After the last street party of muscle-bound men, Rimuru should have faced all sorts of trouble over that final strike, but S.H.I.E.L.D. had blocked it all for him. That was one benefit of having official backing.
If Betty hadn't stopped him, he would have delivered a finishing blow. He hadn't intended to strike Banner, though; he'd wanted to finish off Abomination. But Betty had misunderstood and insisted on standing in his way. Seeing his daughter do that, Ross had been afraid she'd get killed too, so he'd stepped in front of Rimuru as well, making him look like a villain.
Ross isn't a good person either. Should I kill him here? Then there won't be a Red Hulk later. After weighing the pros and cons, he gave up on the idea. It wasn't just Ross's position; he was also Banner's girlfriend's father. If Rimuru killed him, he wouldn't be able to recruit Banner.
In the end, S.H.I.E.L.D. arranged for Banner to join Stark Industries and took Abomination away. According to Universal Sense, Abomination wasn't dead, but he was close. That lightning bolt hadn't been ordinary lightning. It also made Rimuru realize the shortcomings of technology: its upper limit was severely restricted. Even Kang the Conqueror later on had only reached a type I civilization. That was in the thirty-first century, after a thousand years of development, and he'd ended up being defeated by ants.
Although those ants had developed for longer and reached a type II civilization, they'd only managed it because time flowed differently in their world. How long had the Scarlet Witch had to develop after getting the Darkhold? Could they beat her in a fight? Even if Wanda was unique and belonged to a hidden class, how many of those great gods had risen through technology? There was The One Below All, the source of Hulk's power; Loki, the God of Stories; and Thor, Rune King Thor. Even Tony had gone straight from the weakness of flesh to mechanical ascension, but that had taken hundreds of millions of years. Rimuru might not live that long.
Looks like the simplest way is to go steal the Infinity Stones. If Thanos makes The Snap and I get caught in it, I'll be gone.
System: "No, you won't. You're not from this universe, so what are you worried about? He could snap his fingers clean off, and it still wouldn't affect you."
Right, the system has a point. I'm not from this universe at all. If all else fails, I can just pack up and leave. I can live anywhere, can't I?
With that thought, Rimuru instantly relaxed and flopped over like a salted fish on the couch. "715, show me those new massage techniques you learned."
Ohhh, that feels good!
Rimuru was enjoying himself, but Tony was stunned. After bringing Banner into Stark Industries, he'd immediately pulled him into researching the Hulkbuster Armor and Rimuru's Dragon Knight Armor. Tony had seen Rimuru fight Hulk with his own eyes. If his own armor had taken that kind of punishment, it would have been scrap long ago. The difference in their armor's strength was obvious from that alone. Tony hadn't said it aloud, but he couldn't accept it.
S.H.I.E.L.D. was stunned too-or, more precisely, Hydra was. Leaving everything else aside, that final lightning bolt had lit up an entire street. The energy peak was so high that anyone who didn't know better would have thought someone had set off a nuclear bomb in New York.
If left unchecked, Rimuru would be a huge obstacle to Hydra's plans. But they'd already tested him last time and had been taken out instantly without even seeing him. This time was even more astonishing. It was like a mutt with an elephant-impossible to fathom.
Pierce's office at S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Triskelion headquarters was hazy with smoke. Not from a cigar, but from the burnt brain cells produced by his worries-or at least, his scalp felt like it was smoking.
His hair was falling out in handfuls, and his hairline was nearly as bad as Coulson's. At this rate, he'd be the next Nick Fury. Was S.H.I.E.L.D. about to have a black-and-white pair of bald eggs?
He rose and walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, looking down over New York City. "Rumlow, you saw that fight firsthand. Be honest: if you led the Winter Soldier team, what would your chances of winning be?"
Rumlow was silent for a long time.
"Sir, I'm not trying to talk up the enemy." The battle-hardened strike team captain finally spoke. "But when that lightning came down, I was in a surveillance van three blocks away. The electromagnetic pulse fried all our electronic equipment, and thermal residue scans suggest the temperature at the center of the strike reached the level of the sun's surface within a fraction of a second."
He took a deep breath. "That's not a power humans should be touching, sir. At the very least, it isn't a power our current science can explain."
Pierce closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. When he opened them again, only cold calculation remained.
"If we strike rashly, not only will we fail to kill the target, we'll expose everything Hydra has put in place within S.H.I.E.L.D. A century of lying low will be destroyed in an instant."
"So a direct assault is off the table."
Pierce spoke slowly, his voice low and hoarse, all his agitation gone. He turned around, the anxiety in his eyes completely replaced by the calm of a seasoned schemer. "We don't need a chance of victory. We need intelligence. We need leverage. We need to turn him from an 'unknown, harmless variable' into a 'controllable, known threat.'"
Crossbones lowered his head slightly and waited for orders. As Hydra's most elite operations captain, he knew better than anyone that blindly attacking an unbeatable opponent was suicide. Lying low and making plans was the only way forward.
"First, seal all public data on that street battle." Pierce raised a hand to the cold glass, his fingertips turning white. "The energy peak of that lightning discharge, the thermal residue, the electromagnetic pulse parameters-classify all of it as level ten S.H.I.E.L.D. secrets. Deny access to the military, Stark Industries, and even most of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s senior leadership. Our public story is that it was a street clash between superhumans, with a conventional energy explosion and no exceptional combat power involved."
He knew how easygoing and lazy Rimuru was. He never cared about worldly opinions or records, much less came forward to set them straight. As long as Hydra kept a lid on public discussion and the data, it could minimize outside awareness of that terrifying power, prevent major factions from flocking to him and seeking his favor, and keep Rimuru isolated from information so Hydra could investigate his background alone.
"Second, initiate the Shadow Surveillance Project."
Pierce delivered his first key order in a deep voice.
"Draw on every unmanned micro-reconnaissance craft lying hidden in New York. Convert them all to silent, purely mechanical designs. Remove every electronic component and signal transmitter to eliminate electromagnetic emissions that might give them away. Use silent optical tracking throughout. Don't approach, don't probe, don't initiate any interaction. Just follow and monitor him around the clock."
Rumlow frowned slightly. "Sir, without electronic assistance, manual optical tracking leaves very little room for error. The target's perception is exceptionally sharp. One careless move and he'll notice."
"Caution is exactly what I want." Pierce's gaze sharpened, and he spoke each word deliberately. "We don't need to establish the upper limit of his combat power. We only need to record his daily movements, habits, emotional preferences, and patterns of ability use. When he lets his guard down, when he goes out, when he stays at Stark Industries, where the limits of his goodwill toward humans lie, whether there's anything he fears, and whether he has any weaknesses he can't overcome."
After that battle, Hydra had already seen through him. Rimuru was easygoing and carefree, relaxed in his outlook, even somewhat lazy and detached. He showed none of the aggression of an immensely powerful being and bore no ill will toward ordinary humans or Earth's civilization.
Yes, Hydra wasn't stupid. It had also noticed the question of Rimuru's identity. Hydra had used every means it could to search for someone as unusual as him, but found nothing. That had led them to a bold idea: an extraterrestrial civilization. Together with the strange vehicle Rimuru had produced and armor far beyond modern technology, the conclusion was hard to believe, but it could only be that.
But harmless didn't mean controllable.
A gentle unknown powerhouse was far more frightening than a violent enemy. You never knew whether, given his casual outlook, one unthinking probe or unintentional offense might lead him to wipe out everything Hydra had put in place with a casual move.
"Also, keep two key connections under close watch." Pierce continued laying out his plans. "First, Tony Stark. He witnessed the entire battle and is specifically researching the Dragon Knight Armor. He's the person on Earth who currently knows the most about the target's combat power and is closest to him. Secretly infiltrate Stark Industries' lower-level data network. Don't steal core research data; just record Stark's analytical reports, combat assessments, and speculations about the target's abilities."
Tony's technological insight was unmatched worldwide. His analysis was more valuable than Hydra's blind monitoring.
"Second, Bruce Banner."
At the mention of Banner, a calculating glint flashed in Pierce's eyes.
"The target severely injured Abomination, but showed no killing intent toward Hulk or Banner, and even held back throughout. That's enough to prove he has a special tolerance for gamma-mutated life-forms. Focus on monitoring how often Banner and the target meet and what they discuss. Record the target's attitude toward Hulk's power, and whether he intends to recruit him, learn from him, or suppress him."
"Follow up with General Ross as well."
A cold smile touched Pierce's lips. He had evidently seen through Rimuru's weighing of the pros and cons back then.
"We all know the target spared Ross for Banner's sake, to maintain respectable relations with the human camp and lie low in peace. So let Ross continue to be our 'leverage.' Secretly feed Ross fragments of information, suggesting that an alien superhuman has settled on Earth and allied himself with Stark and Banner, and that this will completely overturn the military's authority and squeeze its interests."
"Enrage him. Use his military influence and stubborn desire for control to make him take the initiative to probe, harass, and target everyone around the target."
Kill with a borrowed knife, without getting Hydra's hands dirty in the slightest.
Ross held real power in the U.S. military, acted with obsessive aggression, and was deeply wary of superpowers running out of control. With him testing Rimuru's limits one step at a time, stirring up trouble and creating friction, Hydra could hide behind the scenes, reap the benefits, and observe Rimuru's principles and the limits of his patience.
Crossbones instantly grasped his intent and answered solemnly, "Understood. The military probes him, we observe and record, and we remain invisible throughout, leaving no trace of Hydra."
"That's not all."
Pierce walked behind his desk and picked up a top-secret file bearing the Winter Soldier's codename on its cover. His fingertips brushed the paper, and his gaze grew colder.
"Put the Winter Soldier into dormant standby mode. Suspend all assassination and infiltration missions. Have Bucky keep his whereabouts hidden at all times and remain in peak fighting condition. If an extreme change occurs-the target loses control, or forces from elsewhere in the universe set their sights on him and Earth's balance is completely overturned-the Winter Soldier will be ready at any time, our final hidden piece to execute a containment or damage-control mission."
The Winter Soldier was Hydra's most secret and intractable assassination trump card, with top-tier combat power and movements so covert that no one knew his whereabouts. He couldn't beat Rimuru head-on, but if used for surprise attacks and containment, to disrupt the situation, or to carry out special damage-control missions, he could be put to maximum use.
"Finally, seal away a contingency plan with the highest priority."
Pierce's tone grew as grave as could be as he revealed Hydra's ultimate fallback calculation.
"Codename: Expulsion. If monitoring shows signs that the target intends to remain on Earth long-term, become deeply involved in its affairs, or even control its resources, we won't make an enemy of him. We'll secretly stir up rumors and leak information about the existence of an advanced superpowered being on Earth, causing public panic and making it difficult for him to take a single step on this planet."
He had seen it clearly from the beginning.
Rimuru didn't belong to this planet. That was his greatest trump card, but also his greatest vulnerability.
He simply didn't care about this world's grudges, conflicts, power, or interests.
Rimuru could walk away and pack up and leave at any time, but Hydra couldn't. Hydra was rooted on Earth, with nowhere to escape.
A head-on clash meant certain death, and recruiting him was impossible. That left only one path: use external pressure from public opinion to force him to leave of his own accord.
"He's easygoing, lazy, and afraid of trouble." Pierce spoke with conviction, every word precisely hitting Rimuru's character. "He's willing to stay on a peaceful, comfortable Earth, but on an Earth plagued by constant trouble and war, he won't stay a second longer. As long as the public uproar continues, he'll inevitably choose to withdraw and leave. Subduing the enemy without fighting-that's the safest, most reliable solution."
The entire plan had layer upon layer, with no direct confrontation anywhere. It was all restraint, probing, containment, and preparation.
They would not anger him, provoke him, or expose themselves, yet they could thoroughly investigate Rimuru's background, exploit the weaknesses in his character, and keep this cosmic-level variable firmly under surveillance.
After hearing every arrangement, Crossbones breathed a thorough sigh of relief, his eyes full of approval. This was Hydra's style: lie low, plan from behind the scenes, and never indulge in a moment of reckless bravery. In any case, as long as they weren't sending him to his death, it was fine.
"The entire plan will be carried out in secret. All personnel are forbidden to initiate contact with the target or provoke or probe him in any form. Violators will be treated as defectors and eliminated on the spot." Pierce issued his final, absolute order. "Our job is to watch him from the shadows, not stand in the sunlight and confront him."
"Understood!"
Crossbones bowed to acknowledge the order, then turned and strode out of the office to begin deploying the covert missions at once.
The office fell deathly silent again.
Pierce sat back down and looked out at the peaceful New York City, slowly exhaling a heavy breath. The gravity in his eyes remained.
He had won this immediate contest of calculation, but his heart was still cold.
He knew that this seemingly perfect plan was nothing but self-preservation from beginning to end. He was gambling too, betting that the other party lacked the power to flip the table.
From beginning to end, everything Hydra had arranged, calculated, and held in reserve was not meant to defeat that easygoing, lazy slime powerhouse. It was only meant to secure the slightest chance of survival in the face of his absolute power to casually annihilate all things.
Meanwhile, the atmosphere in a Stark Industries laboratory was entirely different.
Tony stood with his hands in his pockets, staring at the incomplete Dragon Knight Armor data in the holographic projection. His brow was tightly furrowed, his face full of unwillingness, but he could do nothing about it.
Banner stood beside him, still shaken as he watched the purple lightning tear through the night in the projection.
"Tony, the data analysis is in." Banner spoke softly, his voice full of shock. "That lightning doesn't belong to any known energy system on Earth. There's no elemental origin, no matching energy formula, and it has an inherent spatial disturbance property. Its destructive power far exceeds gamma rays and plasma weapons, and it even crushes every Hulkbuster weapon we currently have."
Tony scoffed, his voice thick with frustration. "I can see that. I don't need you to remind me."
He had seen with his own eyes how the Iron Man Armor and technological creations he was so proud of were as fragile as paper before the power of Rimuru's casual strike.
The Dragon Knight Armor's toughness, the strangeness of its lightning ability, and its overwhelming physical capabilities outclassed the products of his technology in every respect.
"Now I'm more curious about where his bottom line is." Tony narrowed his eyes, an intense desire to explore and compete burning in them. "Not his upper limit-his bottom line. A guy with cosmic-level power who's content to hole up on Earth, slack off like a salted fish every day, and enjoy massages. What does he actually want?"
At that moment, the subject of two major powers' secret speculation and comprehensive surveillance plans was nestled on a soft couch at the manor, limbs sprawled comfortably as he completely gave up trying.
The intelligent robot 715 gently pressed her mechanical arms against Rimuru's body, applying just the right amount of pressure to dispel all the fatigue left from his last battle.
"Feels great! Compared to my old life as a slave, this is living!"
Rimuru narrowed his round eyes, the soft flesh of his slime body swaying gently under the massage. He was completely relaxed, his mind long since cleared of schemes, combat power, the Infinity Stones, and the Thanos crisis.
I'm a visitor from outside this universe anyway. Its rules don't bind me.
Thanos's Snap can't hit me, and the conflicts of the Marvel Universe can't sweep me away. If I can't win, I can run. If I get tired of staying, I can leave.
Since there's no life-or-death crisis, why worry about so much?
Slacking off and enjoying a life of doing nothing-that's the right path.