"Sir, Dr. List requests access to the monitors."
Just as Baron Strucker was fantasizing about the shocked expressions of the superheroes, a researcher interrupted his reverie.
Baron Strucker glanced at him but nodded nonetheless.
"Patch him through."
With his command, the image on the monitor switched to another location.
A thin white man sat in a cell, his gaze vacant, muttering something incessantly.
His eyes were fixed on the floor of the cell, and his body occasionally twitched.
"Begin."
Baron Strucker picked up the intercom and issued the order.
Soon, in another monitor, the cell door opened, and a disheveled woman was pushed into the cell.
The woman stumbled, the shackles on her feet clinking loudly.
She clung to the wall in fear, not daring to approach the man.
The man, who had been muttering incomprehensibly, suddenly stopped.
His vacant eyes seemed to gain a spark of life.
His gaze fixed on the woman's body, and Baron Strucker saw a look of hunger in his eyes.
No, it was more like... he was starving?
The next second, the man pounced on the woman like a ravenous wolf.
The woman, caught off guard, was knocked to the ground, screaming.
"Stop him."
Dr. List's voice came through the communicator.
"No, don't stop him!"
"I want to see what he'll do!"
Baron Strucker overruled Dr. List's command. Here, he was the supreme leader.
Hearing this, the Hydra soldiers who were about to rush into the cell halted.
They all turned their attention to the cell, eager to see what would happen next.
What followed left everyone present in shock!
The man opened his mouth wide and bit down hard on the woman's neck, then violently shook his head, tearing off a chunk of flesh along with a torrent of blood!
The woman let out a piercing scream.
But her cries did not stir any sympathy in Baron Strucker. Instead, his eyes widened with excitement as he watched the monitor.
The man lowered his head, making a guttural "heh heh" sound, blood dripping from his mouth!
From the monitor, it was clear that the man's body was trembling slightly, as if in a state of extreme excitement.
How could a normal human have such powerful biting strength, capable of such brutality?
This was no man—it was a bloodthirsty beast!
Perhaps stimulated by the scent of blood, the man let out a long howl and pounced on the woman again.
In less than ten minutes, the man had completely devoured the woman!
Not even a complete corpse remained!
If not for the blood splattered across the cell and the chaotic footprints on the floor, no one would believe that another living person had been in the cell just ten minutes ago.
Baron Strucker's eyes were glued to the screen, for he clearly saw that the man's body was beginning to change!
His originally thin frame started to swell.
Though the change wasn't drastic, he had indeed gained some weight!
His once loose clothes now fit more snugly, and he no longer looked like a malnourished man but rather a normal-sized adult.
Seeing this transformation, Baron Strucker's excitement grew.
"What's his name?"
Baron Strucker asked through the communicator.
"Sir, his name is Barrett. He's a prisoner from a small country."
Dr. List promptly replied.
Barrett?
Hearing the name, Baron Strucker couldn't help but laugh.
What a fitting name!
"Give him another man!"
"This time, make him stronger, at least stronger than Barrett."
Baron Strucker ordered through the communicator.
"Yes."
In less than three minutes, another man, this time a black man in shackles, was brought in.
Though not particularly strong, the black man was at least taller and more robust than Barrett.
"Remove his shackles and give him a knife."
"Tell him that if he defeats Barrett, he'll be set free."
This time, Baron Strucker increased the difficulty for Barrett.
In his eyes, if Barrett couldn't even handle a man with a knife, then any special abilities he had would be worthless.
A worthless creature had no value.
So, to survive, Barrett would have to prove his worth!
The Hydra soldiers followed Baron Strucker's orders, removing the black man's shackles and handing him a dagger.
After hearing the soldiers' words, the black man's previously vacant eyes began to gleam with hope.
The cell door opened, and the black man slowly walked in.
This time, the situation was entirely different. The woman from before had no warning and was no match for Barrett in strength or size.
But this black man had been promised freedom if he defeated Barrett.
Moreover, he was stronger than Barrett and had a dagger as a weapon.
So, not only was the black man on a different level in terms of combat ability, but he also had the hope of survival if he could defeat or kill Barrett.
Where there's hope, there's desperation.
Baron Strucker leaned on the table, his eyes drawing closer to the monitor.
He didn't want to miss a single detail.
The black man held the dagger in his right hand, his left hand resting on the wall as he cautiously entered the cell.
The dagger was always positioned in front of him, and he was constantly on guard against Barrett's movements.
When Barrett saw the armed black man enter, he didn't immediately pounce as he had before.
It seemed he was observing.
"Record this."
"Subject 37 has not lost all intelligence; he retains some instincts."
"When faced with an unarmed woman, he attacked immediately."
"But when faced with an armed man, he did not rush forward but instead observed."
Dr. List's voice came through the communicator.
What Baron Strucker had noticed, Dr. List, as a seasoned experimenter, had also observed.
The researchers quickly noted Dr. List's words.
Inside the cell, Barrett's eyes were locked onto the black man, following his every move.
Those purple eyes seemed to radiate a bloodthirsty aura.
"Make them hurry."
However, Baron Strucker had little patience.
At his command, the Hydra soldiers outside the cell shouted into the cell.
Hearing the shouts, the black man inside grew anxious.
He began to slowly approach Barrett.
Barrett, however, didn't retreat. Instead, he grinned, flashing a provoking smile at the black man.
Provoked by the smile, the black man lunged forward with the dagger, aiming for Barrett.
The attack was fierce!
But the black man never expected that Barrett wouldn't dodge or evade. Instead, Barrett charged straight at him.
The dagger plunged into Barrett's chest, but Barrett's hands clamped onto the black man's arms, and his mouth opened wide, biting down hard on the man's shoulder, tearing off a chunk of flesh.
The black man screamed in pain and kicked Barrett away.
Barrett slammed into the wall, the piece of flesh falling from his mouth.
But Barrett didn't even glance at the black man. Instead, he immediately dropped to the ground, like a ravenous wolf.
He didn't even seem to care about the bleeding wound in his chest.
Seeing this, the black man's mouth hung open in disbelief.
Even without sound, Baron Strucker could guess what he was saying.
What the fu*k?
But Baron Strucker was more focused on Barrett.
Because when Barrett stood up again, the wound on his chest was slowly healing.
In less than ten seconds, the skin on his chest had completely regenerated.
If not for the bloodstains, no one would have known he had been injured.
"This is..."
"Absolutely thrilling!"
Baron Strucker's excitement was palpable as he watched the monitor.
He could barely contain his exhilaration!
Soon, the scene on the monitor changed again.
The black man attacked once more, this time aiming the dagger at Barrett's neck.
The neck is one of the most vulnerable parts of the human body.
If the trachea is cut, even the strongest person would suffocate and die within moments.
This time, the black man succeeded again, plunging the dagger into Barrett's neck.
But Barrett didn't give him a chance to escape. He grabbed the black man's body and slammed him into the opposite wall.
As the two collided with the wall, Barrett opened his mouth and bit down hard on the black man's neck.
"Ah!!!!"
The black man's screams echoed again.
But even as he was being bitten, the black man didn't give up. He raised the dagger again and again, stabbing down with all his might.
The intense pain made it impossible for him to aim accurately at Barrett's neck.
However, each stab landed near Barrett's neck.
Crimson blood stained both their clothes.
Yet, every time the black man pulled out the dagger, the wound would begin to heal rapidly.
And with each piece of flesh Barrett tore from the black man, the healing speed increased!
Time passed, and despite the black man's relentless efforts, stabbing Barrett dozens of times, Barrett not only refused to let go but also bit down harder with each attack.
Finally, after three minutes, the black man's arm went limp.
His eyes wide, he stared blankly at the wall, having taken his last breath.
A few minutes later, Barrett was alone in the cell once more.
And Barrett had changed again!
His clothes were torn apart by his expanding body. His height, originally around 5'7", had shot up to nearly 6'3".
His muscles were now well-defined, and his teeth had grown sharp.
His fingertips had elongated, and his nails had turned into sharp claws.
All his wounds had vanished, and even the scars from previous experiments were gone!
"Perfect..."
"Absolutely perfect!!!"
Baron Strucker was ecstatic as he watched Barrett's transformation.
This terrifying regenerative ability!
As long as there was flesh, it seemed Barrett could heal indefinitely!
But just as Baron Strucker was reveling in his excitement, Barrett suddenly let out a scream and collapsed to his knees.
He clutched his head, his expression one of extreme pain!
"What's happening!?"
Baron Strucker's face changed instantly.
But the next moment, something even more unbelievable occurred!
From Barrett's back, a sharp, bone-like protrusion began to emerge from his body.
"Ah!!!!!!!!"
Barrett's screams were agonizing as he knelt on the ground, clearly in immense pain!
With a sickening sound, a white bone spike erupted from Barrett's back!
Then a second, a third, a fourth...
Each bone spike that emerged brought with it a gush of flesh and blood.
And with each spike, Barrett's screams grew louder.
By the time the sixth bone spike had fully emerged, Barrett's screams had subsided.
On his back, three bone spikes on each side now protruded grotesquely, and Barrett seemed drained of all strength, kneeling and gasping for air.
His height, which had shot up to 6'3", shrank back to 5'7".
Even his previously muscular frame returned to its malnourished state.
But Baron Strucker's eyes only grew brighter.
"He's still evolving..."
"He's still evolving!!!"
Baron Strucker clenched his fists so tightly that his nails dug into his palms, drawing blood, but he didn't notice.
His entire body trembled with excitement, consumed by euphoria.
"Quick, bring him more prisoners!"
"I want to see how far he can evolve!"
"Remember, gradually increase the prisoners' physical strength. You can even give them guns!"
Baron Strucker picked up the communicator and issued orders to Dr. List.
Soon, one prisoner after another was brought into the cell.
The same events unfolded once more.
Even as gunfire rang out, the screams continued unabated.
Blood had drenched the entire cell.
As Baron Strucker watched Barrett's continuous evolution, a manic grin spread across his face.
"Sir, we have new intel."
At that moment, a soldier approached Baron Strucker.
His arrival interrupted Baron Strucker's enjoyment.
Baron Strucker turned in fury, grabbing the soldier by the throat and lifting him off the ground.
"Fool! Who told you to disturb me now!?"
"If your news doesn't satisfy me, I'll throw you in there too!"
He pointed at the monitor, his voice dripping with rage.
The soldier trembled. He had seen just how terrifying Barrett was.
No one who entered the cell ever came out alive.
"I... I'll speak."
"New York... New York has sent word..."
"The Tesseract... the Tesseract has been located."
"Steve Rogers has retrieved... retrieved the Tesseract and has secured it."
The Hydra soldier stammered in fear.
Hearing this, Baron Strucker's anger subsided slightly.
He released the soldier.
"The Tesseract..."
"So, the Tesseract has resurfaced..."
Baron Strucker muttered to himself.
Within Hydra, many believed that the Tesseract had been taken by Mr. Fantastic.
Thus, they had been keeping a close watch on Ronan.
But now, Steve Rogers had brought the Tesseract back.
"Where did this information come from?"
Baron Strucker asked the soldier.
"It... it came from our agents in New York."
"We have an agent embedded within S.H.I.E.L.D. He learned this from inside S.H.I.E.L.D."
The soldier quickly replied, fearing that any delay would result in him becoming Barrett's next meal.
"S.H.I.E.L.D., huh..."
"Hmph, still trying to struggle?"
At the mention of "S.H.I.E.L.D.," Baron Strucker couldn't help but sneer.
At its peak, S.H.I.E.L.D. had been infiltrated by Hydra, nearly becoming a Hydra subsidiary.
The current S.H.I.E.L.D. wasn't even worth Hydra's attention!
"Tell the New York operative to verify the intel."
"If it's true, have him locate the Tesseract and bring it to me!"
Baron Strucker ordered.
The soldier nodded repeatedly but then hesitated.
"What is it now?"
Baron Strucker frowned again.
"N-no, it's still about New York."
"The operative there wants to know if we should continue monitoring Ronan."
"Now that we have news of the Tesseract."
The soldier quickly added.
Ronan.
Hearing the name, Baron Strucker narrowed his eyes.
"Tell him to continue monitoring, and to arrange a kidnapping of Ronan soon."
"The news from Steve Rogers might be a diversion. We can't trust it outright."
"So, we must continue our investigation through Mr. Fantastic."
"And Ronan is our key!"
With that, Baron Strucker turned back to the monitor.
The soldier didn't dare ask more and quickly left.
He was truly afraid that if he lingered, he might not make it out alive.
On the monitor, three cells were displayed.
Pietro, in his tight suit, was still running at super speed, crashing into walls.
Wanda was still playing with her toys.
And in the last cell, Barrett continued his feast.
Looking at these three scenes, Baron Strucker's face broke into a wide grin.
These were his three most prized "creations"!
All three were mutants transformed through the power of the Scepter.
Each possessed unique abilities.
It was clear that the Scepter's power was immense. Though they hadn't yet unlocked its full potential, previous intel suggested that when Loki wielded the Scepter, he could control minds.
Though they hadn't reached that stage yet, Baron Strucker was confident that with further research, they would soon uncover how Loki had achieved it.
Until then, he wanted to create even more impressive "creations"!
"Dr. List, release anesthetic into Barrett's cell."
"Make sure to increase the dosage."
"Then proceed with blood extraction and tissue sampling. Bring the results to me."
Baron Strucker picked up the communicator and issued another order to Dr. List.
Soon, a cloud of gas filled Barrett's cell.
The dosage was enough to knock out an elephant.
Yet, even with such a potent dose, Barrett resisted for over thirty seconds before finally collapsing under the effects of the anesthetic.
After he fell, the soldiers waited another half-minute before entering the cell, wearing gas masks.
They efficiently extracted blood samples from Barrett.
Not just blood—they also took samples of his teeth, the bone spikes on his back, and the sharp claws on his hands.
These samples were incredibly tough, requiring the use of cutting tools!
Additionally, they collected numerous skin samples.
In terms of experimentation, Hydra was undoubtedly world-class.
As the soldiers left the cell in an orderly fashion, Baron Strucker was already contemplating something else.
He wasn't thinking about Barrett.
His thoughts ran deeper.
If they could harness Barrett's regenerative abilities and transfer them to Hydra soldiers...
Could he create an army of soldiers capable of rapid healing?
All they would need was a little... sustenance?
Then, no matter the battle, as long as the soldiers didn't die, they could heal quickly?
And if they couldn't transfer the ability to soldiers, could they create a drug that would allow soldiers to rapidly recover their strength and heal their wounds?
These were the thoughts swirling in Baron Strucker's mind.
As he pondered, a slight smile crept onto his lips.
"Steve..."
"Next time we meet, I'll show you the true power of Hydra!"