{T/N: Notice, this translation might be dropped soon. Also, the mtl is actually pretty decent.}
....
The banks of the Potomac River lay in silence, dotted with faint lights in the heavy darkness...
The clock had just struck midnight when Nick Fury received an urgent report from Agent Coulson: an abnormal high-energy reaction had been detected in Bucharest, Romania, in Eastern Europe... approaching the warning level of a small nuclear detonation.
The sudden, shocking news made the one-eyed director's expression turn grave...
S.H.I.E.L.D. immediately mobilized its vast intelligence network, but the only clue they had so far was a clear satellite image showing an enormous blood-red sigil enveloping the entire city. At the center of Constitution Square, a blinding sphere of light churned violently.
"This is the epicenter of the energy release. The intense fluctuations interfered with the imaging, so the details are unclear," Commander Maria Hill explained, pointing at the holographic projection. The massive orb of light covered nearly half the city.
"Why did it take so long to get this intel?" Fury frowned.
Logically, if a terrorist group or criminal organization had secretly planned to nuke a city, they should have gotten wind of it much earlier. With S.H.I.E.L.D.'s intelligence network, almost no large-scale terrorist attack in the world could escape the notice of their agents.
"There's a seven-hour time difference between New York and Romania. And the local government doesn't seem keen on outside interference," Coulson explained.
The middle-aged agent, whose hairline had been receding noticeably, had recently enjoyed a rare stretch of peace, assigned as Captain America's liaison. Getting to interact daily with his childhood idol had put Coulson in high spirits.
A keen observer might notice he had swapped into a brand-new suit, and his thinning hair was meticulously combed. To an outsider, it might seem like he had a new girlfriend...
"According to the Romanian government's statement, they detected a minor earthquake in Bucharest and evacuated the city's residents. As for the high-energy reaction, they claim it might have been caused by strong seismic activity."
"Bullshit!" Fury's eyes sharpened. This flimsy excuse was utterly unconvincing.
"Sir, we need the World Security Council's approval before intervening in another nation's affairs," Coulson reminded quietly.
S.H.I.E.L.D. didn't operate unchecked... All their authority was overseen by the Council.
The reason Nick Fury could disregard the Pentagon and the White House was that the U.S. held only one seat on the Council. To issue him direct orders, at least three members had to convene and approve.
"How long did the high-energy reaction last?" the director asked.
"Less than a minute. The satellite captured it, and intel relayed the info immediately. Even after enlarging the image, all we could make out was a blurry humanoid figure," Hill answered precisely.
The hologram indeed showed an indistinct silhouette at the energy blast's core. Judging by the energy wave trajectories, the massive surge that had engulfed half the city seemed to have emanated from this humanoid entity.
Fury braced his hands on the table. The office fell silent... no one dared interrupt the stern director's thoughts.
Hydra? Aliens? An unknown force? One by one, potential global threats flashed through his mind. Suddenly, he turned and asked, "Where's Sean Cyphers? I recall he's been absent from New York for a while."
"Eastern Europe. Ukraine," Hill swiped the screen, "An hour ago, he posted a hotel check-in on social media."
"You follow him on Facebook?" Fury's tone carried a hint of strangeness.
"Monitoring high-risk individuals is part of my job," the agent replied impassively.
Dismissing the odd thought, Fury rejected his own wild suspicion. He didn't know why, but he couldn't shake his wariness toward that seemingly bright young man.
It reminded him of the prelude to last century's Secret Invasion... a looming threat he could sense but couldn't pinpoint.
Sean Cyphers was a ghost skirting the edges of the storm...
He had strong ties to Stark Industries, General Ross as an ally, and a rising Vice President as backing, all while remaining shrouded in shadows. To the public, he was just another brilliant New York genius. Even Natasha's surveillance hadn't turned up anything suspicious.
Yet, Fury's gut instinct refused to quiet down. Years as a spy had honed his intuition... it had saved his life countless times.
His scarred eye, hidden beneath the black eyepatch, twitched faintly. The long-healed wound was a reminder to never let his guard down. Next time, he might lose more than just an eye.
"Dispatch our Eastern European agents to Romania immediately. Keep monitoring Bucharest," Fury ordered after a long pause.
Since the Soviet Union's collapse, Eastern Europe had been a hotbed of instability. Hydra had turned the chaotic region into a stronghold, secretly collaborating with certain factions.
"Sir…" Coulson swiped the live holographic feed, "The high-energy reaction is gone. Bucharest is– nothing happened..."
...
~First-class cabin, flight to New York~
Sean leaned back in his seat and gazed out the window as his thoughts drifted like the passing clouds...
This Eastern European trip had concluded successfully.
From Kamar-Taj, he had learned to perceive souls and explore minds... a skill more valuable than any magic. He had witnessed the true power of an Infinity Stone, eliminated Mephisto, and nipped a future threat in the bud.
The only surprise was Mordo, the Ancient One's top disciple, who had refused to return to Kamar-Taj.
Instead, he chose to remain in the turbulent Eastern European nations, establishing a new order for the Sanctum and rounding up the remaining vampires and werewolves to prevent further chaos.
Daredevil, who was now freed from his demonic influence, decided to join him. Though Mephisto was dead, the Spirit of Vengeance within Matt Murdock remained.
Having reclaimed his soul, the devout Catholic became a new member of the London Sanctum, seeking redemption and solace in the mystic arts for the rest of his life.
As for the other Ghost Rider, Johnny Blaze, he had ridden off on his beloved Yamaha V-Max. The Spirit of Vengeance was exorcised from his body. Now, he was ready to reclaim his own life...
Before leaving Romania, Sean had caught a distant glimpse of Matt Murdock sitting on a park bench in a black priest's robe and dark glasses. The rage that once consumed him had faded, replaced by a quiet yearning for justice and peace...
Golden sunlight painted the clouds outside the window. Sean closed his eyes briefly.
He had recently received word about General Ross... the high-profile manhunt had ended in disastrous failure.
Despite assembling an elite team, even the most skilled soldiers were powerless against the green beast.
A quick online search would show "Rio de Janeiro Terror Attack" as the hottest headline. Countless eyewitnesses claimed to have seen an eight-foot-tall green giant rampaging through the favelas, demolishing buildings and causing a catastrophic pileup before vanishing into the dense rainforest.
Some (now racking up millions of views) had even uploaded shaky footage of the Hulk roaring at the sky, his voice like a thunderous wave...