— Above the capital of Wakanda.
A massive energy shield slowly faded from the center outward.
Its faint, shimmering glow covered the city like a veil of soft blue silk under the night sky.
Since the Sky Shield was built, it had never once been fully deactivated.
More than just Wakanda's ultimate defense mechanism, this nearly indestructible barrier was a symbol—proof of the nation's unwavering strength and pride.
It was one of the key reasons Wakanda stood proudly above the world.
But today, for the future of Wakanda—and the future of all humankind—the Sky Shield that had protected the nation for a century gracefully descended like the curtain at the end of an era.
And then... the flames of war ignited.
———————————————————————
— Wakanda Capital, City Defense Center
Atop a towering, key-shaped structure, a silver-haired girl stood, gazing out over the capital as it descended into chaos.
According to the plan, once the Sky Shield was disabled, Prince T'Challa and Captain Rogers would lead the remaining Wakanda forces and the fully armed Avengers in a full-scale counteroffensive.
From her vantage point, she watched the waves of Wakanda soldiers surging from the royal research facility and the vibranium mining zones.
Her golden eyes reflected the tension of the battlefield—but also something more complicated.
Imagine it: on one side, a nation said to be a thousand years ahead of the world.
On the other, an artificial intelligence capable of infinite learning, evolution, and control over the entire global internet. What kind of war would that look like?
Kagura closed her eyes and imagined it—an ultra-high-tech war of the future.
Under the vast starlit sky, countless beams of light blazed like suns.
It would be something today's humanity could hardly comprehend.
Massive ships, the size of entire cities, would erupt in flames across distant skies.
Steel would be torn apart.
Falling ships would cry out like titans, groaning as if the heavens themselves were collapsing.
Light beams and nuclear blasts would interweave in a symphony of destruction, turning night into day.
Gamma rays would rip through the void, bending space and shattering the stars themselves.
Towering mechs of countless shapes would march with earth-shaking force, trampling enemies like ants and setting the ground ablaze in crimson fire—so intense even the brightest sunset would pale in comparison.
And then there'd be human soldiers, clad in armor beyond imagination, moving with superhuman agility, unleashing storms of electromagnetic blasts and dense, relentless barrages across the battlefield...
The wars of the future would be brutal—yet breathtaking.
She opened her eyes again, her golden irises sharp with clarity.
Then she let out a heavy sigh.
'Sigh... Wakandas, are you even taking this seriously?'
Honestly, setting aside the brutality, sacrifice, and valor usually found in war, Kagura couldn't help but feel deeply disappointed by the reality in front of her.
This wasn't the high-tech war she envisioned.
It looked more like... a tribal brawl?
Wakanda warriors from different tribes, clad in vibranium-lined robes with energy shields.
Wielding spears and curved blades that might shoot energy pulses, were charging across the plains toward the capital in a full frontal assault.
"Hmm..."
Well, if nothing else, it was a fighting style that screamed: "Forget strategy—just charge!"
"May the sacred F2 key guide you all..."
Wakanda's battle gear and tactics were, in a word—unique.
No skirmish lines.
No armored support.
No combined arms.
No artillery barrages.
If it weren't for the glowing energy shields on their clothes and those spears launching energy pulses, Kagura could've sworn she was watching a war from the year 1015, not 2015.
This so-called "nation a thousand years ahead of the world" fought more like... Asgard?
So wait—were the golden-clad warriors of Asgard actually the true vision of future warfare?
But if that's the case, why did Asgard get annihilated by the Dark Elves and their coordinated attacks using dark-energy rifles and capital ships?
And that wasn't even the most ridiculous part.
Narrowing her golden eyes, Kagura looked down at the capital's center.
Her augmented vision highlighted the fully deployed Ultron army.
They looked like an army of Iron Men—metallic humanoid machines, holding all kinds of weapons, even manning stationary turrets.
More terrifyingly, entire waves of robots equipped with blades and particle cannons were now launching a counter-charge against the approaching Wakanda forces.
So now it looked like Ultron was... matching Wakanda's brute-force charge with his own army of robot copies?
"Wait, Ultron, are you serious right now?"
Rhodes Island built androids like the YoRHa soldiers because they came with advanced weaponry and high-end gear.
But this? What the hell is this robotic charge battalion supposed to be?
Are humanoid machines really the most efficient form of mechanical warfare?
Of course not!
Where are the tanks?
The spider-legged walkers?
The fortress-class mobile bases?
The freaking Gundams?!
Ultron, what are you even doing—copying Wakanda's charge tactics with robot soldiers?
Is this really the extent of an AI superintelligence's understanding of warfare?
Come on now!
Can you guys please stop fighting like you're starring in a medieval epic?!
This is 2015, not a fantasy novel about chivalric battles!
This is about the future of humanity's technology—not some aristocratic war from centuries ago!
Looking at this absurd battlefield, Kagura could only shake her head in exasperation.
For a brief moment, she began to seriously doubt the future of military tech... and warfare itself.
'Is this really the Marvel Universe?'
'...Yup. This is definitely the Marvel Universe.'
———————————————————————
Still, no matter how ridiculous the battlefield looked, this was a fight she had to win.
Forget Wakanda tactics for now, Ultron's decision to ditch tanks, mechs, and mobile fortresses in favor of humanoid bots gave her a strategic edge.
They could play their chivalric war all they liked.
She was here to win.
She would rescue Mr. Stark.
She would drive back Ultron.
And if the opportunity arose—she would locate Ultron's core network terminal... and destroy him once and for all.
"Master, the battle has begun. Please issue your orders," Cortana's voice came through the comms. "YoRHa units are ready for deployment."
"I know," Kagura replied. "Then let's start things off with a bang."
The silver-haired girl put away her frustration and sarcasm. Her golden eyes sharpened with deadly intent.
"Heaven's Hammer—fire!"