Skull Island

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The blue sea stretched endlessly, while the wind swept across, creating waves upon the sea. Occasionally, massive whales could be observed rising to the surface, spouting a powerful jet of water.

Within this maritime expanse, there sailed a steel ship exceeding 30 meters in length. Waves intermittently pounded the vessel, but it remained impervious to their effects.

At this very moment, Ivan stood upon the deck, gripping the ship's railing, gazing at the sea's panorama. His most trusted bodyguard, Red Devil, loomed behind him.

But how had Ivan come to be here? Following the conclusion of his expedition to Antarctica, he had intended to take a much-needed break. During this respite, Ivan had been vigilantly monitoring the international landscape. Germany teetered on the brink of defeat, and Hitler's days seemed numbered.

Ivan had covertly assembled his collection of nuclear weapons research materials, planning to await Hitler's demise. Once that happened, he would have Kerry deliver these materials in stages to high-ranking German officials, in exchange for some influence within Hydra. With access to these materials, creating nuclear weapons was a feasible task. Even in the face of Germany being defeated by nuclear arms, the United States and the United Kingdom would be restrained due to nuclear deterrence. This exchange would grant him an edge during negotiations with the waning Hydra forces, a proposition that the German officials were unlikely to decline.

Yet, Ivan had no intention of relinquishing these nuclear weapon research materials to Hitler. He remained uncertain of the man's potential reckless actions once equipped with such destructive power, considering the formidable might of nuclear weapons.

Ivan awaited Germany's downfall at a leisurely pace, but an unforeseen event disrupted his plan. Faced with no other choice, he handed over the information to Kerry and anticipated the right moment to acquire the Hydra forces.

It transpired that just two days earlier, Kerry had abruptly informed Ivan that one of the ships exploring Skull Island had gone silent.

Initially, Ivan paid it no mind. He now possessed advanced spacecraft at his disposal, essentially functioning as satellites. He presumed that he could easily dispatch one to the ship's last known coordinates and scan the area for its whereabouts.

However, subsequent events defied Ivan's expectations. After dispatching the spacecraft to the provided coordinates, it scanned the region repeatedly but failed to locate the missing ship. Moreover, it couldn't discern the presence of Skull Island due to the encompassing fog and a peculiar, formidable magnetic field that disrupted signals and impaired the spacecraft's scanning capabilities.

Nevertheless, it wasn't an entirely fruitless endeavor. According to Red Queen's scan results, this magnetic field seemed to emanate from some unknown creature. What's more, it appeared that this creature was also responsible for generating the thick fog shrouding the area.

This revelation left Ivan in a state of disquiet. The magnetic field's immense strength, coupled with its ability to produce extensive fog, enshrouding a hundred-mile radius, raised questions about the creature's extraordinary power.

Armed with identification proof from Kerry, Ivan, and the Red Devil immediately boarded a private plane and hastened to the designated location, leaving behind their previous plans. Before departing, Ivan employed nanorobots to disguise his and the Red Devil's appearances. He had no desire to reveal his identity, and he took every precaution to prevent the Red Devil from disclosing his spatial abilities.

Accompanied by the Red Devil, Ivan boarded a private plane and rapidly approached the vessel searching for Skull Island. After verifying their identities with the ship's captain, they disregarded the fact that the ship had departed the foggy area the day before and was poised to venture further into the foggy expanse.

At this moment, still dozens of miles from the foggy region, Ivan stood on the deck, his eyes focused on the sea, though his thoughts appeared elsewhere. Suddenly, footsteps emerged from behind him, interrupting his reverie. He turned to see a man of medium build in his forties, fair of countenance with a somewhat effeminate demeanor.

"Boss, it's lunchtime. You should have something to eat," the man respectfully advised Ivan.

Ivan scrutinized the middle-aged man before him, and his eyes twitched slightly as he forcibly repressed the urge to eject him into the sea. Living on a boat, exposed to the elements all day long, yet this man's complexion remained remarkably fair and unsullied—somewhat peculiar.

This effeminate-looking man served as the original ship's captain. While Ivan initially overlooked his somewhat effeminate demeanor, a disquieting feeling gnawed at him when the man mentioned his name. It was an uncomfortable sensation because the captain's name was Jack Sparrow. If not for the ship's name being the Black Shark instead of the Black Pearl, Ivan might have thought this man was the infamous Captain Jack himself.

With a cold expression, Ivan dismissed the captain, who turned and headed for the cabin.

Being a high-ranking figure, Ivan was accustomed to the finest cuisine, but the fare on the ship left much to be desired. Though the Red Devil's private space housed more sumptuous dishes, Ivan typically refrained from making use of the Red Devil's capabilities to avoid unnecessary risks and maintain a low profile.

Fortunately, Ivan had no particular demands regarding food; he could savor gourmet dishes, but he was content with ordinary fare as long as it filled his stomach.

The Black Shark continued its journey, taking more than an hour to reach the outskirts of the fog-covered sea area. Undeterred, Ivan ordered the ship to venture into the fog.

Unbeknownst to others, Ivan covertly activated a hidden button on a delicate wristwatch, emitting an inaudible infrasound wave to surreal the surroundings.

Guided by Ivan, the Black Shark nimbly navigated around the reef's undercurrents, encountered minimal obstructions, and maintained an impressive speed. To be honest, Captain Jack initially harbored some disapproval of Ivan appropriating his captain's authority, though he concealed his sentiments. However, now he couldn't help but admire Ivan.

Captain Jack believed that Ivan had charted their course through experience, which fostered a newfound admiration. His prior dissatisfaction faded away.

Unaware of Captain Jack's sentiments, Ivan didn't concern himself with the captain's change of attitude. Captain Jack was merely a minor figure to Ivan, not worth his consideration.

Up to this point, Ivan still lacked specific knowledge about Skull Island's location, but this posed no issue. With spaceships functioning as satellites, he could determine his position, and all he needed to do was direct the spaceship to navigate toward the center of the foggy area.

The Black Shark continued to explore the fog, and after several hours, the faint outline of an island came into view. They were now hundreds of meters from the shoreline.

Beneath the concealing fog, the island appeared eerie, with numerous peculiarly shaped rocks resembling sharp blades, as though they could tear the ship asunder.

The Black Shark came to a halt. Several boats were lowered from the ship in Ivan's direction, and more than 20 individuals, including Azazel, disembarked.

These men who accompanied Ivan were armed and hardened in battle. Among them stood a towering figure, his muscles resembling copper and iron, with two scars marring his face. Addressing the man, Ivan said, "Arno, ensure everyone remains vigilant. We are unfamiliar with the island's conditions, and unforeseen dangers may lurk."

The fierce-looking giant displayed a simple and honest smile upon hearing Ivan's words. He replied, "Master Ivan, you have my word. I'll exercise utmost caution."

Arno was originally one of the orphans adopted by Ivan's father's subordinates. Raised through rigorous training from a young age, he embarked on various mercenary missions at the age of 15, and over time, he distinguished himself through countless battles. Now in his thirties, he could be considered a battle-hardened individual who had risen from the ranks of the fallen. In the beginning, Arno was devoid of a name, designated only by a code. He was essentially a weapon honed by Ivan's father's subordinates. Given Ivan's higher regard for mutants, he had little interest in trained warriors like Arno.

Recognizing Arno's potential, Ivan believed it was a waste to have him serve under his father. Consequently, he invited Arno to join him, becoming his right-hand man, much like Kerry. Inspired by Arno's muscular build, Ivan couldn't help but associate him with the Terminator from the movies, leading to his chosen moniker, Arnold.

As one of Ivan's capable subordinates, Arnold enjoyed special privileges. Ivan had taken the time to craft a superhuman serum tailored to Arnold's physique, significantly enhancing his physical strength. Ivan had employed a different focus for Arnold and Kerry regarding the serum. Arnold's enhancements primarily centered on physical fitness and combat capabilities, whereas Kerry, who had no combat role, received the serum to extend his lifespan.

Arnold's strength had multiplied many times over, making him a formidable force. While Arnold might not rival Captain America or the Red Skull in terms of willpower, his physique exceeded that of ordinary individuals by a factor of nine. When combined with the combat skills honed in countless life-or-death situations and his mastery of firearms and weapons, he could conceivably stand his ground even against Captain America. The others who accompanied Ivan ashore had also undergone rigorous training since their orphaned beginnings. Deployed in the field to confront ten, or even a hundred, soldiers, they were armed with the world's most advanced weaponry. Their attire, made of high-tech fiber materials, offered unparalleled protection. Even if struck by a bullet, they'd experience nothing more than discomfort, with no immediate danger. They were, in essence, equipped to the teeth.