Chapter 49: Genius Child?

  The air conditioner in the director's office was set uncomfortably low.

  A startled voice broke the silence. "Tell me again, Agent Romanoff—how old is he?"

  Standing in front of Nick Fury were Bck Widow and Agent May. Hawkeye had already disappeared.

  Bck Widow pursed her lips and shook her head. She had expected this exact reaction from Fury.

  "He's still a kid, sir," she confirmed.

  Fury’s mouth fell slightly open, his expression dazed. Only now did it become apparent that he actually had two sharp canine teeth.

  "Are you sure he's seven years old and not seventy?"

  "I'm sure," Bck Widow replied.

  Like Tony Stark, Fury had always suspected that the Apostle's operator was an older man.

  "I'm positive. The incident in Hell’s Kitchen that you asked me to investigate—it was caused by him," Bck Widow added with a shrug.

  Fury wasn’t doubting her competence; he knew she wouldn’t make such a basic mistake. He was just too stunned to process it.

  A child?

  The Apostle was a child?

  A kid who could fight Iron Man to a standstill in public?

  The one responsible for all the chaos in Hell’s Kitchen tely?

  The same person who had captured three of his top agents, leaving him in a state of panic?

  And now, he was being told that this individual was only seven years old?

  Was he really getting old?

  Had times advanced so much?

  Fury felt a storm of emotions brewing inside him.

  Bck Widow and Agent May exchanged gnces, holding back their ughter. They had already predicted this exact reaction from him.

  Fury remained silent for a long moment before finally asking, "Do you think there's an organization backing him?"

  "Not sure yet," Bck Widow admitted, shaking her head. "But I don’t think it’s likely."

  "You said he built that white mecha himself?" Fury asked again.

  "Not just that. Over the past few days, the three of us have watched him construct a six-meter-tall mech. The project isn’t finished yet, but I have no doubt he can complete it."

  "Wait—how tall did you say?" Fury's eyes widened.

  "Six meters. Around twenty feet," May confirmed.

  Bck Widow nodded. "It’s much rger than the previous white mech. About the height of a two-story building."

  Fury fell silent again.

  After a long pause, he asked, "And he built this rger mecha right in front of you?"

  "Yeah, and he didn’t seem to mind us watching up close."

  Fury nodded, deep in thought.

  "If he really is a prodigy, then where did he learn all this engineering knowledge?" Fury finally asked. "As far as I know, there aren’t many individuals or organizations that have mastered technology on this level—including Tony Stark. Even he doesn’t have that orange protective force field."

  Bck Widow shrugged. "That’s beyond my expertise."

  After a moment of thought, she added, "But once you meet him, you’ll understand—he’s a real genius. If he hadn’t fought Stark, I would’ve suspected he was Tony’s illegitimate son."

  "Genius child?"

  The term wasn’t unfamiliar to S.H.I.E.L.D.. Since its formation, the agency had encountered numerous child prodigies.

  "He’s a super genius," Bck Widow emphasized before turning to May. "May, you fought against Luke. What do you think of his combat skills?"

  May didn’t hesitate.

  "Monster," she said.

  She continued, "I believe he’s received the highest level of martial arts training. Not just professional training like ours, but something more secretive—something from a true master. His inch punch is even more refined than mine. And during his fight with the three of us, he used a secret martial arts technique called Lion’s Roar. His combat talent is beyond genius-level."

  "Secret martial arts?"

  Fury frowned. He knew more cssified information than anyone else in S.H.I.E.L.D., and May’s words immediately reminded him of two particur groups.

  "Could he be connected to either of them? The Divine Thunder Bureau or Kunlun?"

  Fury felt a headache coming on.

  Things were getting more and more complicated.

  He hadn’t expected S.H.I.E.L.D. to get caught up in something like this. Why would members of the Divine Thunder Bureau appear in the U.S.? That organization was infamous for ignoring anything beyond their own territory.

  As for Kunlun, he knew little about them—only that they weren’t based on Earth.

  Was this genius child somehow connected to either of those two forces? Fury pondered.

  "Luke seems to know a lot about S.H.I.E.L.D.," Bck Widow remarked.

  She recalled how, during their first meeting, Luke had effortlessly recited her personal details. Now, he had done the same with May and Hawkeye.

  Luke even seemed to be familiar with their combat styles.

  May agreed, nodding. "He knew all of our names and specialties. He also knows you."

  This strengthened Fury’s suspicions.

  Could he really have been sent by the Divine Thunder Bureau?

  "Who has he been in contact with?" Fury asked. That was Bck Widow’s assignment, after all.

  "Luke’s social circle is extremely small. The only people he interacts with are his adoptive parents, his schoolmates, and—oh, right—Matt Murdock, the blind wyer from Hell’s Kitchen."

  Bck Widow handed over a file containing all the information she had gathered on Luke.

  "Matt? As in The Devil of Hell’s Kitchen?" Fury raised an eyebrow.

  "Yes," Bck Widow confirmed. "Actually, I’m curious—does Matt know about this kid’s real identity and abilities?" She smirked. She and Daredevil were old acquaintances.

  "Alright. You two leave for now. Leave the file here." Fury sighed.

  Right now, he needed some quiet.

  Bck Widow and May nodded before leaving the office.

  Fury sat alone, picking up the file and flipping through it.

  Luke Nelson

  Age: 7 years old

  Nationality: Chinese

  Background: Grew up in an orphanage until st year, when he was adopted by the Nelsons and moved to Queens.

  Education: Currently attending Dawes Primary School.

  Css Rank: First pce.

  Notable Habit: Tends to fall asleep in css.

  At first gnce, it looked like the profile of a regur gifted student.

  But this child had another identity—the Apostle.

  A mysterious figure currently dominating global headlines.

  A being of unmatched power and questionable morality.

  A figure whose violent methods had captivated the media.

  Right now, the Apostle was the second most talked-about name after Iron Man.

  Fury rubbed his temples.

  He needed to meet this super genius child in person.

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