Marvel: Starting from the Snap

**

What the hell!?

Luke's hand trembled slightly as he held the pager, almost tossing it away out of reflex. However, after the initial shock subsided, he quickly regained composure and directed his gaze toward the blood-red text floating mid-air.

**[Artifacts]**

**[Objects crafted or blessed by various sentient beings. After their owner's death or loss of control, these artifacts often become imbued with a persistent, indelible obsession.]**

**[By harnessing ████'s power upon claiming an artifact, one can temporarily utilize its unique abilities, exceeding its original potential.]**

**[Artifacts serve various purposes: some excel in combat, others in healing and support. They are highly valuable for collection and practical use.]**

The crimson letters shifted and transformed before Luke's eyes, making his expression increasingly complex.

These characters bore no resemblance to any script he recognized. Compared to Chinese characters, they appeared to be a more ancient form of hieroglyphics. Initially, they seemed to follow a pattern, but upon closer inspection, they exuded an ineffable sense of mystery and complexity.

Despite being unfamiliar with the text, Luke instinctively understood their meaning as though his mind was equipped with an automatic translator. The moment he saw the symbols, their interpretation naturally surfaced in his thoughts.

"Claiming artifacts, using them... leveraging whose power, exactly?"

His brow furrowed deeply as he narrowed his eyes, straining to discern the blurred and obscured characters within the text. Yet no matter how hard he tried, his mental "translator" failed to process this critical information.

Luke knew this phenomenon was far beyond anything this universe could offer. He had never heard of artifacts or lingering obsessions before. While magic existed in this world, the floating words did not appear to belong to any known magical system.

The real question was: why could he see these words? Was this a unique ability of his, or had the pager triggered this display?

As Luke pondered, a commotion erupted not far from his location. He instinctively turned his head to see several masked figures carrying bags, scanning their surroundings nervously. The leader clutched a fire axe, giving off a menacing aura.

From their behavior, it was clear they were looters seeking to exploit the chaos for personal gain.

Upon noticing them, Luke's first instinct was to leave. He had no intention of entangling himself in unnecessary danger. This world, after all, was far more perilous than the one he came from.

Without hesitation, Luke slipped the pager into his jacket pocket and swiftly returned to the car he had driven earlier.

Sitting in the driver's seat with the doors locked, Luke let out a deep sigh of relief. The enclosed space offered a semblance of security.

Before he could catch his breath, his phone rang once more.

Luke froze for a moment before realization dawned on him. If he had managed to locate Nick Fury's "relic" via tracking, it meant that his movements had been monitored all along. Now that his position coincided with the signal and had begun to shift, it would clearly indicate to the observers that the retrieval mission had succeeded.

Taking out his phone, the display showed the familiar contact: **"A-GL."**

"Hello?"

Answering the call, Luke strove to maintain a calm and steady tone.

"Did you find it?"

The woman's voice on the other end was tinged with urgency, revealing her high regard for the pager's importance.

"Mission accomplished," Luke replied coolly, his hand instinctively brushing against his pocket where the pager rested.

Hearing his response, the woman let out a palpable sigh of relief.

"Finally, some good news. Well done, Kaya."

Luke didn't respond to her praise, keeping his focus on the current situation. His exposure risk was still significant, and caution remained paramount.

After a brief pause, the woman resumed, her tone more composed.

"Most of our operatives are missing or presumed lost. The chain of command has been severely disrupted, leaving the organization fractured. For now, the framework is intact, but the majority of operational units have scattered like grains of sand."

The information she revealed was invaluable. Luke remained silent, allowing her to continue while processing the intel.

"The higher-ups have decided to disperse all units, much like after the *Triskelion Incident.* Operatives will work independently to stabilize the situation and minimize losses before regrouping later."

The *Triskelion Incident*—a reference to the destruction of the Triskelion during the events of *Captain America: The Winter Soldier.* It marked the day S.H.I.E.L.D. and HYDRA imploded together. Following that day, S.H.I.E.L.D. officially disbanded, going underground to operate covertly.

But this time, the Snap's aftermath likely inflicted losses comparable to or greater than the HYDRA purge.

After a moment of silence, Luke diverted the conversation back to the task at hand. "So, what happens next? Do I hand this over to someone, or will you send someone to retrieve it?"

The woman seemed taken aback by his question, as though she hadn't anticipated "Kaya" to show such a singular focus on the mission rather than the fractured state of the organization.

In their line of work, a field agent like "Kaya" would typically be deeply concerned about their team composition and hierarchy. Yet here he was, more intent on delivering Fury's relic.

Her opinion of "Kaya" rose subtly.

Softening her tone, she replied, "Most of our units are still stranded in Wakanda, and contact has been sparse. Don't worry—I'll send someone to meet you. For now, head to Stark Industries. I'll arrange the rest."

"Understood."

Luke agreed readily. This was the best outcome under the circumstances. At least she hadn't ordered him to personally fly the pager over.

"Stay in touch."

The line disconnected, leaving Luke alone once again in the dimly lit car, the blood-red words lingering in his mind.

*(Chapter End)*