Chương 166: Chapter 166: Old Cap's Request 

As the massive Troll Ninja materialized, it was immediately followed by a rapid, silent deployment of dozens of Shadow Ninjas into the hall, their glowing crimson eyes locking onto every single hostile entity. 

Facing the sudden appearance of these terrifying, unknown entities, the Winter Soldiers immediately recognized the massive tactical threat. They completely ignored the relatively weak Hydra regular forces they were previously fighting and aggressively redirected their coordinated attacks toward the newly arrived Shadow Ninjas. 

However, the current generation of Shadowkhan had been significantly, highly aggressively upgraded. Even a baseline Shadow Ninja was now mathematically capable of effortlessly overpowering Hydra's absolute most elite enhanced soldiers. 

The Ninjas displayed absolutely zero hesitation or localized mercy. The razor-sharp blades of their katanas flashed brilliantly in the dim light, effortlessly, brutally severing limbs and decapitating the Winter Soldiers in a matter of seconds. The remaining Hydra regulars, thoroughly brainwashed and incapable of tactical surrender, blindly charged the Shadow Ninjas and were similarly, efficiently slaughtered. 

"Luke?" The Captain recognized the signature dark entities and called out, scanning the chaotic shadows. 

"It's been quite a while, Captain," Luke replied smoothly, slowly, casually stepping out from the localized shadow directly in front of the heavily battered super-soldier. 

Observing the Captain's highly exhausted, slightly disheveled state, Luke offered a genuine, faint smile. 

While Luke had previously harbored a significant degree of irritation toward the Captain due to the Civil War events in the original timeline, his perspective had shifted. Looking back, during that specific timeframe, he and the Captain had only been acquainted for a very brief period; it was entirely logical that the Captain hadn't possessed a deep, localized foundation of absolute trust in him. 

Consequently, Luke's current localized emotional disposition toward Steve Rogers had essentially reset to their initial baseline. He harbored absolutely zero active hostility. 

"Were you the highly classified 'backup' my squad specifically requested?" the Captain asked, nodding toward the allied operatives who had been incapacitated earlier. He slowly walked over to check on their physical condition. 

Luke simply shrugged nonchalantly. "I honestly have absolutely no idea what specific request you're referring to. Natasha formally contacted me and explicitly requested localized tactical assistance." 

The Captain smiled, relieved to discover that his allied operatives were still breathing; they had merely suffered severe blunt-force trauma from the Winter Soldiers and were currently unconscious. 

Luke ordered a few Shadow Ninjas to gently secure the unconscious operatives. He casually scanned the massive hall littered with corpses, his gaze lingering briefly on the highly mutated, decapitated bodies of the Winter Soldiers. 

He didn't spot Bucky Barnes. It was highly probable Pierce had aggressively retained the Winter Soldier for a highly specialized, localized objective elsewhere. After all, Bucky was the absolute most stable, perfectly brainwashed asset Hydra possessed, frequently deployed for critical assassinations. 

With the Shadow Ninjas physically supporting the unconscious operatives, Luke swiftly drew a Sling Ring portal, actively transporting the entire group directly back to New York. 

Checking the specific localized GPS coordinates on his phone, Luke arrived at an unassuming suburban door and knocked briefly. 

The door was instantly opened, indicating the occupant had been anxiously awaiting their arrival. 

Natasha Romanoff stood in the doorway. Seeing the group, she quickly stepped aside and hurriedly ushered them all inside. 

After helping to secure the injured operatives in the spacious living room, Nick Fury slowly descended the stairs, his single eye locking directly onto Luke. 

"There is an individual currently located upstairs who formally requests a brief, highly private conversation with you," Fury stated calmly. "However, given his advanced age, he lacks significant localized mobility. Would you kindly proceed upstairs to his location?" 

Luke nodded, highly confused. Why is Fury aggressively cultivating this localized aura of absolute mystery? Furthermore... judging by Fury's highly respectful, almost deferential tone, who exactly is upstairs? Could it be Alexander Pierce attempting a localized negotiation? 

Luke slowly ascended the stairs, leaving Fury to debrief the Captain. 

Arriving at the second floor, Luke stepped out onto a sunlit balcony and observed a highly elderly man peacefully relaxing in a lounge chair. He slowly approached the figure. 

"Hello. Who exactly are you?" Luke asked, casually utilizing dark energy to instantly manifest a matching lounge chair beside the old man, and comfortably sitting down. 

The elderly man slowly turned his head, offering Luke a highly familiar, incredibly warm smile. 

As Luke focused on the old man's highly weathered, yet unmistakably distinct facial features, he was genuinely, profoundly stunned. 

"Are you..." Luke glanced over his shoulder, ensuring the younger Steve Rogers hadn't followed him up the stairs. 

"The Captain from the highly divergent, future timeline?" Luke deduced, immediately recalling his previous encounter with the older, alternate-reality Tony Stark and his team. 

"Precisely. It is an absolute pleasure to see you again, Mr. Luke. From my localized chronological perspective, our last formal encounter occurred exactly sixty years ago," the elderly Steve Rogers replied softly. 

Luke chuckled softly. "So, after successfully resolving the massive, apocalyptic crisis in your own timeline, you decided to aggressively time-travel several decades into the past of this specific reality?" 

As he spoke, a massive, highly specific realization violently struck Luke. 

"Wait a minute... does that explicitly mean... that you are the mysterious husband of Peggy Carter?!" 

Old Cap simply smiled mysteriously, refusing to verbalize a direct confirmation. Instead, he slowly reached into his pocket and produced a highly faded, black-and-white photograph. 

He handed it to Luke. It was a formal wedding portrait of Steve Rogers and Peggy Carter. However, the setting was incredibly intimate; there were absolutely no other individuals present in the frame. 

After studying the photograph for a moment, Luke respectfully returned it to Old Cap, watching with a faint smile as the elderly man gently, highly preciously tucked the photo back into his breast pocket. 

"So," Luke leaned back in his chair, folding his arms. "I highly doubt you specifically requested this localized meeting simply to casually flaunt your marital bliss. What is the actual objective?" 

Old Cap let out a long, heavy, highly regretful sigh. "Mr. Luke... my primary, absolute objective for requesting this meeting is to formally ask for your localized assistance in actively mediating the highly fractured, deeply hostile relationship between the Tony Stark and Steve Rogers of this specific timeline." 

Hearing the request, Luke's expression instantly darkened into a mask of absolute, icy detachment. He casually extended his senses, confirming the younger Steve was still actively conversing with Fury downstairs. 

"You are formally requesting my active intervention to mediate between Steve and Tony? Do you actively remember the specific, localized details regarding Bucky Barnes?" 

Old Cap nodded slowly, his expression highly pained. 

Luke pressed the interrogation aggressively. "And during your localized time-travel excursion... did you actively intervene to successfully save Tony's parents from assassination?" 

"At that highly specific chronological point, I aggressively deployed a specialized tactical team to intercept Bucky," Old Cap explained softly. "However, the historical data was incomplete. Bucky wasn't the sole operative deployed to assassinate Howard. I successfully intercepted the secondary support team, but Bucky managed to evade our perimeter entirely." 

"I eventually located Howard's vehicle on that desolate road... but I was entirely too late. They were already dead. That was the precise moment I profoundly realized that possessing knowledge of the future does not guarantee the absolute capacity to flawlessly alter history. At least, I lacked that capacity." 

Luke's expression softened slightly, acknowledging the effort. "While I formally recognize that you actively attempted to intervene... the absolute, unalterable historical fact remains that Tony's parents were violently murdered. Consequently, I possess absolutely zero capability, nor any localized desire, to magically compel Tony to forgive Bucky." 

"Furthermore," Luke stated, his gaze locking intensely onto Old Cap, "this entire, catastrophic fracture is fundamentally the direct result of your own highly biased, localized actions. You possessed absolute, classified knowledge that Bucky had assassinated Tony's parents, yet you actively, deliberately concealed that information and aggressively protected Bucky. That specific, highly deceptive betrayal is the absolute root cause of the Civil War." 

"I was trapped in an impossible localized situation," Old Cap pleaded defensively. "Tony was completely, violently consumed by rage. He possessed the absolute intention to permanently execute Bucky. I had absolutely no other tactical option but to intervene." 

Luke immediately, aggressively countered. "If a hostile entity violently murdered my parents... regardless of their highly complex, tragic 'brainwashing' defense... I would be absolutely, violently consumed by rage! I would aggressively ensure that individual accompanied me directly to Hell!" 

"I am entirely an external, third-party observer. That specific detachment is the absolute only reason I am currently sitting here rationally discussing this with you. However... I firmly believe this specific conversation is highly inappropriate." 

Luke stood up, actively preparing to terminate the meeting. But Old Cap desperately reached out and grabbed his arm. 

"Then formally permit me—the individual directly responsible for the localized trauma—to personally speak with him! I am merely asking you to grant me a single, highly controlled localized opportunity to calmly, rationally explain the absolute truth to Tony." 

Old Cap spoke with profound, desperate sincerity, his voice thick with highly emotional pleading. Luke paused, looking down at the elderly man. 

"I genuinely, deeply believe that if I can successfully establish a rational dialogue with Tony regarding these events, it will ultimately provide him with highly necessary localized psychological closure," Old Cap added. 

Luke remained completely silent for a long moment, carefully weighing the tactical implications. 

"I will formally grant you a single localized opportunity to fully disclose the truth to Tony," Luke finally stated coldly. "However... I absolutely will not advocate on your behalf, nor will I explicitly request his forgiveness. Furthermore... regardless of whatever aggressive, localized retaliatory action Tony decides to execute upon learning the truth... I will absolutely, unequivocally support him. At the absolute minimum, I will violently intervene to ensure you and Bucky do not successfully physically overpower him." 

"Thank you. That is entirely sufficient." 

Old Cap slowly stood up and offered a deep, highly respectful bow of gratitude. 

Luke turned and descended the stairs, profoundly relieved to escape the highly tense, emotionally charged environment. 

In his original timeline, watching the conclusion of Captain America: Civil War had deeply, profoundly infuriated him. If Steve had simply remained neutral and allowed Tony to apprehend Bucky, it wasn't an absolute mathematical certainty that Tony would have immediately executed him. However, Steve's continuous, aggressive physical intervention and highly hypocritical moralizing had permanently, violently shattered their relationship. 

Now, possessing absolute localized cosmic authority, Luke actively desired to alter that highly tragic outcome. He wanted to ensure Tony didn't suffer the same profound, localized isolation and betrayal. 

As Luke reached the ground floor, he saw the younger Captain America still deeply engaged in conversation with Fury. Seeing Luke descend, they both paused and looked over. 

"Was your localized interaction highly productive?" Fury asked immediately, his single eye radiating intense curiosity. 

"It was highly unpleasant," Luke replied dismissively. 

Fury shook his head helplessly. "I am not privy to the specific classified details of your conversation. However, I sincerely hope you will actively fulfill the final, localized request of an elderly hero." 

"I am fundamentally incapable of 'fulfilling' his request. The ultimate, localized resolution depends entirely on his own actions. I merely provided a brief tactical window," Luke stated coldly. He glanced at the younger Steve. "Does he not require a localized meeting with his future counterpart?" 

"He hasn't explicitly requested one," Fury shook his head. 

However, precisely at that moment, a voice called down from the balcony. 

"Please send Steve up. I possess highly critical, classified information I must personally relay to him." 

Fury nodded in acknowledgment and shot Steve a highly significant glance. 

Steve looked completely bewildered, utterly confused by the highly cryptic, localized interactions. However, after exchanging a final look with Fury, he slowly began ascending the stairs. 

Watching Steve disappear onto the second floor, Fury turned his absolute focus back to Luke, entirely dropping the subject of Old Cap. "Lord Luke, SHIELD urgently requires your highly advanced, localized tactical assistance." 

"Are you explicitly referring to the highly pervasive Hydra infiltration?" Luke replied, sounding profoundly bored. 

Fury was visibly, genuinely taken aback. "You are actively aware of the infiltration?!" 

"Hydra operatives formally attempted to initiate localized contact with me previously. Why exactly is this surprising?" 

Hearing that Hydra had actively attempted to recruit a Dimensional Lord terrified Fury to his absolute core. 

"Lord Luke, you must absolutely comprehend the scale of the threat. Hydra is a highly organized, utterly ruthless global terrorist syndicate! They are completely, insanely obsessed with establishing absolute, totalitarian global domination. They were the primary, fundamental catalyst for World War II, directly or indirectly causing the catastrophic deaths of hundreds of millions!" 

Luke waved his hand dismissively. "Even if Hydra had never existed, World War II was absolutely, mathematically inevitable. The fundamental catalyst for that specific conflict was standard, baseline human greed and geopolitical ambition. Do not attempt to conveniently scapegoat a single organization for humanity's inherent flaws." 

While technically accurate, Luke's highly dismissive, almost supportive localized defense of Hydra made Fury incredibly anxious. 

"However, we currently exist in an era of unprecedented, highly valued global peace!" Fury pressed aggressively. "Hydra actively, obsessively desires to violently shatter this localized stability!" 

Luke stared deeply into Fury's single eye, his expression completely serious. "When exactly in recorded human history has this specific planet ever genuinely experienced absolute 'peace'?" 

Fury was completely, utterly silenced by the profound, simple question. 

Has the world ever truly been at peace? The very nation they were currently standing in was actively orchestrating or directly participating in numerous localized conflicts overseas. 'Peace' was merely a highly localized, highly fragile illusion maintained within the borders of a few massive superpowers. Across massive swaths of Africa and the Middle East, highly brutal, localized warfare was continuous and unrelenting. 

"I genuinely believe that forcefully establishing a single, unified, absolute global authority might actually be highly beneficial," Luke continued smoothly. "At the absolute minimum, it would permanently eradicate the constant, highly destructive localized geopolitical infighting. Humanity could finally officially unify as a single, cohesive species and aggressively focus its absolute resources on cosmic exploration." 

Fury remained completely silent for a long, highly tense moment. "Does that explicitly mean you are actively supporting Hydra's localized objectives?" 

"Negative," Luke shook his head. "I naturally, instinctively support my own localized nation of origin. However, the absolute core issue here is the specific, localized ideological war between SHIELD and Hydra." 

Luke turned to face Fury completely. "I will absolutely not actively intervene in your localized conflict. If SHIELD fundamentally lacks the tactical capability to successfully defeat Hydra... that simply mathematically proves you are significantly weaker than your opponent. And in the cosmos... weakness is inevitably, violently punished. Is that not an absolute truth?" 

If Fury, possessing the massive, practically limitless localized financial and military backing of the global superpowers, couldn't successfully defeat a highly secretive, subterranean organization... Luke honestly failed to see any localized value in preserving SHIELD. 

Having formally concluded the highly philosophical debate, Luke exited the safe house and stood on the quiet suburban street, his mind actively focused on a significantly more difficult problem: exactly how to initiate the highly traumatic conversation with Tony. 

Regardless of the approach, delivering that specific, highly devastating intelligence was going to be incredibly difficult. Ultimately, Luke decided to carefully, slowly disclose the entire sequence of events. Perhaps providing the complete, logical context would slightly soften the devastating psychological blow. 

However, to properly prepare Tony for the conversation, Luke decided he first needed to allow Tony to aggressively vent his localized frustration on a highly deserving target. A.I.M. and Hydra would serve as excellent stress relief. 

Luke immediately teleported directly into Tony's primary R&D laboratory within Stark Tower. 

To his mild surprise, Tony and Galactus were not actively engaged in complex scientific research today. Instead, they were sitting in a comfortable lounge area, highly engaged in casual conversation with Pepper Potts. 

"Luke! You've arrived!" Seeing Luke suddenly materialize, the previously highly animated conversation instantly ground to a highly suspicious, incredibly awkward halt. The three of them suddenly looked incredibly tense and highly guarded. 

"What's going on? What were you all so aggressively discussing?" Luke asked, highly suspicious of the sudden, localized silence. 

"Oh, absolutely nothing of significance! We were merely casually reviewing some highly complex experimental telemetry data! Would you care to review it?" Tony babbled quickly, randomly shoving a massive stack of highly technical schematics toward Luke. Luke immediately, aggressively shook his head, rejecting the offer. 

"So, what highly specific localized objective brings you here today?" Pepper asked, offering a bright, slightly forced smile. 

Luke glanced at Tony. "I require his localized presence for a highly sensitive, private conversation. I need to borrow him." 

"By all means! Please return him in roughly the same condition you found him," Pepper smiled warmly, practically physically shoving Tony toward Luke. 

"Don't I possess any formal localized veto power regarding this specific arrangement?!" Tony protested weakly. 

Before Tony could argue further, Luke swiftly opened a localized Sling Ring portal and unceremoniously dragged Tony through, emerging onto the high-altitude, windswept roof of Stark Tower. 

"Okay, seriously, what exactly did I do to deeply offend you? Are you aggressively planning to casually throw me off the roof to eliminate a witness?" Tony joked nervously, looking at the massive drop before turning to see Luke's incredibly grave, highly serious expression. 

"What's wrong? You look like you're about to deliver highly catastrophic, apocalyptic news," Tony stated, instantly dropping his casual demeanor, his face hardening into absolute seriousness. 

Luke sighed heavily, gesturing for Tony to sit beside him on the edge of the massive skyscraper, looking out over the sprawling city. 

"Tony... what is your honest, localized, highly personal opinion regarding your parents?" Luke asked quietly, turning to look directly at him. 

Tony froze, completely caught off guard. He had absolutely no idea why Luke was suddenly asking about Howard and Maria Stark. However, since discovering the hidden video message Howard had left for him—the message that had successfully guided him to synthesize the new Arc Reactor element—Tony had finally, profoundly realized that his father had genuinely loved him. Consequently, he no longer actively avoided the topic. 

"What is there to formally say?" Tony replied thoughtfully, looking out at the skyline. "My mother was incredibly wonderful. She was consistently, highly supportive and incredibly gentle. My father, conversely, was exceedingly, aggressively strict. Regardless of what localized technological miracle I accomplished, his standard, highly dismissive response was merely 'Adequate work, Tony,' before immediately returning to his own projects. He literally never smiled at me." 

Tony paused, a soft, highly nostalgic chuckle escaping his lips. "For decades, I genuinely, profoundly believed he actively despised me. But recently... I finally discovered that he was incredibly, intensely proud of me. Perhaps, in his highly complex, genius mind, he genuinely believed that my massive, localized technological achievements were simply the baseline expectation, so he felt no need to aggressively praise me." 

Watching Tony happily, nostalgically recount his newly discovered appreciation for his parents, Luke found it incredibly, agonizingly difficult to interject. 

After Tony finished his monologue, he finally noticed Luke's highly pained, deeply conflicted expression. 

"What is it? Did you specifically request this localized meeting because you uncovered highly classified intelligence regarding my parents?" 

Luke nodded slowly, his eyes locking onto Tony. "Yes. I have acquired highly sensitive, deeply disturbing intelligence regarding your parents. And I honestly struggled with exactly how to convey this to you." 

"What specific intelligence?" Tony leaned in closer, his expression shifting from nostalgic to highly intense and demanding. 

"Tony..." Luke paused, taking a deep breath. "Are you absolutely, definitively certain regarding the specific, localized circumstances of their deaths?" 

"It was a catastrophic, highly tragic localized vehicular accident. Why exactly are you asking?" Tony's brow furrowed in profound confusion. 

"If... if I provided absolute, undeniable proof that the accident was explicitly not a localized mechanical failure or tragic coincidence... what would be your localized reaction?" 

Tony's entire body went completely rigid. Although he had subtly, instinctively braced himself for bad news the moment Luke mentioned their deaths... hearing the explicit, undeniable confirmation that his parents were violently murdered sent a massive, terrifying shockwave of absolute, mind-boggling fury violently rippling through his core.