The effect of the Evil Aura was a 50% increase in movement speed and physical recovery — clearly meant for combat!
Wait… combat?
Who says fighting on a Simmons mattress isn't a battle?
That's right — it counts!
Tom Cat grin.jpg
Steve, who had been feeling pleased after unlocking the Hydra asset list, frowned the moment he finished reading it.
As expected, Hydra's assets were spread all over the world — even in Africa, where they owned several mines and strongholds.
But none of it belonged to him.
Hydra was split into multiple factions. Each senior officer commanded their own troops, controlled vast amounts of money, and operated independently.
Even though Steve was now considered a leader, it didn't mean they all followed his orders. He was just one of many — and it wasn't even clear whether the others would acknowledge his authority at all.
Pierce had been right. They only controlled the S.H.I.E.L.D. faction.
But within the United States alone, there were at least three Hydra factions, with deep ties to Wall Street, major corporations, Congress, the Senate, and the military.
Rubbing his temples, Steve sighed.
He wanted to seize the opportunity to take over, but now it seemed the "fish" was a little too big.
"Leader," Pierce reported, "the man behind this incident, Wickman, is actually backed by Gorgon. That's why I said it's tricky. They've always wanted to take control of S.H.I.E.L.D., and now they finally see their chance."
Pierce's words made sense. No wonder Wickman came after Steve after his wife and son died — the man hadn't even bothered to investigate the real culprit. It was just a political move to discredit Captain America and weaken S.H.I.E.L.D.
Steve closed his eyes and tapped the table rhythmically with his fingers, thinking.
"Proceed as planned," he said finally. "I'll deal with Wickman myself. Call Rumlow and Sitwell here. Also — is Senator Stern one of ours or Gorgon's?"
"Stern's with Gorgon," Pierce replied, surprised. "But he's always cooperated with us."
He hadn't expected Steve to see through his arrangements so easily. Could it be that the Captain already knows my plans?
Stern — the same senator who summoned Tony Stark for a hearing in Iron Man 2 — had also appeared in Captain America: The Winter Soldier.
"I see," Steve said calmly. "Call them both in. Contact Stern tonight, and replace Wickman with someone loyal to us."
He smirked. "After seventy years of sleep, they've all forgotten I exist. Good. Let's see how they handle that. Pierce, do your best — I'll crush them all beneath my feet. You're someone I trust."
Pierce bowed slightly. Outwardly, he looked grateful. Inwardly? No one could tell.
For now, his loyalty was only temporary.
That evening, Senator Wickman left his hotel looking triumphant.
He had just contacted several key figures — all of whom agreed to move forward with tomorrow's hearing to accuse Captain America of murder.
If S.H.I.E.L.D. wanted to protect Captain America's image, they'd have to make concessions — give up influence and territory.
The Gorgon faction controlled much of the U.S. Congress, but without military power, they still felt insecure.
Wickman, however, was thrilled. He climbed into his car with a beautiful woman in his arms, grinning from ear to ear. His wife's death? Not a problem. In fact, it felt like a blessing — promotion, money, and freedom all at once!
As for his son? Whatever. He could always have another.
With so many women around, that wouldn't be difficult.
The road home passed through a small forest.
There, Crossbones and his men lay in wait, their car positioned to block Wickman's route.
Earlier that day, Steve had gathered S.H.I.E.L.D.'s special forces for "training."
The result?
Captain America took down two hundred fully armed soldiers by himself.
Even Crossbones and his team couldn't withstand two moves.
Before learning martial arts, Steve could already fight twenty men in an elevator.
Now, after mastering Tarot martial arts and Tarot Qigong, the super soldier had become an unstoppable force — a walking, talking dimensionality-reduction weapon.
After being beaten senseless, the undercover Hydra agents were stunned when Steve suddenly raised his hand and said—
"Hail Hydra."
They were speechless at first, then their faces lit up with excitement.
Invincible! The Captain is one of us!
No one saw this twist coming — the righteous Captain America, secretly the leader of Hydra!
With Pierce's backing, Steve easily summoned the Hydra operatives to serve under him.
Meanwhile, Wickman was getting restless in the car. The heat and the woman's perfume made him impatient — he couldn't wait to get home and "exercise" a little.
Screech!
The car suddenly braked hard, slamming Wickman into the seat in front of him and leaving a large lump on his head.
"What the hell are you doing?!" he shouted angrily.
"Boss, there's a dump truck blocking the road ahead!" the driver said, pointing.
Wickman's gut twisted with sudden fear. He reached for the door handle, intending to get out—
But the door was violently ripped open. A powerful hand grabbed him and flung him out of the car.
His bodyguards barely had time to react before armed men surrounded them.
They tied Wickman up, gagged him with a filthy sock, and opened fire.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The driver, the bodyguard, and the woman were all shot dead. Each one took a bullet to the heart — no survivors.
An hour later, at a secret Hydra base.
Steve stood before the bound senator, wearing a black combat suit and a mask.
Bang!
A hard slap snapped Wickman awake. Steve nodded toward Rumlow.
Everyone wore masks, pretending to be robbers.
Who cared if it was an act? It worked.
"Who are you?! What do you want? I'm a senator! How dare you do this to me!" Wickman shouted, trying to hide his fear behind his anger.
His first thought was that Pierce had ordered this. Who else could bypass so much surveillance?
Bang!
Another slap — this time knocking out two of his teeth. His cheek ballooned like a loaf of bread.
Crossbones handed him a sheet of paper and spoke through a voice modulator. "Read this. Word for word. Do it well, and you'll get a chicken leg. Mess up, and you'll get more of that."
Wickman's head was spinning. Just two days ago, he'd been planning Captain America's downfall — and now he was the one tied up.
When he read what was on the paper, his face went pale.
"If I say this, I'll be killed!" he stammered.
"If you don't, you'll die now," Crossbones replied coldly. "Pick one."
He clapped his hands, and several massive, shirtless men stepped out of the shadows — muscles bulging, faces expressionless.
They looked like the two protagonists of Philosophical Wrestling.
...
📢 Author's Note
The full completed version of Marvel: This Captain America Is Different (Part 1) is now available on Patreon!
✅ Part 1 Complete — 117 Chapters
Join the journey of a wildly unpredictable Captain America as absurd system missions, unexpected rewards, and chaotic adventures turn the Marvel Universe upside down.
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