Chapter 404: HYDRA Elder Kingpin and the Golden Serum
Wanda was willing to study the Darkhold for Ethan's sake, even at the risk of losing herself to it.
The Chaos Goddess Wanda, naturally, was happy to teach her. This was just too much fun.
In this realm of chaos, time seemed to have lost all meaning. There was only endless darkness and void in every direction.
The Chaos Goddess lounged lazily on her throne, her cheek propped on her right hand.
"Ethan, Chen Ye. I hope you'll bring me a little entertainment. Better yet, drag all those high-and-mighty so-called gods down from their thrones."
The Chaos Goddess laughed madly. She had never been on the same side as those so-called gods!
She and Loki, God of Stories, had one thing in common: neither had been born a god. Both had become gods, and only after enduring far too much suffering and tragedy.
So they both hated the born gods. Neither could understand why those exalted gods should get to dictate their stories.
But the Chaos Goddess wasn't like Loki. She was freer, more willful. No rules or morals bound her. She followed only the voice of her own heart and her own desires.
So the first time little Wanda summoned her, she didn't refuse. In fact, after the summoning ended and she'd looked through Wanda's memories, she stayed.
"No wonder the whole universe has been in such an uproar lately. Should I give the little ones some time?" The Chaos Goddess gazed into the distance, as if seeing straight across space.
"Mm. Kang. Trash. A little piece of garbage who only knows how to toy with time. I'll leave him to that liar."
"Victor... forget it. We were comrades once."
"That pack of hypocrites, the Reeds? Boring!"
"Found you. Little simp Thanos. Eh, never mind. I'll go beat up that bitch Death instead!"
Having picked her opponent, the Chaos Goddess Wanda's form slowly blurred into the chaos, until she vanished from the throne entirely.
...
In truth, the superheroes who had watched Ethan weren't the only ones with chances at new power.
Other superheroes had opportunities of their own.
Asgard
Thor was fighting a woman. Or rather, you couldn't really call it a fight. Thor was being beaten one-sidedly.
"Weak! Weak! You're just too weak! This is who that undying old fossil Odin picked as the next king?"
"Why? How can someone as weak as you be king of Asgard, when he wouldn't give the throne to me? If it comes to that, just let me be king."
"I haven't lost yet!"
"You've had your chance to vent. Now it's my turn. If I lose, I'll hand you the throne. But if I win, all our old grudges are wiped clean!"
...
The Realm of White Magic
It was a dazzling, fantastical place far beyond the mortal world, where countless brilliant stars hung suspended, each holding ancient and powerful magic.
Strange stood before the Vishanti, the three-in-one dimensional lords.
"Stephen Strange of Hell's Kitchen pays his respects to the Vishanti, Lords of White Magic."
"Please take me as your disciple!"
At the same moment,
in the Dark Dimension,
there was another Strange, and he stood facing Dormammu, Lord of the Dark Dimension.
"Dormammu, I've come to bargain!"
...
Night lay ink-black over the Big Apple. Beneath the scattered stars, a lavish banquet hall blazed with light.
This was where power and wealth met. The top figures from every field had gathered here: the elite of high society and the most senior federal officials, all in custom formalwear, laughing and chatting, every gesture and glance radiating distinction.
Glasses clinked and music drifted through the hall. The air was thick with champagne and expensive perfume.
Guests clustered in small groups discussing the latest policy moves, or whispered among themselves, trading secrets no one else knew.
But beneath all the glitter, every eye was drawn to the host of the banquet: Kingpin, the incoming mayor of New York City.
Kingpin. A name that alone could make this city tremble.
From underworld overlord to mayor of the Big Apple, Kingpin held the whole city in the palm of his hand.
If a penny fell from the sky over New York, it belonged to Kingpin.
The guests came forward one after another, some to flatter him, others hoping to gain more advantages and resources through him.
Kingpin handled all of it with effortless ease.
Just as the banquet reached its peak, Kingpin abruptly cut off the eager crowd. He offered a quick word of farewell and hurried out of the hall.
His departure was like a sudden cold wind. The lively atmosphere chilled at once. The guests exchanged glances, full of confusion and speculation.
Kingpin's motorcade sped away from the bustling city center and slipped through the night, finally stopping before a hidden base in the outskirts.
This was a secret HYDRA stronghold, ringed by high walls and dense barbed wire, heavily guarded and tightly secured. Seeing Kingpin's motorcade, the soldiers immediately saluted, waved it through, and shouted in unison, "Hail HYDRA!"
Kingpin gave a slight nod, signaling the motorcade to drive on. But the moment he closed the car window, a flash of contempt and derision crossed his face.
Kingpin had joined HYDRA not long ago. At first he had only been a peripheral member.
But he paid a certain price and quickly became a full member.
After that, he used the power at his disposal to clear away, one by one, the obstacles to his rise.
His superiors vanished mysteriously one after another, or died unnatural deaths. And Kingpin, taking advantage of these "accidental" "vacancies," climbed rapidly to the rank of HYDRA Elder.
He had done all of it to grow stronger and help Ethan.
As Ethan's godfather, how could Kingpin not understand him?
He didn't know why Ethan was under so much pressure, or what danger he was about to face.
But that didn't stop him from feeling what any father feels: the need to protect his child.
As for why he'd joined HYDRA, it was because HYDRA had something he needed.
Tonight, a call from one of his men had told him his godson was deeply troubled.
That made his urge to grow stronger impossible to hold back. So he'd abandoned the reception and come to the HYDRA base.
Kingpin flung open the door to the lab in a rush and demanded,
"Is the Golden Serum ready yet?!"
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