Mysteries On Marvel

While both Hydra and S.H.I.E.L.D. were seething with rage over the devastating losses caused by Eren and Bucky, the two culprits were leisurely hitching a ride in the back of a frozen fish transport truck, clad in thick coats, making their way toward New York.

Eren wasn't the least bit concerned about the truck driver turning on them.

Before boarding, he had already hypnotized the driver.

Now, in the driver's subconscious, the idea that two uninvited passengers were in his truck simply didn't exist, let alone the notion of doing anything to harm them.

Both Eren and Bucky possessed physiques far beyond those of ordinary humans.

While the biting cold inside the frozen storage compartment was noticeable, it was nothing more than an inconvenience to them. Hitching a ride in a freezer truck wasn't a problem—if anything, it actually helped conceal their movements.

With some time to spare, Eren sat on a crate of frozen fish shards and casually pulled out a vial of potion.

Then, lazily, he turned to Bucky and said, "Since you've fully digested the Assassin potion, it's time for you to advance to the next sequence."

"This is the potion for Sequence Eight of the same pathway—Instigator. Drinking this will not only further enhance your assassin abilities but also grant you extraordinary powers of deception, persuasion, and manipulation."

"With these abilities, you'll be able to effortlessly provoke the hidden malice in people's hearts, escalate conflicts, and incite chaos—vastly expanding your combat strategies."

"But every potion is incredibly rare. The higher the sequence, the harder it is to obtain. Even I had to pay a hefty price to acquire this Instigator potion."

"I can give it to you, but in exchange, you'll have to work for me for ten years—consider it repaying the debt."

Bucky looked up at Eren , puzzled.

That expression seemed to say: Aren't I already working for you?

Reading the meaning in Bucky's eyes, Eren shook his head. "It's not the same."

"I want you to truly work for me—not just keep up this act. In fact, by now, you should be completely free from the influence of the mental imprint I planted in your mind."

Perhaps it was due to inheriting the darker aspects of his original soul or the influence of the clown mask, but Eren had an incredibly keen sense for emotions.

When Bucky consumed the Assassin potion and regained his clarity, Eren immediately noticed a subtle shift in his attitude.

At first, he suspected that the mental imprint he had placed in Bucky's consciousness had weakened after his ascension into an extraordinary being.

But through a series of tests—

From the long silence Bucky maintained after hearing Eren's words in the bunker, to his indifferent reaction when Eren hypnotized the truck driver in front of him—

It was all too clear.

Bucky had completely broken free from the mental imprint.

That was why Eren didn't hesitate to bring out the Instigator potion and lay out the terms openly.

Bucky furrowed his brows in thought for a long while before hesitantly asking, "Are you talking about that warm light inside my mind?"

"When I took the Assassin potion, I heard whispers that nearly drove me insane. If it weren't for that light constantly stabilizing my mind, keeping my sanity intact, I would've gone mad."

"If you hadn't said anything, I would've assumed it was your way of protecting me from the potion's backlash."

"If that mental imprint is what you're referring to, then before I drink this Instigator potion… can you plant a few more in my mind? Otherwise, if this potion is stronger than the last, I'm afraid I won't make it through those whispers…"

At this, Bucky's face was unusually serious.

He didn't fear physical pain. Even if someone were to saw through his body with a rusty blade, he was confident he could endure it without flinching.

But the spiritual torment of those whispers—like his soul being torn apart, his mind flooded with countless foreign thoughts—

That was something he wasn't sure he could withstand.

If what Eren called a mental imprint was indeed that stabilizing force he had experienced before, then he needed more of them.

Across from him, Eren —who had mentally prepared for Bucky to turn hostile—was now full of question marks.

Wait, mental imprints have this kind of hidden benefit?!

No!

Why would Bucky voluntarily ask for something like this?

Given that Hydra had controlled him for decades, shouldn't he loathe any form of mental influence the most?

Not understanding, Eren decided to ask directly. "Why would you request this? Aren't you afraid I'll turn you into a puppet, just like Hydra did?"

Bucky stared at him and shot back, "Would you?"

Without thinking, Eren replied, "Of course not."

Just as Eren detested having his fate controlled, he also had no interest in controlling others—

With the exception of his enemies.

Bucky grinned. "Then that's all there is to it."

For some reason, whenever he looked at Eren , he sensed an aura of chaos, madness, and an obsession with freedom.

After ascending as an Assassin, this feeling only grew stronger.

His instincts told him that someone with such an intense need for freedom wouldn't chain others down like Hydra did.

Seeing the sincere expression on Bucky's face, Eren's smile faded slightly.

Then, he said seriously:

"I'm not Hydra. I won't control you like a puppet, but when the time comes, I won't hesitate to send you to hold the line in the most dangerous battles."

Bucky shrugged. "Dying on the battlefield is a warrior's fate and honor."

For three seconds, the two locked eyes.

Then, with a flick of his wrist, Eren tossed the Instigator potion to Bucky, leaned back on the crate, and lazily said, "Well then, what are you waiting for? Drink up and advance."

Bucky caught the potion and looked at Eren seriously. "Before I drink this, can you plant a few more mental imprints?"

Eren blinked. "Huh? You're serious?"

Bucky chuckled bitterly. "Of course. You didn't think I was joking, did you? Without that light, I'm not confident I can resist those whispers."

Eren : "..."

...

Half an hour later.

At Bucky's insistence, Eren burned through a massive amount of mental energy to place another reinforced mental imprint in his consciousness.

Perhaps because Bucky had already become an extraordinary being, the process was several times more taxing than before.

Just this one additional imprint had left Eren mentally drained.

Opposite him, Bucky finally felt the familiar, warm presence in his mind again, which gave him a sense of security.

But… feeling how solitary it was, he frowned slightly.

The whispers from the Assassin potion had already shattered one imprint. Would just one be enough for the stronger Instigator potion?

After pondering for a moment, Bucky opened his eyes and said, "One might not be enough… How about you make a few more?"

Hearing this, Eren grabbed a frozen fish from the crate beneath him and chucked it at Bucky.

"Get lost!"

A few minutes later, after steadying himself, Bucky picked up the vial in front of him, tilted his head back, and drank the Instigator potion.

Gulp!

Gulp!

The cold liquid slid down his throat, bubbling intensely.

Per Eren's instructions, Bucky focused on the sensations coursing through him.

In his mind, dozens of translucent bubbles appeared, each containing cryptic knowledge.

Pop! Pop! Pop!

As they burst, an overwhelming flood of information crashed into his brain.

Bucky clenched his jaw as his forehead veins bulged, feeling as if his skull was about to split open.

Then, the whispers returned.

"Chik… Quark… Chik… Quark… Chik… Quark…"

Who knew how much time passed before Bucky finally opened his eyes.

He had become an Instigator.

But unlike last time, his face was deathly pale.

Eren, observing him closely, frowned. "You don't look so good."

Bucky let out a deep breath and forced a smile. "The whispers this time were ten times louder. Even with your imprint, I barely made it through."

Eren narrowed his eyes.

After a moment, he spoke.

"Hydra's prolonged brainwashing and torture did more damage to your psyche than I expected. Those whispers affected you worse than a normal person."

"Until your mind recovers, I don't recommend advancing again—even if you fully digest this sequence."

Bucky nodded solemnly.

Eren's grin returned.

"But don't worry. I'll teach you a meditation technique to strengthen your mind."

"And if that's not enough… well, there are other ways."

For now, though, they had more pressing matters.

It was time to make Hydra remember the cost of crossing them.

And what better way than to take a high-ranking head?

Baron Strucker and Madame Viper were elusive…

But Alexander Pierce?

A World Security Council Minister active in New York?

He wasn't hard to find.

(End of Chapter)

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