51
Chapter Fifty-One: After The War Is Over, We Will...
"It's fine to fight together, but there's one thing you have to do!"
"What's that?"
"Have a drink with us!"
…
When Peggy Carter entered the hall in a red dress, everyone was subdued except Thor, who was physically enhanced and still strong, and Steve, who, despite drinking far more than usual, was visibly shaken.
"Can't you give me a break?" Peggy Carter said, clearly irritated.
"Don't blame me; it's these guys who insisted on challenging me," Thor protested innocently. He was a large man capable of drinking an impressive amount of beer. How could mere mortals compare? Even Natasha, the future most resilient drinker among the Avengers, wouldn't be able to handle it.
Steve, normally someone who avoided trouble, was coaxed into drinking by Bucky's insistence.
"Alright, Howard has prepared some new equipment for you. Go check it out tomorrow," Peggy said, glaring at Thor.
"Miss Carter, are you trying to dance with me?" Thor teased.
"I don't have time now; we'll see after the war!"
"Fine, when the war is over, we'll go dancing!"
As the prince of Asgard, Thor didn't compare himself to a mortal like Captain America. A mere flag could not stand in his way.
…
The next morning, Thor and Steve arrived at Howard's office. Perhaps it was fate that Steve, despite Howard's intricate high-tech shields, was drawn to a simple and robust buckler.
Thor was equipped with various high-tech firearms, almost with unlimited ammunition. Seeing Thor handle a Gatling gun like an AWM, everyone agreed he was one of the greatest sharpshooters ever. Though his combat skills were also extraordinary...
Thor had initially asked Howard to create a strong hammer mimicking Mjölnir's design. However, the unconventional idea of holding a gun in one hand and a hammer in the other was too much. Under Peggy Carter's strong opposition, he had to abandon it.
However, Steve, upon trying out the hammer, found it surprisingly fitting and fell in love with it immediately, second only to his shield.
With a shield in one hand and a hammer in the other, the legendary Hammer team would be ready for action!
"Mr. Stark, thank you for the equipment. I have a gift for you!" Thor said mysteriously.
"Oh? If you're introducing a beautiful girl, I might be more excited," Howard replied with a hint of sarcasm. Even Steve, a straightforward man, noticed Peggy's unusual attention towards Thor, and Howard's tone reflected his own curiosity.
Thor smiled, patted him on the shoulder, and gave him a hug. "Asgardian friendship in the future world, this gift is precious enough!"
Howard rolled his eyes. Despite knowing Thor's shamelessness, he was still taken aback by it.
In truth, the gift was valuable.
During the embrace, Thor slipped an agent-specific handy syringe into Howard's back. He used magic to make howard not notice the injection he did .
The potion inside was the improved version of Extremis brought from the future—slightly enhancing strength and physical fitness but significantly improving recovery and regeneration.
He had kept some in his dimension storage spell
The full value of this gift would become apparent half a century later.
"Drip, congratulations to the host for completing the mission 'Eternal Secret' Branch 2: Save Howard Stark and prevent him from dying at the hands of the Winter Soldier in the future!"
With another branch completed, Thor guessed the final mission might involve the Red Skull.
…
In the days that followed, the Howling Commando relentlessly attacked HYDRA's factories across Europe. Their victories were overwhelming and consistent, taking down HYDRA strongholds one by one.
Captain America, with his hammer and shield, even faced Thanos' forces. His heroic feats included dismantling tanks with his bare hands and defeating enemies with flair, showcasing his incredible strength.
When Captain America threw his indestructible shield and wielded his mighty hammer, all evil forces bowed down in surrender!