Marvel: Beginning with the Collection of Shinra Tensei

Han Yu patted Ultron on the shoulder, signaling him to follow. Relying on his memory, Han Yu led the way to Zola's hiding spot.

Finally, behind a bookshelf, they discovered a hidden door. Ultron smirked at the sight. "Setting up a hidden door in an already secretive location? That's practically announcing to the world that something shady is hidden here."

Han Yu chuckled in agreement. It was true—though back in that era, such a design might not have been so easily discovered. After all, they were judging it from a "future person's" perspective.

Pushing open the door, they found yet another elevator leading deeper underground. This was undoubtedly Zola's hideout.

The two boarded the elevator and descended together. The moment the doors opened, a metallic fist came hurtling toward Han Yu's face.

"How dare you attack my boss!"

Ultron reacted instantly, grabbing the incoming fist mid-air and delivering a powerful kick that sent the assailant flying, giving them space to step out of the elevator.

The attacker was a man dressed in a black combat suit. His mouth and nose were obscured by a black mask, and dark makeup covered his eyes, making him nearly unrecognizable even in broad daylight.

"Hahaha! Didn't see that coming, did you? This guy isn't someone you can deal with easily!"

Zola's mocking voice crackled through the computer speakers. The room outside the elevator was massive, filled with outdated computer equipment. Though aged, these machines represented the pinnacle of technology for their time.

"Oh, it's him."

Han Yu's eyes lit up when he recognized the figure with the metal arm. He wasn't unfamiliar with this man—the iconic metal arm belonged to none other than Bucky Barnes, the Winter Soldier, a friend Captain America believed long dead.

"Attacking us like this? You've got some nerve. I ought to teach both of you a proper lesson."

Ultron cracked his shoulders, preparing to charge in and unleash hell, but Han Yu's calm voice stopped him.

"Don't kill the one with the metal arm. Just subdue him."

"Understood."

Though he didn't understand Han Yu's reasoning, Ultron obeyed unconditionally, especially in front of outsiders.

"Hey, you like hand-to-hand combat, huh? Fine, let's play!"

Ultron opted for the most straightforward strategy—sheer brute force.

With a powerful stomp, the reinforced floor cracked beneath his feet as he launched himself toward the Winter Soldier. His right hand transformed into a sharp blade, slicing through the air with deadly precision, aiming directly at Bucky's neck.

Bucky, with his extensive combat experience, didn't panic. He swiftly raised his metal left arm to block the strike. However, the sheer force behind Ultron's attack caught him off guard.

"Such incredible strength! This kind of power isn't something a normal human could generate!" Bucky thought in shock.

The strike disrupted Bucky's combat rhythm entirely. The impact momentarily severed the neural connection to his metal arm—a first-time occurrence for him—leaving him stunned.

Ultron didn't let up. In that brief moment of hesitation, his other fist connected with Bucky's abdomen.

Bucky's expression changed drastically. It felt like he had been struck by a sledgehammer weighing thousands of tons. His body flew backward, crashing through several computer consoles before skidding to a stop.

That punch made the Winter Soldier feel as if his internal organs had shifted. Lying on the ground, coughing dryly, he tried to stand, but the slightest movement triggered a sharp pain in his abdomen, making it impossible for him to rise.

Looking at the incapacitated Winter Soldier, Ultron flexed his wrist, a disappointed expression crossing his face. He turned to Zola, who was watching nervously from the side.

"Seriously? Is this the extent of the Winter Soldier's strength? I didn't even get to warm up, and the fight's already over?"

Zola was utterly dumbfounded. He knew very well the strength of Bucky Barnes—the Winter Soldier. After all, he had personally overseen Bucky's transformation.

"This… this is impossible! It can't be!"

Zola roared in disbelief. The Winter Soldier was his last hope. At this moment, there was no one else who could possibly save him. Everything hinged on the Winter Soldier's success, and yet he had been utterly defeated—without even putting up a real fight.

The Winter Soldier had carried out numerous covert operations for Hydra. He was a super-soldier, identical to Captain Steve Rogers, and with the addition of his metal arm, he even surpassed Steve in raw strength. A man like that shouldn't have been overwhelmed by Ultron with a single blow!

But what Zola didn't realize was that his knowledge was seventy years outdated. While he was aware of Ultron's existence, he had no real understanding of Ultron's current capabilities or the structure of his mechanical body.

Zola assumed that because the Winter Soldier had a metal arm, the two would at least be evenly matched. But in reality, it was a completely one-sided beatdown.

Ultron's current body was primarily constructed from Uru metal. Compared to Winter Soldier's single metal arm, Ultron's entire body was on another level. Even if Bucky had ten metal arms and fought Ultron for an entire day, he wouldn't leave a single scratch.

"Sigh, I thought he'd be more impressive. Turns out he's just loud. How boring."

Ultron couldn't be bothered to waste more time. With a flick of the Green Lantern Ring, he conjured a glowing green rope and bound the Winter Soldier tightly. He tossed the incapacitated soldier toward Han Yu and turned his attention to extracting Zola's data.

Zola was powerless to stop him. He tried to send a directive to Hydra, ordering a missile strike on the facility, but his data couldn't escape the digital prison Ultron had trapped him in.

Seventy years ago, Zola had been formidable, but compared to Ultron now, he was completely outmatched.

Meanwhile, the Winter Soldier continued to struggle on the ground, but no matter what he tried, the glowing green rope binding him didn't loosen in the slightest.

"Sergeant Barnes, do you know who you are?" Han Yu squatted down, speaking to the Winter Soldier, who thrashed about like an overturned shrimp.

"I am the Winter Soldier! I will kill you!"

The Winter Soldier continued to struggle, but his efforts were futile. No matter how hard he fought, the bindings remained firm.

"Hmm, Hydra's brainwashing really is something. Even hearing your name doesn't stir anything in you. Or… is it because of my face?"

With a smirk, Han Yu ran his hand across his face. The green energy from the Lantern Ring shimmered across his skin, morphing his appearance into that of Captain America.

In his best theatrical voice, Han Yu said, "How about now? Do I look familiar, Bucky? It's me—Steve!"

At the sight of that familiar face, the Winter Soldier's expression shifted. Confusion flickered across his eyes as he murmured, "Steve… that name… it sounds familiar. I think I know him… I think I know you…"

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