Chapter 623: The End of the War

Might Guy swung his fists countless times, each punch generating fiery trails in the air due to friction, which collided with the falling debris from the destroyed Chitauri warship.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

Under Might Guy's relentless assault, the falling debris shattered into smaller fragments, but they still posed a significant threat to those below.

"Lightning Release: Kirin!"

Sasuke Uchiha appeared below in a flash, and a torrent of lightning descended from the sky, vaporizing the debris instantly and saving the civilians below.

Charles Doyle, seeing Might Guy and Sasuke neutralize the falling wreckage, turned his gaze towards the spatial portal.

A Chitauri Leviathan was about to emerge. His eyes immediately activated the Mangekyō Sharingan.

"Amaterasu!"

Black flames ignited at the spot where Charles's gaze fell, covering the Leviathan that hadn't fully exited the portal. The beast let out a wail and fell lifelessly from the sky, consumed by the unquenchable flames.

Minato Namikaze, witnessing the Leviathan's black-flame-enshrouded upper body plummeting, quickly reacted.

"Damn it!"

"Spiraling Flash Super Round Dance Howl Style Three!"

He threw a Hiraishin kunai upwards, teleported to the Leviathan's falling body, and placed a hand on it while simultaneously throwing another kunai into the distance.

"Whiz! Whiz! Whiz!"

Minato used the Hiraishin Technique to relocate the Leviathan's corpse, transporting it over the Atlantic Ocean, where he released it.

"Boom!"

The Leviathan's body hit the ocean, creating massive waves. The Amaterasu flames met the seawater with a loud hiss, generating clouds of steam.

Minato, observing the black flames persisting on the ocean surface, admired their power before teleporting back to the battlefield using another pre-placed kunai.

Following Charles Doyle's attack, the other ninjas unleashed their ultimate techniques.

"Lightning Release: Kirin!"

"True Strike of Extermination!"

"Illusion: Triple Lotus!"

"Multiple Shadow Clone: Lightning Blade!"

"Fire Release: Great Flame Rasengan!"

"Wood Release: Binding Burial!"

The coordinated assault of the ninjas swiftly decimated a large number of Chitauri soldiers and beasts.

From his hovering craft, Loki's eyes widened in shock at the scene unfolding before him.

"A whole Chitauri warship destroyed just like that? Is this the power of the Supreme Merlin?"

Loki realized the gravity of the situation. The intelligence he had obtained from Barton did not prepare him for this.

He could only hope that the Chitauri leader had heeded his earlier warnings and requested reinforcements from Thanos. Otherwise, this battle seemed doomed.

Top-level fighters could render sheer numbers irrelevant, making victory just a matter of time.

As Loki pondered this, Kabuto Yakushi arrived at the rooftop terrace of Stark Tower.

Spotting Loki's abandoned scepter, Kabuto approached it, ensuring no one else was around. He retrieved a sealing scroll from his ninja pouch and sealed the scepter within it.

Knowing the power of the scepter, Kabuto saw it as a valuable weapon, potentially on par with some of the strongest ninja tools, and something that could be useful to Charles.

"This was too easy!" Kabuto thought as he secured the scepter and headed to the top floor.

Meanwhile, the Avengers were equally stunned. Steve Rogers gazed at the battlefield, where giant toads, snakes, and other creatures fought alongside the ninjas.

"Tony, what are those giant creatures?" he asked. "Are they friend or foe?"

Rogers was astonished at the sight of these creatures, which, unlike the Chitauri beasts, resembled Earth's amphibians and reptiles.

Tony, observing the battlefield from above, responded, "They're the ninjas' summons. I've seen some of them before, summoned by Charles Doyle. The others are new to me, but they're on our side."

Hawkeye, upon hearing this, closed his eyes, accepting that avenging his personal vendetta might never happen.

Thor, recalling Charles's inquiry about having a pet in Jotunheim, marveled at the Supreme Merlin's extensive reserves.

…

On the other side-

The communications on the helicarrier had been restored, and the events in New York were being broadcasted via various cameras, drones, and daring reporters.

Nick Fury, watching multiple screens displaying the battle from different angles, furrowed his brow. The sight of the ninjas joining the fray didn't ease his worries; instead, it made him more solemn.

"Charles Doyle and his people have been hiding such power. This is too dangerous..."

"Get me the surveillance footage from around Charles Agency, the base, the Sand Puppet Shop, the Sound Ninja Base, and the Mist Base."

"Yes, sir!"

The screens lit up again, showing footage from the requested locations. The Chitauri soldiers, barely appearing before they were swiftly taken down, were too fast for the cameras to capture.

Nick Fury muttered, "These ninjas..."

Combining the intel from Tony and his own analyses, Fury had a revelation: Could there have been a secret group protecting Earth all along?

If so, what did that make S.H.I.E.L.D.?

Just a bunch of amateurs?

"No, I don't accept that. If they were truly our protectors, why didn't they intervene during World War I, World War II, or even when HYDRA threatened to destroy the world?"

Nick Fury clenched the pager he always carried in his coat pocket, his thoughts turning to one singular idea: The Earth can only safely progress under my protection. These uncontrollable threats must be brought to heel.

Suddenly, Fury's face changed. "The Tesseract," he muttered.

At that moment, Maria Hill approached and said, "Director Fury, the Council is on a video call. They need you in the meeting room."

"Alright, I'm on my way."

Nick Fury walked into the meeting room, where multiple LCD screens showed the members of the World Security Council.

One of the male council members began, "Nick Fury, from what we've gathered, the Chitauri army in New York is expanding its reach. There are already enemies outside of New York."

"To ensure global security and halt the Chitauri's advance, I propose that the United Nations Security Council decide to launch a tactical nuclear missile at the spatial portal in New York."

Council Member A: "I support this proposal."

Council Member B: "I support this proposal."

Council Member C: "I support this proposal."

The American representative hesitated for a few seconds before speaking, "I support this proposal."

The proposing council member, seeing unanimous agreement, continued, "Good. Since everyone agrees, Nick Fury, begin preparations to implement this plan."

Nick Fury looked at the five council members on the screen and said, "This decision is unbelievably foolish. Right now, New York is the battleground, and although the situation is tense, it is still manageable."

"I refuse to carry out this order."

The American representative responded, "Director, you are the closest to the situation. Send out the jets immediately."

"Councilman, unless my team is truly overwhelmed, I will not order a nuclear strike on civilians."

The American council member replied, "If we fail to contain them here, the danger will be far greater."

Nick Fury countered, "A nuclear strike would be the true danger!"

With that, Nick Fury cut the video feed, deciding to take matters into his own hands, disregarding the council's orders.

Fury believed the situation hadn't reached an unmanageable point, especially with the ninjas' intervention. Things were going much better than expected.

Moreover, a tactical nuclear strike wouldn't eliminate all the ninjas. Given that other ninja villages' bases were outside Manhattan, this could lead to them retaliating, creating an even bigger problem.

…

Meanwhile, Kabuto Yakushi had reached the top floor of Stark Tower. He saw the device and the unconscious Dr. Selvig lying nearby.

Approaching the machine cautiously, Kabuto took out a kunai and attempted to pierce the area around the Tesseract. An energy shield suddenly appeared, blocking Kabuto's actions.

Kabuto applied more force but to no avail. Instead, the energy shield's rebound force almost knocked him off the building.

At that moment, Loki, having been hit by Hawkeye's arrow, fell onto the terrace below. The Hulk arrived and began to thrash Loki mercilessly, finishing by muttering, "Puny god!"

After his rampage, the Hulk left Loki lying on the ground and charged away.

Natasha Romanoff, arriving on a flying craft, jumped onto the rooftop and called out to Kabuto, "Kabuto, what's the situation?"

Kabuto looked at Natasha and said, "I'm trying to shut down the portal, but there's an energy shield protecting it. I can't get close."

Speaking, Kabuto struck the device with his hand, revealing the light blue energy shield to Natasha.

Natasha frowned slightly, wondering what to do next.

Looking around, she spotted the unconscious Dr. Selvig and rushed to him. Perhaps he knew something that could help.

…

Meanwhile-

Charles Doyle was cutting through the enemy forces on the ground. He watched the seemingly endless stream of Chitauri pouring through the portal in the sky.

After incinerating a soldier with a Fireball, he pondered whether to continue fighting and wipe out the Chitauri army or to shut the portal and end the war.

Charles flew up and observed the devastated Manhattan below. After a moment of deliberation, he decided to close the portal and end the war.

In an instant, he teleported to Stark Tower's terrace, intending to retrieve Loki's scepter to shut down the portal. However, after a quick scan, he only saw Loki's unconscious body but not the scepter.

Seeing the destruction surrounding Stark Tower, with most buildings reduced to rubble, Charles realized a major reconstruction would be necessary.

Assuming Natasha had the scepter, he teleported to the rooftop.

Just as Natasha was waking Dr. Selvig, she noticed Charles's sudden appearance. Understanding his objective, she said, "The device is protected by an energy shield. Regular attacks can't penetrate it."

Charles frowned, not seeing the scepter with Natasha. He wondered where it could be.

Dr. Selvig, now conscious, said, "Loki's scepter, its energy can close the portal. I built a failsafe into the device that the scepter can activate."

Natasha asked, "Where is Loki?"

Charles responded, "Loki is down below, but he's been defeated. I didn't see the scepter with him!"

Both Natasha and Dr. Selvig looked down at the terrace. It was empty; neither Loki nor the scepter was there.

Natasha pressed her earpiece, calling out on the public channel, "Has anyone seen Loki's scepter? We need it to close the portal."

While Natasha coordinated the search, Kabuto Yakushi approached Charles, kneeling and presenting a sealed scroll from his ninja pouch.

In Natasha's surprised gaze, Kabuto said, "Lord Charles, I have sealed the scepter in this scroll. You can use it to close the portal and retrieve the Tesseract, ending this madness."

Charles took the scroll, impressed yet unsurprised by Kabuto's foresight. He nodded and said, "Kabuto, your task is complete. Return to the ranks."

"Yes, Lord Charles!"

Kabuto stood beside Charles, removing his SHIELD headband and tossing it to Natasha, then said with a smile, "Serving Lord Charles is my honor."

Just then, voices crackled through Natasha's earpiece:

"I haven't seen Loki or the scepter here."

"Nothing on my end either."

"No sign of them here!"

Hawkeye added, "Loki got blown away after my last shot. I was under attack and lost track of him."

Natasha replied, "No need to search further. The scepter is with Charles Doyle."

Hearing this, everyone sighed in relief.

…

Meanwhile, on the helicarrier-

In the aircraft hangar, an airman received a command through his earpiece.

"Director Nick Fury has been relieved of command. Proceed with executing Contingency Order 7A11."

"Order 7A11 confirmed. Preparing for takeoff."

In the command center, Hill noticed the activity and shouted, "Sir, a jet is taking off without clearance!"

"Attention, all deck personnel. We have an unauthorized jet taking off. It must be stopped immediately. Repeat, unauthorized takeoff!"

Nick Fury, hearing this, rushed to the weapons locker, grabbing a man-portable Stinger missile launcher, and sprinted towards the deck.

Reaching the deck, Fury saw the unauthorized jet accelerating down the runway. He aimed and fired the Stinger missile.

"Whoosh!"

"Boom!"

The jet exploded on the runway before it could take off. Fury breathed a sigh of relief but then noticed another jet taking off. It quickly ascended and flew away.

Realizing he couldn't stop it, Fury returned inside and contacted Tony, "Stark, do you read me? A missile is heading for Manhattan."

Tony, amidst the battle, paused and asked, "How long do we have?"

"Three minutes at most. It's carrying a tactical nuke that will level the city center."

"Got it."

Tony then shouted, "Natasha, is Charles with you? Tell him not to close the portal yet. A nuke is incoming."

Natasha, seeing Charles about to shut the portal, called out, "Charles, wait! Tony says a nuke is on its way!"

Hearing this, Charles sighed, "Have Tony give me the coordinates. I'll handle it."

"Wood Style: Wood Clone Jutsu!"

A wood clone separated from Charles's body. He said, "The portal is your task to close."

Knowing the spaceship had an energy shield that could thwart Tony's efforts, Charles decided to handle the missile himself.

Charles didn't linger and flew at full speed towards the missile. He quickly spotted Tony in the sky and overtook him.

Tony, seeing Charles zoom past, stopped mid-flight.

Charles soon saw the incoming missile, matched its speed, and placed a Hiraishin mark on it. "Hiraishin Second Step!"

In the next instant, Charles, with the missile in tow, vanished from Tony Stark's sight. He reappeared directly below the portal, sending the tactical nuke hurtling through it.

"Boom!"

As the nuke exited the portal, it collided with an incoming Chitauri cruiser.

The explosion created a massive fireball, which was contained by the cruiser's energy shield, causing only a tremor. However, the surrounding Chitauri soldiers weren't as fortunate and were obliterated.

Back on the rooftop, Charles's wood clone, seeing the successful missile transfer, immediately used the scepter to shut down the portal.

As the energy was cut off, the spatial rift created by the Tesseract began to close. The Chitauri forces still in transit found themselves lost in space instead of reaching Earth.

With the portal sealed, the Chitauri soldiers on Earth seemed to lose their command signal, instantly falling down. Even the flying Chitauri leviathans plummeted from the sky.

Charles, using the Hiraishin technique, reappeared on the rooftop, smiling. "The war is over!"

…

Meanwhile, aboard the helicarrier, the soldiers erupted in cheers as they witnessed Charles's heroic act of redirecting the nuke and the subsequent shutdown of the portal.

The sight of the Chitauri soldiers and beasts deactivating only added to their excitement.

Nick Fury's expression was complex, but he finally spoke, "The war is over!"

With the Chitauri threat neutralized, the Avengers regrouped at Stark Tower.

They found Loki, who had just regained consciousness, and promptly arrested him.

Taking advantage of the situation, Charles swiftly stored both the Tesseract and Loki's scepter in his spatial storage.

As he touched them, Charles heard the system's notification sound but chose to ignore it for the moment, focusing instead on securing the items.

Natasha, observing Charles's actions, wisely chose not to interfere. Instead, she smiled and asked, "Mr. Charles Doyle, should I call you the Ninja Immortal or the Supreme Merlin?"

Charles looked at Natasha and replied, "Both names refer to me. You can use whichever you prefer."