Marvel: Reborn in 20th century India

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Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi, Bharat, February 4, 1944

Aryan sat in his office at Rashtrapati Bhavan, the grandeur of the room contrasting with the weight of the reports before him. The celebrations of Makar Sankranti had faded, and the nation had returned to its relentless pace of development and progress. Aryan's desk was cluttered with documents detailing the ongoing war efforts and the state of Bharat's defenses.

He picked up a report from the naval command, detailing the recent successes of the Bombay-class aircraft carriers. The four carriers, along with their fleets and submarines, had valiantly pushed the Japanese forces further away from the Indian Ocean, past Indonesian waters, and into the South China Sea. The American navy had supported Bharat's efforts, applying additional pressure on the Japanese. Plans were now in place for a joint focus on liberating the Philippines from Japanese occupation.

Aryan couldn't help but feel proud as he read about the advanced technology used by Bharat's forces. The Americans, though surprised by the sophistication of Bharat's technology, had not dwelled on it much, attributing these advancements to Aryan and his metahuman followers. They were confident in their own capabilities. However, Aryan knew that Bharat was on the brink of unveiling even more advanced technology. The development of this new technology was nearly complete, and the training of soldiers from the tri-services was almost ready for deployment. This would soon demonstrate Bharat's unparalleled capabilities under Aryan's leadership.

Aryan turned his attention to another report, this one detailing the broader impact of the Allied efforts against Japan. The Japanese forces were now on the backfoot, losing territory one by one. The Allied naval blockade had severely disrupted their supply chains, causing shortages of essential resources. Increasing air raids on Japanese cities had left civilians restless and fearful. The Japanese military, in response, was urging the population to make sacrifices and unite against the enemies, strategizing ways to overturn the dire situation.

The Japanese, seeing the dire situation, focused on cutting the supply lines of the Allies in the Indian Ocean, making aggressive moves against Bharat, which had handed them significant losses recently. They made it look like they were focusing on engaging Bharat in areas near Indonesia and Malaysia while they concentrated their forces to break through the blockade of Allied forces in the Timor Sea with the help of German naval forces. They made their way towards various British Indian Ocean territories. Since the British had started shifting to a more aggressive approach from their earlier defensive position due to Bharat, they were easily defeated by the combined Axis power. These territories were now under Axis control, cutting a major supply line of the Allies and making it difficult for them in Southeast Asia. Considering the situation, Bharat has now taken a more flexible approach with a focus on driving the Axis away from these territories, filling the voids left in the supply lines of the Allies, and ensuring that its borders are well protected. Simultaneously, Aryan planned to use the situation to his advantage and capture these territories from the Axis for Bharat and establish themselves as the most significant power in the Indian Ocean.

Shifting his focus to the European front, Aryan read about the intense battles being fought on the mainland of Italy. The Allied forces, with the help of Bharatiya soldiers, had made significant progress, destabilizing the German resistance. Italy was nearly captured, marking a crucial turning point in the war. Meanwhile, the Soviet Union was advancing further into Poland, having overcome the Siege of Leningrad. Their relentless push was putting immense pressure on the Nazis in Poland.

The British Royal Air Force had also intensified its efforts, openly raiding Berlin and dropping bombs on the city. With many territories previously captured by the Nazis now liberated, the pressure on the German forces was mounting. The Nazis, much like the Japanese, found themselves on the defensive, struggling to maintain their hold on occupied regions.

Aryan's concentration was abruptly interrupted by a familiar, soothing voice resonating in his mind. "Master, our agents have detected a possible energy signature that matches the descriptions of the Darkhold," Athena informed him telepathically. Her voice, though calm, carried an undertone of urgency.

Aryan's eyes widened slightly, the gravity of the news sinking in. "Where is it located?" he asked silently, his thoughts directed towards Athena.

"In the possession of Hydra, hidden in a secure facility in the Ural mountainous region," Athena responded. "Our agents have confirmed its presence through intercepted communications and energy readings."

Aryan nodded, his expression turning serious. "Thank you, Athena. This could be the breakthrough we've been waiting for."

With a determined look, Aryan stood up from his desk, his mind already racing with plans. He manipulated space-time and teleported away. In an instant, he was enveloped in a bright light and transported to the hidden headquarters of KAVACH.

KAVACH Hidden base, New Delhi, Bharat

The headquarters buzzed with activity, agents and scientists moving with purpose. Aryan made his way through the corridors, his presence commanding respect and attention. He entered a secure room where Karna, the Assistant Director of KAVACH, was waiting, already aware of the situation.

"Karna, I take it that you're already aware of the situation?" asked Aryan while taking a seat near him.

"Yes, two of our best agents, Naga and Vayu, while working together stealthily, came across the information regarding an artifact in the possession of Hydra which matched our description as well as emitted dark and corruptive energies. Although they are not completely sure that it is the Darkhold, the possibility is still high," Karna said, seated across from him.

"Hmm…and what about Fury and the vampires?" Aryan asked curiously.

"Well… Fury and the Howling Commandos were recently under a surprise attack from Hydra. Hydra had somehow gotten the information about the train which was operating secretly to transport Arnim Zola to another secure facility, so in order to free and get back custody of their lead scientist, they launched an attack on the train with many types of advanced energy weapons. The train fortunately had the protection of Captain America and Bucky," Karna said, his voice serious as he explained the reports he received from his agents in close proximity to the Howling Commandos.

"Oh… Did Hydra succeed?" Aryan asked, even though he knew that Hydra would be unsuccessful, he still asked as the changes in the timeline made the outcome of certain events quite unpredictable. He also had the option to see into the future, but the one time he tried it resulted in showing a multitude of possibilities from different timelines. So, he just stuck to seeing it as a beacon of events that will happen and be flexible in his thinking about the possibilities as some events can or cannot take place exactly as he sees them.

"No, Captain America and Bucky used their advantage as supersoldiers and defended the train until backup arrived. Although I am quite sure that if Bucky had not been a supersoldier, he could have died in the battle," said Karna as he told Aryan his own take on the events.

"So, I take it that they are quite busy right now sorting out the fallout of the events, and thus Fury will not be able to cooperate with the vampires at this moment to locate the Darkhold?" Aryan asked, guessing the aftereffects of the surprise attack.

"Yes, and in my opinion, it is the right moment to get a hold of the artifact which was determined to be the Darkhold. Our agents Naga, with her stealth and shapeshifting abilities, and Vayu have taken strategic positions to infiltrate the base and obtain the item," Karna told him, providing the information as well as detailing the actions he had already commanded the agents to take.

"Very well, I am sure you can handle things here quite well, but still keep me informed on the events, as the Darkhold is very corruptive in nature, so certain caution is necessary." Aryan warned as he got up from his seat and teleported away, wishing his friend good luck.

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