Just a Title

Shendu paid no attention to the agents' chatter and walked straight toward Fury's office.

The moment the door opened, he saw Fury standing before a special wall covered with densely packed photographs and names, including high-ranking military officers, key political figures, potential destabilizing elements within S.H.I.E.L.D., and even several Avengers.

Fury kept his eyes on the wall without turning around. "You're here. Any new developments on Tony's side?"

Shendu replied, "Everything's going smoothly. It doesn't look like he intends to resist. He should hand over the technology soon."

Shendu walked up to the desk. "I heard Ross is joining forces with other generals to draft a proposal restricting S.H.I.E.L.D. It's expected to be submitted to the Security Council in three days."

"Three days?" Fury turned around, his gaze icy. "Three days is too slow."

Fury walked to the computer and tapped a few keys. A mass of code appeared on the screen.

"Do you know why I had you take control of the world's military weapons?"

Shendu feigned confusion. "Surveillance?"

"Not just that."

Fury pointed at the screen. A red targeting box had locked onto the airspace above General Ross's private residence. "It's to let them know who really controls the situation."

Fury paused, his voice utterly flat. "Give them a warning. Target two tactical missiles at Ross's two military depots in Texas. No casualties, but make sure they understand that we can enter their systems whenever we want."

Shendu nodded slightly, his finger sweeping through the air.

Thousands of kilometers away, piercing alarms suddenly blared at a military missile base without warning. Two missiles launched without receiving any orders.

"The system's been breached! The missiles activated on their own!"

"We can't cancel the launch command!"

"My God, that's impossible!"

Trailing flames, the two missiles soared into the sky and struck two military depots that had already been evacuated.

There were no casualties, only thick smoke and deafening explosions.

Thirty minutes later, General Ross's encrypted communications line was nearly overwhelmed.

"General! The S.H.I.E.L.D. Army infiltrated our system!"

"How did they do it?! Our firewall is top-level!"

"Ross! This is a declaration of war!"

Ross sat in the command room with a livid expression. On the large screen before him were satellite images of the destroyed depots.

"Fury."

Ross ground out the name through clenched teeth. "You're fucking insane."

Meanwhile, in Tony's laboratory.

JARVIS's voice rang through the room. "Sir, are you certain you wish to do this?"

Tony stood before the workbench, holding an exquisite box. Inside was an energy core emitting a pale blue glow.

Tony gave a self-deprecating smile. "Certain? I've never been this certain in my life."

Tony closed the box, turned, and instructed JARVIS, "Reanalyze the data in Valmont's blood. Once the analysis is complete, apply it to the plan directly. Don't ask for my approval."

At S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters, the door to Fury's office opened.

Tony entered and handed the box to Fury.

"What is this?" Fury opened the box.

"The new energy technology you wanted, the complete version." Tony brazenly sat down in Fury's chair. "It's enough to free S.H.I.E.L.D. from its dependence on military energy, and enough to make those people at the Security Council shut up."

Fury raised a brow and looked provocatively at Tony, who was now sitting in his seat. "Why so generous? I thought you'd only hand over the technology. I didn't expect you to give me a finished product too."

Tony shrugged. "I suddenly think you've been pretty right lately."

"About threats. About control." Tony sounded utterly sincere. "When Loki invaded, we almost lost. If that portal hadn't closed for no apparent reason, who could guarantee that we would have won?"

"The military did nothing, yet they still wanted to kill us." Tony continued, "Do you think I'd cooperate with them?"

Shendu listened from the side without interrupting. He knew very well that if not for the Watcher's interference, if not for the Watcher trying to eliminate him then, if not for his existence as an unexpected variable, they could have resolved that war entirely on their own.

Fury was silent for a few seconds before slowly nodding. "You've finally come around."

"Yeah."

Tony rose to his feet. "But I still need to make a trip to Washington, D.C. to deal with some leftover Stark Industries matters. We'll discuss the technology's application in detail when I get back."

Tony turned and left. At the instant he stepped out of the office, he gave Shendu an unreadable look.

Three hours later, inside a hidden military safe house in Washington, D.C.

Tony sat at the conference table. Across from him were General Ross and three other senior military officers.

Ross pushed a stack of documents in front of Tony. "Mr. Stark, are you sure you want to do this?"

Tony picked up the documents, skimmed through them quickly, and signed his name.

"I'm sure. Fury has gone mad. He thinks he controls everything, but in reality, he's just trapped in his own illusion."

Ross frowned. "Where's your evidence?"

Tony took a small device from his pocket and placed it on the table.

"Coulson, I have a task I need you to carry out..."

Fury's voice came from the recording.

When the recording ended, Tony continued, "He's now using Valmont to control the world's military satellites. Your missile systems have long since fallen under his control. Today's attack on your depots was merely a warning."

Ross's expression darkened further. "How did you obtain that recording?"

"You don't have the right to know." Tony did not answer Ross's question. He did not completely trust the military either.

"What do you want us to do?" another general asked.

Tony leaned back in his chair, that familiar confident smile appearing at the corner of his lips. "Simple. Publicly condemn S.H.I.E.L.D.'s abuse of authority and force the Security Council to investigate. Leave the rest to me."

"Hero." One general uttered the word without warning.

Tony gave him a contemptuous look. "You people were the ones who wanted to kill your hero before."

Fury stood before that wall, his finger moving across Steve's and Natasha's photographs.

"How has Steve been lately?" Fury asked.

Shendu, standing behind him, replied, "Everything is normal. They're carrying out your orders as instructed."

"What about Natasha?"

"The same. Everything is normal."

Fury nodded in satisfaction. "Keep an eye on them. If the military doesn't hand over command in three hours, then there'll be no need for them anymore. It's only a title for legitimately deploying military equipment."

Shendu said nothing. In his eyes, the greed in Fury's heart had reached its critical point.

This place would soon become his own kingdom.