I am Thor

"Come on, it's Steve going in before me. If it's him, I've got no problem," Thor said, shrugging. "Besides, don't you think I'm impressive enough without any extra enhancements?"

Peggy Carter arched an eyebrow, clearly skeptical. Fighting twice in three days and winning each time? And all against groups of soldiers…

"So, tell me—what did you really do before all this?" she asked. "I can't imagine someone with your skills was just a doctor in a small-town clinic." Thor's cover story was that he'd been a doctor in a small clinic, a detail that would hold up only as long as no one bothered to dig too deeply. But back in these times, most people were inclined to let things slide.

"Oh, that," Thor replied smoothly. "I used to hunt in Alaska. Took down a couple of brown bears—sometimes two in just three days."

Peggy rolled her eyes.

…

Inside the lab, Thor watched Steve, who was about to lie down on the experimental table. "Nervous?" he asked with a smirk.

Steve gave a quick nod. "A bit, yeah. But that's part of the job."

Following the doctor's instructions, Steve took off his shirt and lay on the table, his thin, ribcage-exposing frame visible to all. Thor couldn't help but snap a few photos in his mind, already planning to tease Steve with this "blackmail material" someday.

One by one, needles pierced Steve's body, injecting the serum deep into his muscles, and the experimental bench slowly closed over him. Howard Stark, overseeing the equipment, powered up the machinery.

"10%… 20%… 30%..." an assistant read off the increasing power levels from the gauges.

The light inside the chamber intensified, obscuring Steve from view. Only Thor, focusing intently, could make out Steve clenching his teeth, determined not to cry out in pain.

"40%… 50%…"

An assistant monitored Steve's vitals. "Heart rate has increased, but he's stable," they reported. This was already beyond any previous test subjects.

Thor glanced at a government official beside Howard Stark. This man's cold, glassy eyes gave Thor pause. He recognized the HYDRA agent, though no one else seemed to have noticed him yet.

Howard, mistaking Thor's glance for interest in the process, explained, "They say the pain at 30% feels like giving birth, and at 40%, well—it's like getting kicked right in the—"

Everyone grimaced, throwing Howard a look that clearly said, How would you know that, exactly?

Thor chuckled to himself. Like father, like son. Howard Stark may look polished, but he's just as much of a character as Tony. Too bad he…

Thor's thoughts were interrupted by a sudden, familiar voice in his mind:

"Drip! Congratulations, Host, for discovering the 'Eternal Secret' Mission Branch 2. Complete all branches to finish the mission!"

"Branch 1: Completed!"

"Branch 2: Save Howard Stark from being killed by the Winter Soldier in the future!"

"Branch 3: Not unlocked. Explore further."

Thor barely had time to process this before the power level reached 60%, and Steve's composure finally broke. His scream echoed through the lab.

"AAAAAHHHHH—!"

Howard paused, hesitating, while Dr. Erskine's voice rang out in concern. "Steve, can you hear me? We can stop this right now!"

"No! Don't stop! I can take it!" Steve yelled through gritted teeth, his voice fierce and determined.

"70%… 80%… 90%!" The screams grew louder, and for a tense moment, it seemed like Steve might collapse.

Howard glanced at Dr. Erskine, who was about to call it off. "Steve, is it too much?" he asked, worry etched into his face.

But before the doctor could stop the experiment, Thor interrupted. "Wait!" he called out. "He can do it—keep going!"

Seeing the strain on Steve's face, Thor knew he wanted to push through. With no other way to get his point across, Thor activated a subtle influence, a skill he'd picked up from the mission involving Loki: Master of Lies—a subtle aura that made people trust his words more easily. To ensure success, he even sprinkled in a touch of magic, something he'd learned from his mother. It wasn't as refined as Loki's, but it was more than enough for the mortals in the room.

Howard, sensing Thor's conviction, resumed the process and increased the dose for the final push.

100%.

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