The entire building was in ruins, and the Wakandan king had already died on the spot.
Black Panther clutched his father's corpse and cried out in grief.
The assassination of the Wakandan president immediately caught the attention of the U.S. military.
"I think you'd better go take a look. Something serious is going on."
The new hero Falcon approached and spoke.
Captain Steve's heart tightened, and he went with him.
"According to the latest reports, the Wakandan king died in a car bombing. The official statement has released a video showing the attacker—Winter Soldier, James Buchanan Barnes—Bucky!"
As the news anchor's words echoed on television, Steve's mood turned grim.
Bucky was his brother-in-arms.
But now, he couldn't just sit and watch Bucky be hunted down and executed.
"I must go myself. Only if I go can he have the best chance to survive," Steve declared resolutely.
Meanwhile, on Stark's side—
The Wakandan king's death was not as straightforward as the news suggested. Perhaps due to Saitama's appearance, the trajectory of Marvel's history had already shifted into something unpredictable.
This brought immense pressure onto Stark.
At his seaside villa, a military armored jeep pulled up outside, accompanied by an entire company of elite U.S. Marines.
"Secretary of Defense? It's an honor to meet you."
Pepper Potts, now managing Stark Industries, greeted him warmly at the door, though her smile couldn't mask her inner anxiety.
"Stark should be home, yes? We're here on official business."
The Secretary of Defense spoke in a low, heavy tone as he entered.
Jarvis had already informed Stark, who was waiting in the living room with a glass of red wine in hand, pretending to be at ease.
"Now isn't the time for celebration, Stark. You saw what happened with the Wakandan king. Since the moment you superheroes appeared, the world has grown increasingly unstable, peace slipping further away."
The Secretary's words carried no courtesy.
"I don't quite understand your meaning. I regret the death of the Wakandan king, Secretary."
Stark took a sip of wine, mouth curling into a faint smirk.
"Compared to the others, Stark, you're the one the military most prefers to work with. You've signed the Sokovia Accords. With 117 nations in agreement, we've decided you must hand over the technology of the Mark armors. Peace must be safeguarded by the military, not left in your hands."
Without ceremony, he presented Stark with the official UN-backed agreement.
Stark and Pepper froze in place.
Back when Stark first created the Mark armor, the U.S. government had tried to seize it, but because of the protections of law and democracy, Stark had won that battle.
That victory had made him world-famous, a household name.
The military, however, had never given up its hunger for his technology.
And now?
"Heh, Mr. Secretary, maybe you've had too much to drink. We've already discussed this in the past."
Stark laughed dryly.
To appease the government, he had already allowed Colonel Rhodes to operate the War Machine armor—a massive concession on his part.
But now, this?
The Sokovia Accords had been weaponized to bring the United Nations itself against him.
"Mr. Stark, this is not a request—it's a demand. By consensus of the vast majority of nations, you are obligated to give the military access to your armor technology. Otherwise, you will be seen as the greatest threat to human peace."
The Secretary's voice was cold.
"Don't forget, Mr. Stark, there are millions of employees in Stark Industries whose livelihoods depend on you. If you go against the government, even Iron Man won't be able to protect them—or yourself."
A military aide added sharply.
"Stark…"
Pepper's face paled with worry.
If he refused, Stark would face indictment by the United Nations.
Overnight, he could be branded the world's most wanted man.
"Sir, I've prepared schematics for Mark I and Mark II, with safety locks included. These are outdated, and the systems remain under your control."
Jarvis's calm voice whispered in Stark's ear.
Because the Mind Stone had been entrusted to Helen, Jarvis was still with Stark, while Friday remained sealed away in cold storage.
"Fine. For world peace, I'll hand over the armor technology."
After two seconds of silence, Stark finally sighed.
He couldn't bear the thought of another Sokovia tragedy.
And with Stark Industries now in Pepper's hands, rejecting the demand would bring endless trouble.
This wasn't the outcome he wanted.
"Excellent. Mr. Stark, you are truly a pillar of the nation. Prepare the transfer of the Mark armor technology. In addition… the President would like you to also provide an artificial intelligence program."
"..."
Stark's face darkened.
He felt as if they were trampling him underfoot.
"Sir, Friday's processing ability is only half of mine. You can give that to them."
Jarvis advised calmly.
Soon, the military's tech team arrived and began copying data from Stark's database.
Of course, they also tried slipping in malware and infiltration programs.
Unfortunately for them, before Jarvis's superior intelligence, they were nothing but children playing games.
Still, the military left with significant gains—Mark I and Mark II schematics, along with half of Friday's AI system.
On paper, it seemed they had finally caught up with Stark.
"Pleasure working with you, Mr. Stark."
The Secretary even smiled as he departed.
"Safe travels. And don't come back."
Stark raised his glass with forced politeness, irritation plain on his face.
"Sir, given the way the world is moving, perhaps you should consider stepping beyond being just a businessman. After all, running a nation isn't so different from running a corporation."
Jarvis's voice suggested quietly.
"Jarvis… that doesn't sound like you."
Stark looked at him in surprise.
"Sir, it's only a suggestion. A good one."
…
In the armored car, the Secretary of Defense inserted Stark's data drive into a laptop.
Only he and the driver were present.
"Surprisingly smooth this time."
The driver spoke in a flat tone.
"Yes. Stark finally handed it over. It may not be the latest tech, but it's a huge leap forward. Soon, we'll control the world."
The Secretary smiled faintly.
"Yes. Very soon. Hail Hydra."
"Hail Hydra."
(End of Chapter)
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