"Correct, just stand right there. The machine will read your brainwaves and automatically match you with a deep immersion simulation system. And don't worry about your tin can; once you're inside, the Simulated Universe will automatically integrate your research results for you."
The Simulated Universe was an utter unknown to the superheroes, but they couldn't deny their curiosity.
Under Herta's guidance, the group stood together before the portal-like blue glow of the simulation.
As their consciousnesses rapidly slipped into a trance, everyone felt as though they were suffering from a massive hangover after forcing themselves to stay awake for three days and nights straight.
A wave of nausea and vertigo nearly paralyzed them instantly, but fortunately, the sensation vanished as quickly as it had arrived.
When they finally came to their senses, they found themselves standing within a grand hall that breathed with the weight of history.
The solemn decor, paired with the sunset streaming through the windows, lent the place a sacred, almost divine atmosphere.
"Where... are we?" No one recognized their surroundings.
[It seems you've made it in successfully. Mm, data processing is normal. A success, as expected.]
Herta's voice echoed directly in their heads.
It was a jarring sensation for most, an experience they had never felt before. Only Thor, accustomed to the nuances of magical telepathy, accepted the feeling without missing a beat.
"Madam Herta, we appear to be in some kind of... Great Hall?" Rogers glanced around, offering the only description he could manage.
[I can see your surroundings. You can think of my perspective as... a drone's eye view?]
"Sounds good to me." Tony was already clad in the Iron Man suit the Simulated Universe had rendered for him. His tone was eager, buzzing with anticipation. "Jarvis tells me we're currently in New York."
He was delighted by this Simulated Universe; the level of realism was staggering. It was virtually indistinguishable from reality.
"Madam Herta, what's our next move?" Banner asked.
[That's for you to decide. However, since this is your first time, I'll provide a little assistance if you run into any real trouble.]
It made sense. After all, they were here as testers. Herta had specifically designed a scoring system; she wasn't here to remote-control their every move, but to observe their performance.
"New York, huh? Well, let's head out and take a look," Rogers nodded. They were, at the very least, familiar with the city.
But before they could even step out of the hall, Jarvis suddenly blared an alarm to Tony.
"Something's falling from the sky!" Tony immediately relayed the warning to the others.
Falling from the sky? Was this the Battle of New York? Aside from that day, they couldn't imagine what else would be plummeting into the city out of thin air.
Thor began to twirl Mjolnir, ready to neutralize any threat.
Thud!
A fast-falling "object" smashed through the hall's ceiling, hurtling into the interior and shattering the stone steps.
The group exchanged glances before Thor and Rogers took the lead, approaching the impact site.
"Thanos is coming!"
A voice, both familiar and strangely off, echoed from the crater in the stairs. Everyone instantly turned their gaze toward Banner.
"Wasn't me!" Banner stammered, caught off guard. The voice sounded remarkably like his own.
Because of the way sound conducts, a person hears their own voice differently than others do, but he wasn't a caveman; he'd heard recordings of himself on media and equipment plenty of times.
"What?!"
The voice came from the pit again. It was unmistakably Banner's voice.
A dazed and dizzy Future Banner didn't have time to worry about his disheveled state.
He scrambled out of the hole, flailing slightly, only to see his teammates standing right in front of him. Even Thor was there!?
Wait... there was even another version of himself? A younger one?
Looking closer, it wasn't just a younger him—everyone looked younger. Tony's Mark VII armor, in particular, made it feel like he'd stepped right back into the Battle of New York.
"What's going on? Where did Loki send me?" Future Banner muttered, looking utterly bewildered.
"Loki? You mentioned Loki?" Thor caught the keyword, his brow furrowing instantly.
"Yeah... wait, no..." Future Banner nodded, then quickly realized that if the people in front of him were indeed from the time of the Battle of New York, their opinion of Loki would be abysmal.
The Avengers exchanged looks once more.
While this Banner was still processing his confusion, the rest of them had caught on.
Considering this Banner's age and the nature of parallel worlds, this was likely a future much further along than their own timeline.
[Correct. This is the future. Though, not your future, of course. After all, a genius like me is the only thing truly unique across all parallel universes.]
In other words, this was a future where Madam Herta did not exist.
Tony realized why Madam Herta had sought them out for testing.
Given her earlier comment that the "observation perspective is determined by those who enter," combined with their status as "precious temporary staff," it might be rare for counterparts to exist in every universe—but the Avengers fit the bill perfectly.
Even if they didn't exist in every single one, they clearly existed in many.
[The year is 2018. Keep testing; I want to see what happens next.]
Herta gave her brief explanation and fell silent. Seeing this, the group turned their attention back to Future Banner.
"My relationship with Loki isn't as good as you might think," Future Banner said with a forced smile, seeing them all staring at him after their silent exchange.
Even if these people were their 2012 selves, he couldn't possibly take them all on alone—especially not while his head was still spinning.
"Take it easy, Banner," Rogers said, stepping forward as leader to offer reassurance. "We don't intend to hurt you."
"We're from a parallel world in the year 2012. We're here to conduct a test," Tony added, providing a bit more detail.
Future Banner relaxed significantly at that, but then his eyes lit up. This was perfect! Talk about perfect timing! He didn't know what they were testing, but he was desperately short on manpower!
Especially since Thor's current status was unknown; having a 2012 Thor show up was a massive stroke of luck!
"We can talk while we move!" Future Banner's mood brightened considerably, even managing a smile, though he quickly realized his current appearance was a bit embarrassing.
Banner understood the situation instinctively and took off his blazer to hand it over.
That bit of shared intuition drew a knowing smile from Future Banner. Though his pants were still in tatters, at least his upper body wasn't bare anymore.
"Here's the deal: there's an alien out there, tougher than the Hulk, and he's looking for the Infinity Stones..." Dressing as he spoke, Future Banner led the group out of the hall and onto the streets of New York.
But he hadn't been explaining for long when a pair of aliens—one hulking, one slender—appeared before them.
At the sight of them, Future Banner's eyes instantly turned red with rage. "Those two... they're Thanos's lackeys!"
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! Webnovel will get 2 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.