Marvel: Ned the Master of Mystic Arts

"I should've known!"

As Hawkeye dragged Stark out of the store, he couldn't help but complain, "If Fury actually sent me to help you, then either it's a mad scientist or some super freak!"

"Seriously, I'm here fighting alongside a bunch of monsters, and I'm stuck with a bow and arrow?!"

"Well, when you put it like that…" Stark muttered, struggling to keep up with Hawkeye's pace as he was practically being yanked forward. The awkwardness of the situation made him grumble, "Alright, fine. Once we get out of this mess, I'll upgrade your weapons."

"Oh wow, thanks so much," Hawkeye snarked, slinging his recurve bow onto his back while expertly hurling explosive and smoke arrows behind him without even looking.

BOOM!

A powerful explosion rocked the small store, reducing it to rubble.

Hawkeye and Stark came to a stop, cautiously watching the wreckage. Even for someone as dangerous as their pursuer, it was impossible to survive such destruction with just his body… right?

Just behind the store, not far from the wreckage, the Winter Soldier swiftly rolled to his feet.

Before the explosions went off, he had already smashed through the shop's back window and escaped, hitting the ground just in time to avoid the blast. Not a scratch.

Step. Step. Step.

The sound of combat boots crunching through the smoldering debris made Stark and Hawkeye tense up.

Emerging from the fire and ruin, the Winter Soldier strode forward like a specter of death, his cold eyes locked onto them.

"Oh, hell no!"

Hawkeye didn't hesitate. He drew three arrows and fired them at the Winter Soldier's feet, then immediately grabbed Stark and bolted toward a car parked on the roadside.

No second thoughts. No turning back. If that explosion couldn't take him down, what was the point of fighting?

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Hearing the urgent beeping from the arrows stuck in the ground, the Winter Soldier instinctively dodged to the side.

BOOM!

A thick cloud of dust erupted from the explosion. But when the smoke cleared, the Winter Soldier was already sprinting toward a nearby car. He tore the door off with one hand, fiddled with the ignition, and in seconds, the engine roared to life.

The chase was on.

"Uh… buddy? He's catching up!" Stark called out, glancing nervously at the rearview mirror.

Hawkeye checked the mirror and snapped, "Didn't I give you a gun? Shoot him!"

"On it!"

Stark hastily loaded the pistol, stuck his head out of the window, and fired a barrage of shots.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

The bullets hit their mark… barely. The only real damage? A couple of scratches on the stolen car's paint job.

"What the hell was that?!" Hawkeye yelled.

"Hey! You know that guy's a freaking superhuman, right? My aim's fine!" Stark defended himself.

Hawkeye groaned and yanked Stark's head back inside just as bullets from the Winter Soldier's gun tore through their windshield, leaving the car riddled with holes.

"JUST STAY DOWN!" Hawkeye shouted.

He yanked the steering wheel, sending their car into a sharp turn.

Behind them, the Winter Soldier smirked and gunned the accelerator, determined to close the distance.

Tires screeched. Guns fired.

Hawkeye expertly weaved through the streets, dodging bullets by inches. He had done high-speed chases before, but this? This was something else.

Meanwhile, Stark clung to his seat for dear life.

He had faced explosions, been kidnapped, even built an armored suit in a cave, but weaving through bullets without his armor? That was a whole new level of terrifying.

"Just—just tell me when we're safe!" Stark shouted over the chaos.

"Shut up and hold on!" Hawkeye growled.

Just then, a car suddenly swerved out from a side street, blocking their path.

"Shit—"

CRASH!

Hawkeye's car slammed head-on into the other vehicle.

The impact sent Stark hurtling forward, slamming face-first into the dashboard.

"OWWWWW!!" he howled in pain.

Hawkeye's instincts screamed at him—this wasn't just an accident. This was a trap.

Before he could react, the doors of the blocking car opened. A massive machine gun was pointed directly at them.

And Stark? He recognized that gun.

His heart sank. He designed that model. If he was right, the gun barrel still had "Stark Industries" engraved on it.

That thing could tear through concrete. Their car? It might as well have been made of paper.

As the gun began to spin up, Stark clenched his fists. If he was going to die, he was at least going to go out with some dignity.

But then—

Swish!

Click!

Beep. Beep. BOOM!

An arrow pierced straight into the gun's barrel, setting off a chain reaction.

KA-BOOM!

The car exploded, flipping into the air before crashing down in flames.

Stark let out a shaky breath, collapsing back in his seat.

In the shadows, Hawkeye remained unfazed. A calculated shot, nothing more.

But before either of them could celebrate, the Winter Soldier's car smashed into them from behind, sending Stark lurching forward again.

"OWWW! DAMMIT, BUCKY!" he screamed.

The Winter Soldier stepped out, eyes burning with fury.

Hawkeye fired another arrow, but this time, the Winter Soldier caught it mid-air with his metal arm.

BOOM!

The arrow exploded in his hand.

But when the dust settled—he was still standing.

Unscathed.

And angrier than ever.

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