"Fortunately, this shield doesn't block spatial abilities," Daniel Davis thought as he used Apparition to bypass the protective barrier and enter Wakanda. He wasted no time admiring the futuristic city in the distance and immediately headed in the opposite direction.
Vibranium and the Heart-Shaped Herb were Wakanda's greatest secrets, and locating them wouldn't be easy. The logical approach would be to gather information in the city, but Wakanda's unique societal structure made that impractical.
Despite its advanced technology, Wakanda still operated under a tribal leadership system, where the leader's position was determined through combat. As long as one's bloodline was legitimate, even an outsider could become the king of Wakanda by winning a duel. Although this system seemed odd, it wasn't entirely unreasonable. In the vast universe, many large empires had even stranger systems. If the Celestial Dragons existed in the world of "One Piece," then Wakanda's practices were hardly surprising.
With Wakanda's technological prowess, Daniel risked being detected if he entered the city. However, approaching other tribes offered a different opportunity. Officially, Wakanda was governed by five major tribes, but in reality, the Black Panther lineage had always held the throne. The other four tribes had little chance of rising to power, and it was unrealistic to expect them to harbor no resentment.
Even within the Black Panther's lineage, T'Challa's cousin once became king with the support of one of the tribes. Daniel had no qualms with King T'Chaka, who had governed Wakanda well and had played a crucial role in defending against Thanos. However, Wakanda's isolationist policies made it impossible for Daniel to obtain Vibranium and the Heart-Shaped Herb without resorting to subterfuge. Given that Erik Killmonger, who planned to burn the Heart-Shaped Herbs, would soon emerge, Daniel felt justified in taking them himself.
Before coming to Wakanda, Daniel had captured Ulysses Klaue, the notorious smuggler of Vibranium. From Klaue, he learned valuable information about Wakanda. Klaue had initially been a talented scientist who developed a device needing Vibranium to enhance its effectiveness. After discovering Vibranium's source in Wakanda, Klaue infiltrated the country and stole a significant amount, sparking a conflict between King T'Chaka and his brother.
King T'Chaka was a traditionalist who adhered to Wakanda's isolationist policies, while his brother advocated for opening up to the world, leading to the latter's banishment. As a result, Klaue became a high-profile fugitive in Wakanda. Capturing him would yield Vibranium, but not the Heart-Shaped Herb.
Daniel planned to frame Klaue for his actions and learned from him that the British Museum housed artifacts made of Vibranium, including a legendary hoe. This artifact, a symbol rather than a practical tool, was unlikely to be closely guarded, allowing Daniel to replace it with a fake using alchemy.
Upon reaching Wakanda, Daniel found the internal structure of what appeared to be primitive huts surprisingly modern. He mused on the contrast, noting that with their resources, they could build far more luxurious homes, much like the wealthy in the Middle East.
Inside these inconspicuous huts were the stores of Vibranium and the Heart-Shaped Herb. Daniel was perplexed by how King T'Chaka could have been killed by a bomb despite having access to such powerful resources. The Wakandan tradition dictated that once a king decided to pass on the throne, he had to take a drug that nullified the effects of the Heart-Shaped Herb. This policy was intended to prevent internal strife over the herb, yet Daniel found it wasteful.
"One ton, two tons... Let's take two tons," Daniel decided. Wakanda's Vibranium mines, composed entirely of the precious metal, were vast, with enough reserves to potentially elevate the entire world into a spacefaring civilization. Yet, they remained largely untapped due to Wakanda's isolationist stance.
Daniel couldn't fault Wakanda for hoarding its resources. People were naturally inclined to protect their own interests, and altruism with valuable resources was rare. Even he, with his advanced knowledge and technology, hadn't shared his secrets freely with Earth, focusing instead on personal gain.
"Black Panther, while I've taken your Vibranium and the Heart-Shaped Herb, I've also removed a significant threat for you," Daniel thought, as he set his plan in motion with Ulysses Klaue, involving Erik Killmonger, who had been poised to challenge for the throne.
The shield protecting Wakanda, while impressive, had its vulnerabilities, as Klaue had proven by smuggling out Vibranium. The barrier wasn't a complete sphere, allowing entry from underground tunnels.
As gunfire erupted, Wakanda's tranquility was shattered. The Wakandan soldiers quickly organized a defensive line using their advanced technology, showcasing weapons and clothing with impressive capabilities, reminiscent of Asgardian technology.
The battle quickly turned against Klaue's forces, and Daniel took the opportunity to seize the Vibranium and Heart-Shaped Herbs he had targeted. The appearance of T'Challa, clad in the Black Panther suit, marked the beginning of a swift and lethal counterattack. The suit's Vibranium claws made short work of any opposition.
"Such advanced technology, yet they favor close combat. Truly fitting for the Black Panther," Daniel mused. The Black Panther suit's defensive capabilities rendered conventional weapons ineffective.
"Erik was killed instantly. Well, that was quick and clean," Daniel noted. T'Challa, with his enhanced physical abilities, easily subdued Erik, whose challenge had ended in failure.
"With enough Vibranium, I can craft a magnificent Vibranium armor. Now, what style should I choose?" Daniel pondered, imagining a suit reminiscent of the armor worn by the saints under a certain goddess.
For this, he planned to employ Wapol, an ally with the ability to combine metals, to create a new material by blending Vibranium with gold, diamonds, and modern alloys. This new alloy, though not mass-producible, would be perfect for personal use.
"Fortunately, Wapol is reliable, and I have the Op-Op Fruit ability. Otherwise, I wouldn't dare let him ingest so much material. If we gave a Vibranium mountain to the Fusion Fruit user, who knows how powerful they could become," Daniel thought, recognizing the potential of combining such abilities with scientific methods.
"Imagine if the Devour-Devour Fruit and Fusion Fruit abilities were swapped; the Navy would have a serious problem."
Back at Stark's villa, Tony Stark proudly demonstrated his new nanotech Iron Man suit, which deployed seamlessly over his body from a chest-mounted arc reactor. In a costly but efficient project, Stark had quickly developed the suit, buoyed by recent victories against HYDRA.
The nanotech suit's convenience meant Stark no longer needed to return to base or remotely summon his armor. "He's still keeping it in the chest," Daniel observed, noting that the nanotech suit could be stored in a belt for discretion. Daniel's suits, including the Ant-Man and Vibranium armors, were designed as rings, bracelets, and even earrings—though the earrings were gifts for Robin and Ada.
As Stark showcased his suit, Captain America, Carter, Banner, Natasha, and other Avengers arrived, visibly tense. Captain America, usually composed, looked particularly severe, as did the others.
"Banner," Stark addressed, retracting his armor as he noticed Banner's stern expression.
"Don't blame me. This plan can't proceed as you wish," Banner replied.
"What's going on?" Daniel inquired, curious about the commotion.
"Tony wants to create a global defense system, the Ultron program," Natasha explained.
"You can't be serious. I went through a lot to prevent Ultron from existing, and now you're doing this," Daniel exclaimed, shocked.
"This is for world peace. Relying on a few of us isn't enough to end these threats, but a surveillance system could," Stark argued.
"This is just another Insight plan. How can you ensure it won't be misused?" Captain America countered, staring sternly at Stark.
"I can guarantee it won't be," Stark insisted, undeterred despite the unanimous opposition. As a scientist, Stark relied heavily on technological solutions, believing in the potential of AI, despite the inherent risks.
The discussion ended with no resolution, and the team dispersed, leaving Stark in a sour mood.
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"Stark is really playing with fire here. I hope that without the Mind Stone, his research doesn't go too smoothly," sighed Daniel Davis as he returned from Stark's villa.
Daniel wasn't entirely surprised that Stark wanted to research Ultron. After all, science was Stark's specialty. He wouldn't use magic to create a defense system—that's what Kamar-Taj was for.
Even Daniel had the Red Queen controlling a large number of Iron Man suits. He just didn't want to start a war; otherwise, his current reserves could certainly wage a significant battle.
In the Marvel Universe, there are no movies like "Terminator," and even if there were, Stark wouldn't be someone who changes his mind because of a film—unless he witnessed the consequences firsthand.
Just like how he transformed from an arms dealer to Iron Man, he wouldn't have changed if he hadn't experienced everything firsthand. Before going to Afghanistan, when a female reporter interviewed him about selling weapons, Stark showed no concern.
In terms of stance, Daniel naturally sided with Captain America and the others. However, he didn't persuade Stark to give up, since he couldn't cite an example of Ultron, which hadn't yet appeared.
There's no proof, so why would Stark believe him? Even though they were friends, Stark trusted his knowledge the most when it came to scientific matters, as Thanos once said, Stark was cursed with knowledge.
Convincing Stark to abandon his plans was as difficult as convincing Thanos to give up his universal population control plan.
Captain America's concerns about Ultron were understandable, especially after the Insight program. The team had also seen Arnim Zola, who transferred his consciousness into a computer.
Stark's reasoning was similar; reacting to incidents after they happen was too slow. However, Ultron could potentially prevent crimes before they occur.
This reminded Daniel of a TV show he had seen.
Stark's reasoning was simple: the plan might be similar, but the intentions differed greatly. If viewed from two perspectives, the same issue could have vastly different outcomes.
For example, the Insight program and Stark's Ultron plan were essentially the same, with Insight using Zola's algorithm and Stark using Ultron.
If Hydra had packaged the Insight program as the Ultron plan, it might have been different. In the original story, Stark and Banner secretly created Ultron. Even though Captain America was furious when he found out, he didn't stop them until Ultron threatened humanity.
There were already countless weapons in orbit above Earth; a few more space battlecruisers wouldn't make a difference. Like the solar satellite array that destroyed the island city of Terragrigia, it still hangs in the sky.
With so many satellites, who knows what they're all doing?
After Stark's death, Spider-Man inherited his smart glasses. Because of a misunderstanding, he almost used drones to kill a classmate. This might seem trivial in a movie, but in reality, it's terrifying.
Stark had already deployed several Hulkbuster suits in orbit after the Battle of New York.
"Without the Mind Stone, even if Stark creates Ultron, it would just be an advanced AI system, not a sentient life form, so it shouldn't be a big problem."
There is a significant difference between an intelligent system and a sentient life form. While an intelligent system, no matter how advanced, is always under control, a sentient life form has no such guarantee. Even with brainwashing, there's always the possibility of breaking free from control. Not even the Ancient One could achieve that.
"Still, it's hard to say. This is the Marvel Universe, full of black technology. Who knows, Stark might actually create a sentient Ultron. If that happens, we'll have to fight it."
Sentient life forms are more advanced than intelligent systems but also easier to deal with. An intelligent system can be replicated, like Red Queen, White Queen, Stark's J.A.R.V.I.S., Friday, E.D.I.T.H., Veronica, and others. As long as Stark is around, he can recreate them.
But a sentient life form is different; it cannot be replicated. Even if it's based on a program, it can't be duplicated. If the program is destroyed, it's truly gone.
"Colson, it's been a while," Daniel was greeted by an old friend, Colson, who had been missing for some time.
"A wily rabbit has three burrows. With Fury's cunning, there's no way he didn't leave some backups. Even when S.H.I.E.L.D. was heavily infiltrated by Hydra, Fury still managed to secretly establish some hidden bases. You have to hand it to him," Daniel mused.
"I need your help with something," Colson said, his expression as serious as ever.
"Need my help? S.H.I.E.L.D. is dissolved, isn't it? Who are you working for now? Why not join me instead?" Daniel jokingly offered, knowing full well that Colson was unlikely to accept.
Stark Industries had gained the most from S.H.I.E.L.D.'s collapse, recruiting core members like Hill, a level 9 agent under Fury. Although Hill's involvement was mainly for the Avengers, it still eased Pepper's burden. Meanwhile, Daniel had also benefited, with Hand joining and bringing along several S.H.I.E.L.D. elites.
This was a time when level 6 and above agents were highly sought after, while the lower-level agents faced long periods of scrutiny.
Sky was fortunate to be with Colson; otherwise, as a level 1 agent, she might have faced extended questioning. Of course, her skills with computers could also have led to other opportunities.
Among Colson's team, Daniel saw great potential in Fitz and Simmons, both geniuses who graduated top of their class at S.H.I.E.L.D. Academy.
Fitz, in particular, was impressive, having invented the framework, a virtual reality system.
"S.H.I.E.L.D. hasn't been disbanded," Colson said sternly, responding to Daniel's comment. S.H.I.E.L.D. was a matter of faith for Colson, who couldn't bear the thought of it ceasing to exist. Few people knew that Colson had joined S.H.I.E.L.D. before even finishing high school.
"Oh, really? So what do you need my help with?" Daniel realized that pressing the issue of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s existence might upset Colson.
"You'd better come over. I'll come pick you up," Colson said, hanging up.
"Trouble? What kind of trouble could Colson be facing?" Daniel wondered. Knowing Colson, he wouldn't ask for help unless he had no other choice.
"S.H.I.E.L.D. has plenty of sponsors, or maybe Fury has a hidden stash," Daniel thought. Every organization needs funding, whether for base maintenance or personnel salaries. It wasn't as if they could run on goodwill alone.
Colson's team likely had some members who didn't care much about money, like Sky, Fitz, Simmons, and Melinda. But maintaining the entire organization was a different story.
Let's not forget the compensation for fallen agents.
Daniel recalled that a future S.H.I.E.L.D. director, who replaced Colson, often struggled with political dealings to secure funding. He once told Colson he envied his secret funds.
"Long time no see, everyone," Daniel greeted Sky, Fitz, and Simmons with a smile as he boarded Colson's invisible plane.
"With S.H.I.E.L.D. down, Colson's team seems to have grown," Daniel observed, noting a new young man among the team members, along with another addition in the support role.
There were now three new members: Trip, Sky, and a man named Lance Hunter. The support member was a burly African-American named Mike.
"Hello," Fitz and the others greeted Daniel with smiles, except for the new members who didn't know him.
"Sorry to call you out like this, but we found something," Colson said, activating a screen that displayed an image of someone Daniel recognized, though it was his first time seeing him in person.
A skull engulfed in red flames, riding a similarly flaming motorcycle, speeding down the street. It was the Ghost Rider.
Daniel wasn't unfamiliar with Ghost Rider, even though he had once forgotten the name of the Scarlet Witch. He knew the profession well—motorcycle stunt performer.
With a quick internet search, it was easy to identify him as Johnny Blaze, the most daredevil motorcycle stunt performer, always pushing the limits and somehow surviving.
Online betting even existed on when Johnny Blaze would die in a stunt, and as he kept surviving, the stakes grew higher. Blaze was known as the man who tricked death.
In the USA, being a motorcycle stunt performer was extremely dangerous. Almost all, except those who quit early, ended up injured or dead. For more extreme performers like Blaze, the mortality rate was almost 100%.
Having found Johnny Blaze, Daniel watched many of his stunts online but had no intention of approaching him. Ghost Riders were not easy to deal with, especially considering who was behind them.
"This footage was found by Sky using satellite surveillance. Here's what happened afterward," Colson continued, showing images of bizarrely deceased bodies.
"All three generations of Ghost Riders are here. Mephisto sure knows how to play," Daniel thought, recalling the cemetery caretaker, Johnny, and the third Ghost Rider Sky encountered.
Identifying the three Ghost Riders was easy, not just by their outfits but also by their mounts: a horse, a motorcycle, and a car.
"If you brought me here to deal with him, I'm afraid I'll have to decline," Daniel said, turning to Colson after examining the corpses.
Besides the fact that Ghost Riders were hard to handle, they only killed those with sins. Daniel couldn't oppose that.
S.H.I.E.L.D. had a strict no-vigilantism policy, just as many people didn't accept Spider-Man despite his hero
ics. Ghost Rider's methods were even harsher.
"Didn't Fury warn Colson about this?" Daniel wondered. With Ghost Rider's long existence, Fury had to know about them. Daniel had even asked Fury to investigate cemeteries before.
Originally, Daniel intended to find the cemetery caretaker Ghost Rider through Johnny Blaze and obtain the San Venganza Contract. However, realizing Johnny was part of a traveling circus, he knew it would be difficult to locate the caretaker among the many elderly cemetery caretakers.
"Why can't we deal with him?" Sky asked before Colson could respond.
"That's the Ghost Rider, a human who gained power through a pact with a demon—a demon you've all met," Daniel explained, glancing at Sky.
"Sky might have awakened her Inhuman abilities by now," Daniel mused, unsure how to ask directly.
"Mephisto," Sky, Fitz, and Simmons said in unison, recognizing the demon they had encountered before.
"Is that the same Mephisto?" Lance Hunter asked, surprised.
"Indeed," Sky, Fitz, and Simmons confirmed.
"Is Hell real? You can't be serious," Lance Hunter said, incredulous.
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