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In the barren wastelands of Tennessee, USA...
Beneath the seemingly lifeless plains lay a massive underground research facility.
A young man in his early twenties, strikingly handsome, was typing away rapidly on a computer.
A name badge hung over his left chest:
"Nolan"
Researcher No. 21-03
Nolan was responsible for researching the Super Soldier Serum the very serum that represented the idealistic power within the Marvel Universe.
However, Nolan didn't work for the U.S. military. He served another organization: HYDRA.
"Hey Nolan, how's it looking?" Project lead Jason glanced over at him, then at the enormous machine operating in front of them. Inside, a volunteer was struggling in visible agony.
"It's no good. Still a failure," Nolan shook his head. As the serum was injected, the volunteer's face contorted in pain until, under both their gazes, his body melted into a grotesque, viscous sludge.
Blood and gore splattered the interior of the chamber.
"Damn it! Another failure!" Jason growled. "Keep trying! We're running out of time!"
With that, he stormed out of the lab, leaving Nolan alone. His expression turned grim after hearing Jason's words.
"Running out of time = Running out of Days to live"
Nolan muttered to himself, thinking about HYDRA's brutal protocol for dealing with useless facilities:
Take the research data.
Wipe out anyone who knew the secrets.
They would send in a clean-up squad to eliminate everything and everyone.
"Don't tell me I'm going to die right after transmigrating...?"
That's right Nolan wasn't from this world. He came from a version of Earth in his previous life.
He never imagined that, of all places, he'd transmigrate into the Marvel Universe and worse, end up working for HYDRA.
Well, technically, the original owner of this body worked for HYDRA. But this organization was notoriously cruel to anyone it deemed worthless treating people as tools to be discarded once broken.
"Better hope these two abilities can get me out of this mess."
Nolan glanced at the powers he'd gained during his transmigration unique gifts tied to his very soul:
[Abilities Acquired: Master of Research, Spirit of Evolution]
Master of Research: You are the sovereign of science. You possess unparalleled intellectual capacity, able to comprehend and master any knowledge you desire. With time, you can create anything imaginable within the laws of this universe.
Spirit of Evolution: Your body holds infinite potential for evolution. You can adapt to and absorb any form of power, transforming it into your own.
With a Master of Research, Nolan could deconstruct any supernatural force, eventually creating extraordinary objects that existed only in theory.
With the Spirit of Evolution, he could merge those forces into himself transforming from an ordinary human into something... much greater.
He was no longer the powerless Nolan awaiting death. Now, he was a scientific titan armed with terrifying potential.
"If Tony Stark could build an arc reactor in a cave, then isn't it totally reasonable for me to reverse-engineer the Super Soldier Serum on my own?"
Yes, that serum!
With research data already in front of him, Nolan naturally wanted to unlock its secrets and gain superhuman strength.
But he had to be careful. If HYDRA caught wind of his success, they wouldn't just imprison him they'd lock him away to milk him for every innovation he could offer.
Nolan had no intention of losing his freedom. That's why he never revealed the full extent of his capabilities.
Taking a sip from a nearby drink, he was just about to slowly tackle the remaining serum formula when—
"WARNING. WARNING!"
Alarms suddenly blared across the lab, jarring Nolan out of his focus.
Then Jason's voice came through the lab's intercom, panicked: "Nolan! The clean-up squad just arrived! The organization might be planning to blow up the entire facility!"
"What?! Why?"
"No idea! But all entry and exit points are now under lockdown. Security's rounding up every researcher in the building!"
Nolan frowned deeply and shut off the comms.
"Shit! Can't they just give me a little more time?"
Just his luck to transmigrate straight into a death sentence.
If he got captured, it was game over.
"I need to escape... but how?"
His mind raced. Then his eyes landed on the machine in front of him the replica of the one used on Steve Rogers.
It was designed to inject and activate the serum.
Right now, Nolan was just a regular person. With his frail, research-oriented physique, he'd be dead within two steps if he tried to run.
That left him with only one way out.
Before they caught him, he had to perfect the Super Soldier Serum, inject it, and use his Spirit of Evolution to rapidly absorb and adapt.
Become a small-scale version of Captain America.
Decision made, Nolan dove into the remaining formulas at breakneck speed.
Page after page filled with complex calculations as he dismantled every obstacle that had previously stalled the research team.
.
-
.
Meanwhile, in the head office of the facility, a man dressed in a HYDRA soldier's uniform was on the phone.
Jason was tied to a chair and forced to listen to the conversation with a superior.
"Yes, All researchers are being rounded up."
A chilling voice came through the line:
"Good. Secure all remaining data. Erase all backups. Then initiate a full base detonation. Leave nothing behind."
"Yes, sir!"
"Make absolutely sure there are no traces left."
The soldier ended the call, opened a surveillance feed, and scanned through it carefully.
He spotted Nolan in Lab 2.
Grabbing his radio, he shouted, "There's still someone in Lab 2! Go extract him immediately!"
"Roger!"
He then turned toward Jason, sneering.
"You scientists are such a waste. All this effort, and for what? We could've raised a whole army with the resources you burned through."
Jason glared at the soldier. "Without us, you'd still be grunts with guns."
The soldier scoffed. "And what's your boy in Lab 2 trying to do? Still clinging to that serum fantasy? You really think he's gonna make it work? I've always said this serum project was a joke. Should've invested in exosuits instead!"
Jason smirked coldly. "Then go tell that to the Winter Soldier."
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100 Power stones = 1 Bonus Chapter!