Elsewhere-
On Helicarrier A-
Countless shadow clones of Charles moved swiftly, cutting down Hydra agents with ruthless efficiency.
The agents couldn't even comprehend what was happening before they were decapitated or hurled off the carrier, experiencing the terrifying thrill of free fall.
Of course, their ultimate contribution was delaying the awakening of the Celestial, sacrificing their lives for the cause.
With every Hydra operative eliminated, the helicarrier was left devoid of life, save for Charles Doyle himself.
As his shadow clones returned to him, he released all but one, saying, "Head over to Steve's position. They'll need support there. I'll handle securing this helicarrier."
The clone nodded before vanishing, while Charles began enveloping the entire helicarrier with his chakra.
…
Helicarrier C-
The battle between Bucky and Steve raged on. In a fierce exchange, Steve managed to disarm Bucky's knife, but not before Bucky rammed into him, sending him plummeting from the catwalk to the level below the chip room. His locator chip fell loose from his belt.
Both men scrambled to their feet and collided again, grappling fiercely.
"Argh!"
They roared as their strength matched evenly. Bucky used his metal arm to block Steve's punches and drove his fist toward Steve's wounded side.
"Thud!"
A dull impact rang out as Steve recoiled in pain, blood seeping from his reopened wound. He retaliated with a sharp blow to Bucky's head.
"Wham!"
Despite their equal footing, Steve had suffered more—shot once and stabbed in the shoulder. But his superhuman resilience only fueled his fighting spirit.
Steve refrained from calling for backup. He didn't want Bucky killed. If Charles Doyle arrived, Bucky and the four enhanced soldiers would all be dead, except perhaps himself. His goal was to subdue his friend before summoning help.
Furious after the punch, Bucky grabbed Steve, lifted him overhead, and slammed him into the ground.
"Boom!"
Steve hit hard but used the momentum to slide over and grab the fallen chip.
Bucky, relentless, launched another attack.
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
Fists flew, and the chip slipped from Steve's grip again, skidding to the glass floor below the chip room.
Determined, Steve punched Bucky away and kicked him down into the lower level. Leaping after him, Steve sprinted toward the chip's location.
Bucky, seizing Steve's shield, hurled it with precision.
"Clang!"
The shield struck Steve's back, sending him sprawling to the ground.
Drawing his gun, Bucky fired immediately.
"Piu! Piu! Piu!"
Steve reacted instantly, grabbing the shield as it skidded beside him and crouching behind it just in time.
"Ping! Ping! Ping!"
Bullets struck Steve's shield, deflecting harmlessly in all directions.
When Bucky's gun clicked empty, he drew another knife and lunged at Steve. In response, Steve hurled his shield directly at him.
"Bang!"
Bucky used his metal arm to swat the shield aside, charging at Steve with relentless aggression.
"Ahh!"
Steve cried out as Bucky, using both arms, overpowered his defense and drove the knife deep into his shoulder.
Gritting his teeth through the pain, Steve retaliated with a series of brutal headbutts.
"Thud!"
"Thud!"
"Thud!"
The relentless blows finally sent Bucky sprawling backward.
Staggering, Steve yanked the knife from his shoulder, tossing it aside with a grimace.
Bucky, sprawled on the ground, noticed the chip lying nearby. His hand darted toward it.
Steve lunged, seizing Bucky by the throat and hoisting him into the air.
With a fierce snarl, he slammed Bucky down onto the glass floor.
"Crash!"
Bucky clutched the chip desperately, refusing to let go. Steve pinned Bucky's arm with one hand while pressing his other firmly against Bucky's face.
"Let it go."
Bucky strained, but his free hand couldn't reach Steve.
"Drop it!"
When Bucky continued to resist, Steve gritted his teeth and snapped the arm holding the chip.
"Crack!"
"Aaargh!"
Bucky howled in pain.
Above them, the four enhanced agents watched intently. One stepped forward to intervene, but the man bearing the Curse Mark of Fire raised a hand, his expression grave.
"Hold your position."
"Once the weapon systems are online, victory will be ours."
"If even the Winter Soldier can't win, we don't stand a chance alone."
The agent halted reluctantly, resuming his watch over the chip room. Victory was mere minutes away—Hydra would soon dominate the world.
Despite the broken arm, Bucky still clung to the chip. Steve, frustrated, shifted tactics. He flipped Bucky over and locked in a triangle choke, leveraging his legs to pin Bucky's mechanical arm while tightening the grip around his throat.
Bucky thrashed and fought, but his movements slowed as oxygen deprivation took hold.
At last, he went limp, unconscious. The chip slipped from his grasp and clattered to the floor.
Relief washed over Steve's face as he glanced down at his fallen friend. Finally, he could call for backup.
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