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Days passed.
The military didn't stop—but they changed tactics.
High-altitude drones appeared and disappeared without warning. Commercial satellites adjusted their orbits just enough to linger over Arasaka properties a few seconds longer than usual. Random shipping inspections began targeting Arasaka cargo under the excuse of "routine checks."
Inside the mansion, Frank increased patrol rotations. Guards ran silent perimeter sweeps every four hours. The defense AI logged hundreds of digital intrusion attempts—some amateur, some frighteningly sophisticated—but none successful.
Ethan barely reacted.
He continued his routine—meetings, research, and quiet observation—letting the military waste time chasing false trails and phantom containment pods.
One evening, as he reviewed economic projections in his office, Sharon stepped in.
"They've stopped direct scans for now," she said. "Switching to long-term monitoring instead."
Ethan nodded. "Let them be. It's not like they'll succeed."
Sharon nodded, but just as she was about to speak, Ethan's phone rang. He glanced at the screen.
"Smiley Baldy…" he muttered before answering.
"Did you ask Coulson for help?" Ethan asked immediately.
"No," Sharon replied. "But considering how much he cares about you, it's normal if he found out about the military situation and decided to step in."
Ethan nodded and lifted the phone to his ear.
"Yo, Coulson. What do you need?" Ethan asked casually.
Coulson's voice came through, calm but serious. "First question—were you creating a hammer-shaped weapon using Tesseract-level energy?"
Ethan blinked. "Hmm? No. And why would I make a hammer with Tesseract energy?"
There was a brief pause.
"I'm currently in New Mexico," Coulson said. "We found something. It's a hammer—small enough that a child could lift it… but not even trained adults can move it."
Ethan's eyes narrowed slightly.
"And it has an energy signature somewhat similar to the Tesseract," Coulson added. "So we thought it might be yours. But I guess it's not."
Ethan leaned back slowly, a faint smile forming.
"…Now that's interesting," he said. "Send me the location."
"It's already under S.H.I.E.L.D. jurisdiction," Coulson replied. "Arasaka can't intervene directly right now."
"Just send the location," Ethan said calmly. "You know I can handle things better."
Coulson hesitated… then sighed. "Fine. I'm sending it now."
A moment later, coordinates appeared on Ethan's screen.
"See you there," Ethan said, ending the call.
He turned toward Sharon.
"Buy the surrounding land," he said, handing her the coordinates.
Sharon looked at the numbers and nodded immediately. "Understood."
Ethan smiled faintly.
"I can't intervene officially unless it touches my property, so just buy the land and make it Arasaka property." he murmured.
Half an hour later…
The desert stretched endlessly beneath the blazing New Mexico sun.
S.H.I.E.L.D. vehicles surrounded a large crater carved into the earth. Agents moved carefully around the perimeter while scientists monitored fluctuating energy readings.
At the center of the crater…
A hammer rested quietly in the sand.
Despite the intense security, a sleek black aircraft appeared high above the desert—silent, cloaked, invisible to normal radar. It hovered for only a moment before descending miles away from the main site.
Ethan stepped out onto the dry desert ground, Sharon beside him, both dressed casually—as if they were just visiting a tourist attraction.
Strom, Aria and two elite guards followed silently behind.
Ethan glanced toward the distant S.H.I.E.L.D. perimeter, his eyes glowing faintly as his lens scanners activated.
"…Interesting," he muttered. "That energy pattern isn't technological."
They began moving forward, but several S.H.I.E.L.D. agents stepped in front of them.
"Move aside. You are standing on Arasaka property," Sharon said, showing official documents.
The agents looked at each other before one of them called their superior. Soon, Coulson arrived.
"Mr. Cliff," Coulson said calmly. "To what do I owe the pleasure of this meeting?"
"Nothing special," Ethan replied casually. "You're standing on my land, so it would be good if you and your people leave now."
"This is Arasaka property?" Coulson asked, surprised.
"We bought it when we decided to build an Arasaka branch here in New Mexico," Ethan said with a shrug.
Coulson looked at him carefully. "We have an unknown object in the middle of your property. We were just trying to determine whether it was dangerous."
"Don't worry," Ethan replied calmly. "That thunder hammer is mine. We were testing it, but due to a containment failure it broke loose from the transport plane and crash-landed here."
Another agent standing behind Coulson scoffed loudly.
"Don't lie," he said. "That thing can't be yours."
He stepped forward slightly, eyeing Ethan with suspicion.
"If it really belongs to you," the agent continued, "then prove it."
Sharon's eyes narrowed, but Ethan simply smiled faintly—as if he had been waiting for that question.
Without a word, he raised his hand.
The surface of his watch shifted instantly, dark metal flowing like liquid across his arm. In seconds, it expanded and reshaped itself—forming a long black steel sword. The blade was sleek, ancient in design yet impossibly advanced, faint lines glowing along its edge.
Several S.H.I.E.L.D. agents instinctively stepped back.
"I like making cool-looking ancient weapons," Ethan said casually, spinning the sword once before resting it on his shoulder. "Modern tech is boring sometimes."
The skeptical agent hesitated. "That… proves nothing."
Ethan shrugged.
"Exactly," he replied calmly. "Because you can't prove the hammer isn't mine either."
Coulson raised a hand slightly, signaling his agents to relax. His sharp eyes moved between Ethan, the sword, and the distant crater where the hammer rested.
"So you're claiming ownership of an unidentified object that none of my agents—or any of the scientists we brought—can even lift?" Coulson asked carefully.
Ethan smiled.
"Just because you can't pick something up," he said, "doesn't mean it doesn't belong to someone."
"I've added a biometric lock to it," Ethan continued calmly. "If anyone other than me—or the person the weapon is assigned to—tries to lift it, the gravity increases. That simple-looking hammer suddenly weighs several tons."
The agent opened his mouth to argue, but Coulson raised a hand and stopped him.
"Very well," Coulson said evenly. "My team will leave—but I'll remain here until I confirm it truly belongs to you."
Ethan nodded once. "Okay. But only you."