For Brigadier General Hans, today had been nothing short of a nightmare.
His worldview had been shattered into pieces, twice.
First, he encountered two women with terrifying powers. Then, he laid eyes on something that made him question the very definition of military technology, a flying helicarrier hovering in the sky like a mobile fortress.
And finally, the cherry on top: the order he received.
To build a swimming pool.
A luxurious, absurdly over-the-top swimming pool, on the helicarrier itself…
Hans nearly thought he was being pranked.
But the order came straight from the President himself: obey the owner of the grocery store without question.
No matter how irrational the task, it was now his sacred duty.
So, he reluctantly complied.
With the President's directive backing him, he submitted an outrageous request for materials, dozens of truckloads worth. Normally, such a demand would've been buried under red tape and denied on sight. But this time, approvals flew through the system with breathtaking speed.
It only deepened Hans' sense of dread and awe. The grocery store owner clearly wasn't some nobody.
Construction began immediately. The pool, the games room, the works.
Meanwhile, the helicarrier hovered in place over the grocery store.
Luke and the girls, however, didn't bother staying to supervise the project, only Wanda helped carry people and materials up from time to time.
Instead, they returned to their true sanctuary, the grocery store.
Inside the shop, they huddled together behind the counter, talking about the future.
"I think we really need to hire someone," Luke said, leaning back in his gaming chair, arms crossed behind his head.
Sharon nodded. "We've got a flying base being renovated into a floating palace. Someone has to stay behind to run things."
And surprisingly, Wanda, the usual budget hawk, agreed.
Not because she suddenly developed a soft spot for spending money.
But because she was looking ahead… to the dream.
When the pool and facilities were done, they'd set off on a world tour aboard the helicarrier. Travel the globe by air, sleep in the open by the pool beneath the stars, wake up to sunrise over distant landscapes, and then lounge around playing cards all day.
Wanda was so enchanted by the idea that, for once, she gave her full blessing to hiring help.
Their method of selecting the new clerk, however, was… unorthodox, to say the least.
They decided to hire the first person who walked through the door today.
No interviews, no resumes, just fate.
The shop opened for business.
Luke leaned back in his chair behind the counter, no game in front of him this time, just eyes fixed on the door like a hunter watching a trap.
Wanda stood near the shelves, arms crossed, her intense gaze also locked on the door.
Sharon stationed herself beside the entrance, as if ready to pounce.
Then they heard it, footsteps.
All three snapped to attention.
The door creaked open… and in walked a man with a red pigtail, tattoos covering his arms, wearing a sleeveless vest and loud floral pants.
One of their most loyal and colorful customers.
The three of them grinned simultaneously.
Fate had delivered exactly who they wanted.
Red Braid froze when he saw all three of them smiling at him.
His instincts screamed danger.
Still, he forced a polite smile. "Sister Sharon, good morning."
Then, with a slightly nervous chuckle, "Sister Wanda, Boss Luke, morning."
They all knew each other. Red Braid had been around since the store first mutated. Even when his leg was broken in the chaos of a previous event, he remained loyal, showing up every day, rain or shine, buying whatever Wanda put in front of him without question.
He worked hard in his gang, collected protection fees left and right, and blew nearly every cent in this store.
In their eyes, he was perfect for the job.
Luke stood and walked toward him, smiling. "What's your name again?"
"Doesn't matter," Luke cut in. "Would you be interested in a relaxed and enjoyable job?"
Red Braid blinked. "What kind of job?"
Suddenly, the door slammed shut behind him with a glowing red flash, Wanda's magic.
Red Braid flinched, looking between them, now visibly sweating.
Wanda took a step forward and said sweetly, "We're hiring a clerk. You're hired. Congratulations."
Sharon gave the handle of Mjölnir a casual toss in the air. "You might want to say yes."
Red Braid gulped and nodded almost in tears. "Y-Yes, of course."
And just like that, they had their man.
He was given food, housing, and a variety of responsibilities: cashier, cleaner, security guard, stock assistant, you name it.
The moment he agreed, the system reacted.
[Ding! Your clerk Red Braid felt the care from the boss and increased his loyalty. An excellent employee was born.]
Apparently, the system also didn't care what his real name was.
With Red Braid now working full-time, the three of them were completely liberated.
They moved their living quarters to the helicarrier.
Luke even brought up his prized gaming chair and computer. The computer, despite looking aged, was still the most advanced object mutated by the system. It even outranked the lucky cat in terms of danger level.
So naturally, he didn't want to leave it unsupervised.
Luke returned to his life of games and snacks, while Wanda and Sharon oversaw the pool's construction. Occasionally, they flew down to the shop to check on Red Braid, though his loyalty never wavered.
Life became peaceful again.
But Luke hadn't forgotten about the system's promotion or the looming Marvel plotlines.
He just didn't know when or if the next arc would even arrive.
With Hydra and Killian's stories pushed forward by his interference, everything felt unpredictable now.
Would the rest of the events still happen?
Were they forever changed?
He didn't have an answer… until one day, a new piece of news appeared on the television screen.
"The Life One rocket, launched by the United States' leading biotech company, the Life Foundation, suffered a catastrophic failure and exploded upon re-entry into Earth's atmosphere. All personnel on board have been confirmed dead."
Luke slowly put down the controller as his eyes narrowed.
Something was starting again.