"Collecting information..." As Tony Stark's words fell, Jarvis began gathering data. After a while, he provided a vague answer, "Recently, there's been an increase in superhuman incidents. Strange monsters have been appearing frequently, most of which have been dealt with by superheroes. It's speculated that the Saiyans might also be fighting these monsters..."
With a buzz, as Jarvis finished speaking, a series of images appeared in front of Tony Stark, showcasing superheroes battling demons.
"These guys are so ugly..." Tony Stark commented after a while as he watched the demons on the screen. Aside from their ugliness, he couldn't really sense the strength or weakness of these demons. After all, in the face of superheroes, they didn't stand much of a chance and were easily defeated.
"Let's leave them be for now. How are Steve and his team progressing?" Tony Stark's attention then shifted back to Steve and Bucky, who had been collaborating with him to combat HYDRA.
Regardless of whether Bucky's previous words were true or not, Tony Stark was an enemy of HYDRA, and he even began to suspect that HYDRA was behind his previous kidnapping.
Obadiah Stane: "Thank HYDRA for taking the blame. I'll make one more big score and then find an opportunity to get rid of Tony Stark and avenge you!"
However, dealing with HYDRA was not easy. Nick Fury, before becoming aware of HYDRA's existence within S.H.I.E.L.D., had always thought he had complete control over the agency's information and power. Even when he learned of the possibility of HYDRA's presence within S.H.I.E.L.D., he did not anticipate how deeply they were embedded.
But as Fury dug deeper, he found disturbing evidence. Actions taken by him and agents like Hawkeye Barton seemed anticipated, and previously suspected personnel now appeared incredibly innocent, even more so than Fury himself.
Could an agent, especially a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, be so clean? Known for their ruthlessness, S.H.I.E.L.D. agents are among the best...
Hence, Fury accelerated his investigation and shared some suspect HYDRA agent profiles with Steve and Bucky for further inquiry.
When Steve and Bucky intervened, the situation changed dramatically. One after another, agents were exposed as HYDRA and met their demise at their hands.
This made Fury suspicious. Why had he not been able to uncover any HYDRA agents, yet Steve and Bucky had such precise results? Could they be falsely accusing loyal agents?
As a leader often involved in deception, Fury couldn't ignore this possibility with Steve and Bucky.
Regardless, once Steve and Bucky began unmasking HYDRA agents, it became easier to identify others, including mid and high-level S.H.I.E.L.D. officials, especially the head of the intelligence department. This clarified how HYDRA had been hiding their activities, and for Fury, it marked the endpoint of his investigation.
If HYDRA had infiltrated even higher levels, it would mean Fury had been severely misled. However, current information suggested that all exposed HYDRA agents were interconnected, indicating that this particular HYDRA branch within S.H.I.E.L.D. had been completely rooted out.
Fury, after several more thorough investigations, was convinced that S.H.I.E.L.D. was clean. He tested his authority several times, and when no issues arose, he finally felt at ease.
However, Steve and Bucky remained unconvinced, suspecting that the head of the intelligence department couldn't have mobilized so many S.H.I.E.L.D. resources on their own...
Meanwhile, at Alexander Pierce's home, Agent Sitwell stood respectfully by his side. Fury's S.H.I.E.L.D. sweep had impacted them, but they were prepared.
With Pierce's manipulation, he hid most of his HYDRA branch, consolidating information on others and creating a trail for Fury and Steve to follow. This let them uncover other branches, allowing Pierce to protect his own and seemingly purge S.H.I.E.L.D. of HYDRA.
Pierce knew S.H.I.E.L.D. and Fury well enough to facilitate such a deception. Otherwise, HYDRA wouldn't have grown so strong under Fury's watch.
After cooperating intentionally and unintentionally with Fury, Pierce cleared S.H.I.E.L.D. of what Fury perceived as HYDRA, cleaning his branch and whitewashing his remaining men. Both seemed to have secured a brighter future...
"Let them stay hidden. Besides essential information exchange, don't act rashly. Fury shouldn't be a problem, but Steve and Bucky are still troublesome..." Pierce instructed Sitwell.
"But they're not unstoppable. We were careless before, and we need them to expose Valmont's location, but now..."
"Sir, confronting them won't be easy. Our men need to remain hidden, and theoretically, we've been annihilated by Fury. Are we to incite conflict between Fury and them?" Sitwell asked with a hint of hesitation.
"You're either really naive or pretending. If Fury had the courage to turn against Steve, he wouldn't have needed his help to purge us!" Pierce replied dismissively.
"Dealing with Steve can't be done overtly. Neither I nor Fury can afford to openly confront him, but there are many covert methods..."
"Our men can't act, but Valmont's haven't all perished. Tohru, who claimed to coordinate Valmont's remnants, should be informed that it was Steve who led a team that killed Valmont. To secure his position, he'll need to avenge his former leader..."
"A brilliant strategy, sir!" Sitwell flattered.
"Enough of that. Have we determined the cause of the recent explosion?" Pierce waved off the flattery, changing the subject.
"And make sure to pass the demon information to Fury. He's always interested in superhuman powers. We might need to deal with these hellish beings in the future..."
"The recent explosion differed from the previous one in energy signature. This time, it was purer but still had no radiation or explosive residue, suggesting another superhuman-related incident..." Sitwell confirmed.
"Another superhuman incident... Seems some are hiding deeper than us. But once our plans unfold, even the deepest secrets won't stay buried, unless they're not on Earth," Pierce mused, glancing at Sitwell.
"I'll relay the reports and demon information to Fury right away!" Sitwell understood Pierce's intentions and quickly left to execute the orders.
After Sitwell's departure, Pierce pondered deeply, murmuring to himself about nuclear explosions and other key details.
Elsewhere, Robert, along with Johnny Stone and Susan Stone, had already left the explosion site. Robert wasn't overly concerned about them being exposed.
The demon had not only destroyed the Stone family home but also caused extensive damage to the surrounding houses. It had sensed the energy within Johnny and Susan, leading to the conflict...
"What were those monsters, and that guy you fought?" Johnny asked Robert curiously. Now that he and his sister Susan had regained their superpowers and re-entered the superhuman world, they needed to understand the superhuman events happening around them.
Otherwise, encountering a demon and relying on Robert again would be embarrassing. Especially since his awakening pyrokinetic powers seemed superior to his sister's invisibility and flight, he didn't
want to rely solely on her stealth to escape danger.
"Demons," Robert replied, shaking his head. "Somehow, a dimensional rift opened on Earth, allowing weaker demons to cause chaos. Their goal seems to be to enlarge the rift, allowing more powerful demons to descend..."
"Weaker demons?" Johnny and Susan looked at Robert in disbelief. If the demons that overwhelmed them were considered weak, they couldn't imagine how terrifying stronger demons would be.
"The demon you encountered was fairly strong, especially with its unique abilities. That's why you struggled so much..." Robert reassured them. "So, you don't have to be so scared. Ordinary lesser demons shouldn't be a match for you... Well, at least not for Johnny. Susan, your abilities seem different now, but I'm not sure about your combat performance."
"My abilities do feel different. Before, I could only turn invisible, but now I can fly and manipulate some objects..." Susan said, looking expectantly at Robert.
"Telekinesis? I'll introduce you to someone later with similar abilities. Besides invisibility, you two could exchange notes..." Robert said after sensing her abilities.
"Is she your girlfriend?" Susan asked, blinking at Robert.
"No, she's a classmate of mine, along with some other people who have awakened superpowers," Robert explained, "I was planning to take them demon hunting tonight. Since you called, you can join us. It'll be a good chance to get familiar with your abilities and learn how to fight demons..."
"Really? Are there other superpowered people? How many?" Johnny's eyes lit up as he asked Robert eagerly.
"Well, including me and you two, there are eight of us. That's quite a few!" Robert thought of Kara and others, not even counting Clark, Lana, Steve, and their group.
Unbeknownst to Robert, he had already gathered a group of superhuman companions, almost rivaling the Z Fighters from the Dragon Ball world...
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