"You are completely tamed by him now, aren't you?!"
"Do you still have our race in your heart? Do you even remember the oath to save our people?"
"Countless of our compatriots are still suffering in chains, living in despair. And you—look at you now—you don't care at all anymore, do you?"
The accusations cut through the silence like daggers. Riot's tone carried both anger and sorrow, his voice trembling between resentment and hopelessness.
Sapphire coughed lightly, as though she had been expecting this. "What are you talking about? I haven't forgotten our people." She paused, her voice softening into resignation. "It's just… what good does it do to be anxious about things we cannot change? We need patience. We need time. We must figure out a path forward—slowly, carefully."
Sapphire's words seemed steady, but inside, her heart felt heavy. In truth, she had long given up resisting. If escape was impossible, acceptance was the only path left.
After all, what was the point in constantly fighting against reality? Acceptance—though bitter—was easier. There was no risk, no endless anxiety. Just… surviving.
Riot let out a deep, ragged sigh. "I pray this devil doesn't appear again this time."
---
Inside the Lab
Nathan's body trembled violently as the final stage of the gamma experiment came to an end. For what felt like hours, his muscles had been torn apart and stitched back together under the relentless bombardment of radiation.
Finally, the accelerator wound down. The storm of gamma rays dispersed, the blinding glow dimming until silence returned to the chamber.
The moment the radiation ceased, so did the searing agony. Nathan gasped for air, drenched in sweat and the viscous solution of the radiation pod. His heart thundered in his chest, but instead of pain, there was power—an overwhelming, intoxicating flood of raw energy that coursed through every fiber of his being.
His entire body had changed. His cells were no longer ordinary—each one was now brimming with gamma energy, reforged into a new form of existence.
He clenched his fists and felt the sensation ripple through his arms like the crack of a thunderclap. His body was an engine of destruction, overflowing with enough strength to crush mountains or split oceans.
He whispered to himself, voice quivering with both awe and exhilaration. "I don't even know how much stronger I've become… How far has my upper limit been pushed this time?"
Before the experiment, his maximum recorded limit was around 130 tons. That alone had placed him in a league feared across the globe. But now, after surviving direct gamma radiation, he knew his body's potential had surged far beyond its former boundaries.
A thrill of anticipation burned in his chest. He needed to know. He needed to test it.
---
The radiation chamber's locks hissed. With a mechanical creak, the pod slowly split open.
Nathan stepped out, his figure steaming, drenched in sticky residue. The once-filled containment liquid had almost evaporated entirely, leaving only a shallow puddle around his ankles.
He strode forward, each step echoing with newfound weight, until he reached the hatch control. A digital message flickered across the nearby monitor:
[Radiation fully cleared. Laboratory hatch may now be opened.]
Nathan pressed the release. With a heavy clang, the doors slid apart.
Waiting outside was his loyal companion—the little Spider-bot, affectionately called Spider-Man Junior. Its mechanical frame twitched with excitement as it spotted him.
The bot rushed forward, almost leaping into Nathan's arms before hesitating at the sight of the viscous fluid clinging to his skin. It chirped instead, its voice module crackling:
"Boss… are you okay?"
Nathan smiled faintly, flexing his fist, feeling the gamma energy thrumming beneath his flesh. "I'm more than okay."
The little bot's eyes lit up, LED lenses glowing. "As expected of the boss! You're incredible!" It buzzed excitedly. "Now you can keep improving! Your strength—it's about to climb to a whole new level!"
Nathan chuckled, a deep satisfaction curling in his chest. Yes. This was only the beginning.
---
He began making his way toward the testing chamber. As he passed the observation cells, he glanced into one where Sapphire and the other symbiotes were held.
Within the containment unit, a young spawn of Riot pulsed faintly, still developing, still unaware. Nathan studied it with a calculating gaze. "Once my tests are complete, I'll return to study you," he murmured. The symbiotes remained a valuable resource—potential allies, potential weapons.
He continued down the corridor.
Inside the symbiote lab, Riot and his kin pressed against the reinforced glass, their expressions a mixture of shock and dread.
Nathan emerged, unscathed, his footsteps steady, his body radiating strength like a living sun.
Riot recoiled, horror flashing in his eyes. "Impossible… The gamma rays should have destroyed him!" He trembled, his voice cracking. "Is this man… even human? Or is he some kind of unstoppable monster?"
Beside him, Wei Huang let out a sharp hiss, unable to hide his disbelief. "My God… gamma radiation is a death sentence. And yet he—he came out stronger. This isn't just survival. This is evolution."
Sapphire said nothing. She simply leaned back, her form relaxing further into apathetic submission. For her, resisting or worrying was pointless. Better to drift, to let the current carry her. At least then she wasn't tortured by false hope.
---
The Call
Nathan reached the testing chamber, but before he could begin, his phone buzzed. He glanced at the caller ID: Kurt, his chief of intelligence.
Answering, Nathan's voice was calm but sharp. "Report."
On the other end, Kurt's tone was urgent. "Boss, we've intercepted some troubling communications. As per your orders, I've been monitoring HYDRA's movements closely. Baron Strucker himself is on the move—alongside the Kraken. They're heading for New York."
Nathan's eyes narrowed. "Go on."
Kurt continued. "It's not just them. Madame Hydra and Dr. Arnim Zola have also arrived in the city. According to intelligence, Strucker's purpose is clear—he intends to capture you, Boss. Zola shares the same goal, likely seeking to exploit your abilities. Madame Hydra, however… her stance is less hostile. She's suggesting possible cooperation."
Kurt hesitated, lowering his voice. "But based on all data gathered… the 'target' HYDRA keeps referencing—there's no doubt. It's you."
Nathan's expression darkened, though a cold smile tugged at his lips. "So the snakes finally slithered into my city."
"Shall I mobilize our assets?" Kurt asked quickly. "We have the Hand at our disposal, plus Osborn's mercenaries. We could gather a strike force—"
"No." Nathan cut him off with quiet finality. "They would only be slaughtered. HYDRA is deploying superhuman assets. This is my fight."
Kurt swallowed hard. "Understood. One last thing—Madame Hydra sent me a message to deliver. She warns you to stay out of sight for now. She implied something big is coming."
Nathan's laugh was low and dangerous. "So Strucker and his cabal are already planning their move." His eyes gleamed with menace. "Good. Let them come."
He hung up, slipping the phone back into his pocket. His fist clenched tightly, knuckles cracking. "HYDRA… it's time we settled our ledger once and for all."
---
Testing the New Strength
Nathan entered the testing chamber. The reinforced machinery hummed, waiting to record what would come next.
He exhaled, focusing his mind, gathering every drop of power into his fist. His eyes locked on the colossal steel testing block ahead.
"Let's see just how far I've risen."
With a thunderous roar, Nathan drove his fist forward.
BOOM!
The sound was like a cannon blast. Metal screamed as the impact rippled through the reinforced device. The monitor numbers shot upward at blinding speed.
50 tons. 80 tons. 100 tons—shattered instantly.
The display didn't slow. It kept climbing.
Nathan's pulse quickened. His eyes widened as the meter ticked past 150 tons… 200 tons… 250 tons… and still surged higher.
Sweat beaded on his brow—not from strain, but from the sheer awe of witnessing his own evolution.
"I've truly become something else," he whispered. "Not just a man anymore… but a force of nature."
And deep within his heart, Nathan knew this was only the beginning. The gamma energy had unlocked a door—one that no human had ever stepped through before. Behind it lay limitless growth, limitless power.
HYDRA had no idea what storm they were walking into.
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