CHAPTER 39: CHAPTER 039: WANDA’S TERRIFYING POWER! WANDA’S POPULARITY SOARS!

Seeing the news report, Lorien felt it was expected, though still a pleasant surprise.

Expected—because he already knew this would happen. In the original storyline, Scarlet Witch Wanda accidentally injured civilians and Wakandans during this event. It was serious—serious enough to become the spark that ignited the Sokovia Accords.

But this time, the incident had been resolved perfectly. And the one who resolved it... was Wanda herself.

In the TV footage, her expression was like that of an icy goddess. With a sweep of her hands, enemy jeeps and trucks were instantly pinned to the ground. Then, with a single-handed clench— The clip cut off.

No need to imagine what came next. The people inside were undoubtedly in terrible shape. Wanda’s Chaos Magic grip could easily crush a swarm of rats into a bloody mist—switching the target to trucks wouldn’t change the outcome. From the metallic crunches in the background, it was obvious no one inside had survived.

Lorien nodded in satisfaction. Wanda had grown—from someone reluctant to use magic into the cold, scarlet goddess the public now saw her as. This was her professional side, not her everyday self.

So... Wanda was quite interesting.

...

Meanwhile, at the scene of the Lagos Incident. With the situation resolved, the Avengers rested nearby, preparing to withdraw.

Captain America glanced over the report, nodded in approval, and said,

"Everyone did an excellent job. All weapons have been recovered and are ready for destruction."

"You’re all superheroes. You’re all outstanding."

Clap, clap, clap— Applause rippled through the group.

Wanda stood off to the side, gazing in the direction of New York, lost in thought.

When the clapping faded, she turned to Captain America and asked evenly,

"When are we going back?"

The air grew quiet. Everyone looked at Wanda with newfound respect.

After all, in her solo display earlier— One hand had crushed a jeep. The other had crushed a truck.

Her terrifying power left many wondering... had Wanda’s destructive strength already surpassed that of the missing Hulk? Regardless, her performance had earned her the team’s recognition and respect.

"Probably tonight, Wanda," Captain America replied with a smile, still holding the report.

Wanda gave a small nod, walked aside, and sat down to rest.

Spotting a world map nearby, she picked it up, found her current location, then traced her gaze to New York, estimating the distance.

Thousands of kilometers... She sighed inwardly.

Right now, she wished she had mastered the teleportation magic Lorien had mentioned. Then she could return to New York immediately—right now—and be with him.

Unfortunately, she wasn’t there yet. She’d have to wait until nightfall to go back.

"Wanda."

Natasha walked over from the side and stopped next to her, pulling out a tissue.

"There’s a drop of blood on your face. Wipe it off."

Wanda took the tissue, then picked up a palm-sized shard of glass to check her reflection. A single drop of blood clung to her left cheek, trailing downward in a thin crimson line.

Instead of making her look unsightly, the mark only enhanced her scarlet allure—like the trace of blood at the corner of a vampire queen’s mouth.

Click—

From a distance, a war photographer captured the moment Wanda used the glass shard to wipe the blood away.

There was no need to worry about any fallout. The photographer was assigned by the Avengers. In other words, whether these photos or videos would ever be uploaded had to go through the Avengers’ review first.

As for the shot just taken—if Wanda had no objections and it posed no risk to the Avengers, it could be released.

In fact, during this battle shoot, Wanda’s photos were without a doubt the most numerous. Too many striking moments had been caught on camera.

What no one knew yet was that once these images hit the internet, Wanda’s popularity would soar at breakneck speed.

...

New York.

Stark Tower.

While the Avengers were handling the situation overseas, Tony received word of their success.

"Sir, here’s the information."

Friday organized the data and sent it over. One glance was enough to make Tony chuckle.

"So, they beat the enemy thanks to Scarlet Witch. But did they ever stop to think—when you deploy force like that abroad, who do the locals think really destroyed their homes?"

He smirked, waved his hand, and tossed the file into the digital recycle bin.

Friday spoke up again.

"Sir, although the Avengers will once again face criticism and opposition, the popularity of the superhero Scarlet Witch is rising. On the U.S. internet, quite a few citizens are suggesting she leave the Avengers and become an independent hero.

According to our data, Scarlet Witch’s popularity has already surpassed that of most superheroes, trailing only behind you and Captain America. If this growth rate continues, she’s projected to outpace both of you within one to three years."

Tony: "Huh?!"