Chapter Summaries

Rimuru showed Tony Stark a Terminator T-X plasma reactor and proposed using it to power electric cars produced in a new Hell's Kitchen factory. Tony agreed to handle the factory and production work, while warning that the reactor's capabilities would need to be restricted.

• Rimuru escaped Pepper's prolonged shopping trip and decided to use Terminator technology to make money.
• Rimuru brought Tony the T-X plasma reactor, and Tony examined its compact design and exceptional energy output.
• Rimuru proposed building an electric car factory in the vacant area of Hell's Kitchen to use the reactor as a clean power source.
• Rimuru offered to provide and stabilize the reactor technology while Tony handled the factory, production line, testing, and operations.
• Tony agreed to the partnership and warned that the reactor would need to be heavily nerfed before the project could proceed.

Rimuru grew bored while his project stalled in the American government’s review process, so he decided to give S.H.I.E.L.D. a troublesome robot to investigate. The chapter left him taking the night off while Quintessa prepared a precise massage.

• Rimuru complained that government reviews and approvals could delay his project for six months to a year.
• Fury, Coulson, and Hill examined a T-600 and discovered its unusual durability, remote reset system, and reserved military-grade expansion ports.
• Quintessa reviewed Rimuru’s schedule and explained that his project was still awaiting another committee review.
• Rimuru proposed several ways to speed up the bureaucracy, then decided to send S.H.I.E.L.D. an upgraded T-600 with a nonlethal anti-crow protocol near its communications band.
• Rimuru dismissed his remaining obligations for the night and asked Quintessa to give him a precise massage.

Rimuru watched the Hulk’s rampage in Harlem and was stunned when Tony Stark flew in to challenge him. Tony’s armor survived Hulk’s first attack, but the fight left him badly shaken and damaged.

• Rimuru learned that Bruce Banner had returned to New York and used Gillvalis to follow the military pursuit in Harlem.
• Banner transformed into Hulk after soldiers cornered him, and Hulk shrugged off the army’s weapons and defeated Blonsky.
• Tony Stark arrived in his Mark Armor, ignored General Ross’s order to leave, and taunted Hulk from the air.
• Hulk leapt at Tony, withstood several missile explosions, and nearly grabbed him before Tony dodged at the last moment.
• JARVIS reported that Tony’s armor had taken damage, and Tony admitted that Hulk was stronger than he had expected while Rimuru criticized his recklessness.

Rimuru joined Tony after Hulk fled, then discussed the danger posed by Mr. Blue and persuaded Tony to consider recruiting Bruce Banner. Tony agreed to find Banner and ordered JARVIS to trace Hulk’s path and investigate Banner’s research contacts.

• Rimuru arrived in Dragon Knight armor just as Hulk slapped Tony away, but Betty’s influence soon made Hulk flee.
• General Ross ordered his battered troops to retreat and took the injured Blonsky with them.
• Rimuru warned Tony that Mr. Blue, Samuel Sterns, was secretly obsessed with Hulk’s gamma energy and had helped bring about Abomination.
• Rimuru urged Tony to recruit Banner, arguing that his scientific expertise could be valuable if he had a safe laboratory and protection.
• Tony agreed that Banner’s research was impressive and decided to recruit him after finding him.
• Tony told JARVIS to analyze Hulk’s jumping trajectory and search Banner’s research records for New York contacts.

Rimuru sent T-1000s to destroy Stern’s research and keep Banner from falling into Ross’s hands, but the military arrived and the confrontation pushed Banner into becoming Hulk. Hulk tore through the Terminators and attacked Blonsky, while Rimuru redirected his forces to salvage the lab’s research and turn Hulk against Ross’s troops.

• Rimuru learned that Banner had reached Stern’s lab and ordered the Terminators to eliminate Stern and destroy his research before the military arrived.
• Blonsky and Ross’s soldiers attacked the T-1000s outside the lab as other Terminators entered through pipes and Black Dragon began wiping the lab’s computer systems.
• Cornered by the military and the Terminators, Banner struggled to resist transforming, but Hulk burst through the alloy door and attacked the soldiers and robots.
• Blonsky charged Hulk, while a T-1000 killed Stern and Hulk turned on it after Betty screamed.
• Rimuru ordered the T-1000s to seize or destroy the lab’s research and redirect Hulk’s rage toward Ross’s troops.

Rimuru arrived at the battlefield and watched Tony test his modified Iron Monger armor against the rampaging Hulk. After Rimuru saved Tony from a potentially fatal blow, the Hulk turned his attention to Rimuru, who prepared to fight.

• Blonsky saw Banner's blood bags and came up with an idea while the Hulk routed the army.
• Rimuru arrived in his Dragon Knight Armor and met Tony in his bulky red modified Iron Monger armor.
• Tony attacked the Hulk with missiles, sonic cannons, and other weapons, but the Hulk overpowered him and resisted his Strength Suppressors.
• Rimuru struck the Hulk with liquid nitrogen, giving Tony time to escape after the Hulk grabbed his armor.
• The Hulk turned toward Rimuru, who powered up the Dragon Knight Armor and challenged him.

Rimuru fought Hulk in the Dragon Knight Armor, matching his strength before gaining the upper hand with technique and magic. Hulk caught Rimuru off guard and swung him around, but Rimuru struck back with the Bolts of Balthakk; as their battle stalled, Abomination joined the fight.

• Rimuru and Hulk traded powerful blows, with Rimuru punching Hulk into a crater and Hulk quickly healing.
• Rimuru countered Hulk’s attacks with grappling and martial techniques, then knocked him down with an elbow and a kick.
• Hulk grew stronger and met Rimuru’s punch with a concentrated blow, but Rimuru remained standing while Hulk dropped to one knee.
• Hulk revealed he had deliberately knelt, grabbed Rimuru’s foot, and swung him from side to side.
• Rimuru blasted Hulk with the Bolts of Balthakk, scorching his chest and slowing his healing.
• Abomination entered the battlefield as the fight reached a stalemate.

Rimuru watched Hulk and Abomination devastate New York while negotiating with Nick Fury for S.H.I.E.L.D. favors in exchange for stopping them. He unleashed the Bolts of Balthakk, weakening both monsters and leaving Tony astonished as the battle paused.

• Abomination, revealed as Emil Blonsky after injecting Banner's blood, joined Hulk in a destructive fight while Rimuru and Tony discussed profiting from their brawl.
• Nick Fury called Rimuru and offered a S.H.I.E.L.D. response permit, Gamma Project research data, and an archive search in exchange for stopping the fight.
• After Abomination wounded Hulk and the battle worsened, Rimuru accepted Fury's deal and told Tony to stand back.
• Rimuru cast the Bolts of Balthakk, striking both Hulk and Abomination with concentrated lightning that crippled them and reduced their aggression.
• Tony asked JARVIS to assess the attack, and JARVIS reported energy comparable to a small tactical nuclear weapon; Tony wondered why Rimuru had fought Hulk by hand earlier.

After Rimuru’s fight with Abomination, Hydra judged him too powerful to confront and Pierce ordered a covert plan to monitor him, manipulate General Ross, and make Rimuru leave Earth if necessary. Tony and Banner analyzed Rimuru’s lightning while Rimuru relaxed at his manor, unconcerned because he believed he could leave the universe whenever he wanted.

• S.H.I.E.L.D. arranged for Banner to join Stark Industries and took the badly injured Abomination into custody.
• Pierce rejected a direct attack on Rimuru and ordered Hydra to classify the battle data, secretly track Rimuru, and monitor Tony and Banner.
• Pierce directed Hydra to provoke General Ross into testing Rimuru and placed the Winter Soldier on standby as a last resort.
• Pierce prepared the Expulsion contingency, which would spread rumors and public panic to pressure Rimuru into leaving Earth.
• Tony and Banner analyzed Rimuru’s lightning and concluded that its power and spatial effects surpassed known Earth technology.
• Rimuru enjoyed a massage from 715 and decided he had no reason to worry because he could leave if Earth became troublesome.

Hydra enhanced and brainwashed Blonsky, turning him into a stronger Abomination who escaped and began devastating New York while demanding to fight Hulk and Rimuru. Tony and Banner arrived to stop him, and the chapter ended as Hulk and Abomination met each other’s fists in midair.

• Hydra agents disabled the S.H.I.E.L.D. base’s security, injected Blonsky with enhanced gamma factor and a rage-inducing catalyst, and programmed him to target Rimuru.
• Abomination broke out of the base and rampaged through New York, demanding that Hulk and Rimuru face him.
• Banner identified Blonsky’s uncontrolled gamma energy, while Tony prepared a battlefield isolation plan and sent Banner to bring out Hulk.
• Tony and Banner reached the battlefield, where Abomination attacked Hulk before he could land.
• Hulk swung back at Abomination, and their fists collided in midair.

Hulk, Tony, and Rimuru fought Abomination after Hydra’s enhancements made him stronger and nearly impossible to injure for long. Rimuru matched Abomination in close combat, but Abomination’s attempt to crush the Dragon Knight Armor left the battle unresolved.

• Abomination overpowered Hulk until Tony struck him from behind, then fought Tony and Hulk as the two teamed up against him.
• Rimuru arrived and used Black Flame Lightning to interrupt Abomination, then sent Hulk and Tony back to face him alone.
• Rimuru and Abomination traded powerful blows, with Rimuru using his armor and magic while Abomination relied on brute force and rapid healing.
• Abomination seized the Dragon Knight Armor’s arm joints and squeezed, but its barriers resisted the force.

Rimuru discovered that Abomination’s extreme recovery came from a recovery potion and summoned the Transformers to change the fight from attrition to an overwhelming group assault. The Transformers surrounded and battered Abomination, leaving him unable to fight back.

• Rimuru learned from Great Sage that Abomination’s recovery had been enhanced by gamma radiation and a recovery potion, and Tony admitted he had sold potions to the military.
• Tony ordered JARVIS to stop supplying the military and contact Stark’s legal department, while Rimuru ended the futile battle of attrition and told Nick Fury he had a plan.
• Rimuru summoned Megatron, Optimus Prime, and the other Transformers, whose arrival stunned the people watching the battle.
• After Rimuru identified Abomination as their opponent, the Transformers surrounded him and attacked in coordinated waves.
• Abomination struggled against the group assault as his wounds healed only to be inflicted again, while Optimus Prime and Megatron prepared their weapons and Nick Fury called the attack a field-clearing operation.

Rimuru’s Transformers repeatedly overwhelmed Abomination, whose gamma-powered regeneration restored him after every beating, while Rimuru refused Nick Fury’s requests to lend robots or help imprison him. Rimuru then used Galactron’s magical beam to stop Abomination’s regeneration and evaporate him, and hinted that Hydra had caused his escape.

• Ironhide, Brawl, Crankcase, Hatchet, Crowbar, Megatron, and Optimus Prime coordinated attacks that restrained and repeatedly injured Abomination.
• Abomination regenerated completely, shattered his restraint nets, and resumed fighting, astonishing the Transformers.
• Rimuru watched with Tony and Hulk while Nick Fury asked him to tone down the fight and later suggested imprisoning Abomination or borrowing robots.
• Rimuru refused Fury’s requests and said Abomination’s escape had not been an accident, suspecting Hydra was responsible.
• Rimuru summoned Galactron, whose magical beam halted Abomination’s regeneration and ultimately evaporated him.

After Abomination was destroyed, Rimuru warned Nick Fury that Hydra had infiltrated S.H.I.E.L.D. Fury asked how extensive the infiltration was, and Rimuru estimated that just under half the organization belonged to Hydra, including several senior figures.

• Rimuru celebrated Abomination's destruction as the Transformers withdrew and General Ross's troops and S.H.I.E.L.D. agents arrived.
• Rimuru advised Nick Fury to investigate S.H.I.E.L.D., while Hydra's Pierce panicked and Great Sage predicted Hydra might accelerate Project Insight or seek cooperation.
• Nick Fury arrived with a Quinjet formation and asked Rimuru what he knew about the problem inside S.H.I.E.L.D.
• Rimuru called S.H.I.E.L.D. “Serpent S.H.I.E.L.D.” and used Hydra's motto to reveal that the organization had been infiltrated.
• Nick Fury asked how many agents were Hydra, and Rimuru estimated just under half, naming Crossbones, Sitwell, and Alexander Pierce.

Rimuru revealed that Hydra assassinated Tony Stark’s parents and identified the Winter Soldier as the killer, leaving Tony consumed by grief and determined to learn who else was involved.

• Rimuru told Nick Fury that infiltrating Serpent S.H.I.E.L.D. and becoming its director was an impressive feat.
• Rimuru revealed that Howard and Maria Stark were assassinated by Hydra, not killed in a car accident.
• Tony demanded evidence and answers, while Nick Fury and Banner reacted to the revelation.
• Rimuru identified the Winter Soldier, Bucky Barnes, as the one who killed the Starks on December 16, 1991.
• Rimuru explained that Hydra targeted Howard because he was investigating its activities, and killed Maria because she knew the truth.
• Tony, shaken by the revelation, repeated the names Winter Soldier and Hydra and demanded to know who else was involved.

Rimuru revealed that Steve Rogers was still frozen in the Arctic and explained how Steve’s return could expose Hydra and reconnect Bucky Barnes with his humanity. Nick Fury ordered S.H.I.E.L.D. to search for Steve, while Rimuru warned that knowing the future would not make its dangers easy to prevent.

• Rimuru told Nick Fury and Tony Stark that Steve Rogers survived his crash and remained frozen beneath Arctic ice.
• Rimuru explained that Bruce Banner’s Hulk would have freed Steve, but that encounter had not happened yet.
• Rimuru said Steve could help reach Bucky and expose Hydra, though Steve would face betrayal, suspicion, and conflict with his brainwashed friend.
• Tony vowed to find Steve and Bucky and bring Hydra to justice for his parents’ deaths.
• Fury ordered Coulson to mobilize Arctic monitoring satellites and search for signs of Steve’s life.
• Fury asked Rimuru when Steve would awaken and whether S.H.I.E.L.D. could prevent future trouble, but Rimuru cautioned that foreknowledge could not guarantee a solution.

S.H.I.E.L.D. found Captain America frozen in the Arctic and brought him to Stark Tower, where Rimuru used soul magic and recovery potions to thaw him. Steve Rogers awakened in the twenty-first century, confused by the strangers around him and Rimuru’s strange explanation.

• Pierce worried that public opinion had turned against his campaign and wondered whether Rimuru had uncovered Hydra’s infiltration of S.H.I.E.L.D.
• S.H.I.E.L.D., aided by Rimuru’s robots, found Captain America beneath the Arctic ice and brought him to Stark Tower.
• Tony Stark and Banner found that their technology could not safely thaw Steve Rogers, while Rimuru suggested using a recovery potion.
• Rimuru knocked Steve’s soul out of his body, melted the ice, applied recovery potions, and returned Steve’s soul to him.
• Steve Rogers woke up, and Coulson, Tony, Banner, Nick Fury, and Rimuru greeted him as he struggled to understand the changed world.

Alexander Pierce struggled to decide how Hydra should respond as Rimuru’s influence and Captain America’s return threatened its control. Steve Rogers woke to a world seventy years in the future and learned that Peggy Carter was alive and Bucky Barnes had been brainwashed by Hydra.

• Alexander Pierce read that Captain America had been found and feared that acting against Rimuru or Rogers would expose Hydra.
• Steve Rogers learned he had slept for seventy years and struggled with his loss of home, comrades, and familiar surroundings.
• Nick Fury explained that Hydra had deeply infiltrated S.H.I.E.L.D. and described the organization’s origins to Steve.
• Rimuru told Steve that Peggy Carter was still alive, and Nick Fury confirmed it.
• Rimuru revealed that Bucky Barnes was alive but had been brainwashed by Hydra, enraging Steve.

Rimuru agreed to help Fury eliminate Hydra’s infiltration of S.H.I.E.L.D. in exchange for help finding Pietro and Wanda Maximoff. As Fury and Steve drew Hydra out, Rimuru sent T-1000s to silently replace its agents across the agency, and the purge continued into its second day.

• Rimuru reminded Steve to apologize to Tony because Bucky had killed Howard Stark and his wife.
• Rimuru agreed to help Fury purge Hydra from S.H.I.E.L.D. if Fury found Pietro Maximoff and Wanda Maximoff.
• Fury and Steve returned to S.H.I.E.L.D. and loosened security to lure Hydra members out, with Steve agreeing to draw Pierce’s attention.
• Rimuru reassured Banner that he would not need to fight, then deployed T-1000s to identify and replace Hydra agents throughout S.H.I.E.L.D.
• Steve played along with Pierce while Fury secretly coordinated the T-1000 operation, and the agency appeared calm as the first day passed.

T-1000s secretly purged and replaced Hydra operatives throughout S.H.I.E.L.D. over two nights, dismantling Pierce’s network while he believed his takeover was proceeding as planned. When Pierce finally ordered the assault and self-destruct, S.H.I.E.L.D. fought back and drove the remaining Hydra forces into the underground base, where Pierce prepared to resist.

• Steve Rogers returned to S.H.I.E.L.D., reassuring its supporters while Hydra sleepers saw an opportunity to organize their takeover.
• T-1000 squads spent a day and night identifying Hydra agents, then eliminated and replaced most lower- and mid-level operatives without disrupting routine operations.
• During a second day of surveillance and another nighttime purge, the T-1000s replaced Hydra’s mid-level operatives, trusted aides, armed forces, and covert infrastructure.
• Pierce attempted to mobilize his forces and seize S.H.I.E.L.D.’s highest access privileges, but discovered that his network had been hollowed out and could not respond.
• Pierce activated the emergency alarm, ordered Hydra personnel to fight and destroy the base, and the remaining diehards opened fire on S.H.I.E.L.D. security.
• Steve Rogers rallied a counterattack that cleared the headquarters and drove the remaining Hydra members into the underground base, where Pierce prepared to fight to the death.