American Comics: Heaven's Reward

"Ah? Me? You want me to fight her?"

Gwen pointed at herself, looking confused and uncertain.

"Believe in yourself," Aaron said calmly.

"Use the authority I granted you and the magic within it. It's not difficult to deal with her."

Aaron's words were meant to encourage, not to set Gwen up for failure.

Originally, her strength was nowhere near the level of heroes like Captain Marvel—it was a vast difference. Unless the plot demanded otherwise, Captain Marvel could easily defeat Gwen Spider in seconds.

But now, things were different.

As Aaron's disciple and someone he deeply trusted, Gwen held higher authority than even Tong Yi. Although she had no subordinates connected under her node, the sheer amount of energy and magic she could access was enormous.

If she could wield the magic within her authority wisely and skillfully, Captain Marvel wouldn't pose much of a problem.

Even though Gwen still lacked deep magical knowledge and real battle experience, her Spider-Sense alone made it nearly impossible for Captain Marvel to land a decisive hit.

"But... can I really do this?" Gwen still hesitated.

The last serious opponent she faced was the Lizardman. She had no experience battling such formidable enemies. What if she messed up?

"Teacher, let me do it! I want to try!"

Unlike Gwen, Wanda was eager, practically bursting with anticipation as she looked at Carol.

She wanted to test the limits of her magic.

To master her abilities as quickly as possible, Wanda had also connected to the Magic Net. Through it, she rapidly learned spell after spell, demonstrating an extraordinary aptitude.

Her magical talent completely outshone Gwen's.

Despite having started learning later, Wanda quickly surpassed her, mastering a greater number of spells and using them with remarkable proficiency.

Even Amora, who was in charge of their training, was constantly shocked.

If Aaron was excluded, Wanda's magical prowess was likely greater than anyone in Asgard—including Odin himself!

The Terror of Wanda's Magic

Wanda's abilities were terrifying.

She only needed to glance at a spell once to break it down in her mind, mastering it in an unbelievably short time.

No matter how complex the magic was, it never took her long to grasp.

Combined with the massive well of magic she naturally possessed, Wanda's power was increasing exponentially.

Even without tapping into the Magic Net, her raw strength already surpassed warriors like Sif and Amora. Only Aaron and Qin stood above her.

This drove Amora into another spiral of self-doubt.

But unlike before, she wasn't discouraged—because now, with access to the Magic Net, she only needed to raise her authority to close the gap in power.

There was no longer any need to envy Wanda.

A Training Opponent Named Captain Marvel

Despite Wanda's enthusiasm, Aaron didn't change his decision—Gwen would be the one to fight.

Gwen needed more practical experience, while Wanda didn't require slow growth like she did.

In fact, even if Aaron hadn't taken Wanda as his disciple, she would have naturally grown into a terrifyingly powerful witch within a few years—one rivaling even Thor himself.

And if she ever got the chance to study the Darkhold, she could become the true Scarlet Witch, capable of traversing the multiverse, single-handedly overwhelming Kamar-Taj, Sorcerer Supreme Stephen Strange, and the entire Illuminati.

Gwen, however, was different.

From the beginning, she had been just another version of Spider-Man—no different from those in other universes.

Even after all her specialized training, she still needed further growth.

Captain Marvel was the perfect opponent for that.

Yes—in Aaron's eyes, Carol had been reduced to a training dummy.

She wasn't even worth fighting himself.

Carol's Fury

Carol was beyond angry.

She glared at the three of them, her fists clenched.

With her enhanced hearing, how could she not hear their conversation?

This Aaron guy—he wasn't even planning to fight her himself! Instead, he was sending his apprentice?

Did he look down on her that much?!

"God of Magic, do you not even have the courage to fight me?" she demanded.

"Or do you think I'm so insignificant that I'm not worth your time?"

Aaron nodded. "You can see it that way."

"You!!"

Carol's anger flared, but she quickly calmed herself.

She suddenly remembered—she hadn't introduced herself yet.

She had been fighting aliens ever since she awakened her powers.

Within S.H.I.E.L.D., only a handful of people—like Nick Fury—knew of her existence.

Even Phil Coulson and other high-ranking agents weren't aware of her.

During her long absence, she had rarely returned to the solar system.

It was understandable that the God of Magic had never heard of her.

And as a powerful figure himself, it was only natural that he wouldn't react strongly to an unknown challenger.

After all, she felt the same way.

Strong people never take unknown opponents seriously.

She understood this mindset.

But that didn't mean she would tolerate it.

Carol stomped her foot lightly, and the ground beneath them cracked open from the sheer force.

"I forgot to introduce myself.

I'm Carol Danvers. Nick Fury's friend. A member of the Avengers. You can call me Captain Marvel."

"I have defeated countless alien threats—many of whom were stronger than the Chitauri you fought."

"Now, do you take me seriously?"

She folded her arms, raising her head slightly with a confident smile.

Aaron simply responded in a casual tone.

"Oh, I don't need to introduce myself—you already know about me from Nick Fury."

"But let me introduce my disciple—Spiderwoman Gwen. A magic apprentice who has only recently begun her studies."

"She once defeated Doctor Lizard."

"That's it."

Carol's eye twitched.

Good God.

He was seriously sending a little girl to fight her.

Carol narrowed her eyes at Gwen and Wanda, examining them carefully.

This is insulting.

One of them looked nervous and completely unprepared for battle.

The other, a young girl who barely looked like a teenager, was brimming with confidence but still too immature.

She couldn't take either of them seriously.

If Aaron had chosen one of the three mature women standing nearby, she might have reluctantly accepted it.

Especially the red-clad woman standing in the back—her face was calm, but her eyes were filled with scrutiny and even contempt toward her?

Interesting woman.

Carol made a mental note of Jean Grey.

Then she looked back at Aaron.

His expression was completely indifferent.

"Are you trying to piss me off?"

"Do you want me to lose my composure?"

"Nice strategy."

"I've faced many enemies in space who tried the same tricks."

"But in the end, they all fell before me."

"I hope you can put up more of a fight than they did."

Aaron shrugged. "You misunderstand—I never intended to provoke you."

He patted Gwen's shoulder.

His gaze was full of encouragement.

Taking a deep breath, Gwen finally gathered her courage and stepped forward.

She looked directly at Carol.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Carol asked, trying one last time to dissuade her.

"Fighting is not a game. Don't put yourself in danger because someone else is too much of a coward to fight me himself."

But Gwen's hesitation was gone.

She clenched her fists.

"The teacher believes in me. I won't let him down!"

She raised her hands, conjuring two Rings of Raggadorr—defensive spells that could be cast with one hand.

Carol sighed.

"Fine. If you've already made up your mind..."

She clenched her fists, preparing to end the fight as quickly as possible.

And once she was done?

She was going to give the "God of Magic" a real beating.

Or rather... the "God of Cowards."

Even in a crisis, he hid behind a woman.

She despised this kind of person the most!

As Carol charged toward Gwen at a speed beyond human perception, the latter barely reacted in time.

If it weren't for her Spider-Sense frantically warning her, she might not have even had the chance to defend herself.

She managed to block the blow.

The Ring of Raggadorr shattered instantly under Carol's attack!

Though it broke in a single strike, it had fulfilled its purpose—halting Carol's advance and preventing Gwen from being instantly defeated.

However, the sheer force of the impact still sent Gwen flying tens of meters. She barely managed to stop her momentum by anchoring herself with her webbing.

"Her strength is incredible. In terms of raw power, I'm no match for her."

Sif's expression was solemn, a rare sense of defeat washing over her.

"Well, well, I never expected Sif—the mightiest female warrior of Asgard—to admit defeat. And to a woman, no less. A Midgardian at that."

Amora sounded amused, though her eyes held a serious glint as she studied Carol.

Sif ignored Amora's taunts, instead turning to Aaron with concern.

"Aaron, can Gwen handle this? Carol might be right—her power is feared across many alien civilizations."

Aaron, however, remained unfazed.

"I saw her holding back earlier. She hasn't even begun to fight seriously."

"Are you sure?"

"It's obvious. She hasn't gone all out yet."

Aaron's gaze shifted toward the distance. He could sense several figures lurking in the shadows, silently observing the battle.

"Give up. You're not my opponent," Carol declared, approaching Gwen with a victorious air.

"If you keep fighting, you'll only get hurt."

"Gwen, you should join the Avengers instead of staying with that so-called 'God of Cowards.' He isn't worthy of being your mentor."

Carol's voice carried a confident certainty.

"I can teach you far more than he ever could. Leave him and come with me."

Carol hadn't returned to Earth in years, and now that an old friend had summoned her back, she intended to do something meaningful. Recruiting talented individuals for the Avengers seemed like the perfect start.

She admired strong women.

And in her eyes, they had no place standing beside a man.

As an exceptional woman herself, she believed they should rise above and stand alone.

"Give up? Never!"

Gwen anchored herself to the ground with her webbing, her eyes burning with determination.

"My teacher has taught me so much! You have no right to speak about him!"

"You have no right to be my teacher!"

"And for the record, he is the God of Magic—not the coward you claim he is!"

Carol's words, filled with contempt for Aaron, ignited a fierce anger within Gwen.

Aaron had given her so much.

He had granted her access to the Weave of Magic with unprecedented authority.

How could such a gift be dismissed so easily?

Rage fueled her.

Tapping into her connection to the Weave, she channeled an immense surge of energy.

A powerful force erupted around her, lifting her into the air.

Pure energy washed over her, altering her very being.

Her skin became flawless like jade.

Her muscle definition sharpened—not into a bulky, overpowering form but into something both strong and aesthetically perfect.

In that moment, her raw physical prowess surpassed even the Hulk's.

And she still had an excess of power—enough to be described as vast, boundless.

Carol's confident smirk faded.

Her expression turned serious.

This energy...

It was terrifying.

How did Gwen achieve such an enormous transformation in an instant?

Just moments ago, she had merely been a skilled fighter with decent strength.

Now, she was something else entirely.

"This is the power granted to me by the God of Magic."

"And today, I will use his power to defeat you."

Gwen's eyes snapped open, now glowing with a brilliant golden hue.

Carol's gaze shifted to Aaron, her confidence shaken for the first time.

The man remained composed, unfazed.

A mysterious aura surrounded him.

How could he bestow such overwhelming power upon another so quickly?

No wonder Nick Fury saw him as a headache.

A formidable opponent indeed.

Carol steeled herself.

She still refused to believe she could lose to someone who had just acquired their strength.

This new power was impressive, but compared to her?

It was still lacking.

"It's useless. No matter how much you strengthen yourself, you still won't be able to defeat me."

Golden energy erupted around Carol, her aura intensifying as she ascended into her most powerful form—Binary Mode.

The battlefield crackled with energy.

Carol wasn't holding back anymore.

She was going to crush Gwen, just as she had before.

"Are you ready?"

"Bring it on!"

Gwen took a fighting stance, her expression determined.

Her movements, her posture—it was clear she was preparing for close combat.

Carol didn't hesitate.

In an instant, she became a streak of light, closing the distance between them with blinding speed.

She swung her right fist, aiming to end this in a single strike.

Gwen's eyes widened.

Carol could already see the victory in her grasp.

But then—

Everything shifted.

Her surroundings changed.

In an instant, Carol found herself hurtling through a strange portal.

When she regained her senses…

She was in space.

Floating, weightless.

Carol was dumbfounded.

It was supposed to be a fight.

Why did she suddenly get teleported away?

Wait—did she just get BFR'd (Battlefield Removed)?

Back on the battlefield, Gwen let out a relieved breath.

"That was close! She almost landed that punch!"

Carol was absurdly fast.

Even with her newly enhanced divine body, tracking Carol's movements had been nearly impossible.

Just now, she had barely avoided being struck.

Fortunately, she had reacted in time, improvising by using a portal to send Carol into outer space.

Otherwise, Aaron would have had to step in again, and that would have been embarrassing.

She glanced at her hands, feeling the residual power coursing through her veins.

If she hadn't strengthened her body with magic beforehand, she wouldn't have had the chance to react at all.

This power…

It was incredible.

But was the battle truly over?

She looked toward Aaron, searching for confirmation.

He simply smiled, nodding approvingly.

Her improvisation was impressive.

She had never faced Captain Marvel before and still managed to adapt mid-fight.

Many others would have already been knocked out by Carol's first strike.

After all, she was the strongest Avenger capable of light-speed combat and trained in Kree military warfare.

And yet, Gwen had held her ground.

Still…

This fight wasn't over.

Not by a long shot.

The real battle was just beginning.

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