"After such a waste of a trip, I need a drink."
Returning to the Marvel world, Kain checked the time. He had gained nothing from that world—he shouldn't have wasted even a single day.
Just as Kain finished thinking, the elf Isaac appeared and respectfully greeted him, "Master."
Without waiting for a response, Isaac went to the wine cellar. With over 30,000 bottles from various worlds—each one a refined essence of its origin—choosing one at random would hardly make a dent in the collection.
After Isaac left, Kain began tallying up the gains from this excursion. They were disappointingly few. The biggest haul was just a batch of cultivation books. Unfortunately, there were no elixirs or pills—otherwise, he might've already started walking the path to immortality.
Still, the gains weren't entirely worthless—especially the martial arts manual. It could significantly improve the physical capabilities of Umbrella's super soldiers.
In the past, it took ten operatives armed with specialized weapons to handle the Hulk. With proper training, even four of them equipped with cold weapons might stand a chance.
Kain planned to have all of Umbrella's soldiers practice the martial arts and cultivation techniques. If widely spread, someone would surely rise as a true talent.
After a series of upgrades, Umbrella's elite units might even surpass Asgardian warriors. Combined with advanced tech, they could become the most formidable force in the Nine Realms. And in that case, even Asgard wouldn't be able to keep up with Umbrella.
"Umbrella's influence can slowly expand into the universe," Kain mused. "The first partnership could be with the dwarves of Nidavellir. They don't necessarily need Asgard's protection anymore."
After learning Betty's location from the Red Queen, Kain left home and drove his sports car to the company.
"Director Carter, the President has ordered us to apprehend the fugitive Avengers within a week. If we fail, there will be serious consequences."
Director Sim of the Super Personnel Bureau delivered the news to Sharon Carter with a troubled expression. Both he and Sharon felt the weight of injustice, though Sim believed he might be suffering just a bit more.
That morning, he'd been summoned to the White House and scolded by President Ross for nearly two hours—in front of a full audience. The irony? Sim handled logistics. Combat and intelligence weren't even under his jurisdiction.
"I understand, Director Sim," Sharon replied solemnly, then turned and left his office.
The Avengers had escaped, and three superpowered individuals were responsible for the prison break. When Sharon received the report, her heart skipped a beat.
She immediately thought of the mysterious call from her aunt a while ago. That earlier jailbreak… it had to be connected. The prime suspect? Nick Fury, now a fugitive. If he was back, he would likely seek out her aunt.
Sharon could only hope no one else made that connection—otherwise, she'd be the first person investigated. She had complicated feelings about Steve Rogers' escape. She once respected him as Captain America. But now, as Director Sharon Carter of the Super Personnel Bureau, duty came first.
She promptly summoned her team, mobilizing all agents from headquarters to launch a global manhunt for the Avengers. She also contacted the FBI and CIA, invoking the Bureau's special privileges to enlist their aid.
Additionally, she ordered constant surveillance on Pepper Potts. If Tony Stark appeared, Potts would be the key to locating him. Currently, Stark had no access to Jarvis—his belongings had been confiscated after his capture.
Jarvis had since been reprogrammed and integrated into the Super Personnel Bureau. At Sharon's request, the Pent Group modified his code. Now, Jarvis operated as a subroutine of the Red Queen.
Catching all the Avengers within seven days would be difficult—but Sharon had a sliver of hope. If they couldn't manage it in time, she and Sim planned to approach Kain. Whether it was to ease pressure on the White House or request Umbrella's intervention, it might be their last option.
After rapid expansion, the Super Personnel Bureau had become President Ross's most powerful weapon—absorbing the remnants of S.H.I.E.L.D. and emerging as Earth's premier dark colossus.
Sharon Carter's authority remained intact, and she had personally recruited and pardoned many agents.
However, the internal structure of the organization had grown so complex that it was inevitable Nick Fury would be tipped off at some point. But now, Sharon was determined to prevent that from ever happening again.
The Super Personnel Bureau had not only expanded outward but also initiated secret operations through its internal inspectors. These inspectors held the highest clearance—second only to Jarvis and the director herself.
"Director Carter, there's an emergency in New Mexico. A hammer suddenly fell from the sky, and no one can lift it. This comes from the local field office."
Just as Sharon was narrowing her focus on the Avengers' escape, a subordinate brought unexpected news.
According to Super Personnel Bureau surveillance, when the hammer appeared, there was a significant atmospheric disturbance at the site. Even though it had been a few days, residual energy could still be detected.
After reviewing the data, Sharon immediately issued orders:
"Seal off the surrounding area. No one is allowed to touch the object. Also, bring in everyone who's been collecting information nearby—do not let news of this special event leak."
For such unusual occurrences, Sharon still followed S.H.I.E.L.D.'s traditional protocol. The main reason: the Super Personnel Bureau lacked the scientific capability to fully investigate or understand many anomalies.
Unless she sought help from the Pent Group, sealing off the area was the only viable option.
"Another headache..." she muttered.
Although the hammer incident in New Mexico was serious, Sharon remained focused on the greater threat: the escaped Avengers. A single artifact might result in one or two superhumans, but if the Avengers weren't recaptured soon, the entire Bureau could be in jeopardy.
Meanwhile, in the rural outskirts of a tropical rainforest in Brazil, Nick Fury had taken the rescued Avengers to a hidden location.
"What is this place? And how long are we staying here?"
Tony Stark finally spoke up. The dirt roads, ramshackle huts, and thieves they passed along the way didn't bother him much—but there were people in the U.S. he urgently wanted to see.
"It's a stronghold. Safe and secure. I traded an ancient relic to get it."
Nick Fury answered without turning around. To break Steve, Tony, and the others out of the island prison under Vice Admiral's control, he had used up a highly valuable favor from Makari. Without her help, the rescue would've been impossible.
Unfortunately, after the escape, Nick had offered several ancient artifacts—items collected by S.H.I.E.L.D. believed to contain mysterious powers—in hopes of further assistance.
But Makari and her associates had refused to get involved in the conflict between Fury and the Super Personnel Bureau.
Nick had come to realize that people like Makari didn't care much for human affairs or comfort. In fact, one of her companions, according to Fury's research, might even be a celebrity in India.
"As for returning… forget about it for now. Lay low. Sharon knows all of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s tricks when it comes to going off-grid. If I managed to save you this time, there's no guarantee I'll succeed again."
With that, he led the group deeper into the rural borderlands of the rainforest.
"We'll stay here for now. I know I can't stop you from going out to gather intel, but you must—absolutely must—be cautious. If you're tracked, there won't be many places left to hide. Especially you, Stark—don't even think about contacting Pepper Potts!"
After the stern warning, Nick handed a metal box to Tony. Inside was a full disguise kit. With Natasha and Clint present, Nick wasn't worried—he knew they could handle it, and that Stark, for all his bravado, would at least take the threat seriously.
Before leaving, Nick Fury gave them one final warning: if they were caught again, there would be no way to save them completely. He and Maria Hill had other priorities—they needed to gather more allies and resources before Sharon completely wiped out the remnants of S.H.I.E.L.D.
T'Challa didn't even dare contact the hidden Wakandan operatives anymore, fearing his actions might expose them and lead to their arrest. They had gone to great lengths to remain hidden.
Kain, at first, didn't know about the Avengers' escape—or rather, he didn't need to know. At his level of power, the Avengers were no longer a threat. To him, they were like a few fleeing ants—if they crossed his path, he'd step on them. But he wouldn't go out of his way to chase them down.
Kain planned to head into space with Betty once he finished arranging things at the Hive Laboratory.
The wand he had crafted using the Space Stone was crude at best. In fact, wielding the raw stone directly was more effective.
To truly harness its power, he would need the forging techniques of the dwarves—after all, they had studied the Infinity Stones extensively.
Thanos could wield them so efficiently thanks to his unique constitution and, more importantly, the Infinity Gauntlet.
"You're heading to space this soon? Is that where you went during those times you disappeared?"
Betty looked at Kain in surprise. In the past, he often vanished without explanation. She had even asked people to investigate, but no one found anything.
Now that she thought about it, those mysterious serums and technologies he'd brought back probably came from outer space, didn't they?
Kain waved her concern away.
"That's not important. What matters is—you can enhance your body further. This time, let's bring some of Umbrella's people into space and see if we can expand the company's business beyond Earth."
"But… we don't know anything about extraterrestrial civilizations or their technology. Can we really expand? What if we're rejected..."
Betty's expression turned uncertain. The idea intrigued her, but it also made her anxious.
"Don't worry. Umbrella's super soldiers are already much stronger than the Guardians of the Galaxy. And besides—" Kain's tone darkened slightly, "—if they don't want to be polite, I'll show them what Earth's anger looks like."
"Guardians of the Galaxy?"
"Think of them like cosmic mercenaries. They help out when there's trouble, and cause chaos when there isn't."
Kain then gave Betty a detailed briefing about the broader universe—especially the Nine Realms—and explained the main purpose of their journey. If time allowed, he even planned to visit Xandar.
The development of Earth's technology in the Marvel world was… underwhelming. No matter how advanced it became, technology alone couldn't stand up to the Infinity Stones. Once all six were united, even the most powerful machines couldn't compete with their reality-warping might.
After they returned home, Kain personally prepared a body-enhancing nutrient bath for Betty. With daily use, her physical capabilities could double within a few months. The cost? 100 million Black Dragon Coins.
Later, Kain tested her improved body… but perhaps it was too soon. On the first day, the results weren't optimal. After just seven or eight rounds of intense physical exertion, Betty was exhausted and completely defeated.
A few days later, Kain calibrated the spaceship's coordinates. Although he couldn't pinpoint Nidavellir directly, he had identified several inhabited planets near Earth. From the locals there, he was confident he could find the dwarf realm.
But then—an unexpected message came in.
Sharon Carter had requested a meeting with him that evening.
"She's reaching out to me? Red Queen, what's been going on with the Super Personnel Bureau lately?"
In response, the Red Queen projected a ranked list of recent incidents across the Bureau.
At the top: the mass defection of the Avengers.
The rest? Nothing that warranted Kain's attention.
From his perspective, even the Avengers' escape wasn't particularly worth worrying about. At this point, they had no direction, no resources, and barely any courage. They were clinging to hope in the shadows—waiting for that hope to inevitably shatter.
"All this fuss… over a few Avengers?"
What intrigued Kain far more was the mysterious hammer that had fallen in New Mexico—Thor's Hammer. He was particularly curious about its material composition.
Still, Kain didn't reject Sharon Carter's request. He simply sent her a time for their meeting and went back to constructing the spaceship.
Once he reached Nidavellir, he planned to ask the Dwarf King for a custom-made starship—one designed not only for travel but also for melee combat. And, if possible, a weapon capable of channeling the raw power of the Infinity Stones.
…
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