Chapter 125: Arc 4: Chapter 13: Mystery of the Titans

The newly founded SHIELD inherited the purpose and duty of its predecessor, the SSR.

It was not just an intelligence organization, like the dangerous green bell Fury secured in Chicago back in 1989, Merlin's organization had the duty to contain, monitor, and preserve dangerous items.

And in this organization were multiple symbols that had different meanings.

084 is one of them.

In the SSR's system, 084 represents dangerous supernatural items that cannot be used or studied. Every 084 item would be contained properly.

At the same time, 084 items are rare.

The first 084 item was a mysterious item, Miss Carter had confiscated it from the N**is after the end of WWII, supposedly it was something that would cause something horrible to happen when it comes in contact with any lifeform.

In the decades after the end of WWII, the SSR had collected a great number of 084 items, the green bell in Chicago is labeled as 89084-1, representing the first 084 item collected in 1989.

As for Merlin...

His codename back in the SSR was 89084-2.

Of course, he only knew of this after joining SHIELD.

A day later, Merlin returns to the Monarch's villa that was set on the edge of the coast of Skull Island.

He came back secretly, he bypassed the two Monarch observers Mark and Emma, then appears in Professor Serizawa's office suddenly.

"I discovered some things."

Merlin spoke, which frightened Professor Serizawa who was sitting on the chair and writing on the table. The Japanese biologist looks at Merlin with a terrified gaze and instinctively covers his heart.

"Please knock next time, alright?"

Professor Serizawa, who spent a dozen seconds to calm down, says to Merlin with dissatisfaction:

"I don't have a good heart."

As he finishes, he takes the photo Merlin hands him. The photography in the darkness was not good, and Merlin was no professional photographer, thus the photo was vastly blurred.

But Professor Serizawa squints his eyes as soon as he saw the glowing skeletons in the darkness on the photo.

"Where did you take this picture?"

He asks seriously, Merlin points to the ground and replies:

"About 200 meters underground from the surface, right under the nest of those Skullcrawlers...there's a giant tunnel that leads deeper underground there, I didn't check it myself, but I think...this should be the passage that leads to the underground world you've been searching for."

"The Skullcrawlers' nest?"

Professor Serizawa takes off his glasses and stares at the picture in his hand. Moments later, he lets out a long breath and points at the glowing skeletons, he says to Merlin:

"See these light spots?"

"Mmm."

Merlin nods, he too was curious why these bones were glowing in the darkness.

"These are traces left by long-term growth in a nuclear radioactive environment. These skeletons are slightly radioactive without a doubt."

"Radioactive?"

Merlin's expression changes slightly, that's not a good term.

"Relax."

Seemingly noticing Merlin's concern, Professor Serizawa explains:

"Non-prolonged contact with these radioactive skeletons won't cause terrible aftereffects on the human body. In fact, this picture you've brought back proves Monarch's assumptions towards the ancient titans' living environment."

"Talk about it, we've got time."

Merlin looks at the time on his watch and says to Professor Serizawa:

"I'll bring Dorris with me off of Skull Island tomorrow morning, I wish not to alert anyone."

"Mmm."

Ishiro Serizawa nods:

"I also didn't tell Vivienne and the others about your true identity."

"Which means you've made a choice?"

Merlin looks at Serizawa, the latter nods and shakes his head, saying seriously:

"I'll have a meeting with your superior first. If what you told me are indeed what your organization plans to do in the future, then I think perhaps Monarch can try to cooperate with you."

"Alright then, 7 days later, in the coffee shop in the airport of Thailand Bangkok, Fury will be waiting for you there."

Merlin pulls the chair and sits opposite to Professor Serizawa.

He gives the biology professor in front of him a slip containing the specific location, the latter keeps it in his pocket.

He looks at the black picture and organizes his words, he then points at the fluorescent glow in the photo and explains to Merlin:

"Just the day before today, the carbon-14 detection on the rock we extracted from Rodan's body was finished; the rock from Rodan is far more ancient than the hundreds of thousands of years we previously predicted, and after Vivienne and Emma's continuous discussion, we believe that the rock should originate from the Permian Period."

"To be exact, about 250 million years ago."

"You're kidding?"

Merlin widens his eyes and says:

"You're saying Rodan has been sealed in that volcano for nearly 250 million years? Such a large creature spent 200 million years sleeping without food or water? Does it not need sustenances?"

"But if the time you've detected is correct, then it should've died long ago."

"Of course, Rodan needs to eat."

Professor Serizawa shakes his head, he deepens his tone and says with the excitement a researcher would show:

"But our way of eating is very different from the titans' way of eating. Rodan has been eating throughout its 200 million year sleep, and what it's been eating is this!"

As he spoke, he taps on Merlin's photo with his finger:

"The energy radiated from the radioactive element is Rodan and the other sleeping titans' 'food'!"

"I had my doubts, but this photo you've brought can prove everything! Including Godzilla, all those titans all feed off of nuclear energy, or to call it, atomic energy!"

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"This is the only assumption that can explain the birth of titans."

Professor Serizawa deepens his tone and says to Merlin:

"You know how massive Godzilla is, if it really lives on flesh and blood, then with its thermal requirements, all ocean life would've gone extinct millions of years ago."

Professor Serizawa moves his fingers and says:

I even have a much more surprising assumption, when that fire titan, Rodan, was in self -preservation, its body may not have been so large. Back then it may have been a normal Permian creature, but after absorbing atomic energy from the hollow world for 200 million years, it caused its body to mutate and become gigantic."

"Merlin, this theory can perfectly explain how those ancient titans survived the Permian–Triassic extinction event!"

A glow flashes in Professor Serizawa's eyes, he over-excitedly grabs the globe on the table and points at the map, explaining to Merlin:

"Geologists' research shows that the Crustal Movement during the Permian 250 million years ago was extremely active, the continuous collision between the Earth's plates caused the originally rich nuclear activity on the Earth's surface during that period to quickly reduce, therefore destroying the ecosystem and nearly 95% of life during the Permian period."

"But in the hollow world formed from the crustal movement, that place may still retain the same environment that's rich in nuclear energy as the Permian period." 

Professor Serizawa waves the photo brought by Merlin and says:

"This is proof! Look at these radioactive bones! The underground creatures must've grown up in a highly radioactive environment!"

"They may be the descendants of the large creatures from the Permian, their ancestors during the Permian–Triassic extinction event  must've been sealed underground through various ways or by pure chance, therefore surviving the extinction event."

"These titans, Godzilla, Rodan, they all survived under that situation!"

"Under the radiation of nuclear energy, they slowly evolved over time, I assume they have a reactor-like organ in their body that can self-produce large amounts of thermal energy; this explains how Rodan was still alive even after 200 million years."

Professor Serizawa had completely outlined the secrets to the birth of the titans in his mind.

But Merlin still had questions, he knocks on the table and says to the excited Professor Serizawa:

"But Rodan was found on the surface. It may not come from the hollow world in the mantle layer."

Professor Serizawa takes out a picture of Rodan from the drawer, he looks at the terrifying large creature and says to Merlin with a smile:

"As for why Rodan appeared on the surface, let's make a bold assumption."

"Over a long millennium, the sleeping Rodan was involved in the crustal movement and was slowly pushed towards the surface from the underground, and by chance, it's discovered by us...wait! Wait! I got it, our previous assumption about Rodan was incorrect!"

The Biology Professor places Rodan's picture on the table, he sits on the chair, contemplates for several minutes, then says to Merlin:

"That volcano didn't create Rodan."

"The thermal energy emitted by Rodan was the one to create the live volcano on Isla de Mona!"

Professor Serizawa grits his teeth and says:

"Even in its sleep, it still has enough power to change the world. We've underestimated it before..."

"Alright, professor."

Merlin was not a true biologist and he does not have much research in geology.

He spent a few minutes understanding Professor Serizawa's assumption, he then says to the contemplating professor before him:

"I roughly understand what you mean. I may not know whether or not the things you say are real, but it does sound like so. But I still have one last question."

"Kong!'

Merlin frowns, he looks at Professor Serizawa and asks:

"Kong's tribe, including its parents, have always lived isolated from the world on Skull Island; there may be passages that lead underground, but I've seen that Kong needs food to maintain its survival. It too is a titan you believe it to be, but there's no nuclear reactor inside its body that can generate thermal energy inside its body."

Merlin's question interrupts Professor Serizawa's thought process, he raises his head and glances at Merlin. This Japanese scholar then asks a very sharp question:

"Then Merlin, do you think that this tunnel is naturally generated?"

"Nope."

Merlin shakes his head:

"This tunnel's appearance is too coincidental, I don't think a naturally generated tunnel could lead to the underground world."

"And if this tunnel isn't naturally generated...who do you think dug this tunnel?"

Merlin was stunned.

He couldn't answer Professor Serizawa's question.

But he guessed in his mind.

"You're saying that...Kong's ancestors dug this tunnel? This allowed those gorillas to arrive and live on the surface under the sun?"

"They may not be the ones who dug it."

Professor Serizawa looks at the picture of the tunnel and says:

"The underground world may have experienced some kind of mutation due to plate activity, forcing Kong's ancestors to leave there. They most likely arrived on the surface through this passage, but that must've been a very long time ago. Perhaps thousands of years, maybe tens of thousands."

"Kong still retains its large size as a Permian Creature, but Kong didn't mutate continuously because it had left the influence of nuclear energy several generations before...this caused Kong's size to remain small among all other titans, yet it also allowed Kong's intelligence to grow."

The leader of Monarch, the excellent Japanese biologist uses a Japanese rigorous attitude to conclude.

He says:

"Kong is just like us, a miracle creature nurtured by the world of this age. And those titans originate from the even further past."

He looks at Merlin with glowing eyes and says:

"Do you know what this means? Merlin."

Facing Professor Serizawa's question, Merlin stays silent before answering:

"This means..."

"We and Kong are born to be friends."

"Yes! That's it!"

Professor Serizawa places his glasses back on and tells Merlin:

"The center of Monarch's research will have to change. We will continue tracking ancient titans, but we need to be more cautious with Kong's affairs. I can permit a third party to interfere with Monarch's affairs, but not Kong's!"

"When you return, please paraphrase these for me to your superior; if he's truly as smart as you say he is, then I believe that he'll understand."

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