Marvel's Iron Lady

The Star-Swarm disappeared into the black hole created by Norrin's burning cosmic energy, and at the center of that black hole, the Silver Surfer, Norrin Radd, also vanished, consumed by the cosmic explosion he had triggered.

Convincing someone to willingly sacrifice themselves is no easy feat, but Miss Stark keenly tapped into Norrin Radd's guilt and self-condemnation over his actions. She used this to persuade him, convincing him to die willingly in order to atone for his past sins by taking down the Star-Swarm along with him.

Her methods weren't exactly honorable, but she did save this planet from the brink of annihilation, and the price she paid was merely a bit of guilt from convincing an alien life form to die. In return, she gained a great deal.

Her gains included the trust of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Nick Fury, the friendship of the Fantastic Four, and she successfully deepened the ties between Earth and Asgard. On top of that, she obtained valuable samples from Norrin Radd's weakened body. One could say she reaped substantial rewards.

If Norrin Radd were still alive, he might even thank Miss Stark—after all, it was she who gave him the chance to atone.

He had once diverted disaster to protect his own civilization, becoming a complete traitor by helping the Star-Swarm target one civilization after another. Those destroyed civilizations, of course, had a blood debt to settle with him.

Over the years, his conscience had been tormented. He knew the weight of the countless lives lost because of his actions but felt powerless to resist and eventually grew numb—until Miss Stark gave him a chance to redeem himself by burning away his life.

Earth returned to peace once more, and Miss Stark easily used her powers to fill in the craters left by Norrin Radd.

The crisis was over, and Earth had to move on. There was no point in leaving the holes behind. Besides, it didn't take much time to fill them in—she knew well enough the extent of the Reality Stone's power.

Once again, Sue (Susan) and Reed's wedding had been postponed—because Miss Stark discreetly filled in the massive craters, which piqued Reed's curiosity. After discussing with Sue, the couple left the rest of the team behind and embarked on their world tour.

Perhaps it was an early honeymoon, but their travel destinations just so happened to be the locations of the former underground passages. Miss Stark could tell that Reed was genuinely interested in the disappearance of these passages, and the trip was not just for fun but also to investigate them.

Meanwhile, Johnny and Ben were sent back to New York by S.H.I.E.L.D., returning to their usual daily lives—hitting on women and hanging out at bars.

Recently, however, even Johnny noticed that Ben Grimm, who had been left behind by his sister and her fiancé, was rarely seen on the top floor of the Baxter Building. Instead, Ben kept going out for reasons unknown.

For now, let's set aside Ben's secretive activities—Miss Stark was currently entertaining a team from the U.S. Department of Defense, specifically General Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross and his entourage, who had come to Stark Industries in search of breakthroughs in new weapons technology.

After the death of Norrin Radd and the annihilation of the Star-Swarm, Earth's crisis had been averted. Under the joint control of the U.S. government and S.H.I.E.L.D., only a small number of people were aware of the world's brush with destruction.

The world once again returned to peace, and the uninformed masses resumed their daily, monotonous lives.

The existence of extraterrestrial life could no longer be concealed. Even though the world's governments were careful not to let this affect societal stability, there were already a considerable number of people who had witnessed things they were never supposed to see.

Society had already reached the limits of tolerance for the presence of superheroes and supervillains. If alien invasions were added into the mix, human civilization might collapse overnight.

The problem, however, was that extraterrestrial beings didn't care what governments thought—they could appear in the public eye at any time. The challenge of introducing the existence of aliens without causing societal upheaval became a major headache for world leaders.

At the same time, the U.S. Department of Defense realized a critical issue.

The United States, and human civilization as a whole, were unprepared to deal with threats from beyond Earth. They urgently needed effective countermeasures to prevent the world from facing another extinction-level event.

Naturally, the Department of Defense's attention turned to Miss Stark, who had shone during the London Eye crisis. If she had a device capable of stabilizing the Bridge, who's to say Stark Industries didn't have even more powerful weapons at their disposal?

This was the main reason General Ross had brought the Defense Department's weapons advisors to Miss Stark's doorstep.

"I'm sorry, but until I officially take over the company, I don't have the authority to develop weapons of mass destruction."

General Ross hadn't expected Miss Stark's first sentence to be a refusal. However, it was clear she wasn't finished speaking.

"But if you're looking for effective countermeasures—have you heard of infrasound weapons?"

"Infrasound weapons are high-power devices that emit sound waves below 20 Hz. They can be used as military weapons because infrasound waves resonate with the natural frequencies of human organs, causing resonance, deformation, displacement, or even rupture of the organs, leading to fatal injuries."

"Infrasound weapons can be divided into two categories based on frequency: neural infrasound weapons and organ-targeting infrasound weapons."

"Neural infrasound weapons resonate with the brain, damaging it, while organ-targeting infrasound weapons focus on internal organs, causing resonance in abdominal organs. Both types have their advantages, ranging from mild discomfort to death. Whether dealing with ordinary people, superhumans, or aliens, they should be effective."

"However, infrasound weapon systems need to be deployed in sufficient numbers to be effective. A single device won't do much, so don't think you can just mount it on a vehicle and call it a day."

Drawing on her vast knowledge base and natural gift for persuasion, Miss Stark made her infrasound weapon system, still in the design stage, sound like the ultimate weapon—though it wasn't yet in production. She had the Pentagon delegation thoroughly impressed with her technical jargon and elaborate descriptions.

Miss Stark had long noticed the military's obsession with high-tech weapons. Since World War II, the U.S. had always favored military advancements derived from cutting-edge technologies. Seeing these Pentagon representatives as easy prey, she was already planning how to take a significant chunk of their budget.

However, General Ross wasn't a fool. He knew the Stark family well. While Stark Industries had immense technological prowess, he quickly picked up on Miss Stark's mention of the "design stage"—meaning the weapon hadn't been produced yet, let alone tested for effectiveness.

"You want us to give you money based on a blueprint alone? You're even better at making money than your father was."

A peculiar smile spread across General Ross's face as he scrutinized Miss Stark's reaction.

Before her, Howard Stark had pulled similar stunts with the Pentagon—getting money for projects that didn't yet exist—but at least he had always delivered something concrete in return.

"I have all the blueprints. The production line can start anytime, and you'll have the finished product by this afternoon. What's there to worry about?"

Miss Stark's face betrayed a slight awkwardness, but General Ross merely chuckled and shook his head. He knew all too well how the Stark family operated. This wasn't the first time he had dealt with her, and he knew she was just trying to milk the military for money.

As a high-ranking military officer, General Ross understood the Defense Department's priorities. Whether or not Miss Stark was trying to pull a fast one, as long as the product worked, that's all that mattered.

The Pentagon wasn't short on money for weapons research. Every year, billions of dollars were poured into projects that yielded no results. Those experimental weapons would take years to be viable.

On the other hand, companies like Stark Industries and Oscorp might have cutting-edge technologies that hadn't yet been made public.

Soon, the Stark Industries factory received a directive from J.A.R.V.I.S. to begin producing the infrasound weapon system based on its blueprints to meet the Pentagon's request for a live demonstration.

Since Miss Stark had full authority over this deal, the board of directors had no say in the matter.

Once the weapons were completed, Miss Stark immediately escorted the military officials to the testing grounds, eager to pitch this new weapon to the Defense Department.

Infrasound weapons needed to be deployed as a system to truly be effective, and Miss Stark held the patent for the entire system. In other words, the Pentagon couldn't just buy one or two units and reverse-engineer them.

...

The weapon test was a success. General Ross was very satisfied, and negotiations over the price began. From the initial price of one million dollars per unit, he bargained it down to nine hundred thousand dollars.

Along with that came various conditions, such as engineering support, maintenance, and labor costs.

However, the price was already inflated. Since Miss Stark held the patents for the technology, she had the freedom to set the price as she pleased.

The production cost for each infrasound weapon system was about three hundred thousand dollars. Even after all of General Ross's bargaining tactics, he ended up paying twice the production cost, making Miss Stark a significant profit. Plus, this was only the basic version—upgrades would come at an additional cost.

Even though Stark Industries was the world's largest arms company, it was still based in the United States, and its largest client was the U.S. military.

The company relied on American military contracts to fund its international weapons market, creating more capital and wealth for both Stark Industries and the United States.

However, once high-tech weapons were involved, the U.S. government would never allow the company to sell these advanced arms to foreign countries. Selling such weapons abroad before supplying them to the U.S. would be akin to aiding the enemy.

Clients like the U.S. military—wealthy, powerful, and with clear demands—were rare. Miss Stark had to seize this opportunity to squeeze as much out of them as possible, making the most of her investments in the military-industrial complex.

General Ross left with his team, leaving behind the finalized contracts with Stark Industries. As Miss Stark looked at the neatly organized transaction papers, she felt a mix of emotions.

When had she ever commanded such respect? Even after completing a major deal with the U.S. military, the board of directors didn't interfere.

Before officially inheriting the company, all of Stark Industries' operations were tightly controlled by the board, leaving her little room to influence corporate decisions.

But now—there were only about six months left until the official inheritance of her father's estate.

In these last few months, even though she hadn't officially taken over the company, the board had stayed out of her dealings with the U.S. military. Was this not a sign of goodwill?

It was likely that the board had taken notice of her increasingly close relationship with the U.S. government and the Department of Defense.

On the other hand, her military contracts signaled something else—the U.S. military was growing wary of individuals with special powers appearing around the world.

Some feared them, while others sought to use them for their own ambitions.

In this regard, the U.S. military and agencies like S.H.I.E.L.D. were almost aligned.

S.H.I.E.L.D. hoped to replicate the miracle of Captain America from World War II. The U.S. military shared that same desire.

Take, for example, the Super Soldier Program that created Captain America.

Since Dr. Abraham Erskine and her father, Howard Stark, successfully transformed Steve Rogers into the legendary soldier, the U.S. military had never stopped supporting the Super Soldier Program.

Which nation wouldn't want an army of nearly invincible warriors like Captain America?

However, after Dr. Erskine's death, all progress on the Super Soldier Program stalled.

The few remaining doses of the super soldier serum were stolen by HYDRA and went missing. Even when the U.S. military reassembled the research team that had worked with Dr. Erskine, they failed to reproduce the serum's success.

For decades, throughout the Cold War, the Super Soldier Program yielded no results, while America's military-industrial complex flourished.

Technological innovations in the Navy and Air Force's equipment made the Department of Defense lose interest in the now-stalled Super Soldier Program. The program was shelved, collecting dust in the archives.

But at the dawn of the 21st century, General Thaddeus Ross of the U.S. Army resurrected the Super Soldier Program.

Initially, he aimed to use new technologies to recreate the success of Captain America. And indeed, modern advancements delivered a shock—though not the one he had expected.

Among the researchers was Dr. Robert Bruce Banner, the world's youngest and most brilliant expert in atomic physics.

It was Dr. Banner who, during an experiment to enhance biological strength, was accidentally exposed to gamma radiation. This triggered a genetic mutation within his body.

Although he wasn't killed by the intense gamma radiation, it transformed him into a powerful green monster.

That green monster, the Hulk, demolished the research base where General Ross was working on the Super Soldier Program.

Despite the destruction, after witnessing the Hulk's immense power, General Ross became fixated on him, convinced that the Hulk was the super soldier he had been seeking.

He was determined to capture the Hulk and unlock the secrets of his body.

From the moment Dr. Banner first transformed into the Hulk, his mind, body, and every drop of his blood became, in General Ross's eyes, property of the U.S. government.

This was why, in the classified files Miss Stark had reviewed, Dr. Banner was marked with a red notice from the Department of Defense, indicating that he was a wanted fugitive.

Miss Stark didn't know where Dr. Banner had gone, but she knew one thing: in the future, he would become one of her most important allies.

Dr. Banner was a brilliant scientist with no desire for power, a true academic. At the same time, he was a wanted man, pursued by the U.S. military. His situation made him an ideal target for recruitment.

He didn't seek much. With no grand ambitions, he simply wanted to focus on his research, deal with the problems the Hulk caused him, and avoid capture by the military.

As long as she could help him solve his problems and give him what he wanted, he would willingly work for her. This made Miss Stark particularly interested in Dr. Banner's situation.

Though she didn't know where Bruce Banner was, when General Ross came knocking, she immediately realized one thing.

Her "uncle" had likely received word and was preparing to move against Bruce Banner.

As Miss Stark had expected, General Ross had come to her, looking for unconventional weapons not just to deal with potential future crises but also to address an imminent threat.

While Miss Stark had been traveling the world with the Fantastic Four, searching for a way to deal with the Swarm, the CIA—America's largest foreign intelligence agency—had submitted a report to the Department of Defense.

The report detailed an unexpected incident.

A man had died after drinking a bottle of guarana juice imported from Brazil.

Within hours of his death, the man's body showed severe burns and rapid decay, alerting his family to something unusual, prompting them to call the authorities.

However, when paramedics arrived, it wasn't medical personnel who responded, but radiation experts clad in protective gear.

Tests revealed high levels of radiation in the deceased's body, and a sample from the juice bottle showed a single drop of blood contaminated with strong radiation.

It was this drop of blood that had caused the man's radiation poisoning and subsequent death.

The guarana juice factory in Rio de Janeiro, owned by the Portuguese food retailer Pingo Doce, immediately became the focus of U.S. military interest. CIA agents stationed in Brazil were sent to investigate.

By the time the incident report landed on General Ross's desk, it was clear—the hunt for Bruce Banner had resumed.

General Ross had been after his quarry for years, and now it had resurfaced.

Though he had failed to capture the Hulk in America, discovering him hiding in the U.S.'s "backyard" brought Ross immense satisfaction. He wasn't about to let this opportunity slip away.

Fort Johnson, located in the Florida Everglades, is one of the southernmost Army bases in the U.S.

It houses the elite Special Forces Command, and the special operations team General Ross brought with him was one of his most trusted units.

It was clear that Ross had specifically brought this highly trained team to capture Dr. Banner.

The elite squad, consisting of dozens of soldiers, traveled in a convoy of Humvees across the desert, heading toward the military base's airfield.

"The mission objectives have been uploaded to your navigation devices. Your weapons are equipped with tranquilizer rounds. Ensure the target is captured alive."

"The mission's target is a fugitive wanted by the Department of Defense for stealing classified national intelligence and murdering two scientists and an officer. He is extremely dangerous—tranquilize him on sight."

General Ross was well aware of the beast inside Dr. Banner, but he wouldn't reveal the truth about the Hulk to his soldiers.

If they knew they were facing an indestructible monster, morale would plummet. The only solution was to use strong tranquilizers and take down Dr. Banner before the Hulk emerged, trapping him in a cage.

Meanwhile, back at Stark Industries headquarters, inside the boardroom, Miss Stark felt her phone vibrate in her pocket.

"Apologies, directors, I need to take this call—"

She glanced at the screen, stood up, nodded politely to the board members, and excused herself from the meeting.

She didn't care what the directors thought of her departure. On her phone's screen, a single line of text appeared.

[The Black Thunder has set off and is currently crossing the border.]

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