Kotoamatsukami was not simply about rewriting another person's will.
It was about inscribing a story over that will—reshaping thought itself. Like an eternal overlay of Infinite Tsukuyomi placed upon a single person.
For General Ross, this meant that Senju Haruto was no longer just an enemy. He had become the one Ross had been waiting for—the man who could change the entire world, elevate Earth's technology, and one day lead humanity beyond the solar system.
And for that, Ross was now willing to follow Haruto without hesitation. To offer him unwavering loyalty.
Seeing the general's newfound devotion, Haruto was a little surprised, but not entirely.
As for the research staff around them, Haruto simply snapped his fingers.
Instantly, portals bloomed beneath the feet of every scientist present. On the other side lay Orochimaru's laboratory.
Though Orochimaru had always been a brilliant scientist in the shinobi world, his knowledge base was not complete. Sending these researchers to him would expand his expertise and fill in the gaps of his understanding.
After all, if these people had been trusted by the military, it meant they possessed not just intelligence, but rare practical skill. In Orochimaru's hands, their talents would not go to waste.
"Haruto, what's our next move?"
General Ross glanced around as one familiar face after another vanished into portals. Before Kotoamatsukami, he would have been furious, shouting at Haruto with every insult he knew.
But now? He remained calm. His will had been rewritten.
If Haruto wanted it, Ross would make it happen. No matter the cost.
"Our next move?"
Haruto paused to think.
The whole reason he had targeted Ross in the first place was to push forward the Superhero Registration Act.
Once enforced, it would place every hero under military regulation and strip them of their freedom. Those who acted without authorization would face punishment, sanctions, even imprisonment.
As the act's leading voice, Ross would hold power over all superhumans.
That was the leverage Haruto wanted—Ross, firmly in his grasp.
But right now, it was still too early.
The timeline of the Marvel world was only just beginning to take shape. Even if one counted hidden figures like Captain Marvel and the frozen Steve Rogers, the number of active, public heroes was tiny—just three: the frozen Captain America, Iron Man Tony Stark, and Bruce Banner.
To propose the Superhero Registration Act at this stage would spark no real debate, no meaningful public outcry. There would be no groundswell of support to force it through.
"Vibranium."
Instead, Haruto decided to shelve the Registration Act for later. When the timing was right, he would bring it back.
For now, he could direct Ross toward something else—something that would inevitably stir conflict with Wakanda.
"Do you know about Vibranium?" Haruto asked, shifting gears. He snapped his fingers again, summoning another pair of portals.
He and Ross both stepped through, vanishing from the ruined base.
Ross's body tumbled freely through the portal, crashing into the ground with a heavy thud. Haruto descended slowly, hovering before landing.
The general pushed himself up, blinking against the glare. All around stretched an endless desert. The blazing sun hung overhead, and the air shimmered with heat.
The sand beneath him burned like coals. The temperature had to be at least fifty, maybe sixty degrees Celsius.
Ross frowned. Why had Haruto brought him here?
In truth, when Haruto had unleashed True Several Thousand Hands, half the military base had been reduced to rubble. Reinforcements were already on their way.
But Haruto was no demon. He wasn't about to slaughter wave after wave of soldiers while conversing with Ross. That would have been pointless cruelty.
So instead, he had transported the general out to a desolate place.
The heat didn't bother Haruto in the slightest. His mastery of magic meant the scorching air never touched him—in fact, the cold aura of his ice techniques made the environment feel crisp, almost refreshing.
Ross stood and brushed himself off. To his surprise, he felt the same. The closer he stood to Haruto, the cooler the air became. Instead of oppressive heat, there was comfort.
Then Haruto's earlier words resurfaced in his mind.
"Vibranium…"
Ross nodded slowly. "Yes. Vibranium is an extremely rare resource with unique kinetic absorption properties. On the black market, even a single gram can sell for tens of thousands of U.S. dollars.
"Even for us—military connections and all—we only manage to acquire a little bit each year. Never enough to develop advanced weapons properly."
Ordinarily, this kind of information would have been classified beyond belief. But under Kotoamatsukami, Ross held nothing back.
Haruto was not surprised. Behind Ross stood the military, and behind the military stood the United States. Of course they had ways of securing Vibranium—no world power could dominate arms dealing without access to such channels.
Still, whatever they possessed was nothing compared to Wakanda's reserves. The scraps they'd managed to acquire were barely enough for prototypes.
That was the key.
If Haruto played this right, he could guide Ross—and by extension, the powers he represented—into making their move for Wakanda's true Vibranium mines.
These were not noble men. The history of their nation was built on conquest and resource plunder. Look at the Middle East—wars waged endlessly over oil.
If they learned that Wakanda held an entire mountain range of Vibranium, they would stop at nothing to seize it.
"In their eyes, Wakanda is nothing more than a backward agricultural country," Haruto thought to himself. "Barren land, sparse population. No voice at international summits.
"They have no idea what lies beneath its soil."
Ross's eyes gleamed with sudden intensity.
"Wakanda?" he muttered, astonished. He'd heard of the nation before, but had never given it much thought.
"There's Vibranium there?" he demanded.
"Of course," Haruto answered with a smile. "Not just a little, either. A lot. A great deal more than you can imagine."
It wasn't a bluff. It was the truth.
But the fact that Wakanda had kept such a secret for so long spoke volumes of their strength and cunning.
Vibranium would not be easy to take.