Chapter 985: Surprise
Bucky, who had been staring up into the sky, finally saw something, too, as those laser beams shone out in the dark.
“Where are the ants you’re talking about fighting?” Bucky asked in a strange tone, his eyes following the lasers closely.
After Lin Rui revealed to Bucky that Scott possesses the unique ability to shrink using technology, Bucky’s mind conjured up vivid images of miniature warriors engaged in aerial combat, reminiscent of toys in motion.
Despite the lack of clarity in Scott and his team’s actual battle scenarios, Bucky’s imagination, fueled by flash-like laser beams, closely resembled what could be expected.
“Well, it seems that Darren Cross’s ambition had been vastly underestimated, as he had managed to a.s.semble an entire Ant-Man team. Speaking of it, among the various Superheroes, it seems that there has not been such a large number of superheroes so far.” Hearing Bucky’s words, Lin Rui simply replied, his voice tapering off as he finished his sentence.
In the Marvel Universe, new superpowers and high-tech gadgets are constantly emerging, yet each superhero possesses unique characteristics and exceptional abilities. It could be a deliberate move to emphasize their individual heroism, as none of the protagonists have repeated abilities.
Take Peter Parker, for instance, he was transformed into Spider-Man after being bitten by a mutated spider. However, if another person were to be bitten by the same spider, they might die within minutes due to their lack of genetic compatibility.
Similarly, while Tony Stark’s Iron Man suit can be worn by anyone, his greatest strength lies in his intelligence and ingenuity, not just the suit’s capabilities.
When compared to other superheroes, Ant-Man’s personal abilities may appear less remarkable. While Scott Lang possesses a high IQ and is considered talented, he still falls short compared to the likes of Tony Stark, who is recognized as a top genius across the century.
Furthermore, Scott has fewer resources at his disposal compared to other superheroes. Without Dr. Pym’s support, Scott may have lived a life of mediocrity, without ever discovering the full extent of his abilities.
Undoubtedly, superheroes needs to be ordinary people like Scott Lang and Tom Smith. When an ordinary person transforms into a superhero, it creates a sense of hope that anyone can become a hero if they are given the chance.
Lin Rui’s former friend, Tom Smith, is a perfect example of this. He now possesses a strength that Bucky does not have, and is in search of his own destiny.
And now with Darren Cross copying the Ant-Man suit technology and Pym Particle technology for ma.s.s production, Dr. Pym’s worst fears are becoming a reality. The technology that could only be mastered by a select few will now be accessible to many.
The advanced technology that was once used for secret and difficult missions will now be utilized by those with a ruthless heart on the battlefield. The introduction of ma.s.s-produced superheroes to the world will undoubtedly upset the current balance and potentially lead to catastrophic consequences.
“In this situation, what can we do to help? Is there any way for us to intervene in the situation?” While Bucky acknowledges Lin Rui’s concerns, his main focus is on finding ways to aid Scott during this crisis.
“I’m afraid there’s not much we can do at the moment, especially considering we are in the middle of a downtown area.” Upon hearing Bucky’s question, Lin Rui furrowed his brows and murmured, unsure of any immediate course of action.
Bucky and Lin Rui both have disguises on, but if Lin Rui were to make any sudden movements, he could easily be detected by the sophisticated surveillance systems of JARVIS or SHIELD.
Luckily, despite six new Ant-Man surrounding him, their flying devices were not as advanced as the natural flight abilities of Scott’s ants. With Scott’s guidance, Anton Ant was able to help him evade the new Ant-Man clones’ attacks successfully.
Hoo!
As another thin laser beam narrowly missed Anton Ant’s wings, the high temperature generated by the beam caused significant changes in the surrounding airflow. Anton Ant began spinning erratically, almost causing Scott to be thrown off its back.
“You can’t run away!” Darren Cross bellowed as he fired another laser beam at Scott and Anton Ant from behind, determined not to let them escape.
Swipe!
With Darren Cross and his Ant-Man team closing in, Scott shouted anxiously to Anton Ant, “You have to hold on, Anton!” He tightly gripped the rope on the ant’s back, trying to steady himself as they continued to flee.
As he fled, Scott felt a sense of helplessness at the second piece of news Dr. Pym had given him. If Darren Cross had only created a prototype of the Ant-Man suit and had not yet perfectly replicated the Pym Particle, then where had this team chasing him come from? Why were they able to fire lasers at him and Anton Ant?
Scott couldn’t help but feel a sense of dread and worry for the future, knowing that this kind of technology could fall into the wrong hands and wreak havoc on the world. But for now, his immediate concern was escaping the pursuing Ant-Man team and staying alive.
“Squad A, Team B, Team C! Move faster! We need support!” Scott urged while trying to calm down Anton, who was feeling anxious under him. He also called on the three flying ant teams, ABC, to join them in their fight against the pursuing Antman team.
As long as Scott can hold on for a while longer and wait for the three flying ant squads to arrive, he still has a good chance of escaping. He knows that he can’t count on Dr. Pym, who was shot and is now unconscious, and Hope is taking him to the hospital so she is too preoccupied to help Scott at the moment.
“Just give up already? Do you really think your ant buddies can save you?” Darren Ross taunted as he pa.s.sed by Scott, who had just finished shouting.
Scott was taken aback as he realized he was nearly surrounded by Darren Ross and his team of Antmen. Just as Darren’s voice rang out, six laser beams were fired simultaneously from the encirclement they had formed.
Brush! Swipe!
Chi Chi!
Despite Scott’s frantic evasive maneuvers, he was only able to dodge four of the laser beams, and two of them pierced through Anton Ant’s wings. The flying ant, now with two damaged wings, trembled as it spun out of control and plummeted quickly toward the ground.
“Anton!!” Scott’s weak yell echoed through the air as he lay on Anton Ant’s back.
Whoosh!
As Anton Ant and Scott rapidly descended toward the ground, Darren Cross and his Antman team also descended quickly. Darren knew that ants could survive falls from high alt.i.tudes, so he knew that Scott is not going to die due to this.
You can read ahead upto 50 chapters on my patreon and I’ve also activated (date to date) subscription model on my patreon