Marvel Cybernetic Girl

Chapter 81: 81 A Perfect Strategy for the Final Battle

As dawn broke, the girl slowly opened her golden eyes.

Humans are naturally drawn to light.

When night falls, emotions tend to sink, giving way to melancholy, fear, and pessimism.

Yet no matter how dark the night, the moment sunlight streams through the window again, the heavy shadows in the heart begin to dissipate.

The world, bathed in warm light, rekindles the beacon called "hope."

Even though her body had transformed into an automaton, with an energy core in place of a human heart, Kagura Hitomi's soul remained that of an ordinary girl.

The instinctive human yearning for light still held power over her.

She had moments of weakness, just like anyone who walked alone.

But as a new day dawned, she smiled once more and turned her gaze toward the promising future ahead.

"Cortana, compile and analyze the data. Let's start planning our course of action."

After freshening up and having a simple breakfast, Kagura descended into the underground command center, ready to finalize the strategy for the upcoming Hammer Industries weapons showcase.

The intelligence-gathering phase was complete.

The objectives and positions of all key players were clear. The showcase was set to be the stage where everything came to a head.

Kagura wasn't sure if Hydra would abandon the shadows and confront her openly.

However, given their usual methods, they were unlikely to expose themselves.

For one, Hydra's goal—or at least part of it—was to establish an extreme form of order.

Until they amassed enough power and influence, they would remain hidden.

For another, Kagura doubted Hammer Industries or Ivan Vanko were valuable enough for Hydra to risk breaking cover.

Their previous attempt to assassinate Natasha Romanoff at Hammer Industries had been a bold move, meant to weaken S.H.I.E.L.D., but that was likely their limit.

Even during the Hammer Industries lab operation, they had carefully avoided revealing too much under Natasha's probing.

Clearly, Hydra wasn't ready to step into the light just yet.

As long as they weren't backed into a corner, Hydra would have no choice but to swallow this loss in silence.

That left two major threats to deal with: the remote-controlled Iron Drones of Hammer Industries and Ivan Vanko himself.

The Stark Expo was a crowded venue, with thousands of civilians attending.

If Ivan did hijack the drones and unleash havoc, the casualties could be catastrophic—something Kagura absolutely wanted to prevent.

On the other hand, logic dictated that Ivan would have likely built himself a new version of his Whiplash armor.

Finding and capturing him before he could escape was another pressing concern.

Kagura assessed her allies. On her side, she had:

Iron Man, Tony Stark, who had just completed his new arc reactor upgrade.

Natasha Romanoff, the highly skilled S.H.I.E.L.D. agent.

Bucky Barnes, now working with Griffin Security Services.

Herself, Kagura Hitomi, operating under her alias "Flash Blade."

As for S.H.I.E.L.D., their compromised status due to Hydra infiltration meant they could hardly be counted on.

The best-case scenario was that they didn't leak critical information to the enemy.

"Cortana, present the operational plan."

Cortana compiled all available data and applied advanced predictive modeling to generate the optimal battle strategy.

Two main combat zones were identified:

The Stark Expo – The primary battlefield, where multiple Iron Drones would likely go rogue. In the worst-case scenario, all of them would turn hostile and attack indiscriminately.

Ivan Vanko's Hideout – Kagura planned to neutralize Ivan before he could make an escape.

With these considerations, the plan took shape:

Tony Stark would take center stage at the Expo, acting as bait to lure out Ivan. Once Ivan initiated his attack, Rhode Island Industries' technical team would quickly triangulate his location.

Drones stationed around the Expo would deploy electromagnetic interference, limiting the effectiveness of the rogue Iron Drones.

S.H.I.E.L.D. would focus on evacuating civilians according to the pre-established contingency plan.

Natasha and Bucky would storm Ivan's hideout as soon as his location was confirmed. If Ivan was wearing his new Whiplash armor, the "Halo" transport ship patrolling New York would deploy "Flash Blade" directly to engage him.

If Ivan's capture went smoothly, Kagura would instead be deployed to the Stark Expo, assisting Iron Man in subduing the drones.

Meanwhile, S.H.I.E.L.D. would apprehend Justin Hammer and seize control of Hammer Industries, securing any arc reactor or Iron Man suit technology before it could fall into the wrong hands.

Kagura reviewed the plan, added contingency measures for unexpected developments, and forwarded it to Natasha and Bucky.

She specifically instructed Natasha to hand-deliver the plan to Nick Fury—under no circumstances should it pass through S.H.I.E.L.D.'s usual channels, lest it fall into Hydra's hands.

S.H.I.E.L.D., after all, was hardly trustworthy.

As for Tony Stark, he didn't need a plan—he would naturally do what he did best.

She could leave him to put on his usual grand performance.

With that, the pieces were in place, and the stage was set. The final battle was about to begin.

Still, Kagura couldn't shake the feeling that their numbers were too thin.

Given the scale of the crisis, she was beginning to see the urgent need to recruit more superheroes into Griffin.

Her thoughts drifted to War Machine.

Wait… where was he?

Ever since Tony had handed off the Mark II suit to James Rhodes, there had been no further updates on him.

"Cortana, has Rhode Island Industries received any modification requests for the Mark II?"

"In the past weeks, there have been no such reports or requests, Master," Cortana replied.

Huh?

Kagura frowned. That was odd.

If the military had any intention of upgrading the Mark II into the War Machine configuration, they would've sought help from Rhode Island Industries.

"So… does that mean War Machine won't be making an appearance?"

If Rhodes showed up in an unarmed, stock Mark II suit… that would be pretty disappointing.

Something about this situation didn't sit right.

She made a mental note to look into it later. For now, the battle ahead demanded her full attention.

Night fell over New York, with the city's lights twinkling in the distance.

The Stark Industries Expo, a massive event that would last for a year, was buzzing with excitement.

This event, focused on science and technology, was meant to reflect on the past and look to the future.

Tonight, in the massive semi-open glass exhibition hall at the heart of the venue, Hammer Industries was about to present a stunning display of its weapons and equipment.

Justin Hammer, with full confidence, gave this presentation an eye-catching title:

"The Game-Changing Bombshell!"

Well… if you say so.

On a rooftop in the distance, Kagura Hitomi sat on the edge, dressed in a sleek tactical suit, her long legs casually dangling.

She watched the Stark Industries Expo with interest.

Her futuristic goggles displayed real-time footage from surveillance drones, offering a clear view of the event.

Whether this presentation would truly "change the world" remained to be seen, but it was clear that Hammer Industries was likely to be the one getting "blown away."

At that moment, Justin Hammer stepped onto the stage with an enthusiastic tap-dance, beginning his speech.

No surprise here—he was clearly a huge fan of Tony Stark.

His flamboyant style mirrored Tony's in the most obnoxious way.

Above the venue, surveillance drones from Rhode Island Industries activated their optical camouflage, monitoring the event's every move.

Kagura didn't actually harbor much dislike for Justin Hammer.

He was a typical businessman—polished, with high-society manners.

He wasn't flawed in terms of personality or character, just… a bit too eager at times.

He was, after all, Tony Stark's biggest fan, though perhaps a little too obsessed?

He was confident, humorous, and a smooth talker with a sharp business mind.

His only real flaw? Well, maybe his intelligence was a bit… lacking.

As a casual drinking buddy, Justin Hammer was fine—he could be entertaining.

But as a business partner? Probably not reliable.

And his reliability, or lack thereof, was about as solid as the infamous "Ex-Wife" weapon from Hammer Industries.

Kagura had interacted with Justin a few times under her Bruce Wayne persona when helping establish Rhode Island Industries.

He'd left a decent impression then. Unfortunately, his vanity and jealousy ultimately led him down the wrong path.

'Beep beep'

Her comms buzzed.

"This is Natasha. Routine check-in. I'm near Hammer Industries' headquarters. No abnormalities detected."

'Beep beep'

"This is Bucky Barnes. I'm patrolling Queens. No issues here."

Iron Man was still a little while from arriving, but to prevent Ivan from sabotaging the expo, Kagura had already sent Natasha and Bucky to patrol the city.

The communication range for remotely-controlled battle armor couldn't be too far.

Even Rhode Island Industries would struggle to handle the level of real-time data transfer needed for precise command execution.

Cortana had calculated that Ivan's hiding spot was somewhere within New York City's limits.

The Hammer Industries weapons exhibition continued.

Unmanned Iron Man-style battle suits, powered by palladium-based arc reactors, began to rise from the stage.

The audience erupted in cheers.

At that moment, Justin Hammer was the star of the show.

This was his shining moment.

Revealing his unmanned battle suits, he believed he had outdone Tony Stark technologically, planning to win big contracts, monopolize the market, and kick Rhode Island Industries out of the way.

Then, he'd marry a beautiful heiress and climb to the peak of success.

Ah, dreams were always nice… but reality might be a little different.

Kagura, still on the rooftop, quietly watched the event from afar, feeling the night breeze play through her double ponytails, bringing a touch of cool comfort.

Ah, I really do love this world.

It's a place where I can live passionately, think deeply, and pursue the things I truly want to do.

Far in the distance, a bright meteor streaked across the sky.

[New Iron Man Armor, Threat Level: High, Friendly]

[New Arc Reactor, Powered by Unknown Element, Confirmed Energy Boost.]

Hmm, do we have to label Stark's technology as "threatening"? That's a little creepy.

Kagura muttered under her breath, standing up.

"Cortana, track the data flow from the event, especially the signals controlling the unmanned Iron Man suits. Be ready to pinpoint their locations, and activate the drones' electromagnetic interference devices."

"Command confirmed, Master."

Cortana replied, "Detecting remote control signals, pinpointing location now. Estimated range: 3 kilometers."

In Kagura's goggles, a map of New York appeared.

A red, semi-transparent circle marked the source of the signal, which was steadily shrinking.

At the same time, Rhode Island's drones, hidden by optical camouflage, began to descend, activating their electromagnetic jammers aimed at the unmanned battle suits.

"Current estimated range: 1 kilometer."

The signal grew more precise, finally locking onto an area in the outskirts of New York City.

"Natasha, Bucky, I've sent you the coordinates. Get moving."

Kagura said, gracefully stretching her arms before leaping off the rooftop.

On the nearby square, the "Halo" transport's optical camouflage was disengaged, and Kagura quickly entered.

"Engines on. Cruise altitude, ready for support."

"Command confirmed. Subsonic navigation mode activated."

By the way, where is War Machine? It's still a bit odd that Mark 2 hasn't shown up.

Her transport soared into the sky, beginning its patrol.

At the Hammer Industries showcase, Tony Stark had just appeared, facing off with Justin Hammer.

"Tony Stark. Well, well. I'm surprised to see you here," Justin said, clearly taken aback by Tony's sudden appearance.

He turned to the audience, using the moment to make a show of it.

"Hey! Look who's here! Tony, come to see the new tech that's going to defeat you?"

"You've upgraded your armor too," Justin remarked, tapping Tony's new reactor, "But switching the chest light to a triangle isn't really an upgrade, my friend. Come take a look at these unmanned battle suits—that's an upgrade!"

"'Iron Man is me'? Maybe back then, you could use your tech to maintain world peace, and no one could defeat you. But too bad, Iron Man is outdated now. Times have changed."

Justin continued with his mocking, "You know what your problem was? Arrogance, greed, possessiveness, and underestimating your competitors."

"Finished?" Tony Stark asked, unfazed by the jabs.

"The people here are in danger. Evacuate them immediately. And where's Ivan Vanko?"

"What? I... I don't understand. Ivan? Who's that?" Justin feigned innocence.

"These unmanned battle suits are all Hammer Industries' own creations..."

Before he could finish, the unmanned battle suits behind them suddenly activated, and Ivan Vanko's voice blared through their speakers.

"Tony Stark, butcher, thief, coward—you destroyed my father, ruined my family," Ivan said.

"Today, I'll destroy everything you've built!"

Ouch, that sure was a slap in the face.

Kagura, watching through the drones from a distance, couldn't help but comment.

"Signal locked. Coordinates synced."

Cortana reported, pinpointing Ivan's location.

Looks like the show is about to begin!

........................................

[TL Note]

Hey there! If you're enjoying this, be sure to check out

p-atreon.com/InsomniaTL

Please remove the hyphen to access the page normally! Just a heads-up, there will be new advanced chapters every week in there! And thank you so much for reading!