Carol's realization didn't come all at once; it was the small physical details that planted the seeds of doubt.
First was his unnatural durability.
'Martian Manhunter' had taken her photon blast head-on, without armor, relying solely on his body to absorb the impact.
That alone was unusual. Even though she hadn't gone all out with her first strike, partly because of her own lingering doubts about the situation, it was still far beyond what any Skrull should have been able to endure.
Even at reduced power, her photon pulses weren't something a Skrull could simply shrug off through sheer physical resilience. Their bodies weren't built for that kind of punishment.
Then came the second attack.
This time, her opponent retaliated by firing red energy beams from his eyes, an ability Skrulls simply did not possess.
There were possible explanations, of course. Perhaps the Skrulls had developed some new form of enhancement, bioengineering select individuals to wield extraordinary powers. Maybe this one was a prototype for a stronger, more dangerous breed.
But then came the biological inconsistencies.
Despite both having green skin and green blood, and seemingly sharing the ability to shapeshift into different forms, 'Martian Manhunter' lacked several defining traits of Skrulls.
The most obvious difference was the absence of the signature ridges on the chin. Nearly every Skrull had them.
Then there was his skull shape; Skrulls had sharp yet somewhat rounded heads, whereas his features were more angular.
His physique was also different. His upper arms were visibly muscular, but his forearms were unnaturally sharp and bony, with slight protrusions beneath the skin, structures Skrulls didn't have. They weren't built for close-quarters combat in the way his physique suggested.
Still, these were just observations, not definitive proof.
Skrulls could maintain their transformations indefinitely. There was no rule saying they couldn't shapeshift into an unusual-looking form.
So, while Carol sensed something was off, it wasn't enough to make her stop attacking.
Her reckless nature, amplified by her overwhelming power, pushed her to press forward without restraint.
After only a brief pause, she fired another photon blast at the green-skinned alien in front of her.
"Wait—"
'Martian Manhunter' barely had time to speak before the attack was unleashed.
Not wanting to take another direct hit, he phased his body, letting the energy pulse pass harmlessly through him. The blast tore through the bar's wall instead, sending debris flying and leaving a gaping hole in its wake.
Carol's photon pulses weren't something to be taken lightly—they were strong enough to pierce Skrull warships. A simple bar wall stood no chance.
From the sidelines, Coulson, who had thrown himself to the ground alongside Nick Fury to avoid the destruction, let out a resigned sigh. Watching the massive hole left in the wake of the blast, he turned to Fury.
"Sir, I think the compensation bill this time is going to give the higher-ups a serious headache."
Fury, who had been watching the fight unfold with a grim expression, didn't even glance at him.
"I know," he muttered. Then, after a brief pause, he added, "That's assuming our higher-ups are still the same."
Coulson tensed. "Sir, you mean—!"
He knew exactly who Fury was referring to: R. Keller, Fury's current superior. And given Fury's tone, there was little room for doubt.
"Yeah. It's exactly what you're thinking," Fury confirmed, his voice low. "I don't know why this green-skinned alien is helping us, but I can't ignore his suspicion."
He recalled the way the alien had briefly, almost imperceptibly, glanced at Keller before they left. That look sent a chill down his spine. If Skrulls had infiltrated S.H.I.E.L.D., then this was an even bigger crisis than he had anticipated.
If 'Martian Manhunter' were someone he could trust, he would've taken Keller down the moment he noticed that look. But right now, he wasn't sure who to believe.
...
The battle raged on.
Carol was surprised by her opponent's ability to phase through attacks, another capability she'd never seen in a Skrull, but she recovered quickly. Instead of backing down, she pressed forward with even fiercer assaults.
"Let's see how long you can keep that up!"
She was in for a disappointment, though.
While 'Martian Manhunter's' phasing ability wasn't something he could use effortlessly—it demanded immense mental strength—his endurance was all relative to his opponent's power level.
If he were facing someone like Superman, maintaining intangibility for long wouldn't be viable. He'd tire out and eventually collapse.
However, against Carol, who had yet to fully master her own abilities and was recklessly throwing out attacks without strategic consideration, the one to wear out first wouldn't be him. 'Martian Manhunter' was at his peak, while Carol was still finding her footing.
Even so, he had no intention of dragging this out.
'It's time for me to lose.'
Dodging several more attacks, he deliberately made it seem as if he could no longer sustain his phasing.
A photon blast struck him square in the chest, sending him flying through the hole in the bar's wall. His body crashed onto the road outside, kicking up dust and rubble as he skidded to a halt.
Carol wasted no time. She leaped over the wreckage, landing on the street, energy crackling in her hands as she aimed at the 'weakened' Martian.
"Now, talk. How many disguises have you Skrulls taken?"
Despite noticing the differences between him and the Skrulls, she still assumed he was one of them—just an unusual case.
"Cough... Cough..."
'Martian Manhunter' coughed roughly, then let out a dry chuckle as he watched Carol approach, her powers poised as a threat.
"Why is it," he asked, "that you assume every green-skinned alien must be a Skrull?"
Carol answered without even thinking.
"Because in Kree-controlled space, the only race with green skin, green blood, and shapeshifting abilities is the Skrulls. There's no alternative."
'Martian Manhunter's' gaze darkened.
"Then have you considered the possibility," he said, "that my people were wiped out long ago?"
Carol froze.
That brief moment of hesitation was all he needed.
His body shifted in an instant.
The humanoid figure vanished, replaced by a towering, ten-meter-tall green beast.
Razor-sharp claws gleamed under the sunlight as they slashed toward Carol, who stared in shock.
"Damn it!"
She realized too late—she had let her guard down.
The blow struck her head-on, sending her flying back into the already ruined bar.
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