Chapter 9: Fulcrum

 

Harlem, New York 

Volume 1: Origin

 

He was holed up inside an electronics store; the alarm was quickly disabled upon breaking in, nothing too difficult for his burgeoning skills. He wasn't a hero, nor would he cause needless harm. With his reasoning solid, he helped himself to an assortment of electronic items. He had some ideas and his progressing persona proficiency had further opened his Jason Todd abilities. He felt his alignment shift. The System was progressing with him. He felt like his first Persona was a Foundation of sorts for his future. 

 

'It's time to check these notifications.' His intuition told him something new was happening. He pulled up the first notification without pause.

 

System Message: The host has achieved a significant percentage in the foundational Persona. 

Rewards: Advanced System functionality Unlocked. 

 

Cole chuckled loudly. Intuition was undefeated! He had theorized the The system would award him exceptionally.

 

System message: Villainous Mutate Bruiser Crippled. Tarantula Cartel relationship: Enemy. Rewards: +Hero alignment. $10,000. Batman's Utility Belt. 

 

The system naming sense was spot on. A cold dark glimmer flashed in his eyes before disappearing just as quickly. 'What if I killed him? What would my reward have been?' They were enemies now. The fact they worked with his parents' killers was already unforgivable. No doubt they would seek to kill him and his, making this morally satisfactory to punish them! 

 

He couldn't help but wonder where Frank Castle is in his origin. He thought of the wrathful Punisher because of the Four Mafia Families being active in recent events. The man in question should be retiring which means his family would die soon. 

 

Cole had thought about changing things, saving some but he didn't do it, he wasn't sure what would occur if he altered some to an extreme sense, he ultimately decided against it. He was an outlier. He would let the world be what it was fated to become. Also, he wondered what ripple effect his hands would have on time continuity, but he can honestly say he wasn't sure of the timeline or the version of reality he was inside the Marvel verse. 

 

System message: Villainous Mutant Martial Artist Stalemate. Rewards: +Hero alignment. $3,500. Nith-Promethium Katana. 

 

Interesting. He has knowledge of the metals, one was used by Hawkman and Hawkgirl the other was a staple of Slade Wilson or his moniker Deathstroke. He removed the blade from his inventory, the sheath was made from some unknown leather and had to be special, to hold such a powerful blade. He pulled it from the sheath enough to catch the unblemished blade. He tapped the blade with his thumb, barely, just to see the cutting power, he hissed in pain and astonishment, just a tap had almost cost him the tip of his thumb, and the painful sensation that followed made him wince as his healing factor fought with whatever hidden properties the blade held. This was the culmination of two of the most potent metals. He couldn't recall either of them ever being combined but he was thankful nonetheless. 

He sheathed the blade but didn't dismiss it. He had assumed he won their exchange, yet the system decided otherwise, fortunately he was awarded something miraculous, if he had won what would the reward have been?

He couldn't wait to meet that man called Gorgon, he felt the battle could have pushed his persona to a hundred percent. The battle was so quick that he barely recalled it. Both were moving at hyper speeds. The next time he hoped to unlock a second Persona and utterly crush the man. He could get addicted to the rewards from the System. Batman's utility belt was already a boon to anyone, and the Katana would be a staple weapon of his arsenal. Nth metal and Promethium both held mystical properties, the two combined could be on par with Uru or the other supreme godly metals he was aware of. 

 

System Message: Heroic Mutate Incapacitated. Relationship with Daredevil and his Allies: Dislike. Rewards: $12,000. Scarecrow's Fear Toxin. Intimidation Ability 

 

'I see how it is. The System tailors rewards based on action and events.' He didn't know if the crimson-suited man was intimidated by his appearance or the brutality. He could admit the Red Hood costume wasn't awe-inspiring, and Batman was possibly the single most Intimidating hero in JSA. 

 

Curiosity got the best of him, and he perused The System store. He had a tab now in the store under Specialty. The objects in question prices are astronomical, like the hideout or Wayne Mansion; even Lex Corp was under the tab. As he assumed, the new function he received opened up other options for purchase.

 

He had a feeling that if he purchased a building, it would retroactively exist here. There would be no miraculous building growing downtown. This power of The System could rewrite time and memory. He balled his hands and reminded himself. He needed time and an enemy to progress. He could defeat anyone, anything with preparation. 

 

He would need the specialized rebreather mask and the chemical-resistant suit for his safeguards. He scrolled through the option of the system before coming onto what he was looking for. [Scarecrows Gear] was now purchasable, which he did. He could defeat, dissuade and manipulate weaker foes without raising a hand with the Basic [Fear Toxin]. The more advanced version was astronomical, especially the Fear-Venom combination, which was Bane's venom combined with the fear toxin, it made the user fearless and greatly increased their strength. 

He couldn't afford Todd's more mechanized powered suit, the one he wore in the Arkham video game. He got another feeling that it would become a lot cheaper when he achieved 100%. 

He checked the remainder of his notifications, some were the goons he disposed of but the most eye-catching were relationship notifications. The FBI is suspicious of him, and S.H.I.E.L.D is Curious. He honestly preferred The Hand relationship as Mutual destruction. But what caught his eyes was the one for HYDRA. He knew The Hand and HYDRA worked together, but for them to actively search for him so soon meant a closer relationship than he suspected. 

 

He needs to look at his newer System Interface and the updates. 

 

Name: Cole Stephens

Known Name: Jeremy York

Race: Inhuman Mutant

Alias- Red Hood

Alignment: -Neutral

System-Bank: $35,870

Persona(s)Jason Peter Todd- Red Hood 79%|100%

He stood stock still as he observed the screen before his eyes. He was now an inhuman mutant? Was that an actual thing or was it the system? Inhumans were the byproduct of a genetic experiment by the Kree and Mutants were an evolutionary improvement of humanity he could vaguely remember the reason the Kree experimented was because of human mutations but he wasn't sure and shelved the thought. He already knew the system was beyond his understanding and any additional upgrades to his person would be beneficial, the system wasn't weakening him but making him powerful through the reward system and his own hard work. 

 

Attributes

 

 

• Intelligence: +Moderate Tier 2

• Strength: +Moderate Tier 2

• Speed: -Moderate Tier 2

• Durability: -Moderate Tier 2

• Energy Projection: +Potential Tier 1

• Fighting Skills: +Advanced Tier 2

 

 

Gear-Inventory

 

• Red Hood Costume

• Batman Utility Belt

• Scarecrow Gear

• Orichalcum Knives 

• Nth-Promethium Katana

• Dual Pistols [9mm Glocks]

• Fear Toxin 

• Smoke Grenade

• Pocket Explosives

• High Powered Taser

• Bulk Medical Bag

• Bulk Duffle Bag [Electronics]

• Unknown Suitcase

 

 

Abilities

 

• [Latent] X-Gene

• [Unexposed] Terrigenesis 

• [+1] Holder of the Hero-Villain System.

• [+1] Enhanced Investigation.

• [+1] Skilled marksman and expert tactician

• [+2] Skilled martial artist and hand-to-hand combatant
• [+1] Understanding and Utilization of high-tech equipment and weapons.

• [+2] Enhanced strength, speed, and durability due to exposure to the Lazarus Pit and your latent mutant and inhuman metamorphosis.

• [+1] Inhuman Optimal Healing Factor: Granted by the system, you can heal from extreme mental or bodily trauma in minutes.

• [Limited] Intimidation: Your presence alone instills instinctual fear into lesser beings. This may cause individuals to be manipulated by you through fear. This ability is considered a mutant ability.

 

 

He liked the new interface and reminded him of the comics when the writer retconned all previous work to tell a better story. The System is a wonder. Inner musing halted as he sensed the doctor's stirring. He peered from behind the security bars and stained window one more time and made his way over, having deposited the doctor inside a room with a rollout bed hours prior. 

 

Dr. Kaito Mishimoto

 

Ph.D. Kaito Mishimoto's eyes fluttered open as he took in the small dank room that smelled of sweat and cigarettes. They have been captured again. He felt shame in his incessant dealings and insatiable thirst pertaining to human evolutionary pathways. 

He sat upright and placed his head in his hands, sobbing silently, his body wracked with grief. He shouldn't have trusted the masked vigilante. He sought to protect his children, especially after what that awful man did to his precious Haruki. 

He wiped his face and took stock of the situation, particularly his condition; he was sore and bruised but amongst the living. Small blessings were a considerable part of his life nowadays. He was surprised by the medical attention. At least The Hand wanted him healthy to continue his work on the super serum. He winced. 'I spoke too soon,' he chided himself internally. 

Kaito Mishimoto stood up and yelped In surprise. "Who are you!" He paddled backward, landing back on the cot, his back firmly planted against the wall. 

The unnamed armored individual glared, not moving from his relaxed position against the wall. Kaito stared at the entrance and realized it wasn't locked at all. 

"You're with the Daredevil? What do you want now? I trusted the plan and looked at where that got me. They got my kids, my beautiful children." He sobbed uncontrollably as he realized he wasn't captured but sequestered away, and his kids weren't anywhere in sight. 

"Are you done?" The red armored man said unemotionally. I looked up at him, my fist balled, but his eyes landed on my hands, and he pushed from the wall, readily watching and waiting. I unclenched my hands and placed them to my side. 

"I'm not sure you understand the situation,” he said to me. “First off, I'm not working with anyone, and secondly, your children are safe, there at The Barrow Motel in Harlem.”

He raised his armored hand to stop me. He folded his arms and leaned back against the wall, and continued. 

"No. I'm not after you, nor do I care who you are or was to The Hand.” The last words came out hard and guttural. “I only saved you because of," he paused, contemplating, his eyes peering into me, before continuing. "I had a mission. I needed to complete it. That's all. Understand?" 

American soldier, perhaps. I stood to thank him properly, but he motioned for me to remain seated. I nodded my head as a smile stretched across my face—good news. 

"Tell me why are The Hand after you, and what do you know about the men known by Gorgon and Tarantula." He questioned. 

Unperturbed, he continued. "Does HYDRA mean anything to you? Four Mafia families. The Yakuzas, Triads."

'HYDRA? I had never heard of such an organization. Yakuzas, Triads are they active in America? And these Four Mafia Families don't ring a bell. What is he talking about?' 

"I'm not aware of HYDRA nor the Four Mafia Families. The HAND was my employer, which I didn't know I had until it was too late. They approached me under a plot of a well-meaning third party buying my trust by getting me away from a shadow organization," he shook his head in exasperation. "They were the very same organization they claimed to be against. All a ruse to get me to America where they could exploit me without consequence." 

"Did the shadow organization go by another name, or are you certain it was The Hand." He asked me.

I shook my head. "I'm not a hundred percent, but I noticed similarities surrounding the supposedly two organizations," I answered honestly. 

"Can you take me to my family?" 

"After you satisfy my curiosity about the organization, then I'll take you to them." 

"What were you working on?"

Kaito said uneasily. "It's best if you stop the questions there. I'm thankful you helped me, but I don't think you understand what's out there." 'Who is this guy?' what's he playing at? He doesn't think he can stop them, does he?'

I tried to scare him with the unknown. He didn't want these people after him, and gods forbid he found out about the [Super Soldier Serum], his family and friends would be murdered to ensure the information wasn't leaked.

He shook his head. To my stunned surprise, a suitcase appeared in his hands. He went to open it, and I soon realized why it looked familiar.

"Don't!" I screamed as I lunged forward. The suitcase opened. I froze. It didn't explode? The briefcase had a biological lock and enough military-grade explosives to level the block. 

"Impossible! How did you get around the technology? I'm almost certain the actual technology behind it is years ahead of what you could get your hands on, and I dare say, the American thinkers don't even know of its existence." 

He looked inside the suitcase briefly before he turned it toward me. 

"Is this supposed to be the [Centipede Super Soldier Serum]? Were you attempting to recreate Dr. Abraham Erskine's Super Soldier Serum for HYDRA?" He asked as the red vials glowed in the dim light of the room.

I was Dumbstruck by his information. "It's too late then,” I  slumped back down into the cot as it screeched in protest. "That's not the original serum. Erskine thankfully died with the formula. That sample was taken from a sample of blood, blood supposedly belonging to the original subject." I said slowly. 

"Kree blood? He mumbled, staring at the vials.

'I didn't quite hear him. I looked at the man before me and realized he knew a lot of Top secret information that people had died over. Did he say Kree?' 

I explained everything I knew about the original project, Centipede, and the Deathlok project, which is being shadow-funded by the US military. 

He made the suitcase vanish but not before removing two of the twenty vials and handing them over. He was a mutant and one with an extraordinary ability. I took them from him but wondered what he wanted from me.

 "Listen, If they can manufacture this much from the original, then we're talking about hundreds of super-soldiers running around." My gut twisted at the thought. 

"Are you aware of the Avenger Program, Doctor?” 

“No. I've never heard of that.” I replied. 

He nodded at my admission. “I would like you to work for me. I want you to perfect and continue your work. Everything will be funded by me and I can offer you protection, others can't even begin to understand. Not only will your kids be safer but I will hamper, stop and eventually destroy The Hand.” 

I didn't immediately respond. He was offering me something I definitely wanted. All I had was my research and my children and if I could complete this serum my children could protect themselves. 

“You alone? Is there someone behind you?” I asked him.

“I’m all you need Dr. Go to ground and leave the outside world to me.”

Just who did I get entangled with? 

Cole Stephens

 

After reuniting the doctor with his children, I made my way back to the orphanage. The serum being manufactured earlier than expected didn't change anything—super-soldiers weren't even a remotely dangerous threat to the global population. 

HYDRA and The HAND were working together. My intuition told me HYDRA had taken over or gotten members inside the upper ranks of the mythical shinobi organization. Better yet, they had superimposed their agents amongst the Five Fingers, but I wasn't too keen on that feeling because The Hand has an actual demonic presence behind them. 

Cole arrived back at the orphanage at 4 AM without a mishap and scaled the side of the building, and entered through the lone attic window. 

He yawned and plopped in bed. Like the first night he felt his body needed a reset.