American Comics: Multiverse of Madness

189. Just in Time.

"Get away from my friend!"

Melissa suddenly unleashed an enormous burst of energy, and a pair of pink wings rapidly unfurled from her back. Following this, a terrifying sonic wave erupted.

"Stay back!!!"

Though Melissa's sonic abilities were not innate, they had been enhanced by individuals like the Minotaur, the Power Broker, and Baron Zemo, elevating her combat capabilities to a frighteningly powerful level.

Even though she hadn't used her voice for a long time, her terrifying sonic waves were still enough to tear through everything in front of her.

The Sentinel robot was knocked over by the oncoming sonic wave. Despite being programmed to have combat strategies specifically for ultrasonic mutants, its somewhat sluggish mechanical brain was unable to react effectively against the enraged Melissa.

The heavy thud of the Sentinel's fall echoed through the snowy mountains, causing the entire valley to tremble. The Sentinel's body created a large crater in the ground, shaking the nearby forest and causing snow to fall from the pine trees, startling a few birds and small animals.

"Well done, Melissa. Now leave the rest to me."

Clint Barton rolled away to create distance, then drew his bow and aimed at the Sentinel robot's head.

For such high-intelligence robots with autonomous awareness, the circuits in the head and chest were crucial. However, due to the high defense of the chest's steel plating, Clint wasn't confident he could penetrate the robot's armor, so he opted to target its head instead.

The arrow flew out with swift force, heading straight for the Sentinel robot, but it missed the head, disappearing into the forest.

Missed?!

Melissa couldn't believe what she was seeing. She had never imagined that the once-infallible Hawkeye could miss a shot.

"Damn it!"

Clint cursed inwardly and quickly moved to reposition himself.

As a long-range fighter, Clint's greatest strength was his battle experience. He could accurately find his combat rhythm and seize opportunities. Most importantly, in battles against terrifying foes, he could ensure his own safety without becoming a burden to his fellow Avengers.

When he missed the chance Melissa had created, Clint knew he had to retreat; otherwise, the enemy's counterattack would cause him significant harm. It was precisely Clint's extensive combat experience that allowed him to catch his breath at this moment. The Sentinel's counterattack came faster and more violently than Clint and Melissa had expected.

The Sentinel launched its fist, and simultaneously, several missile pods on its shoulders ignited, sending a barrage of missiles toward Clint and Melissa's positions in an indiscriminate attack.

"It's time to fall back, Melissa! The big guy is getting angry!" Clint shouted a warning while running in the opposite direction from Melissa.

Fighting alongside a teammate in close quarters during a battle can easily make both vulnerable to an enemy's area-of-effect attacks. Despite the years that had passed, Clint and Melissa still maintained excellent coordination.

"I'll hold it off."

Instead of retreating, Melissa advanced. Seeing the incoming massive mechanical fist and the overwhelming missile barrage, she stepped forward and let out a sharp scream. The piercing sonic waves Melissa controlled materialized into a pink, semi-transparent barrier, firmly blocking all of the Sentinel robot's attack paths, attempting to intercept all of its assaults.

"No, don't go head-to-head with it, get out of there!"

Clint stopped in his tracks when he saw what Melissa was doing.

Hawkeye, as an Avenger, deeply understood how terrifying Sentinel robots were. At their peak, even mutants avoided facing them head-on. Clint knew that given Melissa's current state, there was no way she could withstand the Sentinel's attack.

But at this moment, with the two of them heading in opposite directions, Clint was unable to provide any assistance. He realized that Melissa was seeking death, or rather, she was seeking to die. She hoped to create another opportunity for Clint by sacrificing her life.

Without a moment's hesitation, Clint swiftly drew an arrow from his quiver, carefully aiming at the damaged eye of the Sentinel robot, where he believed the robot's weak point was.

Boom!!

The moment the missiles made contact with the pink barrier, they exploded. The intense explosions were even more violent than when the Sentinel collapsed, and the massive fireball and rising black smoke quickly enveloped the area where Melissa was standing.

At the same time, Clint's arrow streaked through the air like a beam of light, shooting straight at the Sentinel robot. This time, he didn't waste the opportunity Melissa had created with her life. The arrow hit the Sentinel's eye squarely, causing a secondary explosion.

Fire erupted from the Sentinel robot's head, with bright, dazzling explosions tearing through it, and soon, smoke began billowing out of half of its head. The massive body of the Sentinel robot came to a halt.

As soon as Clint released the arrow, he immediately turned and ran toward Melissa's position. Confident that he wouldn't miss this time, he didn't even bother to check his handiwork.

As Clint sprinted away, the massive body of the Sentinel robot collapsed heavily to the ground. With its mechanical core destroyed, it could no longer rise. But Clint no longer cared about the Sentinel robot. All he wanted was to find Melissa and ensure her safety.

"Melissa! Melissa, where are you!?"

Clint shouted, but there was no response from ahead, causing his heart to sink.

"Damn it, are you really trying to end it this way?! Are you running away from your responsibilities? You promised me we'd redeem ourselves together! Are you really planning to end your life in such a ridiculous way?"

Roaring in frustration, Clint reached the area devastated by the missile barrage. The snow had been completely blown away, leaving behind only pools of melted ice. The once solid ground had been torn up by the explosions, leaving charred craters. The smell of gunpowder hung heavy in the air as Clint collapsed helplessly to the ground.

Clenching his fists, a wave of guilt and remorse washed over him. This overwhelming feeling of powerlessness filled Clint with rage. He wasn't sure whether to curse himself or someone else, but he shouted out loud.

"Damn it, not again! Damn it!"

And at that moment, a somewhat playful voice suddenly came from behind Clint.

"Kid, now I know where you get that foul mouth from."

...…..

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190. The Shock of Songbird and Hawkeye.
191. Another Conversation with Hawkeye.
192. New Clues.
193. About Moonstone.
194. Don’t Bother.