"S.H.I.E.L.D. can gain more power than the state police and even the FBI with just a single certificate. This is blatantly unconstitutional. If it wasn't that long ago, then I must have been complicit in passing this bill. Mr. President, you nearly destroyed America!"
Ross quickly stepped into the role of president. Whether at press conferences or in Congress, he wasted no time promoting the achievements of his new administration—seeking to avoid further scrutiny or political backlash.
At the same time, he was laying the groundwork to replace S.H.I.E.L.D.'s authority with an international Super Personnel Bureau, having already signed preliminary agreements with twelve countries.
The public release of Hydra-related information shattered trust in S.H.I.E.L.D., both among everyday citizens and the middle and upper classes. People around the world began demanding that their governments strip S.H.I.E.L.D. of its power and legal status.
Ross knew how to seize opportunities like this. He leveraged the situation to push through a series of laws beneficial to his administration. Within months, his power had surpassed that of any previous president.
To him, opportunities like these were rewards—and the Hydra revelation was a gift. No wonder he was so pleased when he received the intel.
Inside the White House, Ross's team was working nonstop. Their recent workload rivaled China's infamous "996" schedule (9 a.m. to 9 p.m., six days a week). But no one dared complain.
"Establish the Super Personnel Bureau across the United States as soon as possible. I want to see operations underway within two months. Their first task will be to hunt down the remaining members of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Hydra. Amnesty is off the table for them."
After signing the document, Ross handed it to his assistant and instructed him to send it out immediately.
Just then, someone approached and whispered, "Mr. President, your daughter is waiting outside. She said you have dinner plans tonight. Also with her is the chairman of the Kain Group."
Ross raised an eyebrow. "Already reached that point, have they? Alright, that's enough for today."
Checking his watch, he realized it was well past closing time. He straightened his suit and delegated the remaining tasks to his staff. Then, surrounded by bodyguards, he exited the White House.
Outside, he spotted Kain and his daughter Betty waiting for him in a convertible. He frowned and asked, "Where are your bodyguards? S.H.I.E.L.D. and Hydra are still out there. They could use you as leverage."
Kain replied casually, "I'm Betty's bodyguard. Her team only steps in when I'm not around. But Mr. President, your security is still too weak. One day, I'll introduce you to some real protection."
Ross paused. The words struck a chord. Now that he was president, he couldn't have super-soldiers tailing him 24/7. And while his current bodyguards were said to be elite, they were no match for enhanced threats.
"Then I'll take you up on that offer," Ross said with a nod.
With that said, Ross got into his own car and followed behind Kain and Betty.
The dinner at the restaurant had a clear purpose: to discuss business. The underground Hive lab had just completed its first batch of reformed soldiers for Umbrella—50 in total—ready to be deployed as field agents for the newly formed Super Personnel Bureau.
There were:
Ten soldiers enhanced with the genes of invisible beasts. Ten with body modifications allowing them to grow wings. Ten capable of breathing fire. Ten with curling, insect-like wings whose saliva can make people forget the most recent memory of seeing them. The last ten had abilities similar to Boggarts, able to emit a colorless, invisible gas from their skin pores.
All fifty had physical abilities at the peak of human potential—comparable to the highest-ranking agents in S.H.I.E.L.D.
Their addition to the Super Personnel Bureau would ensure stability, at least for the time being. Meanwhile, the Hive lab continued developing new Gene Warriors. Its current primary focus, however, was helping students at the Magic Academy awaken magical abilities.
Kain, having personally benefited from these experiments, knew exactly which gene sequences to use to unlock the most potent magical potential in new recruits.
During dinner, Ross tried to bring up his desire for more Gene Warriors—or at least access to the super soldier serum. But in recent years, Kain had kept the serum tightly controlled, using it almost exclusively within Umbrella's private forces.
There was also the Devil Fruit serum—an enhancement far superior to the super soldier serum for the average person. Combined with a Gene Warrior base, the result was exponential: a synergy where one plus one equaled three.
Three of Betty's bodyguards had been injected with saber-toothed tiger serum. After shifting into their half-orc forms, their strength increased by three to five times. Together, two of them were capable of overpowering the "normalized" Hulk.
"To be honest," Ross said over dinner, "the future of the Super Personnel Bureau is bright, but I don't have enough trusted people who can fully support and carry this vision forward.
If Betty doesn't step in to help, it'll take at least ten years to develop the Bureau into something comparable to S.H.I.E.L.D.—and I'll be out of office by then."
Ross was clearly trying to persuade Betty to join the effort. But Kain immediately shut him down.
"I'll help you find someone, but that's the limit. Stop dragging Betty into this. You're already a decades-old president—quit trying to rely on your daughter, Mr. Ross."
Kain's blunt words made Ross flare with frustration, his beard practically trembling with indignation. But as a seasoned politician, he quickly shifted tactics—planning to ask for different benefits instead, such as Kain's help in dealing with oil cartels.
Once the Super Personnel Bureau was established, Ross planned to move into the energy sector next, aiming to make America the most radiant beacon on Earth.
He'd already thought of the slogan: "A New Light for the World." The shift to new energy was far more promising than outdated oil—and expandable across industries.
There was plenty of profit to be made. A new pie had appeared on the table, and Ross was ready to step over the corpses of the old energy empires to claim his slice.
After dinner, Kain and Betty bid farewell to Ross and returned to the manor to rest. As they entered the room, the dim, ambient lighting, the scent of red wine, and the glittering night view outside the window set the mood instantly.
Betty had always been curious about the teacup that mysteriously appeared in the house one day. Whenever she asked, Kain simply said there was an invisible servant in the manor who took care of everything.
Betty had tested it multiple times—whenever she was hungry or thirsty, she just had to speak to the air. Soon after, refreshments or hot meals would appear before her, as if summoned by magic.
Initially, Betty believed Kain was merely using the term "magic" as a cover for advanced genetic experiments. But over time, her view began to shift. She started to accept the possibility that magic might be real.
After all, there was even a talking green snake that followed her around, often accompanying her when she went out.
"Betty, try to finish up what you're working on," Kain said. "Soon, we'll be able to take a trip into space."
Betty blinked in surprise. "Space? You mean the Moon? What are we doing there?"
As Kain gently traced the curves of her body, he whispered in her ear, "Your view of space is far too limited. There are many civilizations in the universe—some even with gods. I've already prepared a space carrier. We'll visit the more peaceful civilizations first. Compared to them, Earth's technology is practically primitive."
"Are you serious, Kain? Civilizations beyond Earth?"
"Of course. But first, you need to take care of everything on your end. And tonight... don't let it go to waste."
Soon, the sound of tearing black fabric echoed in the room, followed by the rhythmic creaking of the bed frame and Betty's soft, breathless gasps.
Kain knew exactly what Betty enjoyed—the thrill of being conquered during their first time—and he never failed to bring that intensity each time they were together.
Meanwhile, in Virginia, ever since the Avengers had become fugitives, Natasha Romanoff had been constantly on the run, hiding under layers of makeup and using aliases.
But no matter where she went, someone always seemed to track her down, as if her location was being constantly monitored.
Fortunately, Natasha's skills remained sharp. She had managed to evade capture by the military and local authorities several times. But her resources were dwindling—she was down to just seven bullets and three hundred dollars.
She desperately needed more weapons and disguises. Without a static-camouflage veil, Natasha was forced to rely on more old-fashioned techniques to alter her appearance.
However, the moment she stepped out of her hotel, she realized the building was surrounded. The shopkeeper from the first floor had vanished.
A super soldier from Umbrella read aloud from a tablet:
"S.H.I.E.L.D. Level Seven Agent Natasha Romanoff, codename Black Widow. Member of the Avengers for one year and three months. Escaped capture during the military's 'Round 311' operation two weeks ago."
He looked up at her and smirked.
"Agent Romanoff, you're the last Avenger still on the run because you're carrying the Tesseract. The boss didn't expect you to stash it in a Nike backpack. Seriously, did you think a Nike backpack could block the energy signal of the Cube?"
Fuck.
Natasha swore silently.
Now it all made sense—why people kept finding her no matter how well she hid.
It turned out that the box left by Nick Fury was specifically designed to hold the Cube. However, the captain was smart enough to group all three boxes together—taking them all and allowing her to escape with the Cube.
Although she managed to break through the initial siege, the pursuit didn't stop there. The Cube beside Natasha continued to emit powerful energy signals.
"Don't think about resisting, Agent Romanov. You're not our match. There are fifty armed Umbrella soldiers outside. If you try anything, we'll kill you on the spot."
Just as the Umbrella super soldier captain finished speaking, the soldier on Natasha's other side activated his nanosuit. A charged new-energy hand cannon materialized in his grip—one blast from it could reduce her to pieces. Minced meat.
"You have five seconds to decide. Five... four... three... two—"
"Okay, I surrender. Here's the Cube."
Natasha dropped her backpack on the ground and raised her hands. Facing two enemies with strength comparable to Captain America's, she knew she had zero chance of winning, no matter what she did.
The super soldier on her left stared at her coldly, as if she were already a corpse. Natasha was certain—any sudden move, and he wouldn't hesitate to fire.
As she stood still with her hands raised, two figures suddenly appeared behind her, locking her wrists and ankles with electromagnetic restraints. One of them spoke:
"Captain, Agent Natasha Romanov has been secured."
Natasha was stunned. She hadn't sensed their approach at all—they had moved like ghosts, completely invisible.
"Secure the Cube. Agent Romanov has surrendered it to the military. Close the formation."
The super soldier captain gave the order, pulled out a metal container made of nanoparticles, sealed the Cube inside, and prepared to return it to his superior.
…
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