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Chapter 32: Falling

On the other side, Steve finally confronted the enemy he had been dreading—Red Skull.

This was the man responsible for the inhumane experiments that had harmed countless people!

This was the man who had sent someone to assassinate Dr. Erskine!

This was the man who had taken Bucky from him!

Fueled by intense rage, Captain America punched through a three-centimeter-thick steel plate.

"Boom--"

The last barrier was shattered, and Red Skull, who had always preferred to manipulate events from the shadows, now faced Steve, a formidable opponent.

Captain America's serum was far more refined than Red Skull's, and his personality better suited the power, making Red Skull no match for him.

During their fierce battle, the box containing the Tesseract was opened. Red Skull seized the cube and declared, "Behold, this is the power of the gods! You could possess this power, yet you choose to remain among mortals!"

"Boom--"

Majestic energy erupted from the Tesseract, enveloping Red Skull instantly.

The same cosmic scene reappeared, and the starry sky unfolded before them.

Realizing something was amiss, Red Skull began to struggle. However, his strength was insufficient to resist the power of the Tesseract.

A brilliant blue light shot into the sky, splitting the world in two, its effect lasting for a long time.

Thor, who had just arrived at the control room, sensed the disturbance. He saw a faint ray of light in the distant sky and felt a pang of regret. He had hoped to eliminate Red Skull completely to prevent him from becoming an ally of Thanos in the future.

…

In the end, the boss's exit was dramatic, but the crisis was far from over.

Red Skull had prepared for the worst. Even as Steve arrived, he had set the plane on autopilot. Without his control, the aircraft, equipped with several high-tech missiles more powerful than nuclear bombs, was set to detonate in New York.

Steve, who had grown up in the slums, knew that handling such advanced technology was beyond his capabilities.

With no way to steer or slow down, his only option was to try to bring the plane down safely.

Steve had just made contact with Thor when he arrived.

"There's no chance for a safe landing, sir. I must find a way to make an emergency landing."

Steve reported the situation to Colonel Phillips: "The plane is carrying weapons of mass destruction that will detonate as soon as it reaches New York. It's currently in no-man's land. This is our last chance; it will soon be too late."

The colonel nodded gravely: "Have you really made up your mind?"

Captain America responded resolutely: "Yes, this is my decision!"

Thor stepped forward and took the communicator: "Hi, Steve, long time no see! It's a shame I missed out on this crucial mission."

Captain America was momentarily stunned, then his voice filled with surprise: "Blake? You're not dead? This is great news! I didn't expect to hear anything positive at this moment. Unfortunately, I won't have the chance to share another drink with you."

Thor smiled and replied meaningfully: "I'm definitely not dead. Disappearance and death in battle are often confused, but they are not the same, and you should have understood this by now."

"Disappearance? Death?"

Steve mumbled to himself, suddenly realizing something, and his voice became excited: "You mean, Bucky?"

"Before I came back, I visited that place and found signs of activity beneath the cliff."

Steve's face lit up with joy, and just as he was about to ask more, the plane suddenly shook violently.

"Boom..."

The plane, which had failed to slow down, hit the ground and instantly broke through the ice.

The violent impact caused the entire sea area to churn. Nearby, an enormous iceberg collapsed, burying the plane completely.

This advanced aircraft, a marvel of cutting-edge technology, disappeared along with Captain America, remaining lost until the iceberg melted decades later.