chsdbacks Chapter 309 Steve: Holy crap—!
Chapter 309 Steve: Holy crap—!
[Previous post was about 301, finally on vacation, trying out a grueling workday]
Compared to the carefree Riley, the other figure who followed in Riley's footsteps and emerged from the dimensional barrier was like a steel fortress that suddenly descended.
That was Hydra's mortal enemy and nemesis, Captain America, Steve Rogers.
Of course, Riley, as long as he has the ability, will never let those around him influence him with their "no pain, no gain" mentality...
Unlike his usual iconic star-spangled uniform, Steve Rogers's muscular physique was now encased in a nanosuit that shimmered with a cold, metallic sheen.
Clearly, after saying goodbye to Peggy as Riley instructed, Steve immediately returned to District 13 and received this "welcome gift"—a gift tailor-made to congratulate him on joining District 13—from Riley, whose intelligence had now been raised to 15.
As a product of nanotechnology, the suit perfectly conforms to every inch of Steve's muscle lines, making his already massive and imposing physique, enhanced by the Super Soldier Serum, appear even more lean and fierce. A single glance is enough to convince anyone that every muscle line in the suit conceals explosive power!
Incidentally, influenced by Steve's personal preferences, the main color of the suit remains a deep blue and white, symbolizing the unwavering belief in Steve's heart.
But the huge five-pointed star on his chest was no longer a cold white.
Instead, it was Riley's suggestion, made without any attempt to conceal his "selfish" motives, that was rendered a fiery, burning red!
At this moment, under the cold, glaring light of the freezer, this vibrant red, like a flickering flame in the darkness, reflected a warm glow. Invisibly, weakly yet tenaciously, it dispelled the inherent chill and oppression of this land of death!
It was like a beating heart, proclaiming to Hydra...
Captain America has returned in a brand new guise!
However, this brand-new battle suit, representing cutting-edge technology and immense power, is currently encasing a volatile soul on the verge of losing control.
The moment Steve Rogers stepped out of the dimensional barrier, his eyes, covered by a nanotech helmet visor and gleaming with an ice-blue tactical visor, were instantly and precisely locked onto, like iron filings drawn to a magnet, by the AI Justice, under its rapid scan. There, in the center of the room, lay a familiar figure bound to a recliner.
The latter, as if sensing that piercing, soul-stirring gaze, instinctively struggled and turned his head with great difficulty to meet Steve's eyes.
The moment their eyes met, time seemed to freeze.
Inside Steve's chest, his heart, pounding wildly with the joy of their reunion, was instantly seized by an invisible icy claw!
Those familiar gray-blue eyes were filled with emptiness and confusion...
That wasn't the Bucky he remembered!
There was no overwhelming joy of a long-awaited reunion.
There is no suffering without hardship.
There wasn't even a trace of human warmth!
Those eyes held only personal will, violently formatted, cold and unfamiliar like a machine!
It was as if what stood before Steve at that moment wasn't a living, breathing person, but rather a soulless puppet, completely controlled by someone else!
A humanoid weapon that only obeys orders and endlessly kills!
This brutal truth is more lethal than any Hydra weapon!
It was like a red-hot branding iron, fiercely burning into the deepest part of Steve's heart, onto that never-healed scar.
The alleyways of Brooklyn.
The roaring train.
An outstretched hand.
A falling figure.
The helplessness of failing to hold onto a dear friend back then, and the deep-seated self-blame, were like volcanic lava that had been accumulating for a century. At this moment, under the cold, empty gaze of Bucky, it was completely ignited!
"MAYA FAP [beep]—!"
A suppressed growl, like that of a wounded beast, burst forth from deep within Steve's throat.
However, because Steve had repeatedly corrected Riley's dark side, telling him to be careful with his words and promising that he would never swear again.
However, Riley's little act of revenge, tinged with a touch of personal mischief, was transformed into a series of meaningful electronic buzzes by the language filtering system of the nano helmet.