parker stared at Rogers, catching the shield, "That thing doesn't obey the laws of physics."]
["There's a lot you still don't understand, kid," Rogers replied.]
[Parker smiled. "Mr. Stark said you'd say that."]
[Two strands of web shot out, one wrapping Rogers' leg, the other snagging the shield. With a sharp yank, Parker spun, stomped on the shield, and sent Rogers sliding back, "He also told me to go for your legs!"]
[Rogers reached for the shield, but Parker quickly webbed both his hands. Rogers spun violently and flung Parker away. Above them, Tony and Sam battled in the air, though Sam's equipment was clearly struggling.]
["Clinton, help me shake him!" Sam called out. Not far away, Barton raised his bow. At the arrow's tip stood a tiny Scott.]
["Are you ready?" Clint asked.]
["I'm good!" Scott replied, shifting slightly.]
The audience erupted.
"He's tiny, smaller than an ant!"
"They're all clearly holding back."
"Wanda's still the MVP."
[Scott grabbed the arrow and shouted, "Archer guy, fire! Fire now!"]
[Clint released the arrow. The arrow split apart midair. Tony intercepted the first wave, but Scott leapt straight onto Tony's suit, slipping through the gaps between its components. Inside, Scott crawled unnoticed as Tony fired a pulse blast toward Barton.]
[Suddenly, Tony's suit faltered.]
["What's going on?" Tony asked.]
["Part of the weapon system has malfunctioned," Friday replied.]
[Inside the suit, Scott pulled at cables and laughed, "Yeah… this definitely needs to go to the shop."]
["Who's talking?" Tony demanded.]
["I'm your conscience," Scott said cheerfully.]
[Before Tony could react, Friday activated the fire suppression system. Freezing air flooded the interior, blasting Scott out of the suit in a tumbling roll.]
The audience went wild.
"If there weren't a suppression system, Tony would've been dismantled!"
"Scott's ability is alarming."
[On the other side, Parker landed atop the boarding lane.]
["What else did Stark say?" Rogers asked.]
[Parker crouched and replied, "He said you think you're right, but that's what makes you dangerous."]
[He flipped behind Rogers, striking with his legs, but Rogers countered instinctively, kicking Parker squarely in the chest. Parker crashed through a pillar and fell beneath the boarding lane. Rogers hurled his shield again, smashing the support columns. The massive structure collapsed. Parker raised both hands, actually holding them up.]
[Rogers tilted his head. "You're pretty enthusiastic. Where're you from?"]
["Queens," Parker replied.]
[Rogers chuckled. "Brooklyn."]
[Bucky rushed over. "We need to leave. He's heading to Siberia."]
["We have to draw the flyers away," Rogers said.]
[Sam spoke from the air. "I need a big distraction."]
[Scott's voice came over the comms. "I've got a big guy, but it won't last long."]
The audience buzzed, "Wait… big guy?"
[Then, Scott slammed a button. The air trembled violently, and in an instant, Scott transformed into a towering giant,t nearly brushing the airport terminal ceiling.]
[Parker stared up, jaw dropping. Rhodey was seized mid-flight, completely unable to escape.]
[Rogers looked up and shouted, "That's the signal!"]
[Sam laughed. "Nice work!"]
Viewers erupted in shock.
Inside the Terra Federation's Administration, experts stared in disbelief.
Odom whispered, "This ability could change the world."
Johan shook his head slowly. "If the Immortal Warrior could obtain this memory…"
Kasey murmured, "Not impossible."
The director stared at the screen, imagining a future where humanity stood as giants, "…If all of Terra could do this," he said softly, "no invader would stand a chance."
Images filled the screen.
[Scott seized the War Machine mid-air and, with overwhelming force, hurled him far into the distance.]
[Tony, still airborne, snapped his head around, "Give Rhodey back!"]
[Before he could react, Sam shot upward and slammed a kick straight into Tony, knocking him off balance. Under Scott's strength, Rhodey spiraled away uncontrollably through the air.]
[Parker moved at full speed. Thick webs burst forth and wrapped around Rhodey, "I caught you!"]
[But everything happened far too fast. The momentum dragged Parker along with him, both of them hurtling toward a parked aircraft. At the last instant, Parker jammed his legs against a nearby airport bus. The screech of metal rang out, and Rhodey's momentum was abruptly stopped.]
[The destructive power of the gigantic Scott was alarming. With a single kick, he sent the bus flying away.]
[Vision appeared in a flash, extending his hand to slice the bus cleanly open, diverting its path and preventing it from crashing into Black Panther. At the same time, he spotted Bucky retreating. Black Panther reacted instantly and gave chase.]
[The colossal Scott casually snapped off one of the aircraft's wings and gripped it like a massive club. Swinging it with brutal force, he smashed it toward Tony, who was flying straight at him. Tony barely dodged, the wind of the blow brushing past his heels.]
["Okay," Tony muttered through clenched teeth, "does anyone else have a hidden talent they'd like to show off? I absolutely welcome it."]
[Sam rocketed straight toward Tony, clasping his hands together as his thrusters roared to maximum output. A drone shot out from behind him, snapping directly onto Tony's helmet. A sharp warning tone echoed as Tony momentarily lost balance.]
[On the ground, Scott planted himself in front of Black Panther, "Want to catch him?" Scott boomed. "Then you'll have to get past me first!"]
[Black Panther launched into a powerful kick, narrowly dodging Scott's counterattack and nearly slipping past him. Suddenly, War Machine opened fire from a distance.]
[Parker swung in, spider silk trailing behind him, attaching himself to the back of War Machine before launching toward Scott again. He fired another web, wrapping it tightly around Scott's arm. The silk rippled and tightened, binding the giant's movements. Parker leapt up and kicked Scott's helmet.]
["What?!" Scott shouted as his head snapped back violently.]
[With Parker and War Machine working together, the gigantic Scott was finally restrained. Below them, Barton and Black Panther exchanged rapid fire. Two explosive arrows detonated directly in front of Black Panther, but his armor absorbed the blast without injury. With a sharp swipe, he extended his claws. Barton flicked his wrist, and the longbow folded neatly into a combat staff.]
["We haven't met," Clint said calmly. "Name's Clint."]
[Black Panther replied coldly, "I don't care what your name is."]
[The two clashed fiercely.]
[In the air, War Machine released ultrasonic disturbances from both arms, bombarding Scott's head. Scott roared, reached down, and tore loose a boarding bridge from the ground, swinging it violently toward Rhodey.]
[Rhodey sneered as weapon bays across his armor snapped open. A storm of missiles and shells erupted, shredding the boarding bridge into twisted scrap before it could hit him. By the time Scott hurled the remains, the structure had already been reduced to ruins.]
[Bucky and Rogers sprinted toward the aircraft. Rhodey prepared to pursue, but a surge of crimson energy slammed into him from the side. Wanda hovered nearby, her eyes blazing.]
At Essen Heavy Industries Group, the entire team stared at the screen in shock. The impact on Astor and the others was far greater than even seeing Black Panther's advanced equipment. This defied all common sense.
Astor's eyelids twitched uncontrollably as he spoke, "Is that… still a human?"
No one answered. Every researcher sat frozen, mouths hanging open.
Astor took a deep breath, eyes locked onto Scott's towering figure, "What kind of energy source allows such heavy equipment to function like that? And if it were applied to a suit…"
The thought struck him like lightning. If a suit could expand and contract freely, merging form with combat capability, its potential would surpass even Scott's raw power.
"Doesn't this transformation affect his physical attributes?" someone muttered. As specialists in suit research, they couldn't comprehend it.
"Is this really what you told the netizens?" Astor scoffed. "Something about the quantum realm?" He laughed bitterly and continued watching. Compared to their ignorance, the implications were terrifying.
Within the human potential research division, everyone frowned deeply. Ashton pinched his brow, his expression darkening, "This shouldn't be happening. His form has changed, but his internal structure hasn't." According to biological theory, changes in size require cellular mutation. Yet here, there was no sign of that.
"Only the Extremis Virus ever showed something similar," Ashton continued. "And even that had limits."
Kayden frowned. "Mr. Ashton, instantaneous changes like this shouldn't be possible. Cells can grow, but they can't regenerate instantly. And if they enlarge, none of this makes sense."
Genes dictated biological limits. Such drastic changes in such a short time had nothing to do with genetics. So how?
Another researcher spoke quietly. "The key is that he shows no abnormalities. That's the most frightening part. Even with experimental viruses, there are always side effects."
Kayden nodded. "He mentioned fainting in the lab before. That may be related."
Ashton finally spoke firmly, his voice steady, "Scott's size alteration may no longer be biological at all. It's something else, something we don't yet understand."
Silence fell over the room, and Kayden broke it. "This enlargement looks terrifying, but the weaknesses are obvious. His mobility is clearly reduced, and the energy consumption must be enormous."
Everyone nodded. The footage made it clear.
Ashton smiled faintly, "This might help us understand transformations like the Hulk's. Organic and inorganic matter behave the same way… When you think about it, it's absurdly powerful."
The footage shifted again.
[Parker climbed up Scott's massive body, crawling onto his head and lying flat over the visor. He unleashed a flood of spider silk, binding Scott's face.]
[Scott flailed wildly, "Get me down!"]
[Vision shot in, curling his body into a sphere and slamming straight into Scott's abdomen. Scott staggered and crashed into the aircraft. He clasped his hands together, trying to trap Vision, but Vision's body blurred and phased straight through him.]
["Ah!" Scott yelled. "Something went through me!"]
[Vision emerged behind him, a brilliant yellow glow flashing between his eyebrows as he tore loose concrete pillars, attempting to block Rogers and Bucky from reaching the cargo passage.]
[Just as the path was about to collapse, Dark red energy surged in, forcibly holding back the debris. Rogers and Bucky glanced back at Wanda before sprinting into the passage. Rhodey flew in behind Wanda, releasing ultrasonic waves. Wanda clutched her head and screamed as the sound tore through her concentration.]
[Amid the thunderous collapse, Rogers and Bucky narrowly slipped past the cracking pillars. At that moment, Black Widow stepped forward.]
[She looked at them quietly. "You're really not going to stop, are you?"]
[Rogers shook his head. "You know I can't."]
[Black Widow sighed softly. "I'll regret this."]
[She fired her wrist shocker, not at them, but at the pursuing Black Panther. Electricity wrapped around him, dropping him instantly.]
["Go!" Black Widow shouted.]
[Rogers and Bucky rushed toward the plane while Black Widow continued firing, holding Black Panther back.]
In the broadcast, viewers exploded.
"What is Black Widow doing?!"
"Isn't this betrayal?!"
"Report this! This is outrageous!"
"I hate teammates like this!"
"If you didn't agree, why switch sides now?!"
"This is way too much!"
"She was on the Captain's side all along. Tony's team is basically throwing the fight!"
"Black Panther: We have traitors!"
[At the airport plaza, Parker dodged another of Scott's attacks.]
["Hey! Have you guys ever seen an old movie, The Empire Strikes Back?" Sliding under falling debris, Parker's voice echoed across the tarmac.]
[Rhodey muttered over the channel, "Tony… how old is this kid?"]
[Tony replied helplessly, "No idea. Haven't carbon-dated him yet, but definitely young."]
[Parker wrapped silk around Scott's shoulders, released, and began circling him at high speed. Thick webs layered tighter and tighter.]
["You remember that scene!" Parker shouted excitedly, "Ice planet! Big walkers!"]
[Rhodey grabbed a transport vehicle and smashed it straight into Scott's knee joint.]
[Tony's eyes lit up. "He might actually have a plan."]
["Top attack!" Rhodey shouted.]
[Parker spun faster, binding Scott's legs completely. Tony and Rhodey struck simultaneously.]
[Boom! Scott's massive body tilted backward. Unable to move, he crashed to the ground with an earth-shaking impact. The control system disengaged.]
[Scott shrank back to normal size, opening his helmet with a pained grin, "Anyone got an orange? I need energy."]
[Inside the aircraft, engines roared to life. Black Widow stood firm, holding Black Panther back. Black Panther forced himself upright, leaping and grabbing only the plane's wheels before losing his grip. Outside, War Machine pursued.]
[Black Widow said calmly, "I promised to help you find him. I never said I'd help you catch him. There's a difference."]
[Vision landed beside Wanda, supporting her, "I'm sorry."]
[Wanda breathed deeply. "Me too."]
[Vision said quietly, "As I said… this is a disaster."]
[Captain Rogers piloted the plane, soaring into the sky. Behind him, War Machine and Tony followed, then Sam.]
[Rhodey spoke urgently over comms. "Vision, enemy at six o'clock."]
[A bomb launched by Sam detonated in front of Rhodey.]
["Vision," Rhodey shouted, "take out his thrusters!"]
[A yellow beam fired, but Sam dodged. The beam grazed Rhodey's reactor instead, and it shattered instantly. The War Machine suit lost power and plummeted.]
["Rhodey!" Tony yelled, turning back.]
["I've lost my engine," Rhodey said weakly as gravity took over.]
Viewers watched the scene unfold, their hearts tightening in unison. Fists clenched, breaths held.
"F*ck! What is Vision doing?! How can you miss that?!"
"This is ridiculous! Rogers, what the hell are you doing?!"
"Too fast, he's falling too fast!"
"The main problem is engine failure. There's no way to keep outputting energy!"
"What about protective gear? No parachutes?!"
"Black Widow, too? She just let her teammate get taken out?!"
"Don't be surprised."
"Didn't he say it himself? He didn't actually mean to kill him."
[On the screen, Rhodey descended rapidly through thick black smoke, plummeting straight toward the ground. Tony and Sam chased diagonally from both sides, desperately trying to close the distance. However, a deafening crash echoed through the battlefield, slamming straight into the hearts of every viewer.]
The entire broadcast went silent. People unconsciously leaned closer to their screens.
["Rhodey!" Tony shouted as he hit the ground and rushed forward, tearing open Rhodey's helmet. Rhodey's eyes were tightly shut. Blood seeped from his nose and mouth.]
[Tony spoke rapidly, barely holding himself together, "Check his vital signs."]
[FRIDAY responded instantly, "Heartbeat detected. Ambulance already en route."]
[Sam landed nearby, staring at Rhodey before speaking hoarsely, "I'm… sorry."]
[Tony's teeth clenched. He raised an energy cannon and blasted Sam away in a burst of light. Helplessness and fury twisted together on his face. Overwhelming guilt.]
The viewers were heartbroken.
"Rhodey is Tony's best friend…"
"When Rhodey drove away the War Machine, he clearly held back. That was the newest suit he personally developed."
"Vision could've grabbed him directly. Why didn't he move?!"
"I can feel his pain… I really can…"
"If someone really dies here, then the meaning of this battle changes completely!"
"Damn it! Why did this happen?!"
"That beam was perfectly lined up!"
"Isn't Wanda capable of manipulating energy? Couldn't she have caught him?!"
"And people are blaming Sam? Why? He didn't dodge when someone attacked him!"
"Have you all forgotten?! When Tony fell from the wormhole back then, it looked just like this!"
"The difference was, Hulk and Thor were there."
"Damn… if only there had been a parachute…"
"It's all Rogers' fault! Why couldn't he just talk it out?!"
"Why fight like this?!"
"How much pain must he be in right now…"
[Vision descended slowly from the sky. Tony held Rhodey in his arms at the bottom of the crater, rage burning in his eyes, on the verge of exploding.]
[On the Quinjet, Rogers set the craft to auto-cruise, staring blankly ahead.]
[Bucky spoke from behind him, "What about your friends?"]
[Rogers let out a heavy sigh and shook his head, "No matter what happens… I'll deal with it."]
[Bucky asked again, quietly, "Is it really worth doing all this for me?"]
[Rogers thought for a long moment before answering, "When you did those things… that wasn't really you. You didn't have a choice."]
[Bucky replied softly, "I know. But I still did them."]
[The screen shifted.]
[In the Hospital, Rhodey was undergoing emergency examinations.]
[Tony turned to Vision, his voice sharp, "What the hell happened?"]
[Vision answered calmly, "I was distracted."]
[Tony faltered, "That's impossible."]
["I don't understand it either," Vision replied.]
[Tony stepped outside and saw Black Widow waiting.]
["The doctors say he has comminuted fractures in the lumbar and coccyx," she said quietly.
"Severe spinal cord damage. There's a high probability of permanent paralysis."]
[She looked out at the distant lawn, "Rogers won't stop. If this continues… We'll all end up like Rhodey."]
[Tony said flatly, "You let them go."]
[Black Widow frowned, "Our approach is wrong."]
[Tony scoffed, "Our approach? Or are you just used to being a double agent? Is it all subconscious now?"]
[His words visibly hurt her. "Can you stop being so arrogant for just one minute?" she asked.]
[Tony chuckled, "T'Challa already told Ross what you did. They'll come for you soon."]
[Black Widow frowned slightly, "I'm not the one who needs to be careful." She turned and walked away.]
The audience exploded with debate.
"Yes, Tony is a little too arrogant."
"But the Winter Soldier is also a victim; being controlled isn't his choice."
"It feels like everyone abandoned Tony."
"Did Tony really sell out his teammates?"
"Rogers was thinking about the bigger picture!"
"Tony didn't even know the full truth!"
"Who dares say Tony is selfish?! Who stopped the nuclear missile?! Who saved that city?!"
"Rogers hurt others to save one person!"
"Tony fights for everyone, Rogers fights for Bucky!"
"This civil war shouldn't exist! Everyone's right, except the real mastermind!"
[On the balcony, a notification popped up on Tony's screen: a death photo.]
["What's this?" Tanner asked.]
[FRIDAY replied, "From the police department."]
[Tony paused, "Start the helicopter."]
[Over the sea, the helicopter raced forward at full speed. FRIDAY continued, "As soon as Bucky was captured, the task force requested a psychologist, Mr. Broussard."]
[Video footage appeared. In the Parking garage, a man was standing beside him.]
["He met this person," FRIDAY said.]
["Facial recognition?" Tanner asked.]
["What do you think?" FRIDAY replied.]
[Tony stared at the man's face, "It's him."]
[FRIDAY confirmed, "This fake doctor is Helmut Zemo."]
[She projected his full profile, "Ciscovia Intelligence. Former commander of the Echo Scorpion assassination unit. The real psychologist was found dead in a hotel. A wig and face mask resembling Bucky were recovered."]
[Tony clenched his jaw, "That bloody b*stard. Send everything to Ross."]
["Understood, sir."]
Viewers collectively exhaled.
"The truth is finally out!"
"Tony was wrong, but he admitted it!"
"Information asymmetry! Both sides were right!"
[The Raft Prison surfaced from the sea, and Tony stepped off the helicopter.]
[Ross sneered, "You really think I'll believe you after the airport fiasco? You're lucky you're not in a cell."]
[Inside the prison, Barton's mocking voice rang out, "Gentlemen! Look who it is, the futurist!"]
[Tony sighed, "Don't do this, Barton."]
["You knew this would happen," Clint snapped. Later, Sam asked, "How's Rhodey?"]
["He'll be transferred to a top hospital tomorrow," Tony replied. After a pause, he said quietly, "I was wrong."]
[Sam nodded, "First time?"]
["Yes," Tony admitted, "But Rogers needs help."]
[Sam gave him the destination.]
[Outside, the helicopter lifted off and Tony sat silently. Then, he ripped the bandage from his injured arm and pressed a button. Metal shifted, the seat rotated, and mechanisms locked into place.]
The people erupted, and Astor's team at Eisen Heavy Industries screamed wildly. The war was far from over.