Marvel x Genshin: Mavuika, The Sun Goddess Rules Asgard — Chapter 102

Chapter 102: What Did He Say About Me?

Mavuika hovered just outside the viewport of the Skrull vessel, her long, gold-red hair drifting like liquid fire in the weightless void of space. The silent expanse of the cosmos served as her backdrop, the distant stars glinting like scattered diamonds on black velvet.

Through the reinforced transparency of the ship’s hull, she observed the tense tableau within. There was a human agent with dark skin and a single, focused eye; a woman with short, blonde hair gripping the controls; a green-skinned Skrull whose anxiety was plain on his features; and someone cradling… wait. Was that a cat?

Mavuika’s amber eyes, glowing with a soft, internal light, narrowed in contemplation. She focused on the lazy orange tabby, which seemed utterly oblivious to the cosmic drama unfolding around it. To the naked eye, it was just an ordinary, perhaps slightly overweight, housecat, leisurely grooming a paw.

But on the level of pure energy, the level at which Mavuika perceived the universe… it was something else entirely.

“Interesting,” a playful curve tugged at the corner of her lips.

She had read of these creatures in the Ancient Archives of Asgard. A Flerken. They were classified as one of the most deceptively dangerous species in the known universe, capable of swallowing nearly anything and storing it within a pocket dimension housed inside their bodies. They were exceedingly rare, often with staggering bounties on their heads. What was one doing here, being held like a common pet?

“What a peculiar team,” Mavuika murmured to the silent vacuum.

Her gaze finally settled on Carol. The power contained within the blonde woman was potent enough to make even Mavuika take a second look. It wasn’t the energy of a typical alien physiology or some advanced technological enhancement. This was power drawn directly from the bedrock of the universe itself, carrying the unmistakable resonance of an Infinity Stone. Having personally wielded the Reality Stone and studied the Time Stone, Mavuika was intimately familiar with that primal signature.

She estimated that if the power within this woman were to be fully unleashed, its intensity could likely rival her own before she had absorbed the Eternal Flame. However, that immense energy was being actively and forcefully suppressed. The source of the suppression was a faint metallic glint at Carol’s neck, a control device disguised as part of her uniform.

Under Mavuika’s direct and deep stare, Carol felt a prickle of unease crawl up her spine. She subconsciously shifted her weight, her hand rising to adjust her collar, instinctively hiding the inhibitor chip from view. She was about to demand who this woman was, this being who could traverse the void of space unprotected, and what she wanted from them.

But before she could form the words, Nick Fury beat her to it.

He strode to the communications console, his face a mask of professional calm. He pressed a button, and his voice crackled through the ship’s external broadcast system. He tried to keep his tone steady, but a tremor of nervousness betrayed his composure.

“Hello, ma’am! You’re currently blocking our flight path. Please move aside; we have an urgent mission to carry out!”

The moment the words left his mouth, Fury froze. A flash of deep embarrassment crossed his face as he realized his blunder. Sound couldn’t travel in a vacuum. The broadcast wouldn’t even make it past the ship’s outer hull. He was about to frantically switch to another communication method when he saw the woman outside the window… laugh. A silent, but clearly amused, laugh.

His expression stiffened. He scrambled to turn off the useless broadcast, but it was too late.

As if she had heard every word perfectly, Mavuika’s figure flickered. In an instant, she vanished from her position and reappeared directly against the viewport, so close that Fury and the others could see the mirth dancing in her amber eyes.

The sudden proximity sent a jolt of alarm through the cockpit. Fury’s hand instinctively dropped to the weapon at his waist. A pale blue corona of energy flared around Carol’s fists. Talos and Maria snapped to high alert, their bodies tensed for a fight.

Only the Flerken, still curled on Carol’s lap, let out a lazy yawn, utterly indifferent to the god-like being just inches away.

In the next second, Mavuika’s voice echoed not through a speaker, but directly inside their minds. It was clear, soft, and carried an effortless authority, as if she were standing right beside them.

“You’re Nick Fury, aren’t you? I’ve heard Howard mention you. He said he was leaving the investigation of the Skrulls in your hands. It seems you’ve made some progress?”

Fury’s single eye narrowed. This woman could survive in a vacuum, teleport at will, communicate telepathically, and not only knew his name but also knew Howard Stark and his secret assignment.

His mind raced, connecting the dots with the speed of a supercomputer. This was no ordinary individual. She had to be a powerful associate of Howard’s, someone who knew secrets that few on Earth were privy to. As things stood, his only play was to use that connection, to try and win the support of this formidable being. With her power, the looming threat of the Kree and the entire Skrull refugee crisis might just be solvable.

Fury quickly composed himself, replacing his shock with a perfectly calibrated smile of respectful recognition. His tone became earnest and sincere.

“That’s right!” he responded quickly, seizing the initiative. “You must be a friend of Dr. Stark’s. I remember now; I believe he mentioned you.”

It was a complete shot in the dark, a risky probe into unknown territory. As he spoke, his mind was already fabricating a plausible backstory. He had never heard Howard mention a woman like Mavuika, but in a situation this far outside the manual, a well-crafted bluff was his best weapon. He had to stabilize her first.

Mavuika’s smile deepened. Her gaze seemed to pierce the ship’s hull, seeing straight through to the frantic calculations whirring within Fury’s mind.

“Is that so?” she asked, her voice laced with genuine interest as it connected in their thoughts. “What did he say about me?”

Fury didn’t bat an eye, his improvisation flowing smoothly. “Dr. Stark said you were a… very special friend. Someone with extraordinary insight and ability. He told me that whenever he encountered ‘extraordinary’ problems, you could always provide a unique and very useful perspective.”

The words were deliberately ambiguous, a cloud of flattering but meaningless praise.

“He also said that if the opportunity ever arose, he hoped to introduce us. I just never expected it would happen quite like this.”

He paused, letting the statement sink in before deftly changing the subject. “As for the Skrulls, I’ve finally fulfilled Dr. Stark’s trust and located their trail. I’m preparing to resolve this matter once and for all, to ensure the safety of Earth.”

At the same time, he smoothly extended an invitation. “If you’re willing, you could come along. We can always use more help, and with you on our side, I’m sure our chances of success would be much greater.”

In a few short sentences, he had praised Mavuika, explained his own purpose, and offered her a place in the mission. It was a masterful piece of social engineering.

Fury stared intently at the woman outside the ship, silently praying she would take the bait.

Inside the cockpit, Carol shot a wary glance at Fury, then back at the enigmatic figure beyond the glass. Talos was so nervous his green skin had taken on a pale, sickly hue. He could feel the oppressive weight of a higher being radiating from Mavuika—it was a fundamental gap in their very level of existence.

After hearing Fury’s tale, Mavuika adopted an expression of dawning realization. “So that’s how it is.”

She knew, of course, that Howard would never have spoken about her in such detail to anyone. The old scientist had always guarded her secrets with fierce loyalty, only recently confiding the truth to his own son, Tony.

Fury was clearly, and rather transparently, making it all up. But she didn’t expose him. Instead, she decided to play along with his narrative, curious to see just what kind of story this clever little spy could spin.