Chapter 141: A New Strength

Ward stood, studying his reflection in the bathroom mirror. His body seemed larger and more defined. Every movement he made, every muscle he felt working, seemed faster, stronger, more agile. It was as if, for the first time, he was fully aware of the power he now possessed.

He took a deep breath, testing his strength in a simple grip on the metal sink. The sound of steel bending under the pressure of Ward's fingers echoed through the silent bathroom. He stepped back quickly, eyes wide. He knew he was different, but how much? And more importantly, what was he going to do about it?

While Ward was silently testing his limits, Skye was in the training room, engrossed in a combat simulator Ward had helped install. She had already mastered the basics of fighting, and now, under Ward's tutelage, she was advancing in areas she never imagined.

May was leaning against the wall, arms crossed, watching closely as Skye advanced in a virtual combat. Her movements were faster, more precise, and her focus was evident.

Ward entered the training room, watching the intensity with which Skye worked. He knew she had great potential, and since she had begun to recover, he had made a point of passing on some of his more advanced skills to her.

"She's doing well," May commented, without taking her eyes off Skye.

Ward gave a slight smile and nodded.

"She is. It's impressive how much she's evolved. But she still has a lot to learn."

May raised an eyebrow, keeping her tone serious.

"And you? How are you?"

Ward hesitated for a moment before answering. He knew May was always attentive to every detail, and she had already noticed that something was different about him.

"I'm… fine. Better than ever, actually," Ward said, keeping his tone casual. "But I'm still adjusting to a few things."

May narrowed her eyes, watching Ward carefully. She knew he was hiding something, but for now she decided not to press him. She trusted him, but she also knew she couldn't ignore the changes that were happening.

"I hope you know what you're doing, Ward," she said before walking away and leaving the room.

Skye finally finished her combat in the simulator and took off her helmet, taking a deep breath. She was sweaty and tired, but a satisfied smile appeared on her face. She turned to Ward, who was watching with his arms crossed.

"So? How did I do?" she asked, still panting.

Ward walked over to her, smiling.

"Not bad. You're progressing quickly, Skye. Your reactions are quicker, and your accuracy has improved a lot. But there are still things you can improve."

Skye raised an eyebrow, curious.

"Oh yeah? Like what?"

Ward grabbed a bottle of water and handed it to her as he began to explain.

"Hand-to-hand combat isn't just about technique. It's about anticipation, about reading your opponent. You can have the best punch in the world, but if you don't know when and where to use it, it won't do you any good. The next step for you is to learn how to control your surroundings and use them to your advantage."

Skye nodded, interested. She had always known Ward was an incredible fighter, but now, with him as her mentor, she was learning skills she never imagined possible.

"Okay," she said, taking a sip of water. "So, what do you suggest?"

Ward smirked.

"Let's start simple. I'm going to attack you and you're going to stop me, but not using strength or speed. I want you to use your surroundings. What do you have around you? How can you use them against me?"

Skye looked around, assessing the space in the training room. There wasn't much besides some equipment and the padded walls. But she knew that with Ward, even the smallest detail could make a difference.

Ward gestured for her to get ready and, without further warning, quickly advanced towards her. Even without using all of his new strength, he was incredibly fast. Skye backed away, feeling the pressure of the attack, but she kept her focus.

She noticed a nearby iron bar, and as Ward advanced, she used her body momentum to dodge it and, in one fluid motion, grabbed the bar, swinging it at Ward. He blocked the blow with ease, but smiled.

"Good move. Use whatever you have."

Skye wasted no time and charged again, this time throwing the bar toward Ward as a distraction and running to the side. When he dodged the bar, she used her momentum to run toward the wall, jumping and trying to catch him by surprise with an overhead kick.

Ward backed away just enough to dodge, but this time, instead of blocking, he grabbed Skye in midair, spinning her around and setting her gently on the ground.

"Much better," he said, helping her to her feet. "Now you're starting to get it."

Skye smiled, panting. "Wow, that was intense. But… I'm enjoying it."

Ward gave a small smile and nodded. — Let's keep working on it. Are you ready?

In the weeks that followed, Skye continued to recover from her injuries, and with each day, she felt stronger. The drug GH 325 that had saved her life seemed to have ongoing effects, speeding up her recovery and potentially giving her abilities she didn't yet fully understand.

Simmons, ever curious, performed regular tests on Skye, trying to better understand the effects of the drug, but so far, everything indicated that Skye was not only healthy, but with physical capabilities that surpassed those of an ordinary human.

On one of Simmons' visits to Skye's room, the doctor brought the results of the tests.

"You seem to be in perfect shape," Simmons said, looking at the tablet with the results. "In fact, your recovery was so fast that... well, we're still trying to figure out exactly what the GH 325 did."

Skye smiled, sitting up in bed.

"I feel great, Simmons. I think whatever it was, it gave me a second chance." Simmons nodded, still a little wary.

"I just want to make sure there are no side effects we haven't detected yet." Skye nodded confidently.

"I'm fine, Simmons. And with Ward training me, I feel stronger than ever." Simmons smiled, but still kept his analytical gaze.

"Just… be careful, Skye. We don't know what else this drug can do."

While Skye recovered, Ward was on a personal mission. He knew he now possessed abilities that placed him above any other human being. His body responded in ways he had never experienced before. His speed was impressive, his reflexes sharp, and his strength… unimaginable.

He spent hours training, testing his limits. What had once been ordinary strength exercises now seemed too easy. He increased the weights, the resistance times, and still, his body responded with ease. During one of the training sessions, he was alone, testing his speed on a makeshift running track inside the Triskelion. Each time he ran, he felt the wind hitting his face differently, faster, stronger. He knew that he was different now.

When he was done, he walked over to a mirror and stared at himself. There was a subtle change in his eyes, something that had not been there before. He knew that although he was stronger and faster than ever, there was a price to pay for this new ability. The question was: was he ready to pay it?

The team was now in a new equilibrium. Skye had become a formidable agent, with advanced skills that made her an even more valuable ally. And Ward, with his new abilities, was more unstoppable than ever. But with this new strength came new challenges, and the questions of what exactly had happened to Ward still lingered in the air.

Ward, however, remained focused on his mission: to protect his team and fully understand what had been done to him. He knew deep down that this was just the beginning of something much bigger.