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39.56% With Ope Ope no Mi in Hunter x Hunter / Chapter 108: Chapter 108: The Death of Whitehall (Part 2)

Chapter 108: Chapter 108: The Death of Whitehall (Part 2)

"Damn it! How could this be happening?" Sunil Bakshi cursed under his breath while shouting at his subordinates to move faster. The research lab at Roxxon Corporation was in a state of chaos. Not only were they trying to destroy sensitive Hydra documents, but they were also scrambling to save high-tech equipment. Many of these devices were cutting-edge and irreplaceable, causing Hydra considerable distress at the thought of losing them. These were painstakingly acquired by Hydra leaders like Alexander Pierce.

"Good thing I got here in time." Amidst the frantic evacuation, Daniel Davis apparated into the document storage floor of Roxxon's building.

"Who are you?" The sudden appearance of Davis startled the men burning the documents. They couldn't fathom how someone had just materialized in front of them.

Bang, bang, bang.

The only response they received was a volley of gunfire. Davis showed no mercy, taking down the Hydra agents while his left hand, holding a wand, extinguished the flames with a jet of water from the Aguamenti charm. 

Davis then opened a portal and used the Levitation Charm to float the heavy alloy document boxes through the portal to a predetermined safe location. He had been monitoring this place for a while but had delayed action to avoid arousing Hydra's suspicion. Hydra's meticulous secrecy was impressive—they preferred physical documents over digital records to prevent leaks, which helped them remain undetected for so long. Only Alexander Pierce's erasure of traces and Hydra's extreme caution kept them hidden.

Had Pierce not embarked on his ambitious Insight plan, even an eventual Hydra exposure wouldn't have been as comprehensive, and they might not have been fully unmasked. Hydra's motto, "Cut off one head, two more shall take its place," meant that even Red Skull was merely a branch of the broader organization. If all of Hydra's divisions had supported Red Skull during WWII, the outcome might have been very different.

"It's done. Let's go." Sunil, after ensuring that the key high-tech instruments had been loaded onto trucks, made a quick decision to leave behind the remaining equipment. They could always replace it later, even if it meant incurring additional costs.

Click. Just then, Sunil heard a distinctive, chilling sound—the sound of a grenade pin being pulled.

Boom!

Before Sunil could react, multiple blinding flashes erupted in the underground parking garage. When the light dissipated, all the Hydra members, including Sunil, were down. Their faces bore strange marks left by the blasts.

The serpent's fang poison grenade had a powerful paralyzing effect, inducing a sense of temporal disorientation. S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Coulson had once been affected by this type of grenade. Davis used it to immobilize all the Hydra members at Roxxon's facility, ensuring none could escape.

Given Hydra's secrecy, anyone working at Roxxon was a hardcore Hydra member. Davis intended to capture them all in one sweep.

"S.H.I.E.L.D. agents are arriving soon," Red Queen's voice alerted Davis, prompting him to stop what he was doing. He quickly opened a portal and dragged the paralyzed Sunil through it. Before leaving, he pressed a button.

Boom.

As the portal closed behind him, a massive explosion rocked the building. Davis had ensured complete destruction by using two missiles. When the dust settled, Roxxon Corporation's facility was reduced to rubble, leaving a deep crater in its place. Fortunately, the facility was in a remote area, so there was minimal collateral damage.

"What happened?" Fury, Carter, and Captain America, arriving in a Quinjet, saw the smoke from the explosion from a distance. As they landed and surveyed the ruins of Roxxon Corporation, Fury's face darkened, almost as if he could cry tears of frustration.

Carter and the Captain were equally dismayed.

"Damn it, who leaked this?" Fury roared, throwing his communicator to the ground in anger. It was clear that the enemy had been tipped off in advance. Despite their efforts to keep the operation covert, their plans had still been compromised. This meant the situation was even worse than Fury had anticipated.

"Damn it, who leaked this?" Across town, Alexander Pierce at S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Triskelion headquarters received the latest intelligence. He breathed a sigh of relief but then ground his teeth in frustration. Covering for Whitehall had cost him dearly.

The fact that Fury and Carter's operation had been compromised meant the penetration into S.H.I.E.L.D. was deep. Pierce almost wished Whitehall's faction would just disappear. He could easily eliminate Whitehall's group with his control over S.H.I.E.L.D. However, doing so would provoke retaliation from the other Hydra factions, a price he couldn't afford. Hydra's survival hinged on the cooperation and mutual cover-up of its divisions.

"Consider yourself lucky," Davis smiled at the sight of the now-Imperiused Sunil. Hydra's power was vast and could be exploited in numerous ways, which was why Davis had been content to leave them alone until now. But Pierce's actions had forced his hand, leading to Whitehall's downfall instead.

For Davis, the best move would have been to control Whitehall directly, reaping all possible benefits and perhaps eventually absorbing Hydra entirely. But he detested Whitehall and found easier targets like Alexander Pierce and Gideon Malick more appealing.

Sunil, on the other hand, could serve as a useful pawn. As Whitehall's close aide, Sunil could take over Whitehall's subordinates and become a new Hydra leader. Most Hydra leaders, except for the long-established Gideon Malick, rose to power this way.

"What went wrong? How was I exposed?" In a new hideout, Whitehall pondered where his security measures had failed. He had led a very low-profile life, even delegating Roxxon's management to Sunil, to avoid detection.

As Red Skull's right-hand man, Whitehall was a formidable figure, second only to Arnim Zola in intellect within Hydra. While Zola focused on technology, Whitehall pursued biological evolution in his quest for immortality, earning Red Skull's favor.

"You're back. Are you alright?" Whitehall's thoughts were interrupted as Sunil entered the room, causing Whitehall to raise his glass in a smile. But his expression quickly changed when he noticed a familiar figure following Sunil.

"Finally, we meet, Mr. Whitehall. Or should I call you Werner Reinhardt?" Davis, holding his wand in his right hand, lounged comfortably on a luxurious sofa across from Whitehall.

Despite being a temporary hideout, the place was more opulent than Davis's villa, which was valuable more for its location and size than its decor.

"It's you," Whitehall gasped, unable to believe his eyes. The presence of Davis, along with the now-stationary Sunil, revealed exactly where his plans had gone awry.

"Surprised?" Davis smiled.

"Sunil, I can't believe you betrayed me," Whitehall snarled at Sunil. He was convinced Sunil had leaked the intel; otherwise, how could such a well-hidden organization be compromised?

Whitehall knew that Hydra's selection process, especially for mid-to-high-level operatives like Sunil, was stringent and thorough. These operatives underwent multiple evaluations before being brought into Hydra, unlike the lower-tier members who were often brainwashed.

"He didn't betray you. He's merely under my control now, much like you would control others. Your swift evacuation was commendable, but Alexander's overzealous efforts may have backfired. Fury is not one to be taken lightly," Davis explained.

"How do you know that? Who are you?" Whitehall's calm facade shattered as he knocked over his wine glass, spilling expensive wine on his trousers, though he no longer cared about such trivialities.

"I know a lot of things. Hydra is quite a formidable organization, with former S.H.I.E.L.D. directors and ex-Security Council members in its ranks. No wonder you've managed to turn S.H.I.E.L.D. into your own branch office," Davis continued. 

"Gideon Malick, Baron Strucker, Dr. List—these names must ring a bell, right, Mr. Whitehall?"

"How do you know these names? Who are you really?" Whitehall's voice trembled. The names Davis had mentioned were the leaders of Hydra's major divisions. Capturing these individuals could dismantle Hydra once and for all, ending the endless cycle of "cutting off one head."

"You should know by now that I'm a wizard. Gathering information is one of my skills. Hydra seemed interesting at first, but why did you have to provoke me?" Davis said, causing Whitehall to regret his entire life's choices. If there was a way to take back his actions, he would. Never had he imagined that the mighty Hydra could be laid bare by someone.

"A star fell from the heavens long ago, bringing a gift of happiness to humanity. This legend, Mr. Whitehall, must be familiar to you," Davis smirked at the now-stunned Whitehall. Revealing this felt oddly satisfying to him.

"You know about that?" Whitehall's obsession with the so-called "blue angels" remained undiminished, even in the face of his downfall.

"It's understandable, given that you've devoted your life to this legend. You've been conducting experiments with the Obelisk, using humans as subjects, with no real breakthroughs. That is until you found someone who survived touching the Obelisk. You were thrilled, but then Peggy Carter showed up, capturing you and shattering your dreams.

"When you thought you'd rot away in a S.H.I.E.L.D. prison, Malick and Pierce rescued you. They even found that person who survived the Obelisk. You tracked

 her down and replaced your organs to regain your youth, becoming the man you are today. Am I right?"

"You...?"

"Wait, I'm not done. You're very interested in the blue angels, right? Let me tell you, they aren't angels but Kree, an alien race. They came to Earth and left behind a 'gift'—not happiness, but genetic experiments.

"The Kree were at war with another alien race and came to Earth seeking cannon fodder. Before they could finish their experiments, the war ended, and they left. The subjects of these experiments remained, passing on their altered genes, resulting in individuals with extraordinary abilities.

"The Obelisk is the key to unlocking these powers. Only the descendants of those experiment subjects can touch it and gain abilities. You got lucky finding someone with healing powers. By the way, she's still alive and seeking revenge. She's gathering a group of Inhumans to come after you. Imagine what would happen if I handed you over to her."

"That's impossible," Whitehall's face turned ghostly pale. He couldn't believe that the truth behind his lifelong pursuit was so grim.

"Nothing is impossible."

___________________

Read Ahead

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Chapter 109: Chapter 109: The Hulk (Part 1)

"In this world, even Norse mythology has been proven to be about aliens. So what's impossible?" Davis mused aloud. "The origins of Hydra itself are extraterrestrial. You're chasing after some 'blue angels', while Malick's faction is obsessed with resurrecting the so-called 'Hive', the original Hydra leader, to rule Earth. What a joke. Hive is just another Inhuman created by the Kree."

Davis shook his head slightly. The Malick family, immensely wealthy and powerful in the USA, had an influence that translated into significant political clout. Gideon Malick, a former member of the World Security Council, was a prime example of their reach. Yet, this powerful lineage had spent centuries chasing the phantom of Hive. It was baffling.

"I have to admit, sometimes effort does pay off. Malick did manage to bring Hive back. But he probably didn't expect Hive's first act would be to kill his daughter and then control the entire Malick family. Hydra's various schemes often seem like they're just setting themselves up for failure."

"Enough talk. It's time for you to go, Mr. Whitehall." Davis rose from his chair. At his gesture, Sunil Bakshi drew his pistol and aimed it at Whitehall.

"Wait, I can still be useful! You've seen my research." Whitehall panicked. While he could be ruthlessly cold in killing others, facing his own death was a different story. His fear of death was a primary driver behind his lifelong pursuit of immortality.

"I've seen it, indeed," Davis replied with a bemused smile. "But it's useless to me. Your research doesn't grant true immortality. It merely extends life slightly, something I can achieve without the need for Inhuman abilities."

Whitehall's panic deepened. He quickly offered, "I can work for you. With my help, you could control Hydra, even S.H.I.E.L.D."

"How amusing," Davis chuckled. "You seem to have forgotten what I said earlier. Controlling Hydra is trivial for me. If I wanted that, I wouldn't be here in this room right now. You were once the second-in-command of Hydra, and now look at you. Oh, I almost forgot to mention: your leader, the Red Skull, isn't dead."

"What?" The revelation that Red Skull was still alive shocked Whitehall more than his fear of death.

"Executing you now would be too easy," Davis said, approaching Whitehall and roughly yanking a clump of hair from his head. "Let me think... what's a fitting way to end your miserable life?"

Davis rummaged through his bag, pulling out a vial of potion. He poured some into a glass from the nearby liquor cabinet and added Whitehall's hair. Then, he handed the concoction to Sunil.

Polyjuice Potion, a magical brew from the Harry Potter universe, transformed the drinker into another person. Although Davis disliked its taste and rarely used it, he kept a bottle for emergencies.

In the wizarding world, this potion was essential for Aurors and dark wizards alike. Properly prepared, Polyjuice Potion could last indefinitely and transform the drinker using a sample from the target, such as hair.

As Sunil drank the potion, Whitehall watched in horror as his assistant's appearance morphed into an exact replica of his own.

"The rest is up to you," Davis instructed.

"Yes, Master," Sunil replied, now a perfect double of Whitehall.

Davis then dragged the real Whitehall through a portal back to his underground laboratory. While he had initially planned for Sunil to take over after Whitehall's demise, the idea of using Polyjuice Potion presented a more immediate and effective plan. Sunil, equipped with intimate knowledge of Whitehall's operations, could impersonate him flawlessly for years. By then, Hydra's fate would likely be sealed.

"What are you doing?" Whitehall's voice quivered with terror. Strapped to an extended surgical table in Davis's lab, he watched as Davis, now donning a white lab coat and mask, prepared a syringe. Many times, Whitehall had stood where Davis stood now, conducting experiments on others. Now, he was the subject. The irony was not lost on him.

"Don't worry. I'm not as cruel as you," Davis said, drawing several vials of blood from Whitehall. He set about analyzing them with a combination of modern instruments and the powers of the Ope Ope no Mi, the Devil Fruit from the One Piece universe that granted him control over spatial manipulation and surgical precision.

"No wonder Whitehall looks so youthful. It's all because of this," Davis murmured as he deciphered Whitehall's modified physiology. Within a few days, he synthesized a new serum.

"Time to enjoy the fruits of your labor," Davis said, injecting the serum into Whitehall. A large mirror was positioned above the table, allowing Whitehall to witness the effects firsthand.

"What did you do to me? No, this isn't me! This can't be me!" Whitehall's screams filled the room as his body rapidly aged. His once youthful visage crumbled into that of an ancient, decrepit man. His hair fell out, and his teeth loosened and dropped.

"How does it feel to be your real age again?" Davis asked, his voice cold. Whitehall's eyes, now cloudy with age, could barely move to focus on him.

"This is your well-deserved fate. Goodbye, Mr. Whitehall." Davis activated the Mirror Dimension, isolating the section of the lab containing the now geriatric Whitehall. Using the powers of the Ope Ope no Mi, he severed the space around Whitehall's body and sent it into the Mirror Dimension, where he then incinerated him with Fiendfyre, a magical fire that consumed all in its path.

"I wonder how things are at S.H.I.E.L.D. now," Davis mused a few days later. Sunil, still undiscovered, had fled the USA to lay low in another country. Without direct agents inside S.H.I.E.L.D., Davis had no immediate updates on their internal situation.

However, the fact that Alexander Pierce remained unscathed suggested that even this significant disruption hadn't toppled him. Fury might harbor suspicions, but without solid evidence, he had little recourse.

It wasn't surprising, really. Few would suspect someone like Pierce, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, to be a Hydra operative, let alone that most of S.H.I.E.L.D. was infiltrated by Hydra. Had Pierce not feared arousing Fury's suspicion, he could have replaced every S.H.I.E.L.D. member with Hydra agents.

Ultimately, Davis lost interest in S.H.I.E.L.D.'s plight. Even Fury, with all his cunning, couldn't reverse S.H.I.E.L.D.'s fate at this point. The best outcome would be for both S.H.I.E.L.D. and Hydra to collapse together. S.H.I.E.L.D. had rotted to its core and needed to be dismantled to allow for a fresh start. Any reformation would likely be very different from the original agency.

In the original storyline, S.H.I.E.L.D. split into factions post-collapse: one led by Coulson and another co-opted by the US government, turning S.H.I.E.L.D. into a national, rather than international, intelligence entity similar to the FBI or CIA.

"You go back and wait. I'll notify you as soon as the analysis is complete." On a brighter note, Davis had recently received samples of the Veronica Virus from Krauser, who had managed to acquire them with help from Leon and his romantic escapades.

"So, this is the Veronica Virus? Quite different from the G-virus, but with a similar end result," Davis noted. All these viruses aimed to enhance human physical capabilities: strength, speed, reflexes, and regeneration. Compared to the G-virus, the Veronica Virus had more dramatic effects, such as using blood to ignite flames. For a normal person, burning blood would be fatal due to blood loss, but those enhanced by the Veronica Virus could quickly regenerate their blood supply, surviving even significant blood expenditure.

The Veronica Virus also granted the ability to control others infected by the virus, a trait derived from its ancient queen ant DNA.

While powerful, this control was practically useless in human society unless one chose to live among infected creatures. In essence, it was a tool for commanding zombies.

"The fifteen-year incubation is to eliminate the queen ant's consciousness. Marcus's work with the Queen Leech Virus seems quite advanced compared to this." Davis reflected on Marcus's revival, which involved the Queen Leech assimilating Marcus's memories. The Veronica Virus, if not fully integrated, would have a similar effect.

"This is like the tale of Zhuangzi dreaming of a butterfly, uncertain whether he was a man dreaming of a butterfly or a butterfly dreaming of a man."

"Too bad it's of no use to me." Being already enhanced by the T-virus, the Veronica Virus offered no additional benefits to Davis.

"Oh, the Hulk is out," Red Queen's voice interrupted Davis's musings with news footage showing a green monster rampaging through a university campus.

"Wonder if my Ope Ope no Mi powers can cut through the Hulk," Davis pondered. Watching tanks and helicopters being turned into scrap metal by the Hulk made him curious. 

So far, Davis had only encountered one instance where his Ope Ope no Mi abilities were ineffective—against the Ghost. And, if considering beings like the Ancient One or Thor's Mjolnir, there were indeed others who might resist his power.

In theory, the Ope Ope no Mi should be able to cut through the Hulk since his defenses were physical. However, given that Hulk's transformation involved the Space Stone's

 energies, it was possible that he might have an inherent resistance, akin to Haki's properties from the One Piece world.

Over the years, Davis had tried to develop Haki, considering its potential existence alongside Devil Fruits. Yet, he had made no progress, not even with basic Observation Haki.

"Perhaps someday I'll visit the One Piece world and see if there can be two Ope Ope no Mi fruits." Davis often pondered this question due to the presence of the Devil Fruits and his dimensional travels. He also wondered if his powers would be affected by the seawater from that world. He had tested them in various oceans, including those in Marvel, Harry Potter, and the world of giants, with no adverse effects.

"General Ross is such an idiot. Given a winning hand, he managed to turn it into a disaster." Davis thought. The Hulk was Ross's creation, yet he hunted him. This scenario reminded Davis of countless movies where labs created monsters only to end up battling them, skipping negotiations altogether. It puzzled him why they created these beings if they were just going to destroy them.

If Ross had opted to negotiate, Bruce Banner, given his relationship with Ross's daughter, Betty, would have likely cooperated. Instead, Ross's relentless pursuit handed Fury an opportunity. The Hulk's strength was immense, capable of pummeling Loki, the God of Mischief, into submission.

Among the Avengers, only Thor could match the Hulk in a fight. Iron Man and even the super-soldier Captain America were outclassed. Though the original Avengers lineup featured Iron Man, Captain America, and Thor, the true powerhouses were the Hulk, Thor, and Captain Marvel.

Yet even the Hulk eventually found himself overpowered by Thanos, leading to a crisis of confidence that kept him from reemerging.

___________________

Read Ahead

P@treon.com/Mutter


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