From the very beginning, Fenris never actually planned to kill Maria Hill.
As the director of S.H.I.E.L.D., her death would trigger related events. The Time Variance Authority would definitely reset the timeline, and then he'd be facing another version of her, if not thousands of them.
More importantly, killing her now would increase the risk of Dottie Underwood being detected by the TVA.
Of course, the biggest reason was simple: S.H.I.E.L.D. was a major spender.
With the endless supply of large-scale goods from the Void, he could casually sell just one item to them and walk away with a massive profit.
Was there a better way to turn a profit?
And stealing Nick Fury's right-hand woman, making Maria Hill one of his own, now that was the real power move.
That was strategy.
As for her earlier offense, Fenris decided to take note of it. Literally. He'd take a photo and save it, just in case he ever forgot.
Fake maturity: Putting the bigger picture and profits first.
Real maturity: Holding grudges over petty slights and never letting go.
Time passed as birds flew and rabbits scattered. On the ground, Maria Hill's lashes fluttered slightly as she struggled to open her eyes.
The strange sensation in her body brought her to full awareness, and the surging power she felt made it feel like she was dreaming.
It worked.
The super soldier serum had worked.
His serum had actually succeeded with a 100% success rate. It was unbelievable.
Overwhelmed with excitement, Maria Hill was just about to get up and experience her newfound power when she suddenly noticed a neatly folded set of clothes beside her.
Only then did she fully realize her situation. She instinctively curled up and glared at Fenris. "Aren't you going to explain yourself?"
"Selling out your soul and your principles isn't shameful. What's shameful is not getting a good price for them."
"I gave you an offer you couldn't refuse. So shut that naive little mouth."
Fenris didn't sugarcoat his words. Maria Hill's face turned red and pale as she gritted her teeth and silently got dressed.
"That's more like it. Nick Fury, S.H.I.E.L.D., they're not as clean as you think."
"Don't think I'm dragging you down. Why wait for the wind when you can chase it yourself? Being spotless doesn't mean there's no dust, it means you shine anyway despite the dirt."
"With my help, you can actually do the things you want to do."
Nice speech.
Maria Hill didn't believe he was that kind-hearted, but he wasn't wrong about one thing. He had given her an offer she couldn't refuse.
"I want the super soldier serum and everything else you mentioned."
You want everything?
You think just because you're pretty, you can do whatever you want?
Well, yes, being pretty does let you do whatever you want, if you please me first.
"I like making friends, but I don't worship gods."
Maria Hill calmly asked, "What do you want, then?"
That's better. At least she's finally recognizing her position.
I can explain things to you with a smile, or teach you the rules with a glare.
"Money."
"Money? How much?"
Maria Hill was caught off guard. The serum alone was priceless. Money shouldn't even be part of the equation.
Fenris smirked. A crimson magical ribbon shot out and wrapped around her wrist, yanking her toward him.
"We'll talk about deals later. First, let's test out that serum."
Maria Hill reacted quickly. Her muscles tensed, one leg grounded firmly as her newfound strength surged through her. She felt like a powerhouse.
This was a tug of war. A clash of strength.
Maria Hill didn't expect to win. She was just using the struggle to test her upper limits and get used to her new body.
Her shoes screeched across the ground as she resisted.
Fenris wound the Crimson Bands of Cyttorak tighter around his wrist and gave her a mischievous grin as she strained and flushed with effort, unable to pull away.
Bang!
Still holding her stance, Maria Hill took a punch to the gut and was yanked to the ground by the bands.
She was done.
Lying there, wincing and gasping for air, Maria Hill still grinned.
The comprehensive enhancement from the serum had clearly boosted her strength and resilience.
That punch had hurt, but not in a way that did any real damage.
Fenris retracted the Crimson Bands, his face beaming with satisfaction.
It was a perfect feedback loop. Another dose of the super soldier serum had just dropped.
Now he had Dottie Underwood's serum ready again, and if Maria Hill wanted more in the future, she'd have to get beaten up first, and even then, she'd have to pay for it. And even then, she might not get it.
After all, the serum was just bait to get her on his side. He needed it for himself too. There was no way he'd sell it easily.