Chapter 225: The Exhausted Steve

Most people on Earth were unaware of the dimensional array hiding the gap in Earth's dimension, but some attentive forces quickly noticed the decrease in the number of demons on Earth. However, due to the lack of communication with the top supernatural beings, most forces did not understand why this change occurred and simply assumed the demons from the hell dimension had completed their plans and returned.

On the night Robert and Diana battled in the wilderness, Steve and Bucky sneaked into a newly discovered Hydra base. They had found clues about Hydra in previous intelligence, but more importantly, Bucky recognized the voice of a Hydra member they were targeting as the one he heard during a mission years ago! After Robert helped Bucky recover from being brainwashed, Bucky was very familiar with the time he was controlled, especially about the night Howard was killed, considering Howard was also his friend...

Hearing that Hydra voice, Bucky felt the familiar tone and way of speaking and immediately focused on that Hydra member, following them to the base.

"Be careful, something's not right here!" Steve cautioned in a low voice upon entering, his years of combat experience telling him there were hidden threats. Bucky, tightening his metal arm, looked around and whispered back, asking if Steve had contacted reinforcements.

"I sent Tony our location, but I didn't contact the Saiyans," Steve nodded, his eyes shining as if turning into substance.

"We probably don't need to contact him. It's not like every Hydra base will have a master like Valmont, right? After all, we've destroyed quite a few Hydra bases before..." Bucky replied with a smile. However, before he could finish, a loud bang sealed the entrance they sneaked through, followed by the familiar voice of a Hydra member in front of them, along with applause, "Impressive! As expected of our Captain America and the Winter Soldier, you dare to infiltrate anywhere!"

"Did you really think, as an experienced Hydra soldier, I wouldn't notice you following me? I simply wanted to lure you here on purpose!"

"We're ambushed, my overconfidence," Bucky said, his gaze sharpening as he observed Hydra soldiers armed with various firearms around them.

"No worries, we were bound to confront them sooner or later. Discovery makes no difference..." Steve reassured, slightly moving Bucky behind him, not wanting him to get injured now that Steve, with the power of the Pig's Spell, was even stronger than Bucky.

"Ah, the arrogance!" Haji mocked Steve and Bucky's response, shaking his head and then somewhat self-mockingly added, "I know, you are all enhanced humans and naturally wouldn't take us ordinary Hydra soldiers seriously since we have no supernatural abilities or advanced weapons..."

"But since I dared to lure you here, I naturally have a way to deal with you. Your opponent is not us, but an old friend of yours!"

With Haji's words, a figure with flowing red hair somersaulted in front of Steve and Bucky. It was none other than Tohru, a loyal subordinate of Valmont, seeking revenge and to honor Valmont's memory. Tohru, not the brightest, vaguely guessed someone wanted to use him against Steve and Bucky but didn't care since Valmont's death meant Steve and Bucky, along with Tony Stark, Hawkeye Barton, and Black Widow Natasha, were his targets for revenge.

"Is it you?" Steve frowned upon seeing Tohru, aware of his formidable strength. Even Tony Stark, with heavy firepower, could not easily defeat Tohru. Thus, even with the power of the Pig's Spell, Steve did not let his guard down.

As Steve spoke, Tohru charged at them, driven by vengeance and not even announcing his moves. Having grown somewhat after Valmont's death, Tohru's attacks became more ferocious. To many, Valmont was a villain, but to a few like Tohru, he was a benefactor and a forgiving boss for mistakes.

Just as Tohru felt a sense of danger, Steve's eyes emitted a laser beam, forcing Tohru to drop quickly to avoid it. The laser, however, hit the observing Hydra soldiers, disintegrating them instantly. Unconcerned, Steve felt no guilt over killing these Hydra members, as they were deserving of their fate.

Bucky was momentarily stunned by Steve's new ability, as this was the first time Steve had shown such power since they started working together against Hydra for S.H.I.E.L.D. Reacting quickly, Bucky's metal arm charged and he struck at Tohru, who had just landed. Tohru caught Bucky's metal arm, causing it to creak under the pressure.

Steve fired another laser at Tohru, who used Bucky as a shield, forcing Steve to divert the beam. As Tohru threw Bucky at Steve, the latter caught him and braced for Tohru's direct assault.

"Handle the Hydra soldiers and find any intel. I can hold him off!" Steve pushed Bucky aside and faced Tohru's attack with his Vibranium shield.

The clash echoed through the base, dazing Hydra soldiers who weren't hit by the initial laser. Bucky took this chance to eliminate the soldiers while Steve, despite blocking Tohru's punch with his shield, felt its massive force. Tohru's subsequent grab for the shield was thwarted by Steve's quick reaction, shooting a laser to reclaim it.

Steve yelled to Bucky to try opening the base's door and search for intel while he kept Tohru at bay with laser attacks. Tohru, wary of the Pig's Spell's power, was determined not to let Steve and Bucky escape, knowing another opportunity might not come easily.

As Tohru charged again, Steve cleverly used his shield to reflect a laser, hitting Tohru and forcing him back. The laser's power was too much for Tohru to withstand, evident from his injured shoulder.

Just as Tohru prepared for another attack, the base's door was cut open by a laser. Tony Stark, whom Steve had contacted earlier, arrived in an upgraded Iron Man suit. Tohru, realizing he couldn't win against both Steve's lasers and Tony's firepower, reluctantly retreated.

Seeing Tohru escape, Tony was surprised but prioritized checking on Steve, who almost collapsed from exhaustion. "Just a bit drained, I guess I'm getting old," Steve sighed, realizing the difference in using his laser eyes now compared to when he had the Pig's Spell.

The battle demonstrated not only the heroes' determination and adaptability but also the complex relationships and loyalties among enemies, highlighting the ongoing struggle between Hydra's remnants and those fighting to protect the world.

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