The S.H.I.E.L.D. agents were horrified to see that the Winter Soldier, despite taking a direct hit from an anti-materiel rifle, remained completely unscathed.
Francis Angle, the Level 5 agent in charge, immediately realized that the Winter Soldier was likely beyond the capabilities of conventional weaponry. If an anti-materiel rifle couldn't threaten him, the small-caliber pistols carried by his team wouldn't even count as a tickle.
"Everyone, maintain your distance! Snipers, suppress the enemy from long range. Wait for reinforcements!" Francis Angle barked out orders based on his judgment.
The armored figure before them was clearly not something a small squad of agents could handle. At the very least, they currently lacked any weapon capable of piercing his defenses. Angle decided to stall for time rather than engage head-on, using the distance advantage of long-range fire to restrict the Winter Soldier's movement.
The Winter Soldier was hit repeatedly by the snipers. Though he took no damage, his advance was hampered. Whenever he tried to move toward Kent or the S.H.I.E.L.D. vehicles, a heavy round would strike him, forcing him back.
"S.H.I.E.L.D. personnel?!" Dr. Zola identified the origin of the interlopers. "They realize the Winter Soldier's defensive strength, so they have no intention of getting close. Using long-range fire to pin him down—a wise move indeed." There was a hint of approval in his voice, but it was largely overshadowed by indifferent contempt.
"But did you really think that a Shocker-enhanced soldier would have no long-range capabilities?"
The Winter Soldier suddenly stopped and stood perfectly still. The S.H.I.E.L.D. agents found this strange but felt a wave of relief and ceased fire. After all, he was a monster immune to anti-materiel rounds; while the kinetic energy could stagger him, their ammunition was finite, and their rifles couldn't fire indefinitely. If the Winter Soldier chose to give up his assault, it was for the best.
Furthermore, the more time they stalled, the better it was for S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Angle had already called for reinforcements from headquarters, and it wouldn't be long before they arrived.
Francis Angle leaned against a car door, looking through his binoculars at the stationary Winter Soldier. He saw the soldier's metal arm begin to shift, transforming into a long, menacing barrel.
Can this guy actually attack from range? Angle wondered to himself with growing dread.
An orange glow began to build across the Winter Soldier's body. Intense thermal energy was absorbed and condensed through the vibranium in his system, then funneled into the barrel formed by his mechanical arm.
"Look out! Get down! Incoming projectile!" Angle shouted as a searing energy orb shot from the Winter Soldier's arm toward their position.
The energy blast struck a S.H.I.E.L.D. vehicle. Like a white-hot iron ball through plastic, it melted the car's outer shell, punched into the interior, and detonated. A massive explosion followed, sending fire and smoke billowing into the sky.
Francis Angle scrambled up from the ground, wiping the grit from his face. His expression darkened as he saw several agents mangled and bloodied by the blast.
"Damn it! What kind of monster is this?!"
"Snipers, open fire! Maintain suppression! Don't let him keep targeting the convoy!"
"Tend to the wounded!"
Angle roared his commands. The snipers hidden in the shadows immediately opened fire, disrupting the Winter Soldier's aim. Subsequent high-energy blasts missed the convoy, instead carving charred craters into the desert floor.
"Long-range snipers are indeed a nuisance..." Zola said softly. "While I've locked onto their positions, it would take considerable effort to move over and eliminate them all one by one. And there's no point."
"Forget it. We've put the Winter Soldier's various combat modes through a live application. There's no need to tangle with these S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. We can end the operation here."
The Winter Soldier retracted the barrel. Chains extended from his metal arm, shooting toward Kent nearby. Kent watched the chains bind him; a sharp glint flickered in his eyes, but he didn't move. Instead, he feigned exhaustion, giving a token struggle before allowing the Winter Soldier to pull him in.
Just as he was dragged to within two meters of the Winter Soldier, Kent suddenly erupted. The driver at his waist spun frantically. He pushed the power derived from Mjolnir to its absolute limit. Massive energy gathered in his legs as he launched a kick toward the Winter Soldier, wreathed in lightning and hurricanes.
The "Thunder God Power" within him was the key to his control over electricity. When he had lifted Mjolnir, he had received this power due to Odin's enchantment. While it only contained fragments of universal laws—hardly comparable to the true lightning laws Thor would eventually awaken—it was still incredibly potent.
The reason Kent's injuries had healed faster than Zola predicted earlier was also due to this power. Now, in a desperate strike, Kent poured his entire being into this kick, including every drop of his divine lightning.
Though Kent's power was merely fragmented laws, the "intent" behind those laws was something vibranium could not simply absorb or block.
The Winter Soldier took the full force of Kent's surprise Rider Kick.
Vibranium could absorb the lightning, the kinetic energy, and the heat. But the divine power and the "will" Kent had placed into the kick bypassed the physical defense.
The chains binding Kent automatically slackened as the Winter Soldier stumbled back two steps. His eyes grew vacant and confused. "Who... am I...?"
Dr. Zola's face changed instantly. "How is this possible? The Winter Soldier's control programming was actually affected?!"
"This power can penetrate vibranium's defense?!"
Dr. Stern looked at the readings on the screen; the Winter Soldier's behavior was beginning to deviate from his settings. "We should recall the Winter Soldier immediately," Stern suggested. "Otherwise, not only will we fail to capture No. 1, but we might lose control of the Winter Soldier as well."
Zola remained silent for a moment. "Fine. Have the base's main control system take over the Winter Soldier's programming directly. Direct him to return to the nearest outpost and cease all actions. We will perform a re-indoctrination immediately."
"Vibranium couldn't fully absorb it... Is this the divine power of myths?" Dr. Stern looked at the mysterious energy readings inside the Winter Soldier with awe.
"We didn't capture No. 1, but the Winter Soldier's body has collected data on this suspected divine lightning power," Dr. Zola's eyes gleamed. "It seems to affect the psyche. Aside from damaging the internal structure, it stimulated the Winter Soldier's mind, creating a trend toward breaking his brainwashing."
(End of Chapter)