Svija's computational power was terrifying.
When operating across the internet and financial markets, the system functioned almost like a godlike presence, capable of analyzing vast streams of information faster than any human organization could react. That overwhelming advantage was precisely why Ethan Cole had once considered creating something like Ultron. With technology of this level already under his control, taking the next step toward a true artificial intelligence guardian no longer seemed like an impossible dream.
Standing by the window, Ethan watched the city lights flicker below while another thought crossed his mind.
"By the way," he said casually, "how's the expansion of the Dark Side going?"
The response came instantly.
"It's progressing smoothly, sir," Svija replied. "The Dark Division currently has one hundred members. Each operative has already received an implanted healing factor, and their physical capabilities have improved significantly as a result."
Ethan nodded slowly as he listened.
"Good," he said. "Increase the number to three hundred."
He paused for a moment before continuing, his tone calm but decisive.
"After that, it's time to give the people at S.H.I.E.L.D. something new to worry about."
"Understood, sir," Svija answered.
Ethan had already pieced together the logic behind the earlier attack.
The CIA operatives wouldn't have appeared at his residence without direct approval from the highest levels of the American government. Anyone who believed otherwise would be either naïve or deliberately ignoring the obvious.
S.H.I.E.L.D., meanwhile, had clearly served as the driving force behind the entire situation.
It was obvious that the government wanted to test him.
They wanted to see whether Ethan possessed hidden capabilities they hadn't yet discovered, and they had used the CIA as a convenient tool to probe his reactions.
Ethan wasn't the type of person who tolerated that kind of provocation.
The disruption of the stock market was merely a warning shot.
What he planned to do next was the real move.
"Draft a new operational plan," Ethan said calmly. "We'll call it the Superman Initiative."
Svija remained silent, waiting for further instructions.
"Deploy sixty percent of the Dark Division's current personnel," Ethan continued. "Create completely new identities for them and spread them across the country."
His voice carried a faint hint of amusement.
"I want each of them operating publicly as crime-fighting heroes."
Svija processed the instructions immediately.
"Understood. Please clarify the operational profile."
Ethan leaned against the window frame and looked down at the sprawling city below.
"They need to operate in high-profile situations," he explained. "Stop crimes, rescue civilians, dismantle criminal organizations. Make sure the media notices them."
He paused briefly.
"But at the same time, leave subtle clues in the shadows. Certain people should be able to trace their origins if they look hard enough."
A small smile appeared on his face.
"I want them to discover where these 'heroes' really came from."
"Understood, sir," Svija replied. "I will select several high-crime regions as initial deployment zones and prepare the operational framework."
"Good," Ethan said.
He considered the numbers for a moment before adjusting the plan.
"Of the hundred operatives we currently have, forty can remain as support. Send the other sixty out immediately."
"Understood, sir."
This was the core of Ethan's strategy.
Some people clearly suspected that he possessed the ability to turn ordinary humans into mutants. Since they were so curious about that possibility, he might as well present the answer directly in front of them.
He would show them exactly what that ability looked like.
By transforming the members of the Dark Division into public heroes fighting crime across the country, he would accomplish several objectives at once.
First, the public would begin to trust and admire these new heroes.
Second, the government and S.H.I.E.L.D. would realize that those heroes ultimately owed their existence to Ethan.
And third, the situation would place the authorities in an extremely awkward position.
Because once the public started to rely on these figures, opposing them would become politically dangerous.
Ethan wanted to see exactly what kind of expressions would appear on the faces of the people in Washington when that moment arrived.
The message behind the plan was simple.
He could turn these people into heroes.
And if he ever felt like it, he could just as easily turn them into criminals.
All of it depended entirely on his decision.
For now, Ethan had no intention of stepping onto the public stage himself. That didn't mean he planned to remain hidden forever, but the timing had to be right.
The important thing was that certain influential figures understood one fact clearly.
Ethan Cole existed.
And provoking him would have consequences.
Svija's ability to execute complex strategies was unparalleled. Using its immense computational resources, the system quickly completed a detailed plan for destabilizing the stock market and continuously reported its progress to Ethan in real time.
For the next several days, the people involved in the financial markets would experience something close to a nightmare.
Within the American stock market, companies ranked between the thirtieth and fiftieth largest by market capitalization suddenly entered a period of violent instability. On the first day, analysts began noticing that enormous volumes of shares were being dumped onto the market.
It wasn't just one investor selling.
Multiple massive transactions were happening simultaneously.
Anyone paying attention quickly realized this wasn't a coincidence. Someone was deliberately orchestrating a large-scale financial disruption.
The twenty affected companies represented a wide range of industries. Many of them were major manufacturing corporations with global reputations, while others operated in entertainment, retail, and cultural sectors.
Together, they supported an enormous number of jobs across the country.
Because of that, the impact spread rapidly.
Once large investors began selling their shares, smaller traders grew nervous. Many of them didn't fully understand what was happening, but they assumed something terrible must be coming.
Fear spread quickly.
People began selling simply because everyone else was selling.
The panic snowballed.
More and more investors rushed to unload their holdings, pushing stock prices even lower. As the decline accelerated, the number of affected industries expanded, dragging additional companies into the turmoil.
Within three days, the market had already lost more than four hundred billion dollars in total value.
And the momentum showed no sign of slowing down.
Hundreds of businesses felt the shockwaves. Some companies found their financial lifelines suddenly cut off, pushing them toward crisis. Others began quietly preparing layoffs in order to survive the unfolding chaos.
For three straight days, the entire country trembled as the financial system struggled to maintain stability.
Inside government offices across Washington, officials quickly realized that the turmoil wasn't natural. Someone was clearly manipulating the market from behind the scenes.
Tracing the source wasn't difficult.
When all the clues eventually pointed toward Ethan Cole, the officials responsible for analyzing the situation could only stare at each other in uneasy silence.
No one knew how to respond.
Several individuals eventually attempted to contact Ethan directly. Some issued warnings, others tried persuasion, and a few practically begged him to stop.
Ethan ignored every single message.
He understood perfectly well that none of those people dared to take direct action against him.
As a result, his market disruption plan unfolded smoothly.
In just over four days, the financial chaos had reached the exact level he wanted.
Only then did Ethan make his next move.
With enormous amounts of capital ready to deploy, he began reentering the market, quietly buying back shares as prices collapsed and preparing to collect the profits waiting at the bottom.
.....
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