Marvel: Umbrella Corporation

"I've returned to normal. Aren't you happy for me?"

Seeing Tony looking somewhat unhappy, Banner felt a bit puzzled.

If he knew that his supposed best friend was actually upset because his Hulkbuster project had become obsolete before even being deployed, he might not know what to think.

Tony quickly waved his hand dismissively.

"No, I'm happy for you. Really. So, what's next for you?"

"I'm going to find Elizabeth. I want to propose to her and live a simple, ordinary life together."

"That sounds great, but… are you sure she wants that kind of life?"

Tony's expression turned skeptical.

He hadn't known Elizabeth for long, but from the way she carried herself, he sensed a certain restlessness—an unwillingness to settle down.

It reminded him of Pepper. She always said she wanted a peaceful life, but deep down, she had a restless heart. If he truly stepped away from the spotlight, he wasn't sure she would still love him the same way.

But Banner, oblivious to this perspective, nodded firmly.

"Of course she does! She's always told me she wants a quiet life. Besides, her father wouldn't have accepted me before, knowing I could lose control at any moment. But now? He has no reason to object anymore."

Seeing Banner's conviction, Tony sighed and shook his head, "When are you planning to see her?"

"I'll pack my things and leave this afternoon."

With that, Banner turned and walked toward his room.

Tony watched him go, hesitated for a moment, then decided not to say anything. Maybe Banner needed to face reality for himself.

After a moment, he slumped back onto the couch and flipped on the news.

"Breaking news! The Middle Eastern Alliance has officially abolished its electoral system, replacing it with a monarchy!

Experts warn that this is a step backward for civilization and a direct challenge to global democracy! Cassandra Nova has declared herself the first queen of the Alliance!"

Tony frowned.

"Things are getting messier over there. Wonder if S.H.I.E.L.D. can handle it…"

The news continued.

"Umbrella Pharmaceuticals has announced the development of a new cancer treatment—its second anti-cancer drug this year.

Reports indicate that over a million people have already benefited from Umbrella's medical advances, hailing the company as a beacon of hope for humanity."

Tony's opinion of Umbrella softened—slightly.

As the head of Stark Industries, he knew these numbers weren't fabricated. But he also knew how much Umbrella loved to push these stories into the media, likely as a PR move.

Another headline flashed on the screen.

"Umbrella Starship Company has appointed a fresh college graduate as the head of a new project. Industry leaders praise the company for giving young talent opportunities in cutting-edge research."

A familiar face appeared on the screen—Reed.

Tony suddenly felt a strange sense of unease, as if someone had cracked open his skull and poured information into his brain.

He shook his head, trying to shake the feeling, and refocused on the news.

"Life Foundation has announced a breakthrough in rocket recovery technology in collaboration with Blue Origin and Umbrella Starship Company. Experts predict that in two years, satellite launch costs could drop to just a million dollars."

"Osborn Enterprises' chairman has been indicted for conspiracy to murder members of the board of directors."

"Pioneer Technologies claims to have found a 'cure' for mutants, with clinical trials expected next year."

Tony took a deep breath.

He had been so caught up dealing with Banner and S.H.I.E.L.D. that he hadn't worked on any new innovations for Stark Industries in weeks.

And with Stark Industries' energy projects now closely tied to Umbrella Energy, it felt like Umbrella was dominating every sector.

"If this keeps up, they're going to steal all the spotlight…"

......

The Next Day~

The sun was just beginning to rise in the east.

S.H.I.E.L.D.'s helicarrier had reached the western border of Egypt, a nation bordering the Middle Eastern Alliance.

While Egypt remained neutral, many neighboring countries had already been pulled into the Alliance's sphere of influence.

Jordan, for example, hadn't officially joined the Alliance, but due to religious and political ties, it had become a natural ally.

Maria Hill, acting director of S.H.I.E.L.D., had no intention of sending forces into Babayan's territory. Instead, she kept the helicarrier positioned at the Egypt border while gathering intelligence.

She had contacted the U.S. military presence in the region to assess the situation.

The response had been deeply unsettling.

Today marked the third day since Alliance troops had begun surrounding U.S. military outposts. They were preparing to forcefully eject them from the region.

Meanwhile, the U.S. government remained all talk and no action.

Despite their threats of military retaliation, they had yet to make any decisive moves.

Maria frowned.

The lack of response from the military meant that all the pressure was now falling on S.H.I.E.L.D.

And after the crisis two days ago, the World Security Council had started questioning whether S.H.I.E.L.D. even needed to exist anymore.

If she didn't handle this correctly, S.H.I.E.L.D. could be disbanded—or, at the very least, stripped of its autonomy.

Inside the helicarrier's command room, nearly every senior agent was present.

Natasha Romanoff, Clint Barton, Sam Wilson, Phil Coulson, Daisy Johnson, Melinda May, and other top operatives were gathered around the table.

Maria surveyed the room, her expression grim.

"The situation is deteriorating quickly. We have to find Cassandra Nova before this escalates further. We need to capture or eliminate her—immediately."

Melinda May, ever the seasoned agent, was the first to speak up.

"What do we know? Where is she? Who's protecting her? And what are her abilities?"

Maria nodded to Natasha, who took control of the briefing.

A projection appeared on the screen, showing multiple images of Cassandra Nova.

"This is our target. Cassandra Nova. Age unknown. Place of birth unknown. Even her name might be fake.

She appeared out of nowhere about a week ago in Britain. No one knows where she came from. We ran her features through every global database—no matches."

"Eyewitness reports suggest that several assassination attempts were made on her shortly after she appeared, but all of them failed. Instead, she killed her attackers.

Then, for several days, she did nothing but frequent high-end restaurants and bars, indulging in fine dining and luxury."

"Then, just as suddenly, she showed up in Baghdad.

Within hours, she had taken control of Lorna and a group of mutants. We still don't know how she did it."

The room fell silent as the agents absorbed the information.

One thing was clear—Cassandra Nova was a major threat, and time was running out.

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