Chapter 84: Uchiha Madara’s Difficulties
"Hello, I'm Phil Coulson. I'm here to entrust you with a mission..." Coulson began, expecting to see a familiar face. However, instead of Su Xiuyu, the person on duty today was a long-haired man he didn't recognize. His hair nearly reached his waist.
Coulson had seen plenty of strange individuals—America was full of monsters and oddities—so a man with long hair wasn't particularly unusual. Still, something about this one felt different. Unlike Su Xiuyu's calm, approachable demeanor, this man radiated a colder, more imposing presence.
"So it's you. I've heard about you from Xiuyu. But I don't like your fake smile," Uchiha Madara said flatly, his gaze sharp and unyielding.
Coulson's practiced smile faltered. The bluntness caught him off guard. Weren't Easterners supposed to be more reserved?
Still, Coulson didn't let it show. As a seasoned agent, he maintained his composure. However, his companion Brock Rumlow couldn't hold his tongue.
"You're being quite disrespectful to our agency—The Strategic Homeland—"
Madara lifted a single finger. That was all it took. An invisible force surged through the room, pinning Coulson and Rumlow to the ground. The pressure came from all directions, overwhelming every cell in their bodies. Their instincts screamed in fear.
"You have no right to act arrogant in front of me. Just shut up. I may not like fake smiles, but I hate empty provocations even more. That was your first strike. You'll get one more chance."
The pressure vanished, and both men gasped for air as if they had just surfaced from deep underwater.
Neither spoke. Neither needed to. Rumlow, despite his usual impulsiveness—something that had always defined his role in the Thunderbolt Team—knew he had crossed a dangerous line. He'd only provoked the man on Alexander Pierce's orders, trying to gather intel. And now he had a taste of it—barely survived it.
Whatever technique had just been used on them, neither of them could identify it. Thankfully, they were wearing micro-cameras; the footage might provide clues later.