Walking back with Steve, one step ahead and one behind, Levi felt like a completely different person.
Just a short while ago, he had still been a so-called "brittle tank," relying on his healing factor to brute-force his way through fights, with physical stats only slightly better than an ordinary soldier's.
Now?
He felt like his entire body was packed full of explosive power.
How should he describe it?
It was like this: before, he'd been riding a beat-up bicycle—everything creaked except the bell. Pedal once, rest three times.
Now, he'd swapped it for a fully fueled Harley. As long as you dared to twist the throttle, it dared to take you airborne.
He could clearly feel his breathing grow deep and powerful. Every inhale was like swallowing the freezing air around him whole, refining it into hot currents that surged through his limbs and bones. Earlier, after fleeing through snow and plunging into icy water, his body had been stiff with cold. But now? He felt pleasantly warm all over, like he was carrying a little furnace inside him.
His vision, too, had changed.
Before, he'd had perfectly average eyesight. Now, he could clearly see, over a hundred meters away, several crystal-clear icicles hanging from a pine branch—and even catch the tiny reflections of himself and Steve shimmering within them.
His hearing was the same.
The rustle of wind through the treetops, the slither of snow sliding down distant slopes—he could even distinguish Dugan's booming voice back at the regroup point, cursing and barking orders, and Logan's impatient, low growl in response.
This is basically a living radar system…
Levi was in an incredible mood.
Healing factor plus Super Soldier Serum—this combo was downright perfect. One handled damage and recovery, the other boosted output and mobility. He'd gone from a barely surviving grunt to a genuine super-soldier.
"How does it feel?" Steve asked from up ahead, apparently noticing Levi's barely contained excitement.
"Feels… amazing," Levi grinned, flashing a row of white teeth. "Like I could punch a cow to death."
Steve laughed—a genuine, relieved laugh—and nodded.
"Get used to it. This power will become your most reliable companion."
They didn't say much more before rejoining the rest of the team.
The Howling Commandos had already done a quick cleanup of the battlefield, collecting any usable weapons and ammunition. Gabe's injuries had been treated again—Dugan had somehow found wooden planks and used military straps to rig up a makeshift stretcher—but the leg mangled by the bear trap was still a bloody mess. His condition was far from optimistic.
When Steve and Levi returned, everyone's attention immediately snapped to them.
"Captain, what's the situation?" Dugan asked as he walked over. He glanced at Steve, then at Levi—who looked disturbingly fine—and shook his head in disbelief.
"The area ahead is clear," Steve said gravely. "But we need to move fast. Gabe's injuries can't wait. Our top priority is finding somewhere safe so he can get proper treatment."
A heavy silence settled over the group.
They were deep behind enemy lines, surrounded by Hydra forces. Finding a truly safe location was easier said than done—especially while carrying a critically wounded man.
"Captain," Levi suddenly spoke up, "I think we should head straight for the factory."
All eyes turned to him at once.
Steve looked surprised. "Levi? What do you mean?"
"The most dangerous place is often the safest," Levi replied. The Super Soldier Serum seemed to have sharpened his thinking as well—his thoughts were clearer than ever. He pointed toward the brightly lit area in the distance, swept by searchlights.
"Hydra won't expect us to do the opposite of running. Their main force was just pulled away by you—right now, the factory's internal defenses should be at their weakest."
He continued, voice steady:
"And there'll definitely be a medical station inside. If we infiltrate successfully, we can save Gabe. After that, we blow the place up and free the captured guys. One move, three wins. That's better than stumbling around in this frozen hell like headless chickens."
His reasoning was clear, logical, and convincing.
The others exchanged looks. The more they thought about it, the more it made sense.
Dugan chewed on his cigar for a moment, then nodded.
"The kid's right. With Gabe like this, we're not getting far anyway. Better to hit them hard than get hunted down like rabbits."
Steve studied Levi, clear approval in his eyes. He realized that it wasn't just Levi's body that had changed—his courage and strategic thinking had grown as well. The nerve to strike back in desperate circumstances was exactly what made a great commander.
"Alright," Steve decided instantly. "We head for the Hydra factory!"
With the decision made, the team moved at once.
Gabe was secured on the stretcher, carried by two of the strongest men. Levi offered to help—he felt like he had endless strength now. He was pretty sure he could sling Gabe over his shoulder and jog without even breaking a sweat.
Dugan shot that idea down immediately.
"You and the Captain are our biggest guns," he said, clapping Levi on the shoulder. "You handle point and rear guard. Be ready for anything."
Before Levi could protest, Dugan stuffed most of the captured ammo and grenades into Levi's pack.
The pack easily weighed fifty or sixty pounds.
Before, Levi would've been panting after a few steps. Now, he casually swung it onto his shoulder—it felt like a schoolbag.
"…Damn," Logan muttered from the side.
Watching Levi move so effortlessly, Logan's instincts screamed again: this Eastern kid had truly become something different—a monster unlike the rest.
The team set off once more.
Steve led from the front, shield in hand, like a drawn blade cutting a path forward.
Levi volunteered to take the rear, guarding their back.
He followed lightly, MP40 in hand, heavy gear on his back, feeling zero fatigue. The serum-enhanced endurance left him with energy to spare—enough to carefully observe their surroundings as they moved.
And his senses proved invaluable.
"Wait."
Levi suddenly raised a hand and lowered his voice.
The entire team froze instantly, weapons coming up as they scanned the area.
"What is it?" Steve asked, turning back.
"About three hundred meters ahead," Levi said, closing his eyes briefly. "On the far side of the ridge. A patrol's approaching—five or six people. Moving slowly. They sound relaxed."
The team stared at him.
Three hundred meters? On the other side of a ridge?
Dugan even pressed his ear to the ground for a while. All he heard was wind. He looked up, skeptical.
"Kid, you sure? I don't hear a damn thing."
Only Steve showed no doubt at all. His own enhanced hearing had picked up faint irregularities—nothing as clear as Levi's, but enough.
"Everyone, take cover. Now," Steve ordered immediately.
Though confused, the Commandos obeyed without question, dispersing and concealing themselves among rocks and trees.
Levi slid behind a thick pine, holding his breath.
Seconds passed.
Then minutes.
Just as some of the men began to wonder if Levi had been mistaken, voices finally drifted over the ridge—boots crunching snow, German chatter carried by the wind.
A six-man Hydra patrol appeared, trudging down the slope, exactly as Levi had described.
In that instant, the way everyone looked at Levi changed.
If his resurrection had shocked them…
This kind of advance warning inspired something far deeper: trust—and awe.
On the battlefield, a scout who could detect enemies before contact was priceless.
The patrol walked right past, oblivious to the fact that they had just brushed against death's scythe. Once they were gone, Steve signaled the team to move again.
As he passed Levi, Steve gave him a long look and said quietly:
"Excellent work."
Levi just smiled.
From this moment on, he knew—he had truly become part of this legendary unit.
And this newly enhanced body of his?
It was only just beginning to show how terrifyingly valuable it could be.
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