It was time to get ready for Tony Stark's birthday party.
Since this was a private event, and not like the formal Stark Industries charity gala, Kagura didn't want to go overboard with a flashy dress.
Instead, following Natasha Romanoff's suggestion, she bought a new black dress—a simple yet elegant choice.
The lightweight dress was understated, with no excessive embellishments.
It featured a halter neck design with a modest floral decoration, paired with a short skirt that had a clean, minimalist cut.
Her silver hair was tied into a long ponytail at the back, adorned with a delicate hairpin that complemented the outfit perfectly.
Kagura's long legs were highlighted by the short skirt, and her shoes completed the look, adding a touch of charm.
"Perfect," she nodded to herself in the mirror.
Honestly, being rich had its perks.
There was no denying it—money could make you look even better.
After getting dressed and putting on a light makeup, Kagura headed to the garage.
She had been living in New York for over a year now, and having a car was essential for both daily commuting and social gatherings.
For someone with the income from Rhode Island Industries, it wasn't a big deal to have a luxury car or two.
As she sat in her 2010 Porsche 911, a strange feeling swept over her.
For a brief moment, she felt like Tony Stark.
Wait, no. It was just a weird thought, definitely just a thought!
"Hey, Cortana, you there?"
"Always here to assist, Master," came the voice from the car's communication system.
"If I remember correctly, Natasha's infiltration into Hammer Industries is tonight too, right?"
"Yes, based on the intel from both S.H.I.E.L.D. and our own sources, Agent Natasha Romanoff will be infiltrating Hammer Industries tonight to search for information on Ivan Vanko's whereabouts," Cortana replied.
"Is there anything you'd like me to do?"
Kagura paused.
Something about Natasha's mission didn't sit well with her.
It was clear that the organization supporting Ivan was Hydra.
If Hammer Industries had already partnered with Hydra, there was a possibility that this leak of information was intentional.
Even if the leak about the palladium shipment was due to Justin Hammer's incompetence, Hydra agents within S.H.I.E.L.D. could still have gotten wind of Natasha's plans.
Kagura analyzed the situation further.
"Cortana, inform Bucky Barnes. Have him follow Natasha discreetly, protect her, and also casually mention the superhero organization we're planning to form. Let's see if she might be interested in joining."
"Command confirmed, Master."
"And if anything unexpected happens, stay in touch with me," she added, attaching a disguised communicator earring.
"I don't want to lose my beautiful and kind Natasha."
The journey from New York to Los Angeles would nearly cross the entire North American continent.
Naturally, Kagura couldn't drive the Porsche all the way there.
She would need to rely on a plane.
After driving to Rhode Island Industries' equipment base in the outskirts of New York, Kagura smoothly drove her car into a waiting Rhode Island Industries strategic transport aircraft.
This new generation of military transport aircraft, about to be released for public sale, featured an unmanned smart cabin that could automatically secure any type of cargo or vehicle that entered.
Thanks to this advanced technology, the transport could quickly load any vehicle or cargo without requiring passengers to leave, allowing for rapid deployment.
Kagura had been planning ahead, preparing Rhode Island Industries to step into a new era of intelligent weaponry.
The goal was to be ready for the possible threats that might come from beyond Earth.
The world's defense system couldn't rely solely on the Avengers, especially given how unstable they sometimes were.
As she pondered the future, Kagura recalled a conversation Tony Stark had had with Steve Rogers.
"I told you we need a global defense system. I told you we need Ultron, we need the Iron Legion!"
"If we had reacted faster, if we had stronger countermeasures, would the outcome have been different?"
"When I asked you what we'd do if they came again, you said we'd face it together. But when they actually came, where were you?"
Being prepared for the worst was always a good habit.
Kagura fully agreed with Tony's perspective.
A strong global defense system was essential.
Relying solely on a handful of heroes or "superweapons" couldn't ensure the world's protection.
Though Tony's approach was a bit extreme—sacrificing personal freedoms and privacy was not ideal—there had to be a balance, a way to protect the planet without losing all freedom.
The new transport plane took off swiftly, disappearing into the skies west of New York.
"Well… I think I might be overthinking this," Kagura sighed, running her fingers through her silver hair and snapping back to the present.
Her top priority now was to check on Tony Stark.
Even though this world's Tony wasn't suffering from palladium poisoning, the pressure from public opinion seemed to be much heavier.
Kagura didn't like these unexpected developments.
But she knew as long as she was involved in this Marvel world, her interventions would lead to a continuous series of surprises.