45

Chapter 45: The Birth of Captain America

"That's not true. Steve participated before me. If it's him, I have no objections. Besides, don't you think I'm quite capable even without enhancements?"

Peggy Carter nodded in disbelief. Fighting twice in three days in the barracks wasn't something just anyone could handle, especially given the intensity of the skirmishes.

"Tell me about your past. What did you do before? I can't believe such impressive skills would come from an ordinary doctor." Thor's cover identity was a doctor running a small clinic, but it was clear it was a facade. In this era, most people preferred to remain oblivious to such details.

"Did you see? I used to be a hunter in Alaska. I managed to hunt brown bears twice in three days."

Peggy Carter rolled her eyes.

…

In the laboratory, Thor watched as Steve prepared to lie on the examination table and joked, "How are you feeling? Nervous?"

Steve nodded. "A bit, but it's part of the job!"

Following the doctor's instructions, he removed his shirt and lay down on the lab table.

Seeing Steve's ribbed physique, Thor couldn't resist snapping a few photos, planning to use them as future blackmail...

Numerous needles were inserted into Steve's body, injecting the serum into his muscles as the bench slowly closed around him.

Howard Stark, overseeing the mechanical equipment, activated the power.

"10% - 20% - 30%..." The technician read out the data from the meter.

The light inside the test chamber grew increasingly intense, obscuring Steve from view. Only Thor could still see Steve's grimacing face as he clenched his teeth to suppress his cries.

"40% - 50%…"

Another technician reported, "Heart rate discipline increased, but vital signs are stable!" This surpassed all previous experimentations.

Thor glanced at the government personnel beside Howard Stark. This man's eyes were cloudy, and if Thor's guess was correct, this individual was actually a member of HYDRA. However, with everyone focused on Steve, no one paid attention to him.

Howard, noticing Thor's gaze, misunderstood and explained, "It's said that the pain at a 30% dose is comparable to childbirth, and at 40% it's like breaking bones…"

Everyone's expressions turned to disbelief. How could he know so precisely? Had he experienced childbirth? Or perhaps he had been kicked?

Thor couldn't help but laugh. Tony Stark's father was known for his gentle demeanor, but he was actually quite the character. It was a shame he was assassinated so early...

At that moment, a system notification suddenly sounded—

"Ding! Congratulations to the host for discovering the mission 'Eternal Secret,' Branch 2. Complete all branches to complete the mission!"

"Branch 1: Completed!"

"Branch 2: Save Howard Stark from dying at the hands of the Winter Soldier in the future!"

"Branch 3: Not unlocked, please explore by yourself."

Before Thor could process the information, the serum dosage reached 60%, and Steve finally let out a scream.

"Ah, ah, ah, ah—"

Howard stopped increasing the dose, and Dr. Abraham asked urgently, "Steve, how are you? If it's too much, I'll stop immediately!" He couldn't bear the thought of this young man collapsing on the lab table.

"Don't stop! I can handle it!" Steve shouted through gritted teeth.

"70% - 80% - 90%!" The screams grew louder, and it seemed as though Steve might break down at any moment. Howard paused, looking at the doctor.

The doctor asked anxiously, "Steve, how are you holding up? Is everything okay?" Apart from the screams, no other sounds could be heard.

The doctor ordered helplessly, "Stop…"

"Wait!" Thor interrupted loudly, "He can do it; continue!"

Thor could see what was happening inside. Despite Steve's continuing demands to proceed, he was unable to speak any further. Thor intervened to prevent the doctor from halting the process and utilized the bonus skill from the original Loki mission.

Master of Lies: When you make a statement, it becomes easier for the other party to believe it!

To ensure success, Thor even employed some magic, learned from Frigga. Though not as adept as Loki, it was sufficient for influencing mortals.

With everyone watching, Howard increased the dosage one last time.

100%!

The experimental chamber slowly opened, revealing a robust figure amidst the smoke.