"It's nothing. After all, we're comrades fighting on the same side, right?" Nick Fury flashed a perfect smile, as if Su Xiuyu really was his comrade.
Su Xiuyu didn't take it to heart. Maybe this version of Nick Fury wasn't quite as cunning as his future self, but he'd still seen his share of war. Aside from Hydra, most of Fury's comrades had died back in World War II.
"Nick, you're not the type to waste time on small talk. Just say what you want. You know I don't like dancing around the point."
"Alright then, I'll be direct," Fury said. "Would you be interested in working for S.H.I.E.L.D. long-term? The pay is negotiable."
Su Xiuyu raised an eyebrow at the arrogant tone. He knew it wasn't aimed at him, more likely a side effect of Fury being firmly planted as Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. for too long. Power had a way of making mortals forget their limits.
"I'm gonna stop you right there. No matter how much you're offering, the answer's no." He scoffed. "You must be joking. Dollars? That's just colorful paper printed by your government."
Nick opened his mouth to speak, but Su Xiuyu didn't let him.
"Nick, do you really think your US dollars can buy my loyalty? You think I don't know they're just worthless paper? Or maybe you think gold means something to me?"
He leaned back with a cold chuckle. "The only reason I accept payment at all is to avoid treating people like you the way I treat common thugs. It's not about needing money. Hell, if I put in a little effort, I could give you space dust worth more than your entire treasury. Money doesn't mean anything to people like us."
Su Xiuyu laid it all out, hoping Nick would stop wasting his time. The Avengers? Yeah, he already knew they were forming, but he had zero interest in joining.
Not because he didn't respect them—well, alright, he didn't. Captain America and Thor were the only ones close to being powerhouses. Iron Man was just a smart guy in a suit. Scarlet Witch was a wild card. The rest? Honestly, cannon fodder. Not even Uchiha Chisato would break a sweat against most of them.
Fury didn't look surprised at his refusal.
"In that case, I'll keep it brief. I have a request. Would you be willing to help with a specific mission?"
Since Su Xiuyu wasn't biting on the recruitment pitch, Nick decided to switch gears and go for a task-based collaboration.
"Depends on the mission. Tell me what you need." Su Xiuyu didn't outright refuse. The Uchiha and Uzumaki clans still needed experience. Part of why they came to this world was exactly that—to grow stronger.
Especially with the mystic arts of Kamar-Taj now in play, their training was as brutal as it was enlightening.
"There's a secret organization in the Far East. The Red Room. They specialize in brainwashing and training female agents to sabotage American interests."
"So you want me to destroy them?" Su Xiuyu interrupted.
Nick shook his head. "No. Actually, we've already got an agent from the Red Room in our custody. What I need is for you to figure out if she's really loyal to us."
So that's what this is about, Su Xiuyu thought. He bet this agent was Natasha Romanoff.
"That's easy enough. But I'm not going to go fetch her. You bring her to me. Fee's ten million dollars."
"Ten million?" Nick blinked. "Didn't you just say dollars were worthless paper?"
"You're the printer, not me," Su Xiuyu shot back. "Don't be stingy with your Monopoly money. I'm just getting some well-earned revenge within the rules. Or do you expect me to rob stores whenever I need something?"
You couldn't give someone like Nick Fury too much leeway. Let him think he had an inch, and he'd take a mile.
"…Fine. Half an hour."
Nick gave in. He realized today's meeting wasn't going to get him what he wanted. And he still couldn't figure out Su Xiuyu's mindset. Alien? Maybe. Threat? Definitely.
While they waited, Fury kept trying to make small talk. Coulson listened politely, but everyone else? Zoned out. No one really cared about what the bald man had to say.
Eventually, Nick dropped his trump card. "You been in contact with Carol lately?"
"Carol?" Su Xiuyu blinked.
"Who's Carol?" Uzumaki Mito and Uchiha Chisato asked at the same time. The name definitely sounded like a woman's.
Damn it, Nick, you really trying to stir up trouble now?
"Carol's an Earthling my clone met when we first arrived. She's pretty strong, probably off in space right now. Haven't heard from her in a while."
Su Xiuyu's answer was technically for Nick, but mostly meant to reassure Mito and Jiri.
Nick, though, caught something deeper.
A clone? The Su Xiuyu who fought with him against the Kree… was just a clone? That meant the real one could be far stronger.
And it made him anxious. If Carol ever faced off with the real Su Xiuyu, who would she side with? Did she even know she'd only met a clone?
He tucked the thought away. There might be a way to use this later.
Meanwhile, Mito seemed unbothered.
After eating the chakra fruit, her lifespan had extended into the thousands of years. The idea of Su Xiuyu having fleeting bonds with ordinary humans didn't faze her.
Time erased all attachments eventually.
Of course, she misunderstood. Su Xiuyu had no real feelings for Carol Danvers. At best, he thought she was competent. And even if anything had happened… it was the clone, not him.
"Really? That's fine. I look forward to meeting her someday," Uzumaki Mito said with a graceful smile. She remained poised and composed, showing no hint of jealousy.
Su Xiuyu let out a quiet breath of relief. There really wasn't anything between him and Carol. He hadn't crossed any lines. And even if he had… it wasn't him. It was the damn wood clone.
--------------------
"Alright, they're here. It's your call now," Nick Fury said. "If it's alright with you, Coulson and I would like to observe the process."
A knock came from the door.
"Come in," Su Xiuyu responded.
The door opened, revealing a woman in a sleek, black outfit, followed closely by a man carrying a bow.
"Director," they greeted in unison.
Fury nodded and gestured toward the others in the room. "This is Mr. Su Xiuyu, Ms. Uzumaki Mito, and Ms. Uchiha Chisato. Everyone, this is Natasha Romanoff and Clint Barton. Barton's one of my most trusted agents—handles the external ops."
It was their first time meeting, so the introductions were brief, with everyone just getting a feel for one another.
"Natasha, you've been briefed on what's happening here. Are you still willing to go through with the test?" Fury asked. Since he intended to recruit these individuals, there was no point hiding anything—he had already informed Natasha of the "loyalty test."
Natasha nodded. "Understood, Director. You were clear about everything." She looked around the room, then added casually, "Mind if I take off my coat? It's a bit warm in here."
Without waiting for a response, she removed her black overcoat, revealing a tight-fitting black top that accentuated her figure. Uzumaki Mito frowned subtly, noting the odd behavior. Natasha clearly wasn't feeling hot—she was trying to display confidence, maybe even test the others' reactions. But Mito sensed something deeper—an unease Natasha was trying to mask.
Su Xiuyu couldn't deny Natasha had a great body, though her height was average. Attractive, sure—but she didn't do much for him.
"No need for anything special," Su Xiuyu said. "Just look into my eyes."
"Just stand here… and stare at your eyes?"
"That's right."
Natasha met his gaze. For a moment, nothing happened. Then his pupils changed—three tomoe symbols spiraled into place.
In an instant, Natasha was swept away by the illusion.
She saw them—her mother, her father, and her younger sister. It wasn't real, of course. Just a fabricated family she'd known during a mission long ago. But the feelings were real. Those moments were the closest thing to warmth she'd ever had.
Su Xiuyu leaned back on the sofa lazily. "It's done. No problems here. Natasha is loyal to S.H.I.E.L.D."
"That's it?" Nick Fury blinked, surprised by how fast it was. If he didn't already trust Su Xiuyu's character, he might've thought the guy was bluffing.
"What's going on with her?" Clint Barton asked, visibly worried. There was clearly some personal tension between the two.
Natasha stood still, eyes forward—tears slowly rolling down her cheeks.
"She's fine," Su Xiuyu said calmly. "Just someone reliving one of the few warm memories from childhood. Let her have a moment."
In truth, Su Xiuyu had seen everything—her entire life. He knew Natasha better now than perhaps even she knew herself. Underneath it all, she was just a scarred soul trying to survive.
"How did your eyes do that?" Fury asked, still stunned. It all happened in barely a second, but he'd caught the change in Xiuyu's eyes.
"It's a genetic ability. Every member of the Uchiha clan has it," Su Xiuyu said casually. You're just like me, Nick—always watching, always calculating. Must be exhausting.
"Can Ms. Chisato do it too?" Fury asked.
"Yeah. Any properly awakened Uchiha can. It's not difficult for us."
"So… you can read minds?" Barton asked, now looking a little uneasy.
"Of course. Uchiha are excellent at interrogation," Xiuyu said with a smirk. "We usually break a few limbs first and ask questions later—gets the job done quick."
Then, turning his gaze directly at Fury, he added, "Like right now, I can see what's going on in your head, Nick."
That made Fury go quiet.
"You people are terrifying," he muttered. "I've never even heard of your clan before. No matter what country I check, there's no record."
Su Xiuyu raised an eyebrow. "That's because we don't want to be found. But you already knew that. Nick, I don't appreciate the constant probing. If you've got a question, ask me straight. If I can answer it, I will. If not, trying to dance around it won't help you."
Fury nodded, then finally asked, "Are you from Earth?"
"He's not," Chisato answered firmly before Xiuyu could.
"And are you… human?" Fury continued.
"That depends on your definition," Xiuyu said. "Biologically, yes—we can reproduce with humans, so by that standard, I'm human. But internally? Spiritually? I'd say I'm different."
He wasn't hiding anything. Ninja were still human—just altered, evolved in ways normal people couldn't grasp.
"Then what's your purpose here on Earth?"
"No grand plan. I'm just here to have fun," Xiuyu said, smirking. "This universe? It's got potential. Excitement. But if you keep thinking like an Earth-bound American, you'll never get what I'm really after."
Fury's frown deepened. He still couldn't tell if Xiuyu was a threat or not.
"I'll take what you've said at face value," Fury muttered, though doubt still lingered in his voice.
Xiuyu sighed. "You know why I don't like dealing with you, Nick? There's never any trust. You're always scheming. Look, if I wanted to conquer Earth, it'd be child's play. Even the Kree homeworld would fall with some effort."
Fury stiffened slightly.
"The only reason I care about Earth is because it might get interesting in the future. But your constant fear, your obsession with control—it's exhausting."
Su Xiuyu stood up now, tone sharper.
"Let me ask you this: Do you really think humans belong on Earth? Without powerful beings watching over it, Earth is just a backwater planet in the middle of nowhere. You haven't even colonized another world. You're ants playing war."
He glanced over at Fury, voice calm but biting. "You spend so much time worrying about me—how about worrying about your tech level instead? If aliens invade tomorrow, what's your plan? Pray Carol shows up on time?"
Harsh as it was, every word he said was the truth. And Fury knew it.
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