Hydra Base

"The Uchiha Clan's Great Fireball Technique and Konoha's Shadow Clone Technique... they really are tempting!"

After closing the panel, Li Chuan began weighing his options.

To be honest, his original goal had only been to rescue Dr. Smith. Hydra was an enormous organization, and provoking them would be troublesome.

But those two ninjutsu were simply too alluring.

Although the Great Fireball Technique seemed never to hit anyone in the story, Li Chuan felt that was merely for plot convenience, not because the technique was actually weak.

As the Uchiha Clan's most renowned Fire Release ninjutsu, the Great Fireball Technique had a wide attack range, tremendous destructive power, and low Chakra consumption.

Moreover, it was only C-Rank in difficulty and required just six hand seals.

Even a ninja as formidable as Itachi still used the Great Fireball Technique from time to time in battle.

Compared to the Fireball Jutsu Li Chuan currently knew, they were not even in the same league.

Li Chuan's Fireball Jutsu merely launched a fist-sized fireball. It was not particularly fast, and its power was average. Its only slight advantage was probably its relatively long range.

The Great Fireball, however, was truly great. If mastered properly, the fireball it expelled could be several times larger than a person. An ordinary house could likely be blown apart in a single strike.

As for the second technique, the Shadow Clone Technique, there was even less need to discuss it. It was Naruto's signature ninjutsu, a B-Rank Ninjutsu developed by the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju.

Unlike the E-rank Clone Technique, which merely created a false illusion, it could produce tangible clones. Once released, the clones' memories and experiences would return to the original body.

Once he mastered this ninjutsu, his chances of survival in the Marvel world would increase dramatically. He could send Shadow Clones to handle anything dangerous.

"But is it necessary to take this risk?"

After thinking it over, Li Chuan hesitated again.

With his current strength, infiltrating the Hydra Base and rescuing Dr. Smith would not be particularly difficult. But killing Baron Strucker and destroying the Hydra Base would not be so easy.

If he had no way of returning to the Naruto World, he would certainly risk everything to complete the missions and obtain the ninjutsu.

But now, as long as he settled in New York, he could return to the Naruto World for another six months. Completing some later side missions might even grant him more time.

And as long as he could go to the Naruto World, he would naturally have opportunities to obtain those ninjutsu.

"One step behind means falling behind at every step. If I don't dare take risks, how can I become stronger?"

Gritting his teeth, Li Chuan made his choice. He would complete all three side missions.

Neither Marvel nor Naruto was a peaceful, stable world. If he only played it safe and never dared to take risks, then when he truly encountered danger he could not resist, it would be too late for regrets over not having worked harder.

As someone who had spent years fighting Life-and-Death Boxing matches to surpass himself, Li Chuan did not lack an adventurous spirit.

The sooner he acquired new ninjutsu and became stronger, the greater the benefits he could gain from certain events in this world. Then, when he returned to the Naruto World, he would be even stronger and have more choices.

That would create a virtuous cycle.

Of course, everything had its limits. Taking risks that were clearly suicidal, with no chance of success at all, would simply be idiotic.

"Xiao Liu, tell Uncle Li to stop investigating. Have Xiao San and the others come back too."

With a plan in mind, Li Chuan got up and pressed the phone on his desk again.

Since he already knew from the panel that Hydra had taken Dr. Smith, there was naturally no need to waste any more time.

There were quite a few high-ranking officials and wealthy businessmen in Sokovia who had connections with Hydra. Any investigation could easily alert the enemy.

Over the past three years, aside from pursuing Wanda, restoring his own strength, and expanding his company, Li Chuan had also kept an eye on intelligence regarding Hydra.

Hydra had hidden so well not because they were truly that capable, but because everyone believed the organization had been destroyed by Captain America during World War II.

Furthermore, most of their public identities were S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents, government officials, wealthy businessmen, and the like.

For example, the base in the mountains outside Sokovia was officially listed as a military research base belonging to the Sokovian government. It was said to be connected to the Peacekeeping Force that had intervened during the Sokovian Uprising.

But Li Chuan was different. He had always known that Hydra still existed, and that the base was a Hydra Base. As long as he had people keep a close watch on it, they would naturally uncover plenty of clues.

At the same time, inside the Hydra Base in the mountains outside Sokovia.

A burly Hydra agent was reporting on his mission to Baron Strucker, who stood before him wearing a monocle and a black leather coat.

"My lord, through Hypnotic Interrogation, we have obtained the origin and formula of the Power Pill from Dr. Smith."

"Tell me."

Baron Strucker turned around with his hands clasped behind his back, an interested expression appearing on his face.

The burly Hydra agent lowered his head.

"According to Dr. Smith, the Power Pill was not developed by him alone. It was researched and produced based on a medicine called Reinforcement Cream, which Li Chuan, the owner of Li Group, provided.

"In terms of effectiveness, that Reinforcement Cream is far more potent at strengthening the body than the Power Pill."

"Interesting. Where did the Reinforcement Cream in Li Chuan's possession come from? Does he still have any in stock?"

The interest on Baron Strucker's face deepened.

The burly Hydra agent shook his head.

"The source is unclear. Dr. Smith said there was none left. The sample Li Chuan originally gave him was intended to allow him to reproduce identical Reinforcement Cream, but his abilities only allowed him to create something at the level of the Power Pill.

"After the sample was used up, he asked Li Chuan for more to continue his research, but received nothing."

After speaking, he glanced up at Baron Strucker and cautiously suggested,

"My lord, should I lead a team to bring Li Chuan in as well?"

"Not for now. Lock Smith up first, then hand him and the intelligence over to Garrett together. The terms of our current deal are only Dr. Smith and the Power Pill formula. As for what comes next... we'll see..."

Baron Strucker lightly waved his hand, rejecting his subordinate's proposal.

John Garrett was one of Hydra's upper ranks and also a Level Eight S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent. He was obsessed with experiments involving bodily modification.

Previously, through S.H.I.E.L.D.'s data intelligence, he had learned that the Power Pill, an extremely popular health supplement currently circulating on the market, could strengthen the body when taken over a long period.

He had then made a deal with Baron Strucker, offering intelligence on enhanced individuals in exchange for Strucker secretly sending people to capture Dr. Smith, the developer of the Power Pill.

Baron Strucker himself had no interest in physical enhancement. He was only interested in researching and developing superpowers, so he had agreed to the deal at the time.

As for the so-called Reinforcement Cream they had extracted now, along with Li Chuan, the true figure behind it, those were outside the scope of his deal.

Besides, kidnapping a scientist and kidnapping Sokovia's wealthiest and most influential entrepreneur were entirely different in both impact and difficulty.

Of course, if Garrett was willing to raise his offer, that would be another matter.