When General Thaddeus Ross arrived at the Kenya-Wakanda border aboard a S.H.I.E.L.D. aircraft with an Umbrella security detail, the letter of authorization for command transfer was promptly delivered to General Mattis...
Bearing the frustration and unwillingness of a defeated man, Mattis met his longtime rival. He couldn't fathom why Ross, who had initially chosen to stand aside, now waded into these troubled waters.
Wakanda had proven its military prowess with two stunning victories, shocking the world with seemingly outdated warfare tactics and extravagantly costly vibranium arsenal. It was an inconceivable display for a so-called 'third-world nation'.
Short of deploying nuclear weapons, even the domineering American eagle had no choice but to swallow its pride and admit this was a Waterloo-scale defeat.
Global powers watched closely. If Wakanda withstood America's full-scale assault, its international standing would skyrocket, earning recognition worldwide as a rising power.
Meanwhile, the humbled eagle would grapple with soaring military expenditures and domestic unrest, which would definitely give the newly inaugurated president sleepless nights.
"You seem very confident," Mattis said, intending to offer a warning, but he held back upon seeing the smug assurance in Ross's expression.
"The times have changed, old friend," Ross replied with palpable superiority, "As the saying from the last century goes, 'Only tanks can defeat tanks'... This is an era of superhumans. Cutting-edge technology dictates the course of war, much like the old debates between battleship and aircraft carrier factions. The form of warfare you know has been left behind by the tides of progress."
The newly appointed commander's lips curled as he gazed toward Wakanda's border, his eyes burning with conviction. With the mutant legion and Umbrella's squad at his disposal, breaching this formidable defense line was no insurmountable task.
Moreover, Sean had already made foolproof preparations for this war. All obstacles would be swept aside.
"I'll be watching, Ross," Mattis scoffed. As a veteran of countless battles, he wasn't swayed by mere words, "Don't come crawling back to D.C. in disgrace like I did."
With that final jab, Mattis boarded a transport plane, still unconvinced that Ross could easily break the defenses he had failed to overcome in a month.
Even knowing Ross had invested heavily in a small unit of super-soldiers, Mattis believed that in a battlefield of tens of thousands, such forces were but a drop in the ocean.
Wakanda's vibranium weapons and the impregnable shield around its capital remained NATO's core headaches. Even aerial bombardment had proven futile against the energy barrier, which boasted extraordinary defensive capabilities and withstood relentless artillery barrages.
Before Ross's arrival, Mattis had led 4000 NATO troops, supported by aircraft and artillery, alongside hundreds of armored vehicles, in a massive assault on Wakanda's fog-shrouded capital.
The result was a humiliating retreat, like crashing into an unyielding wall.
"Those who can't adapt to the changing times will be left behind," Ross said firmly, clenching his fist, feeling the surging power within...
....
By the time Sean, who was still in Manhattan, received Ross's triumphant report, three days had passed...
Upon reaching the front, Ross had mobilized 300 pre-positioned mutants, which were quietly deployed under Umbrella's planning, and organized them by ability into a cohesive legion. Combined with 1700 super-soldiers equipped with Umbrella's liquid armor and energy weapons, this formidable force was unstoppable, like a charging bull.
With new-generation fighters and armored columns providing cover, they advanced steadily toward Wakanda's capital. The vibranium arms and war rhinos of the border tribes, which had previously repelled assaults, now faltered against this steel tide.
In this pivotal skirmish, Umbrella unveiled its flagship weapons; the iron suits designed by chief engineer Ivan Vanko...
Unlike Tony Stark's sleek aesthetics, the Russian's creations bore the blunt and utilitarian stamp of his homeland; bulky, rugged, and above all, cheaply mass-produced via assembly lines acquired from Hammer Industries.
These earned unanimous praise from the Department of Defense. Military brass didn't need expensive toys only Tony Stark could afford... they wanted battlefield-ready machines deployable on a large scale.
Vanko delivered precisely that. Even if Tony himself had derided the prototypes as 'scrap metal defiling the art of technology'.
Yet this 'scrap' performed flawlessly, weathering attacks from vibranium-clad rhinos, hovercraft, and artillery alike.
The border warriors fell back to the energy-shielded capital, where King T'Chaka, armored in vibranium, gazed grimly at the advancing metal horde...
For centuries, Wakanda had spared no effort to cloak itself. They used optical camouflage, massive defense perimeters, and every conceivable safeguard for their priceless vibranium veins.
"We don't desire war, General," T'Chaka said with practiced diplomatic finesse, "This is all a misunderstanding stoked by Ulysses Klaue, a thief who was condemned by Wakanda, and is now peddling lies... We seek only peace."
Fresh from the frontlines, Ross studied the shimmering dome over the capital. Without breaching it, true occupation and access to the vibranium mines remained impossible.
Given any opportunity, the Border Tribe's warriors, led by the king, would reclaim lost ground. With the home-field advantage, Wakanda had plenty of ways to counter NATO forces.
This is why Ross had to shatter Wakanda's defenses in one decisive blow.
"Apologies, Your Majesty. We came for war." Ross spat, his eyes mocking, before ordering the attack.
The super-soldier and mutant legion charged toward the capital. Behind the shield, Wakandans held their breath, confident the barrier would hold.
500 meters...
300 meters...
100...
Suddenly, the energy shield flickered like a bulb burning out and went dark.
The steel army surged forward.
Like the all-seeing Eye of Horus, the global Skynet had penetrated Wakanda's security.
Princess Shuri, who oversaw their systems, stared in disbelief. She had never imagined there were hackers capable of dismantling her firewalls undetected.
Wakanda's energy shield, like a nuclear code, was divided into three parts; one held by the king, one by the administrator, and one by the high priest. Even with all the keys, royal blood was required to activate it.
Yet this ironclad defense collapsed in an instant, shattering Wakandan morale and sparking despair.
Ross lit a cigar, triumphant. The sixty-day deadline was moot. As of this moment, the war was over...