When he heard that Captain America was coming, the Winter Soldier's expression became slightly conflicted. He hesitated for a moment, then finally nodded. After all, he couldn't just keep freeloading here forever.
He had originally thought he might be able to get a job at this little shop. But after the whole Pierce incident—and while teaching Quicksilver how to "clean up" afterward—he finally realized that he simply didn't have what it took to work here.
Quicksilver had his super speed. Wanda could drag someone into an illusion with just a glance. And Ultron—although the Winter Soldier hadn't seen him act personally—someone who could stand there, watching their antics so calmly, was clearly no ordinary being.
If anything, Ultron was probably the strongest one among them. By comparison, the Winter Soldier was just… normal.
To make sure that the Hydra programming inside his brain was completely gone, Han Yu even had Ultron perform another scan, and then repair his metal arm while he was at it.
Han Yu dialed the private number Captain America had left him. "Rogers, you free right now?"
"Hold on a sec."
On the other end of the line, the Captain's voice said just two words before the sound of the phone being set down came through—followed by muffled groans and pained cries in the background.They weren't from Rogers himself.
Han Yu raised an eyebrow and waited where he was. It wasn't even two minutes before the Captain's voice came back on the line.
"What's up, Han?"
"You're on a mission right now? Should I call you back later?" Han Yu asked.
"Yeah, I'm mid-mission—cleaning out Hydra cells in secret. By the way, those enchantments you put on my shield—Thorns and Loyalty—they're incredible. When they shoot me, half the damage bounces right back. It's brutal."
Since Han Yu already had the highest clearance level in S.H.I.E.L.D., Rogers never bothered to hide his operations from him. Han Yu could check the logs anytime and know exactly what they were up to.
The usually calm Captain sounded unusually excited. Ever since his vibranium shield had been enchanted, he hadn't even waited for Nick Fury to assign him missions—he'd been volunteering for them himself, eager to use his upgraded shield.
Tossing it around aimlessly wasn't any fun, and he obviously couldn't go hitting civilians. Having missions meant a proper excuse to put it to use.
"I've got a little gift for you," Han Yu said with a grin. "If you've got time, come by and pick it up. But—you have to come alone."
"A gift?"
Rogers paused, surprised, then quickly replied, "No problem. I'll be there in half an hour."
He didn't know what it was, but if Han Yu called it a "gift," it had to be something good. He immediately began wrapping up his current mission.
After hanging up, Han Yu went to check on Ultron's progress.
In the workshop behind the shop, Ultron was circling around the Winter Soldier's metal arm, performing a series of complex operations that neither Han Yu nor the Winter Soldier could make sense of.
"How's it going? Done yet?" Han Yu asked.
He didn't need to understand the process—as long as Ultron did. Han Yu trusted him completely. Whatever Han Yu asked him to do, Ultron would see it through. That bond between them ran deep.
"All set," Ultron said. "I added a small amount of nano-vibranium particles to the existing frame. They're linked to his neural network now. It's enough for him to coat his fist for attack and defense—or form a few basic melee weapons."
"I don't get it," the Winter Soldier muttered, frowning. "Why are you doing this for me?"
It already meant a lot that they had freed him from Hydra's brainwashing. Now they were upgrading his equipment, too? If they weren't after something, he honestly wouldn't believe it.
Han Yu pulled out a chair and sat in front of him. "Let me put it this way—I want you to join S.H.I.E.L.D. and help Rogers. It's your best path forward. And since I have top-level clearance in S.H.I.E.L.D., having you there helps me, too."
Hearing that, the Winter Soldier relaxed a little. So there was something he could do in return. If they were helping him for no reason at all, that would've been far more unsettling.
There was no such thing as a free lunch—that much he understood. Now all he had to do was wait for the Captain to arrive.
In less than twenty minutes, Captain America showed up.
The moment he walked in and saw Han Yu, he was about to greet him—until his eyes landed on the man sitting beside him. The familiar face froze him in his tracks.
"...Bucky?" he said, disbelief in his voice.
"He's here. Go on," Han Yu said with a smile, patting the Winter Soldier's shoulder.
The Winter Soldier nodded, stood up, and faced Rogers. He was silent for a long moment before finally speaking.
"Long time no see, Steve."
His voice was exactly as Rogers remembered it. The Captain reached out in disbelief, gripping his old friend's shoulders, looking him up and down before pulling him into a tight embrace.
"You're alive. That's… that's great."
Old friends reunited—eyes brimming with tears.
If Han Yu hadn't known about their deep friendship, anyone watching that scene might've misunderstood and thought their bond ran even deeper.
Han Yu then clearly explained Bucky's situation to Rogers—including the fact that the Winter Soldier had killed the Starks. Rogers stayed silent for a while before nodding solemnly.
"I understand. I owe you for this, Han. If there's ever anything I can do to repay you, just say the word."
The Captain's tone was firm and sincere. His friend had come back from the dead and been freed from Hydra's control—all thanks to Han Yu and his people. If not for him, their reunion probably would've happened only in battle, with Bucky still an enemy agent.
As Han Yu watched the two of them leave, a thought crossed his mind. A few glimmers of light formed between his fingers, condensing into a card that flew toward Rogers.
The card moved so fast that Rogers didn't even feel it as it embedded into him—then it shot back into Han Yu's hand.
Now, inside the blank frame of the card, there was an image of Captain America holding his shield. Below it, centered, was his superhero name.
"Character acquired: Captain America! "
"Sequence activated — [Avengers: First Generation].Collecting cards from this sequence grants upgrade points at one-third completion.Collect the entire set to receive a grand reward!"
The two messages echoed in Han Yu's mind, and his eyes lit up slightly.
He was using the Decade Transformation Card he'd earned from completing a hidden mission on Lemuria Star.
"I knew it—this thing's more than just a transformation device."
Han Yu's grin widened. When he had triggered the "Debt King's Power" mission earlier and the shop hadn't reacted, he'd suspected there were additional conditions required to activate it. The blank collectible cards had been the biggest clue.
He only had three cards in total, so even for testing, he had to choose carefully.
He wasn't interested in the Winter Soldier's gear, but Captain America's shield? Now that was something worth trying.
After all, transforming into a character meant gaining their abilities and equipment. Using a random civilian as a test subject would've been a total waste.
"And now there's a collection system, too? …Great."
Han Yu sighed dramatically.
"I can already feel my liver starting to hurt."
-----------------------
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(End of Chapter)