Pov: General
A few months had passed since Steve "regained" his memories, and during that time the change in him became impossible to ignore.
For one thing, although he still kept a fragile frame, he was already able to go toe-to-toe with an average soldier thanks to his "years of experience killing demons."
The generals held a certain disdain for him because he didn't obey orders the way he should, but they forgave him because of how dedicated he was to his training.
There was also something else, an aura, as if he were an old veteran who had come back from hell and survived it. Even Bucky felt that change, though he didn't know what had happened
Once he asked Steve what was wrong, and to his surprise Steve answered with a look of sorrow, understanding, and acceptance, and said, "Don't worry. I'll carry it all."
That terrified Bucky; he thought Steve had gone mad. But seeing that the change had helped him rather than harmed him, Bucky chose to ignore his fear and support his friend the way a good friend should.
The happiest of all was Abraham Erskine. Despite Steve's rebellious streak and questionable obedience, he possessed not only the physical template but also the willingness to shoulder the weight of everything.
So every test Erskine put him through, Steve passed perfectly. Though his loyalty to the country was debatable, Erskine decided to proceed with the next phase of his plan.
Peggy Carter followed the original path of fate: she fell in love with the young Steve again, and Steve, for his part, had loved her from the first moment he saw her.
Yet because of what he believed he knew about the planet's future, he told Peggy the day she confessed to him, "Once the world is safe, I'll come for you."
And so time passed until the most important day arrived: the day Steve Rogers would die and be reborn as Captain America.
*The day of the injection*
The young Steve stood with a cold, determined, confident look. He wasn't sure the procedure would work, but he never doubted for a second that he had to go through with it.
"Are you sure you want to do this?"
Peggy asked, visibly worried for the man she loved.
"Yes. I'm sure,"
Steve replied, calm despite the chances of dying, this was his perfect opportunity to get again his old body without losing much time.
"Steve, you could wait. Let them refine the serum more—"
She couldn't finish; a kiss interrupted her.
"I know better than anyone. But the reason I don't have time is that I chose to do this now."
Steve broke the kiss and wiped away the tears forming in his eyes.
"I love you,"
Peggy whispered. That was all she could say; one of the things that had always drawn her to him was his iron determination when it came to the greater good.
"And I love you more than anything in this world,"
Steve answered. Those were the last words he spoke before heading to the moment that would birth Captain America.
The operation was a complete success, but it came at a cost. Erskine's death still happened as it had in the original timeline, and although Steve tried, he could not save him.
After Erskine's death no one was able to replicate the serum, and just as before, Steve was used as wartime propaganda.
At least… for only three days. Three days was all it took for Steve, tired of being used as an experiment and a publicity piece, to go to Howard Stark and demand a weapon he knew well.
"Stark, I need you to forge me a weapon. I'm going to war,"
Steve said, noticeably changed and radiating a presence that inspired both fear and respect.
"I knew you'd come, but I didn't think it would be so soon, Peggy told me."
Howard paused, surprised that none of the guards had reported that a man two and a half meters tall had walked into his private lab.
"I'd love to help, but there's no perfect weapon for you."
"You're wrong. There is one. And I know it very well."
Steve ignored the prototypes scattered through the lab, including a peculiar circular shield draped with a cloth.
Howard raised an eyebrow. He had been with Steve through the super-soldier trials; he found it hard to believe the man asking for a weapon would know better than he.
"And what would this "perfect weapon" be, if I may ask?"
"Bring the materials I ask for, to the measurements I give."
Despite his doubts, Howard decided to follow Steve's instructions, at least until he understood exactly what Steve wanted.
"Wait… you're asking me to forge a sword? Me? Howard Stark? Out of raw iron?"
Howard was incredulous. He had expected an energy weapon or some exotic alloy suit; instead, Steve requested a sword so massive it would be more accurate to call it a slab of sharpened iron. It sounded absurd, and Howard briefly wondered if Steve had truly lost his mind.
"Yes. Make that sword the best you can. The more durable, the better. I want it to be able to cleave a dragon in two, if one ever appears."
Steve spoke without hesitation. Seeing his certainty, Howard had no choice but to comply, partly because if he didn't, someone else surely would, and he refused to let them make a poor-quality weapon for the man who had become the country's hope.
"All right. I'll get to work right away. Though I think you should train with it first."
Howard said, half warning, half proud.
"Don't worry. If there's one thing I can swear by, it's that weapon will be like a second arm to me."
Steve smiled briefly, then left. As much as he wanted to fight immediately, he knew he had to wait for the weapon, the blade that, together with him, had once wounded a god.
Little time has passed since Steve asked Howard for his weapon, and during this time, many things have happened.
Across the globe, the entire African continent has officially declared itself a single unified nation, a movement so massive that it sent shockwaves through the rest of the world. Many nations now fear the rise of a new global power in these brutal times. Meanwhile, Emily remains stuck at "Sequence 6".
In the mystical world, a governing faction has finally been established, one led, of course, by Star. After years of effort, she managed to reach "Sequence 6", securing her position as leader. Still, her faction doesn't hold absolute authority; there are others who rival them in influence because of her fast rising.
Frank and Daisy, on the other hand, are on the verge of becoming parents. On their planet, not much else has changed, except that they're finally reconnecting with the rest of the galaxy. Both of them have reached "Sequence 6".
Twilight decided to dedicate himself fully to mastering his Pathway… or at least that was the plan. However, his immense respect and influence on his home planet turned him into a de facto ruler. His responsibilities have kept him so busy that he only just managed to reach "Sequence 7".
Johnny remains stuck at "Sequence 5", not for lack of effort, but because he's reached one of the most difficult stages of his Pathway, standing at the threshold of becoming a Demigod.
Gol D. Roger, meanwhile, is also occupied with leading his planet toward the stars, leaving him barely at "Sequence 6".
It could be said that Escanor and Itachi are the ones who've made the most progress. Escanor's obsession with the Sun pushed him to reach "Sequence 5" , while Itachi, after nearly being discovered by his enemies, also ascended to "Sequence 5"
The problem is that neither of them knows how to lead their factions.
Escanor's religion has fallen into decline, truth be told, only the Egyptians still show any real interest in worshiping the Sun.
Itachi's sect, on the other hand… is complicated. One could say it's flourishing, but just as many members die as new ones join. Though they all claim to act in Itachi's name, they deliberately exclude him from leadership decisions, fearing that too much involvement might corrupt him.
Honestly, no one understands how so many people are willing to die for such a fanatical ideology, and worse, they're adapting. Their espionage capabilities have become so advanced that even Hydra itself struggles to track them down.
As for Yuno, she was disappointed to discover that her spell couldn't help her cross the multiverse without the permission of a cosmic entity. So, she turned to her next idea: the Mirror Dimension.
Her goal is to transform that dimension into a self-sustaining universe of its own, one where she reigns as its supreme ruler.
Yes, everyone thinks she's insane, even the Sorcerer Supreme. Yet no one dares remove her from her work, as they must admit she's an undeniable prodigy in magic. She finally reached Sequence 6 after all this time
Lastly, there's Mariko. She was sent to Groot's planet before its destruction, where she was worshiped as a goddess because of her powers.
In a way, she's happy there… but not entirely. That world is so simple that she decided to advance its technological progress herself after reaching "secuence 7".
However, since the planet consists almost entirely of flora and fauna..., she's in quite a difficult position, forced to reinvent the entire field of biotechnology from scratch.
And finally, there's the protagonist. He's currently deciding whether to brainwash Tony Stark immediately or wait until he becomes a teenager. And yes, he already knows exactly how he plans to do it.
That's all that's going on in the world, and frankly, God save the universe for what's to come.
(Traductor: I want a raise in salary 😑
Autor: there's no money, only friendship 😅)