If Dr. Banner had agreed too easily, Isaac would have immediately suspected hidden motives.
After all, how could someone with the traits of a superhero surrender to evil so easily?
Isaac Leclerc was fully aware of his position. He didn't consider himself a good person by any means—let alone someone with a hero's charisma.
But Isaac wasn't in a hurry. He knew that Dr. Banner was still clinging to hope. For now, Banner believed hiding in the slums of India was enough to stay off the radar.
Yet when he realizes there's no place left for him in this entire world, the "justice" in his heart would eventually be swallowed by darkness.
After exiting the chat, Isaac turned toward Faora, who stood behind him, and gave her a wicked smile.
"Faora, it's been a while since we trained together. Show me what you've got lately."
With that, the two of them headed toward the training chamber.
The next morning...
Ivan Vanko didn't disturb Isaac. He took the destroyers from the base early in the morning, leaving none behind.
Aboard the transport aircraft, Ivan gazed through the window at Sokovia, which stretched out below.
Sokovia was a small country, with an area of less than 100,000 square kilometers, yet it was home to more than ten armed factions.
Among them, at least eight were supported by Hydra, and five of those enjoyed open support from the United States.
The level of chaos in Sokovia was no less than that of the Middle East—perhaps even worse.
"Brace yourself, Sokovia... your new king is coming."
Ivan chuckled as he looked down at the land below.
Moments later, he opened the rear hatch of the aircraft, and the Terminator units began dropping one by one. These machines weren't covered in synthetic skin—they were raw steel, pure and deadly.
Before launching the attack, Ivan had thoroughly studied the distribution of power in Sokovia.
As soon as they landed, the intelligent destroyers began scanning their surroundings. Anyone showing hostility or carrying a weapon... was instantly eliminated.
These machines needed no discretion, no complex tactics—their mission was simply to eliminate anyone who posed a threat.
Ivan Vanko sat before dozens of monitors, watching live feeds from across the battlefield.
His "purge" plan was proceeding smoothly. The bases of those armed groups crumbled like paper before his machines.
But suddenly, something felt off.
These soldiers were completely untrained. Upon witnessing the firepower of the destroyers, they didn't even consider fighting to the death—they simply abandoned their posts and fled.
Even more absurdly, their retreat wasn't organized. They scattered in every direction like headless chickens.
This created a strange dilemma: the number of destroyers wasn't enough to pursue all of them, allowing many enemies to escape.
"Sometimes... having a weak enemy is more frustrating than facing a strong one."
Ivan muttered as he stared silently at the monitors.
In an old fortress in Sokovia...
Baron Strucker was conducting an experiment when he suddenly heard the sound of rushed footsteps.
A guard stormed in, holding a communication device.
"Baron! It's bad! An unidentified military force just invaded Sokovia—several of our strongholds have been destroyed!"
He handed Strucker the device.
The baron grabbed it and asked immediately,
"What's the current situation?"
A panicked voice came through the line:
"The enemy is a group of robots. Their numbers are unknown. But they've attacked all our bases simultaneously. The same is happening to other factions too."
Then suddenly—
"Oh no! They're—"
The transmission cut off.
Baron Strucker turned off the device, his face now dark with tension.
He spoke firmly:
"It's clear their power far exceeds ours. Notify Pierce. We need external support—immediately!"
At S.H.I.E.L.D. Headquarters...
Alexander Pierce was as busy as ever.
He was reviewing Celestial Dome files, negotiating with the Security Council, manipulating Nick Fury, dealing with that idiotic president, and promoting the "Sky Eye" project.
At last, he managed to squeeze out half a day of rest from his hectic schedule—but that peace was short-lived.
An unexpected message shattered his brief moment of calm.
"Strucker! Didn't I tell you not to call me?"
Pierce shouted angrily, furrowing his brows.
But Baron Strucker didn't flinch. He responded calmly:
"Pierce, the situation is out of control. We're in serious trouble. Sokovia may fall within hours. This morning, a group of robots invaded. Our soldiers were utterly crushed."