the Lumerian Star(chapter 49)

prevously in chapter 48

"My thoughts are faster?" he said to himself, and indeed they were. Not only were his thoughts faster, but he could remember things in even more detail. "Just like Limitless," he chuckled at the notion, although the Limitless Potion was more potent. He still noticed the changes. Not only could he recall faster, but he could retain faster, think faster, which made him all the happier as he continued to look through all the data he had extracted from SHIELD during the first time he was high on Limitless. This led him to discover, or rediscover, an interesting topic that SHIELD wanted to stay dead. The topic was a group of organizations known as HYDRA, which in the Second World War, during Captain America's time, was seemingly defeated by Captain America. The reason why this interested him was simple.

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Chapter 49

The man who fought Henry was far too strong to be on Centipede's side, far stronger than their soldiers. He should know because he fought both of them. "I could have used the Reality Gem to kill him," he thought to himself, but he didn't want to expose that either, and the durability of the gem was going down fast with each use. It was as if reality itself didn't want the Reality Gem knockoff to be there. Since he couldn't be part of Centipede, Henry was forced to turn his attention to SHIELD, which led to this rapid hole. So he chased the only lead he had, and when that proved to be fruitless, he sighed as he then had the idea to look for more SHIELD bases, especially ones that contained data, valuable data. With his newly improved body, he found one quickly at that. It seemed to be a large oil rig in the ocean where satellites were launched. "Looks like I will need to prepare some equipment," he thought to himself as he got up. He didn't waste time.

As he began to purchase some materials he needed, with his newfound strength, Henry didn't seem to be afraid, although he was cautious, very cautious. Even his demeanor changed. After that defeat, he no longer smiled as much, and he started to think before taking action. He soon returned to his hideout, where he started to make some preparations. In the meantime, he also focused on creating potions, taking care of his plants as his eyes landed on a concept, which was a potion. "Using the blood of people like Hulk, Thor, and any other superhuman or alien being is quite ambitious," he mused, but he didn't throw away the concept plan. No, just because he had achieved a superhuman body didn't mean he was invincible. He was still sure that people like Thor and Hulk could beat his ass, like the Winter Soldier. So he, of course, had plans on top of plans to grow stronger.

"I just have to think of a way to get Thor's blood and more sample blood from Hulk, maybe when they are both together" he muttered to himself before shrugging. He would find a way, one way or another, even if he had to infiltrate avengers headquarters while they were having a party, trying to lift that Mjolnir. In the meantime, he focused on leveling up his class, which he was quite close to leveling up. This made him excited, but he didn't show it on his face. He focused on that while also pushing several of his plants and special herbs to their limit. He also started sorting the poisonous plants to a new location.

It took weeks to get ready. Most of the time was used to scout the place; he didn't want to go in blind. But since the place was in the middle of the ocean, his options were limited. However, just as he was about to leave, he saw the newly made vibranium weapon, which turned out to be a tier 6 material, although it was pushing tier 7. "There seem to be a lot of tier 6 materials pushing tier 7," he thought to himself as he gripped the blade's hilt, which felt comfortable in his hand.

[ Name: Vibranium Blade ]

[ Grade: 6th ]

[ Description: The Vibranium Blade is a masterfully crafted sword forged from pure vibranium metal. This rare and nearly indestructible material gives the blade unmatched durability and cutting power. The sword has reached the pinnacle of its tier, brushing against the limits of tier 7, and radiates a powerful aura. The blade is light yet incredibly strong, capable of absorbing and redirecting energy with unparalleled efficiency. Its edge remains eternally sharp, and its surface shimmers with a faint, mystical glow. ]

[ Effects: +500% durability, +500% cutting power, +500% energy absorption, +500% energy redirection, +500% weight reduction, +500% resilience ]

[ Deterioration-Rate: 0% ]

He then randomly swung the blade at the edge of his metallic desk, which cut through the edge of the table cleanly. "Right, it can cut through almost anything. I wonder what Coulson did to get his hands on this metal," he pondered as he sheathed the blade into his plague doctor's costume, not for the protection it provided but because it represented him. "Alright Kai, are you getting everything?" he asked as his helmet, now fitted with Kai, gave him direct contact with Kai. {Everything is running smoothly, sir} Kai's voice sounded in his ear as he looked around. Every prompt would pull up what he was looking at. "Good, alright Kai, let's do this," he thought to himself as he then teleported himself to one of the roads he had scouted close to his location, which was the Lumerian Star.

-scene change-

The night sky was pitch black over the Indian Ocean, with thick clouds obscuring the stars. The mobile satellite launching base, the Lumerian Star, floated silently on the dark waters, illuminated only by the occasional flicker of lights reflecting off the gentle waves. The ship had been overtaken by pirates, tough and heavily armed mercenaries patrolling its decks and corridors.

A shadow moved across the surface of the ocean, gliding silently and seamlessly. This was no ordinary shadow; it belonged to Henry, who had ingested the Shadowmeld Potion. The inky liquid had transformed him into a near-invisible specter, his presence masked from sight, thermal detection, and scent-based tracking. He melded into the shadow of the base, becoming one with the darkness as he navigated through the ship's exterior.

The ship's hull was a dull gray, dotted with rust spots and weathered by the salty sea air. The deck was cluttered with shipping containers, cables, and equipment crates, casting long, eerie shadows under the dim, flickering lights. The corridors inside the ship were narrow and dimly lit, with metallic walls that hummed softly from the machinery operating within. Pipes and electrical conduits snaked along the ceilings and walls, adding to the ship's industrial feel.

Henry emerged from a shadow behind a door in one of the ship's corridors. He wore his plague doctor costume, the beaked mask and dark robes making him look like a figure from a nightmare. The dim lighting cast a sinister glow on his figure, making him blend even more seamlessly with the darkness. "Hmm," he grunted to himself, his voice barely above a whisper. His enhanced senses allowed him to hear nearly everything around him. The soft hum of the ship's machinery, the distant footsteps of the mercenaries, and even the faint rustling of clothing were all as clear as day to him.

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A/N Well, for those of you who wanted to test the improvement that Henry went through, wait for the next chapter. Yes, the current event happening is the Captain America: Winter Soldier storyline, and if you've watched the movie, you know what's going to happen—some serious ass-whooping.