The Hydra assault on Rhodes Island Industrial's warehouse district had finally ended.
Naturally, with the combined efforts of Hawkeye Barton, Rhodes Island Industrial's automated security forces (all of which were sadly sacrificed), as well as Tony Stark and his Iron Legion, the enemy's offensive was completely dismantled.
In this battle, the heroes not only wiped out a large number of Hydra's combat units, but even their top enforcer, War Machine, and their elite "Assault Strike Team" were thoroughly defeated.
The strike team, utilizing Chitauri technology, was annihilated, while War Machine was captured alive.
Meanwhile, on Kagura's side, aside from the loss of a few automated turrets, some defensive equipment, and scattered warehouse supplies, there were no significant casualties.
A resounding success!
After a quick battlefield cleanup, Tony Stark and the others gathered together.
Per Kagura's suggestion, Nick Fury also emerged from his underground safehouse to join the group on the surface.
"Alright, Hitomi, let's hear it. What brilliant plan do you have this time?"
Tony Stark tapped his remote-controlled Iron Man suit. "Are you in there?"
"Hehe! Yep, I'm right here!"
A drone projected a hologram of Kagura onto the ground, her figure slowly materializing before them.
"So, what kind of trick are you playing this time? Where exactly are you? And why do you keep communicating through a hologram instead of showing up in person?" Nick Fury questioned, clearly unimpressed with her elusive presence.
"Ah, don't sweat the details! Hitomi is always with you guys, in spirit!"
She playfully stuck out her tongue and made a heart shape with her hands.
"That aside, do you believe me now, Director Fury?"
"If I still couldn't grasp the situation at this point, it wouldn't be about vigilance—it'd be about a lack of intelligence."
Nick Fury shrugged. "Anyway, thanks for your help, Miss Kagura. Now, I'll need you to assist me in reclaiming S.H.I.E.L.D. from Hydra's infiltration."
"Reclaim? No thanks."
Hands on her hips, Kagura shook her head. "What about your precious S.H.I.E.L.D.? Just dismantle it already."
"Excuse me?"
"Yup! That settles it! Our next move is to take down S.H.I.E.L.D. entirely—Hydra and all!"
"Hey, at least show some respect for the organization that's been built up since Stark's dad started it!" Fury protested, unwilling to let go of S.H.I.E.L.D. so easily.
"S.H.I.E.L.D. isn't dead—it's just sick. We should cure it, not kill it."
"Nah, it's a lost cause!" Kagura threw up her hands.
"If Hydra was able to infiltrate S.H.I.E.L.D. this deeply, then the organization is beyond saving."
"Just bury it already! I mean, they even managed to gain control over your most advanced military assets. That alone should tell you something."
"Tch... today's been a rough one," Fury muttered before glancing at her hologram again. "So, Miss Invincible Flashblade, are you really not going to take part in this grand operation to obliterate S.H.I.E.L.D.?"
"I'm pretty far away. It'd take too long to get there in person, so this is just more convenient!"
Kagura made an adorable pose. "Alright, let's talk strategy!"
With a wave of her hand, several holographic screens appeared around her.
"As the battle was nearing its end, I used Rhodes Island Industrial's combat drones to jam all electromagnetic signals in this area, cutting off enemy communications."
"Smart move," Tony Stark nodded. "If Hydra knew their attack had failed, they'd send wave after wave of reinforcements, and even if we tried to escape, we'd be relentlessly hunted."
"Exactly! Mr. Stark gets me!"
Kagura grinned. "If we just keep defending against an endless onslaught, this would turn into a really dull tower defense game—like Arknights—super boring..."
"Arknights?"
Barton raised an eyebrow at the unfamiliar name.
"Yeah, don't you know? It's a mobile tower defense game developed by Rhodes Island Industrial's subsidiary, Glass Shard Games. It's basically just a cash grab for kids—not really worth mentioning."
Kagura waved her hand dismissively before continuing. "Anyway, if we kept fighting like this, it'd be endless and annoying."
"But since the enemy doesn't know how the battle ended, they'll have to send scouts to confirm. That gives us a temporary strategic window to work with."
"So you're saying we should pretend to be defeated? But what's the point? Just to run away?"
Fury seemed to have an inkling of her plan but remained skeptical. "Doesn't seem like it'd accomplish much."
"Here's the plan."
Ignoring his doubts, Kagura smirked. "We'll use this battle as a stepping stone to infiltrate Hydra—that is, S.H.I.E.L.D. itself—and then, 'slice!' Decapitation strike."
"Once we eliminate the masterminds, the remaining 'Serpent-S.H.I.E.L.D.' forces will be easy to handle."
"As for your precious 'Insight Initiative'? Even if they manage to launch those helicarriers, I'll just blast them out of the sky with an orbital railgun. No biggie."
"Tch... those are next-gen helicarriers, you know!" Fury clicked his tongue. "What a waste..."
"Well, maybe you shouldn't have wasted resources building weapons to threaten the whole world, huh?"
Kagura wagged her finger at him. "From the moment you started constructing those monstrosities, their fate was sealed."
"And don't forget, Rhodes Island Industrial is doing the same thing," Fury pointed out. "There are dozens of electromagnetic railguns in orbit aimed right at us as we speak."
"Oh, I know!" Kagura nodded. "But unlike S.H.I.E.L.D., we operate with principles and restraint. And if I ever turn evil, someone will stop me. No worries! Ahehe!"
She then clapped her hands together. "Alright, back to the plan. Here's the script:
———————————————————————
To Hydra, it will seem like Stark's Iron Legion failed to turn the tide, and War Machine ultimately won.
Seeing that even Iron Man lost, Kagura decides Rhodes Island Industrial shouldn't oppose Hydra any longer and 'switches sides' on the spot!
Naturally, the ever-resourceful Barton follows suit, since his equipment all comes from Rhodes Island Industrial anyway.
Nick Fury, helpless, is dragged from his bunker but insists on uncovering who betrayed S.H.I.E.L.D. before his demise.
Generously, 'War Machine'—aka Stark in disguise—decides to capture Fury alive."
———————————————————————
Kagura surveyed their reactions.
"Barton just has to act like he's turned traitor, Stark needs to wear the War Machine suit, and the rest of the Iron Legion should look 'destroyed'—that way, it'll seem like Stark himself was never here."
"That's easy enough." Stark nodded. "Then what?"
"Then, we become the Trojan Horse. We infiltrate Hydra-S.H.I.E.L.D., find out who dared frame me, and blow them up! Problem solved!"
"Sounds good to me," Fury agreed. "Give me a shot at the bastard who started this."
"Captain America is approaching," Cortana reported. "Looks like he's Hydra's 'battlefield recon unit.'"
"Perfect. Operation 'Red Trio: Silent Infiltration' begins now!"
Kagura grinned. "Everyone, don't forget to say, 'Hail Hydra!'"