Chapter 1: The Hydra Scientist
In a laboratory filled with various test tubes, a group of people in white coats were busy, working in an orderly manner.
"Dr. Norbert Berkowitz, the synthesis of serum No. 308 failed."
The assistant, a white-coated, messy-haired figure, sat dejectedly at the experimental table, shaking the test tube in his hand. The pale blue liquid inside was quickly dissipating, becoming clear.
Opposite the assistant, Dr. Norbert Berkowitz, with dark hair and fair skin, raised his head, glanced at the test tube, and nodded expressionlessly.
"Understood. That's it for today. You can go and rest. We will continue the synthesis experiment of serum No. 309 tomorrow."
Hearing this, everyone in the laboratory put down their work, greeted Dr. Norbert Berkowitz, and left one by one.
After everyone had left, and after a while to ensure no one would return, Dr. Norbert Berkowitzstopped what he was doing and quickly approached a refrigerator. Taking out a test tube containing a red liquid, he sat on a recliner and stared at it intently.
Of course, this was just what an outsider would think.
From Dr. Norbert Berkowitz's perspective, densely packed formulas began appearing in his field of vision, centering around the test tube.
At first, the formulas appeared rapidly, scrolling across the screen of his mind. As time went on, they began to appear more slowly. Dr. Norbert Berkowitz's face grew paler, his breathing became more labored, and beads of sweat slid down his cheeks, as if he were experiencing immense pain.
Finally, the formulas in front of him appeared to be moving like molasses, each line squeezing out like toothpaste. His veins bulged, and his bloodshot eyes seemed ready to pop out. His vision blurred, and double images flashed before his eyes. Even while sitting in the chair, he swayed unsteadily, but still gritted his teeth and persevered.
When the last stroke of the final formula was completed, the formulas emitted a burst of blue fluorescence. Dr. twitched the corner of his mouth before fainting and collapsing to the ground.
After an unknown amount of time, Dr. Norbert Berkowitz woke up, patting his head that felt like it was about to burst. As he looked at the glowing blue formula, excitement burst from his previously dull eyes.
"Finally, after six months, the super-soldier serum has been analyzed."
Dr. couldn't help but feel excited. As a Transmigrator, who wouldn't want to possess extraordinary power?
After spending half a year, he had finally analyzed the incomplete version of the "Super Soldier Serum."
After all, the test tube in his hand only contained the blood of Red Skull, who had been injected with the incomplete serum. Fully analyzing even this incomplete version was an achievement.
With the most challenging part now completed, the rest of the work would be much simpler. But not tonight—analyzing the serum had drained him of his strength and energy. What he needed most was a good rest.
After lying on the ground for a while, Dr. struggled to his feet, holding his waist as he limped out of the laboratory.
"This ability is exhausting."
Under the half-mocking gazes of a group of Hydra soldiers, Dr. walked toward his room in the base, holding on to the wall for support. He had long learned to remain indifferent to such gazes, letting them think what they would.
After returning to his room, Dr. threw himself onto the soft bed and quickly fell asleep.
In his dreams, everything he had experienced during his six-month journey came rushing back to him.
In his previous life, He had been a man beaten down by society. Being able to Transmigrate was a great thing for him.
So even though he found himself in the crisis-ridden world of Marvel, becoming a member of Red Skull's scientific unit, he accepted it calmly.
Not to mention, his predecessor had participated in Dr. Erskine's human enhancement project.
Just when he had Transmigrated, Dr. Erskine had defected with the research information on the super-soldier serum. An enraged Red Skull took out his anger on everyone who had participated in the project, almost killing them all.
If Dr. Norbert Berkowitz hadn't stood up in time and promised Red Skull that he would develop the super-soldier serum in the shortest possible time, they would have been thrown into the gas chamber long ago.
In the end, Red Skull gave them half a year. If they couldn't develop a super serum within that time, they would still be dead.
Unfortunately, even though they had all participated in the research, only Dr. Erskine knew the most critical part of the super serum.
Scientific research demands precision. Even a difference of one ten-thousandth could yield completely different results.
With the key part missing, the serum research had been restored to 80%, but in the past six months, Dr. and the other researchers had conducted hundreds of experiments, all ending in failure.
As the deadline approached, everyone gave up. They no longer showed the enthusiasm they once had; discussions dwindled, and words between them became scarce. The experiments were conducted mechanically, seemingly only for the sake of completion.
Only Dr. had not given up. Every day, he was the first to arrive and the last to leave the laboratory, never leaving until late at night.
In truth, the others had no idea that Dr. wasn't focused on the so-called experiment at all.
He had no hope from the beginning that they would develop a super serum.
If the super serum were that easy to replicate, no one would have failed to do so after Dr. Erskine's death.
But just because others couldn't succeed, didn't mean Dr. couldn't.
Without a cheat , would he still be called a Transmigrator?
He had thought it would be easy to analyze the super serum, after all, his cheat system was quite extraordinary.
According to the information provided by the system, as long as something existed and he had a sample, he could break it down into its synthetic formulas. After the analysis was complete, Dr. could create it artificially.
His ability was impressive, but... it was exhausting.
Each analysis drained his physical strength and mental energy totally. The more complex or extraordinary the sample, the greater the toll on him.
For something like the super serum, which was already related to the extraordinary, the first analysis nearly killed him. In the end, he only managed to analyze three and a half synthesis formulas.
After all, even though he had Transmigrated, Dr. was still just an ordinary person.
The physical strength and energy of an ordinary person were simply insufficient to support him in completing the analysis of serum samples.
Analyzing the incomplete version of the super serum almost killed him. Dr. could not imagine what state he would be in when analyzing more extraordinary items in the future.
After realizing he had overestimated himself, Dr. quickly adjusted his attitude and silently set a short-term goal for himself.
Analyze the super serum (incomplete version), develop a perfect version without side effects as soon as possible, and inject it quietly.
Then, use the super serum to gain Red Skull's trust, giving him a chance to get close to the Tesseract.
If he could successfully analyze the Tesseract...
Then it would be a huge victory.
However, his plan soon encountered obstacles, he body had jewish ancestory , even though HYDRA was different from Nazi wanting to unite all world in their authoritarian anti-freedom Frankenstein regime ,still Red Skull's HYDRA was based in Nazi German. With his current situation, gaining the trust of Red Skull was impossible.
Although he had been a loser in his previous life, he had survived numerous challenges. What would he do without some unique skills?
If the shortcut doesn't work, take the long way around.
Every day, after the other experimenters left, he would stay in the laboratory to work overtime. In truth, he was using his analytical ability to analyze the blood samples of Red Skull.
Each time, he would leave in full view of the public, or in front of Red Skull, nearly exhausted.
Overtime ~ you have to let your boss see it for it to count, and you have to let your boss see how desperate you are to work overtime.
Only in this way would your boss remember you and promote you quickly.
Of course, this assumes you have good results.
Otherwise, even if you work yourself to death, the boss won't give you a second glance.
Obviously, this tactic worked on Red Skull. Compared to the other researchers who seemed to have given up, Red Skull clearly appreciated Dr. 's work ethic more.
Sometimes, Red Skull would even ask him to report on the research progress.
Dr. Norbert Berkowitz took the opportunity to include some private information in the report, separating his own research progress (analysis progress) from the others' and mixing in some of his admiration and respect for them at the right time, with just the right amount of emphasis.
Red skull was also a scientist , he appreciated his results.
When the entire super serum research progress was stuck at 80%, only when Dr. Norbert Berkowitzreported to Red Skull did the research progress continue to move forward.
This ability was immediately recognized. Coupled with Dr. 's tireless work ethic and the fanatical admiration he displayed overtly and covertly, Red Skull promoted him. Dr. 'Norbert Berkowitz, with jewish ancestry , suddenly became Dr. Jekyll, the person in charge of the human enhancement project within Red Skull's scientific unit.
Three days ago, Red Skull, who had just received good news, learned from Dr. Norbert Berkowitz that the super serum was only one step away from success. Excited, he made a promise to Dr: as long as he could develop the super serum, he would be the first to receive it!
This was Red Skull's way of showing goodwill.
After becoming a success, Dr. looked a little excited and apprehensive as he expressed his admiration and gratitude to Red Skull.
Even a fool could see that Red Skull was testing him, but Red Skull was also a bit paranoid. He didn't trust anyone other than himself, which left Dr. speechless.
But even if Dr. was in a bit of a difficult position, he couldn't help but think that the day he injected the super serum was near!
With that thought, Dr. gradually fell into a deep sleep.
Unbeknownst to him, Red Skull was sitting in a luxurious office not far from him, looking at a profile with a serious expression.
[Profile]
Name: Dr. Henry Jekyll
Gender: Male
Age: 28
Nationality: British (Note : He has jewish grandmother)
Blood type: B
Known Information: Dr. Jekyll participated in Dr. Erskine's human enhancement project before the war. After Dr. Erskine defected, he managed to escape detection by the Allies and safely returned to Germany. He continued to work in various scientific research projects, showing no suspicious activity.
Analysis: Dr. Jekyll has a fanatical admiration for the Führer and Hydra's ideals. After Dr. Erskine defected, he made a significant contribution to Hydra's research work and has gradually shown his brilliance in various scientific fields. He currently serves as the person in charge of the human enhancement project and is highly valued by the Führer.
Red Skull put down the profile in his hand, with a faint smile appearing on his lips.
"Let's see what you can do, Dr. Berkowitz."
---
Chapter 2: Long Live Hydra
The next day, Norbert Berkowitz wasn't the first to appear in the laboratory.
However, this group of researchers, who had lost all hope, were not interested in paying attention to who arrived or not, even if the person absent was their nominal superior.
The experiments on Serum No. 309 began mechanically. Everyone was busy with their tasks, no one spoke or made any noise.
They all heard the news that General Schmidt would return in three days, which they saw as a final death sentence for them.
The research and development of the super serum had been stuck for some time. With only three days left, a miracle seemed impossible.
It wasn't until the afternoon that an energetic Norbert Berkowitz appeared in the laboratory. However, no one responded at all. They were all on the brink of despair; how could they care about their boss or his arrival?
Norbert ignored them and went straight to a corner of the laboratory. There was a long table, large enough to seat more than 20 people.
Papers were scattered on the table, densely filled with various chemical formulas. This was once the place where they held meetings and conducted research, but it had not been used for a long time.
Norbert didn't care. He swept all the papers off the table and cleared a clean area. Then he found a stack of white paper, sat down, and started writing.
He pretended to write some meaningless things on the paper, but his real attention was on the ever-expanding formulas in front of him.
In Norbert's field of vision, the entire world was divided into two parts. One part was the chemical formula emitting a light blue fluorescence on the left side of his vision.
On the other side were new formulas that kept popping up, unilluminated.
These formulas kept appearing until they flashed red, then disappeared inexplicably, only to be replaced by new ones.
These newly emerged formulas were Norbert's second ability—derivation.
It could derive new conclusions based on analyzing items according to Norbert's ideas.
Optimization, disassembly, or other directions depended on Norbert's wishes.
The most important thing was that failed derivations didn't consume physical strength or energy, unlike analysis, where each step consumed vast amounts of both.
Norbert's current goal was to develop a super serum with no side effects.
As time passed, the laboratory became quieter and quieter, and soon, Norbert was the only one left.
Without any outsiders around, Norbert stopped pretending, sat back in a recliner, and began to meditate.
The red light in front of him kept flashing, each flash signaling another failure.
He didn't know how long it took, but just as Norbert was about to fall asleep, a formula on the right side suddenly emitted the same light blue fluorescence as the one on the left.
After that, a new formula appeared on the right, completed in an instant, and then another new one appeared.
Blue fluorescence appeared three times in a row, and Norbert nearly burst out laughing.
But life is often full of surprises.
Before Norbert could continue to feel proud, it was as if someone had forced a basketball into his head. His body suddenly lost all feeling, like a punctured balloon.
The sudden change made Norbert collapse to the ground with a clang, without even having time to scream.
---
When Norbert woke up again, he saw a red skull.
It was none other than the commander of Hydra, Johann Schmidt, the Red Skull.
"Dr. Berkowitz, I hope you have good news for me."
Seeing that Norbert had awakened, Red Skull seemed a little impatient.
As soon as he had returned, he heard reports from his subordinates that Norbert had collapsed in the laboratory three days ago, his life and death unknown. The furious Red Skull had almost killed everyone in the base.
This wasn't because of how much he valued Norbert, but how much he valued the super serum that was close to success in Norbert's hands.
If there was anything Schmidt couldn't give up at this stage, the super serum was definitely number one.
As the first successful case of the super serum, Schmidt knew how powerful this serum was.
Once he had an army of super soldiers, coupled with the Cube he had just obtained, world domination would no longer be a dream.
"Of course, Commander, the super serum has been successfully developed, but there are some matters I need to report to you privately."
At this time, Norbert looked like a gaunt shadow, with sunken eye sockets, bulging cheekbones, and a face as pale as paper. It was as if all the flesh and blood had been drained from his body, leaving only skin and bones.
Although he had a splitting headache and felt extremely weak, Norbert still kept his principles in mind.
In front of the boss, even if he was about to die, he had to make sure the boss knew he would do his best for him.
Show loyalty! He was a professional.
"Now?"
"Yes, Commander, I'm afraid I won't have the chance to report if I don't do it now."
Even a supervillain like Schmidt couldn't help but be moved by Norbert's performance at this moment.
He was so loyal, an absolute die-hard, who still remembered his mission despite his condition.
With such loyal people under his command, how could Schmidt worry about failing in his ambitions?
Norbert's dedication had impressed Schmidt, and coupled with his performance today of not forgetting the mission even when near death, Schmidt began to recognize him.
At least for a long time, Norbert was a good and trustworthy subordinate in Schmidt's eyes.
Norbert's loyalty and Schmidt's concern for the super serum led him to give a subtle signal to the people around him.
After a while, only Norbert and Schmidt remained in the room.
"Commander, could you please pass me those papers over there?"
Norbert pointed to a stack of paper on a table behind Schmidt, then struggled to sit up from the bed.
Schmidt didn't feel that Norbert had offended him. He turned around, picked up the papers on the table, and handed them to Norbert. He also gave him the pen he used.
"Thank you, Commander."
Norbert thanked Schmidt naturally. Although he wanted to continue expressing his gratitude, the situation didn't allow it. His head hurt so much that he felt he might faint at any moment.
But for his own plan, he needed to gain Schmidt's full trust.
After all, to gain a certain status in Hydra, it was impossible without the Red Skull's support.
Taking the paper and pen from Schmidt, Norbert immediately began to write and draw on it while constantly explaining his findings to Schmidt.
"Commander, after my research, I found that the super serum you injected is only a defective version, and there is a more perfect super serum.
I don't know why Dr. Erskine injected you with an imperfect serum, but it is certain that the serum is defective and has significant side effects."
Norbert's opening remarks made Schmidt feel a surge of anger, as the side effects of the serum had completely disfigured him, a pain that would forever remain in his heart.
This was why he could never forgive Dr. Erskine.
He had heard from Dr. Erskine that there was a more perfect serum.
No one but him knew about this, but hearing it from Norbert today, even though it was just an opening statement, made Schmidt trust Norbert's subsequent words a little more.
Norbert never expected that his opening remarks would have such a significant effect.
At this time, he was already immersed in his world, constantly organizing his words, not stopping at all.
"Subsequently, I re-researched the super serum that was reverse-engineered and developed a super serum with a stronger enhancing effect.
The effect of the new serum is increased by 10%, and the side effects are smaller, but the specific effects have yet to be determined through experiments.
But I believe there is a more perfect version, though with my current physical condition, I don't know if I will have the chance to continue serving you, Commander.
So I now hand over the formulas of the two serums to you, and you can find someone to continue the experiments. If I survive, I will continue to contribute my strength to your great ideals."
After saying that, Norbert stopped the unfinished pen in his hand and looked at Schmidt with the eyes of a fanatic, his voice filled with the most sincere emotions.
"Long live Hydra!"
Then his eyes rolled back, and his body collapsed to the side.
With quick reflexes, Schmidt caught the unconscious Norbert.
"Someone, come!"
Before anyone entered, Schmidt quickly collected all the papers that had fallen to the floor.
After the medical officer walked in, Schmidt ordered in a deep voice, "Treat Dr. Berkowitz with all your strength. If anything happens to him, all of you and your families will join him in death."
If Norbert could hear Schmidt, he would have given his performance a perfect score.
The second step of the plan: gain trust.
Success.
-------
Chapter 3: An Unexpected Dilemma
Schmidt's command immediately drew the attention of all the medical officers in the room to Dr. Norbert Berkowitz, the man lying unconscious on the hospital bed.
No one dared to waste a moment as they quickly began their work.
After a thorough examination, the lead medical officer finally sighed with relief.
"Commander, Dr. Berkowitz's condition has stabilized. He is severely malnourished from prolonged overwork, but with proper rest and nutritional support, he should recover fully."
"Good. Ensure he receives the best care, and notify me as soon as he wakes up."
Satisfied with the report, Schmidt gave his orders and left the ward, already anticipating the results of the super serum experiments.
---
*Year X, Month X.*
After five months in a coma, Dr. Norbert Berkowitz finally woke up.
The moment Schmidt received the report, he dropped everything and rushed to the ward with a few trusted associates, including Dr. Zola.
Although Berkowitz had been unconscious for months, Schmidt's interest in him had only grown stronger.
During this time, Hydra had developed numerous versions of the super serum—some incomplete, others optimized—but the results were as Berkowitz had predicted. The success rate of the incomplete serum was abysmally low, with only one in a thousand surviving the process. The side effects were extreme: horrific disfigurements and madness.
The optimized serum fared slightly better, with a success rate of 21%. The side effects were less severe—those who survived became stronger without any visible disfigurements—but they also became uncontrollably aggressive. Schmidt's control over them was tenuous at best, even with continuous brainwashing.
Schmidt's scientific team, including Dr. Zola, was tasked with solving these problems, but success remained elusive. Despite Dr. Zola's expertise in genetics, his knowledge of chemistry was insufficient to overcome the serum's drawbacks.
Schmidt's frustration grew as the serums felt like both a breakthrough and a curse. Thus, when he heard that Berkowitz had woken up, he hurried to the ward, eager to see if this brilliant scientist could solve the puzzle.
Dr. Zola, intrigued by the man responsible for developing the super serum, accompanied Schmidt.
When Schmidt entered the ward, Berkowitz was lying in bed, his eyes open. He had been awake for some time and had already learned from the nurse that he had been in a coma for about five months.
Berkowitz felt a pang of regret. He had underestimated the physical and spiritual toll of using his skills. *It seems I need to inject the super serum as soon as possible,* he thought, adjusting his plans.
As Berkowitz contemplated how to inject the serum without drawing Schmidt's attention, the door to the ward swung open, and Schmidt entered with his entourage.
After dismissing the doctors and nurses, Schmidt approached Berkowitz, unable to conceal his excitement.
"Dr. Berkowitz, you're finally awake."
"Commander, it's a pleasure to continue serving you," Berkowitz replied, mindful of the survival rule he had set for himself: display loyalty.
Until he regained his full strength, Berkowitz knew he had to stay close to Schmidt.
"Haha, welcome back, Doctor," Schmidt laughed, clearly pleased. Berkowitz's recovery meant that the serum research could continue, and Schmidt's dream of an army of super soldiers was within reach.
In addition, Dr. Zola had been making strides in weapon development, using energy extracted from the Tesseract. Schmidt felt closer than ever to his goal of world domination.
In high spirits, Schmidt introduced the people he had brought to Berkowitz.
"This is Dr. Zola, our head of weapons research and development."
"This is William, the head of Hydra's agents."
"And this is Colonel Villa of Hydra's Combat Force."
While Berkowitz was familiar with Dr. Zola, the other two were new to him. However, their presence signaled that Schmidt trusted him—an essential step for Berkowitz's next move.
After a brief conversation, Schmidt encouraged Berkowitz to rest and then left with his associates.
Once outside the ward, Schmidt's demeanor changed. He called for the medical officer in charge of Berkowitz's care and asked coldly, "How long until Dr. Berkowitz is fully recovered?"
"Two months at the earliest," the medical officer responded, keeping his gaze low, avoiding Schmidt's intense eyes.
"Two months? That's too long. I don't care what methods you use; I need to see a healthy Dr. Berkowitz within a week. Understood?"
"A week?" The medical officer was horrified. He knew Berkowitz's condition well. Though conscious, Berkowitz was physically weak, his muscles atrophied, and his body functions severely diminished. A two-month recovery was already optimistic.
But Schmidt's icy glare left no room for argument. The medical officer had no choice but to nod grimly. "Yes, Commander."
"Good. I expect to see Dr. Berkowitz healthy in a week."
With that, Schmidt left the medical area, taking Dr. Zola and the others with him.
The moment Schmidt was gone, the medical officer collapsed, his face ashen. Delivering a healthy Berkowitz in a week was an impossible task. He could already picture himself on an experimental table, dissected by Hydra scientists.
Fear gripped him, though it was accompanied by a fleeting moment of resentment toward Schmidt—a feeling quickly quashed by his overwhelming dread.
Later, when the medical officer and a nurse returned to check on Berkowitz, they were visibly shaken.
Seeing the medical officer's trembling hands and the fear in his eyes, Berkowitz spoke up.
"Dr. Ramon, what's going on?"
When Ramon didn't reply, Berkowitz turned to the attractive blonde nurse on the other side of the bed.
Although her face wasn't as pale as Ramon's, she still looked distressed, casting worried glances at the medical officer.
Berkowitz suddenly felt a pang of jealousy. *Here I am, a genius scientist, and yet I've never had a beautiful woman fall for me. Women must be blind.*
Setting aside his jealousy, Berkowitz refocused on his situation.
"Keira, what's troubling you?"
Keira looked at Berkowitz with a mix of concern and reluctance before finally speaking. "Commander Schmidt has ordered Dr. Ramon to restore your health within a week, but given your current condition, Doctor, it's impossible."
"A week?" Berkowitz was taken aback. He hadn't expected Schmidt to rush his recovery. *This must be the result of my previous work,* he thought. Schmidt was clearly desperate for a breakthrough with the serum.
Realizing this was an opportunity, Berkowitz smiled at the despairing Dr. Ramon. "Dr. Ramon, I know how to recover within a week."
"Really? Doctor?" Keira exclaimed before Dr. Ramon could respond. Realizing her outburst, she blushed and looked away, trying to hide her embarrassment.
*Great, more unintentional flirting,* Berkowitz thought, feeling a mix of frustration and amusement.
But he kept his expression warm and reassuring.
"Is that true, Doctor?" Ramon finally asked, looking hopeful.
"Yes, but I'll need your help," Berkowitz replied meaningfully.
Ramon quickly understood. "Of course, Doctor. I won't say a word to anyone."
---
Chapter 4: The Movement is a Bit Big
The next day, Dr. Ramon found everything Dr. Norbert Berkowitz needed.
Schmidt had long ago ordered that Ramon could use any materials in the base as long as they were needed by Dr. Berkowitz.
So the process of searching for supplies went smoothly.
After finding the needed supplies, Berkowitz asked Ramon to pick out the unused ones and then asked him to pretend that he was making medicine to restore his body to hide from others, while Keira stayed in the ward to help him make the super serum.
The product produced this time was a truly perfect version of the super serum, one without any side effects.
The reason why Berkowitz is in his current state is not only because he did not expect that the derived skills would consume physical strength and energy, but also because he derived three versions of the super serum at once.
Including the analyzed incomplete version from red skull's blood, there were four versions in total.
In addition to the perfect version of the serum with no side effects and the original incomplete version, one version is the evolutionary version that he did not finish before becoming comatose and the perfect version (pseudo) injected by Captain America in the future.
All the steps for making the serum are in Berkowitz's mind. Even if he has not conducted any experiments, he is as familiar with the process as if he has conducted countless experiments. Even the dosage required for each material and reagent, he only needs to glance at it to know if it is correct.
This is also the ability that his cheat system brings to him. As long as the analysis or derivation is successful, he can create things based on his feeling.
At the same time, this is also the reason why he is very confident that the serum formula will not be leaked.
Without any paper records and just relying on memory, even if Dr. Zola produced a perfect version of the serum under his command, it would be impossible for him to produce it again afterwards.
But the production of the serum did not go as smoothly as Berkowitz expected. Keira, though skilled, struggled with hands-on tasks that required precision. Even with Berkowitz watching the entire process, she inexplicably made mistakes.
Fortunately, despite the tortuous process, under the influence of determination, Keira finally succeeded in producing the super serum without making any mistakes on the fifth day.
When the last drop of reagent was added, the solvent in the test tube changed wonderfully.
The reagent that was originally just yellowing gradually began to turn golden yellow, and then emitted a faint golden fluorescence.
"So beautiful," Keira murmured.
Regardless of the era or universe, women often find themselves drawn to beautiful things.
Berkowitz also stared at the test tube in Keira's hand with a look of fascination. The golden fluorescence had an intoxicating charm.
Fortunately, Berkowitz was determined and quickly came back to his senses. Seeing that Keira's eyes were almost glued to the glowing serum, he hurriedly coughed twice. After all the mistakes over the past few days, he didn't want anything to go wrong now.
He didn't know what had happened over the past few days. Except for Dr. Zola, Schmidt and his other subordinates were not in the base.
Dr. Zola was obsessed with the research on the Tesseract and had no interest in Berkowitz. Others, following Schmidt's orders, dared not disturb Berkowitz. This was the best chance for Berkowitz to inject the serum without being discovered by Schmidt.
"Ah, I'm sorry, Doctor, it's just so beautiful," Keira said, snapping out of her trance.
After returning to her senses, Keira was nervous again, which made Berkowitz feel anxious. Fortunately, Keira didn't make any mistakes this time, which allowed him to breathe a sigh of relief.
"Ms. Keira, please inject it into my body. Thank you," Berkowitz said, trying to keep his tone gentle. He really didn't dare to upset Keira any further.
"Okay, Doctor," Keira responded, looking slightly embarrassed. But this time, there were no accidents.
Seeing the golden reagent slowly being injected into his body, Berkowitz finally relaxed.
"Keira, no matter what happens later, don't be surprised, don't make a sound, and don't let anyone in," Berkowitz instructed.
Keira didn't have time to react to Berkowitz's strange words before a sudden change came over him, nearly causing her to scream.
"Ah~"
There was a muffled sound, and Berkowitz, who had been lying on the bed unable to move, suddenly jerked up, forming a reverse arch shape. His expression was one of extreme pain, and a low roar came from his mouth.
Then there was a tooth-aching friction sound as Berkowitz's weak limbs twisted at incredible angles, and his withered and atrophied muscles bulged up like balloons.
The unprecedented scene was so frightening that Keira froze in place, unable to move. She was about to scream, but then she subconsciously remembered Berkowitz's last words. At the last moment, she covered her mouth with her hands, muffling her scream.
The moan also brought her back to reality, and she subconsciously carried out Berkowitz's last order, stumbling to the door and pressing her body against it.
There was a loud bang.
Berkowitz, struggling in pain on the bed, punched the mattress, smashing it. His entire body fell heavily to the ground, and he let out another low roar.
The loud commotion in the ward attracted the attention of the base guards, who rushed to the medical area.
Ramon, who had been pretending to work in the medical area, was naturally the first to notice something was wrong. He immediately rushed to the door to check the situation and then found that the door was locked and could not be opened, while the commotion inside grew louder and louder.
Ramon panicked and started banging on the door.
"Doctor~Doctor, what happened?"
"Keira~Keira, what happened?"
Keira pressed hard against the door. She wanted to tell Ramon outside not to worry, but the words wouldn't come out.
Feeling abandoned, his tense nerves snapped.
He suddenly became frantic, grabbing an iron rod and banging on the door.
"Damn it, if they want to die, let's all die together."
The violent impact almost caused Keira to fall down at the door. Realizing she might not be able to hold it, Keira struggled to pull the experimental table with the equipment against the door and then held it against the door again, anxiously watching Berkowitz, who was lying on the ground in pain.
After slamming the door a few times, Ramon seemed to regain some clarity. He saw the guard at the end of the passage out of the corner of his eye, and an evil idea suddenly came to him.
He threw away the iron rod, slammed the door again, and shouted the names of Berkowitz and Keira loudly.
"What happened?" The guard captain who arrived was also very nervous. Everyone in the base knew how much Schmidt valued Berkowitz. If anything happened to him, he could imagine the miserable end that awaited him when Schmidt found out.
"I don't know. It just started after the doctor called Keira in," Ramon responded, feigning panic.
The seemingly unintentional words made the guard captain's eyes light up, and he grabbed Ramon's collar.
"Are you saying Keira tried to harm the doctor?"
Ramon's eyes darted around, and he hesitated: "I...I don't know."
"Get out of the way."
Pushing Ramon to the ground, the guard captain picked up his gun, pointed it at the door lock, and pulled the trigger.
Bang bang bang.
"Ah~"
The consecutive gunshots scared Keira behind the door, making her scream. She lost her balance and stumbled forward.
Just as she was about to fall to the ground, a pair of strong arms caught her.
Before she could react, Berkowitz's voice sounded in her ears.
"I'm sorry, beautiful Ms. Keira."
Then, Keira found that Berkowitz had taken off her coat.
Bang~
The experimental platform couldn't withstand the impact of a group of men and was knocked away with a loud noise.
However, the scene in front of them stunned everyone at the door.
Berkowitz stood in the room, wearing an ill-fitting white coat and dripping with sweat. Keira stood aside, blushing and disheveled. Her clothes were a bit messy, and her graceful figure drew everyone's attention.
The room was a mess, with broken bottles and cans everywhere, but none were as eye-catching as the dismembered bed.
"What are you doing?" Berkowitz asked with a cold face.
"Sorry, doctor, we thought something happened to you, so..." The guard captain showed a hint of embarrassment, retreating out the door with a nervous laugh, "Sorry to bother you."
The guard captain who retreated outside the door suddenly became furious when he saw that his men were all staring blankly at Keira in the room.
"What are you looking at? Why don't you come with me?"
After the guards left, Ramon came back to his senses. Looking at the disheveled Keira and Berkowitz in a white coat, something strange flashed in his eyes.
"Doctor, what are you..."
Berkowitz didn't notice anything strange about Ramon. He was secretly happy. The third step of the plan, to inject a super serum with no side effects, was a success.
---
Chapter 5: Dilemma
"Dr. Ramon, Miss Keira, thank you for taking care of me during this time. Please find someone else to take over."
After the guards left, Dr. Norbert Berkowitz first expressed his gratitude to Ramon and Keira. Without their cover, he wouldn't have been able to successfully inject the super serum.
"Oh, by the way, Miss Keira, I need you to help me find something that fits me better."
Ramon raised his eyebrows, looking back and forth between Norbert and Keira. He knew very well what state Norbert was in before. Even if someone told him that Keira and Norbert had something going on, he wouldn't have believed it. But now, why did it feel like there was something strange happening?
Keira straightened her messy clothes and noticed Ramon looking at her strangely. She stepped forward, took his arm, smiled sheepishly at Norbert, and pulled Ramon out of the ward.
After changing into a pair of fitting clothes and moving to a clean ward, Norbert was the only one left in the empty room. Clenching his fist, he felt like he could blow up a universe with one punch. Knowing that this was just an illusion, Norbert did not test his strength like some overconfident individuals might. Instead, he couldn't wait to lie on the bed and close his eyes.
After being injected with the super serum, his physical fitness had reached the peak of human potential. He was no longer the weakling who could be exhausted after analyzing the serum once. With most of his short-term goals achieved, it was time to plan his future carefully.
Norbert knew better than to attempt something as foolish as escaping from Hydra. Even if he succeeded, surviving alone in this war-torn era would be a challenge. Despite the power granted by the serum, he was still human, and as a human, he needed food, shelter, and security. In this era of scarcity, survival was not as simple as it seemed.
Escaping would only put him at odds with Hydra, who would pursue him relentlessly. Norbert was not Captain America; he didn't know if he had the protagonist's luck to survive against all odds. Super soldiers were still human, and a bullet to the head could kill them just as easily.
Here, away from the battlefield, he didn't have to worry about food and drink or the daily threats of war. He even had the opportunity to get close to the Tesseract. It was a tempting prospect.
Though Hydra was destined to fail, it was still March 1943. According to the movie timeline, Hydra's last base wouldn't be destroyed until 1945. That gave him nearly two years of relative safety. As long as Norbert played his cards right and gave Schmidt just enough progress, he could maintain his safety.
If he wanted to break away from Hydra, it would be far safer to wait until Captain America defeated the Red Skull. The war would be over by then, and he wouldn't have to worry about a bomb dropping from the sky. Why risk his life now when he could wait for a safer opportunity?
So Norbert decided to stay put. Even if the sky fell, he wouldn't leave. The first rule of survival: safety first.
At this moment, Norbert was planning how to maximize his benefits while ensuring his own safety. His arrival had already changed some things. In the original timeline, Red Skull was the only super soldier among the Hydra ranks. But now, Norbert had developed an incomplete version of the super serum and even suggested an evolved version. A few more super soldiers could potentially alter the entire story of Captain America, something Norbert absolutely wanted to avoid.
Though the Hydra base was safe, it was heavily guarded, and Norbert couldn't just leave. Moreover, he had no intention of fully committing to Hydra. If his research on the serum didn't show progress within two years, Schmidt would likely turn on him.
Norbert couldn't keep delaying; he had to show some results. Fortunately, he already had a rough plan in mind. Now it was up to his cheat system to see if it could help.
With a thought, the super serum synthesis formula appeared before him once again. This time, there were four boxes representing the four versions of the serum. Norbert's goal was to derive a fifth version, one that he intended to use for the Red Skull.
However, the derivation of the fifth version proved more challenging than Norbert anticipated. For three consecutive days, he attempted to derive the new serum whenever he had time, but to no avail. This led Norbert to doubt his cheat system's capabilities. Maybe it wasn't as powerful as he had initially thought.
Two more days passed without any progress. Frustrated and brimming with energy from the serum, Norbert began to wander around the base. Schmidt and his men had not returned yet, and with most areas of the base open to him, Norbert had almost unrestricted access.
Schmidt's base in the Alps was massive, like a small town with everything one could need, except for self-sufficiency. The club in the living area, in particular, had caught Norbert's eye for some time. However, with a metaphorical knife always at his throat, Norbert hadn't dared to approach it. But now, with his status elevated, he accidentally found himself at the club's door and was quickly pulled inside by an enthusiastic blonde. He spent the most enjoyable time since his transmigration.
If Schmidt hadn't returned to the base, Norbert might still be indulging in the pleasures of the club, burning off his excess energy. But Schmidt did return, and his stern gaze quickly brought Norbert back to reality.
"Doctor, it seems you've recovered well."
Facing Schmidt's stern gaze, Norbert silently cursed himself for getting carried away.
"This is all thanks to Dr. Ramon's care," he replied, praising Ramon for his assistance. Sometimes, kind words could have unexpected benefits.
Schmidt nodded slightly, seemingly unconcerned about Norbert's recovery. "Now that you're feeling better, when can you start working?"
"It is an honor to serve you, Commander. I'm ready to work at any time."
Norbert immediately adopted a tone of reverence, looking at Schmidt with a hint of fanaticism.
Showing a satisfied smile, Schmidt continued, "Then I expect you to bring me good news soon."
*Damn Bastards,* Norbert thought, *they deserve to be taken down by Captain America.*
As long as the horse could run fast, Schmidt wouldn't let it eat grass. Norbert cursed inwardly but outwardly displayed confidence. "Of course, Commander. I will do my best."
"Good, I'm waiting for your good news, Doctor," Schmidt said, turning to leave. After taking a few steps, he turned back with a mysterious smile. "I've prepared an assistant for you. I think you'll like them."
Norbert was puzzled. Why would Schmidt mention an assistant? This must mean that the assistant wasn't just any ordinary person. But Norbert didn't know anyone in this world well enough to guess. The only notable person he knew was Dr. Erskine, and capturing him was impossible at this point in time. Dr. Erskine should be busy selecting candidates for the super serum. In a few months, Captain America, Steve Rogers, would emerge, as well known to many comic fans.
Whatever Norbert did now wouldn't change the timeline too drastically. The versions of the serum he gave Schmidt were still in the experimental stage and couldn't be used yet. So Dr. Erskine was out of the question.
Unable to figure it out, Norbert decided to wait and see. Since Schmidt had mentioned an assistant, he would find out soon enough. The most important thing now was the derivation of the new serum. Norbert felt like he was overlooking something crucial, something that was causing the derivation to fail. As time passed, this feeling only grew stronger.
"What exactly am I missing?" he wondered.
---------
Chapter 7: On the Importance of Learning
When Dr. Norbert Berkowitz walked into the laboratory, he saw Schmidt pacing back and forth with his hands behind his back, clearly agitated.
"Doctor, you're so relaxed. You must have good news for me," Schmidt's tone was laced with suppressed anger as he spotted Norbert.
"Of course, Commander. I've found a solution to the serum's side effects," Norbert replied with confidence.
Previously, Norbert might have worried about Schmidt turning against him and considered giving him the perfect version of the serum if he couldn't find a solution quickly. But now, he was no longer concerned. Although the latest version of the serum hadn't been successfully derived yet, Norbert had found a method. Once the new serum was perfected, he would no longer have to live in fear.
From his research over the past few days, Norbert realized that the biggest factor hindering the serum's success was himself. His unique cheat system's derivative ability relied on his knowledge in the field. Therefore, he urgently needed to expand his expertise.
"Really?" Schmidt's eyes lit up with anticipation, his voice tinged with anxiety. "What will the effect be? When can we start the experiments?"
"Commander, I've only thought of a method. It will take time and resources to implement it," Norbert replied, finding Schmidt's sudden impatience peculiar. It was as if he couldn't wait to see the results.
"What do you need? How long will it take?" Schmidt assured, slapping his chest, "Whatever you need, Doctor, we can begin the experiment tomorrow."
Norbert was taken aback. Was Schmidt really this desperate? Although he didn't fully understand the situation, he recognized an opportunity.
Judging by Schmidt's eagerness, it was clear he had a strong need for the super serum. If Norbert could deliver at this critical time, he might gain greater authority and more freedom in the future.
He thought of Dr. Zola in the movies, who could come and go from Hydra bases as he pleased. If Norbert could achieve something similar, many of his problems would be solved. This could be his chance to leverage the situation to his advantage.
Norbert looked up and met Schmidt's eager gaze. "Commander, the serum's side effects involve the human brain, an area where I lack expertise. I need a lot of books on neurology and brain research, as well as numerous test subjects. The more, the better."
"Books?" Schmidt frowned. What Norbert needed was far from what he had imagined. Moreover, research books on brain neurology were scarce and difficult to obtain.
"Are these books essential?"
"Absolutely," Norbert nodded. "The serum's effects have reached their optimal state. The remaining issues are largely related to the human brain, so I need material in that area."
Schmidt considered this and found Norbert's reasoning sound, but there were still some things he needed to clarify.
"Just relevant books?"
"Yes."
"Consciousness, soul, and faith too?"
"Excuse me?"
Norbert's eyes filled with confusion.
Schmidt noticed his bewilderment and recalled that Norbert was an American and had been a prisoner before. He probably knew little about Hydra. Schmidt decided to use this opportunity to educate Norbert.
"Doctor, if I told you that gods truly exist, would you believe me?"
"Of course," Norbert replied without hesitation, "You are a god."
His loyalty display was impeccable.
Schmidt was momentarily stunned, then chuckled. "I'm not talking about myself, but actual gods, like the mythical Odin."
"Odin?" Norbert wondered, what does Odin have to do with serum research? Schmidt's thinking was certainly unconventional.
"Ancient humans blindly worshipped gods. They would kill anyone, even themselves, for divine blessings. I believe this is tied to consciousness. I have many books on this subject that may be what you need."
Norbert blinked, perplexed by Schmidt's logic. They had discussed a lot, but it was all myths and stories. He was impressed by Schmidt's imaginative thinking.
Seeing Norbert's silence, Schmidt assumed he was convinced and headed for the door.
"Doctor, I'll have everything you need delivered tomorrow. I'll also arrange for the experimental subjects as soon as possible."
"Uh~"
Bang~
Staring at the cold, closed iron door, Norbert felt a strong urge to flee. How could fairy tales contribute to serum research? This was beyond comprehension! Schmidt seemed determined to push him into a corner and roast him over a fire.
"Do I really need to defect?" Norbert wondered, shaken in his original plan.
Schmidt's urgency demonstrated how much he valued the super serum. Though Norbert had found a way to derive a new version of the serum, his current resources were insufficient to complete the derivation.
The research on the human brain available in the library had initially helped with the derivation skills but soon became repetitive and less useful until it ceased to help at all.
If Norbert couldn't deliver what Schmidt wanted, he doubted Schmidt would let him continue based solely on his work on the super serum.
Norbert now regretted not being more academically inclined in his previous life. If he had pursued higher education, perhaps in brain surgery, he wouldn't be in this predicament.
It seemed that even after transmigrating, education remained crucial. However, there was no turning back now. Norbert could only hope that Schmidt would find truly useful books instead of dumping useless religious texts on him. Otherwise, escape would be his only option.
The day passed quickly.
Before dawn, Norbert arrived at the laboratory. Despite still being undecided about changing his plans and defecting from Hydra, there was work to be done.
Upon arrival, Norbert was struck by Schmidt's seriousness about the super serum. A team of Hydra soldiers was busy moving stacks of books into the lab.
Looking at the towering piles of books occupying nearly half the room, Norbert could only sigh and dive into the sea of information.
"I hope there's something useful in here."
With a sliver of hope, Norbert picked up the first book. It was an unfamiliar text describing ancient human worship of gods, complete with specific rituals.
The book was filled with notes, not study notes, but annotations circling certain items. Each item was accompanied by information about its origin, nature, function, whether it had appeared in other texts, and whether it possessed supernatural abilities.
At a glance, Norbert could tell these notes were Schmidt's. After all, Schmidt had discovered the Tesseract using similar methods.
Since Schmidt had succeeded with the Tesseract, Norbert decided to try the same approach with the serum's derivation.
The result? Useless.
"Forget it, I still have to keep searching."
It wasn't disappointment exactly, but Norbert felt a tinge of frustration. He continued rifling through the mountain of books.
Useless~ useless~ still useless~
"Huh~"
Holding a simple, yellowed book, Norbert noticed something unusual. The serum's derivation, which had consistently followed a pattern of failure and restart, suddenly halted when he picked up this book.
It neither restarted nor continued to evolve, as if time itself had frozen.
Norbert stared at the new formula before him, devoid of the usual glowing light, and felt a growing sense of unease.
This had never happened before.
"Is this considered a success or a failure?"
Puzzled, Norbert examined the book in his hand, adorned with mysterious symbols that exuded an air of ancient simplicity and mystery.
---