Is This the Power at the Limit of Human Strength?

"Die, you monster!"

The young agent before her raised a dagger, preparing for a desperate final struggle.

Natasha casually grabbed her arm, then twisted at the waist and lashed out with a whip-like kick that carried a fierce gust of wind, striking her squarely in the abdomen.

The next second, the young agent felt an immense force spread from her stomach through her entire body. Her empty stomach churned violently, and she vomited up water.

Her body flew through the air as if struck by a truck, her back slamming brutally into the wall before she lost consciousness.

Clap, clap, clap, clap!

As the young agent fell, two figures appeared at the end of the corridor, accompanied by applause.

"Like father, like daughter. You truly are my daughter!"

Alexei, walking in front, clapped with pride and satisfaction written all over his face.

"Natasha, your efficiency and ruthlessness make me proud. Come back. The title of strongest Black Widow belongs to no one but you!"

A flash of disgust crossed Natasha's face at Alexei's words.

"Not daughter—adopted daughter. And that was in the past. Also, don't say that Black Widow nonsense. It makes me sick."

After speaking, Natasha turned to look at Melina behind Alexei, the disgust on her face easing slightly.

"And what about you, my dear 'mother'? Have you come once again to push the 'daughter' you claim to love most into the abyss?"

Pain and guilt filled Melina's expression. She opened her mouth, seemingly wanting to say something.

But when she recalled the horrifying brainwashing process and her fear of Dreykov, all the words she wanted to say became a single apology.

"I'm sorry, Natasha. I had no choice..."

As though that were not enough, Melina repeated the motto that had deceived her for her entire life.

"Every pain you experience will make you stronger. Natasha, come back with us. These are merely hardships we must endure..."

But before she could finish, the deeply disappointed Natasha interrupted her.

"Enough! Put away your hypocrisy and false kindness, you coward! You weakling!"

She had once held expectations for her adoptive mother, but now it seemed Melina was no different from Alexei.

They were all doing it for themselves!

"Since Dreykov sent you to capture me, stop wasting your breath!"

Practically roaring, Natasha stomped both feet against the ground and charged toward them.

As she closed in, she used her momentum to kick off the wall, her right leg whipping toward Alexei's head with a howling gust of wind.

At the same time, she silently recited, "Spirits of the nine heavens, merge into my body. Golden Armored Warrior, manifest!"

This was the Spirit Invocation Into Body of the Ninety-Nine Heavens Spirit-Calling Art.

Though this move was powerful, that tremendous strength also placed a considerable burden on the body.

But Natasha believed it was worth it, because she had wanted to deliver this kick for a long time.

After all, with an idiot adoptive father who never considered anyone else's feelings, if she did not kick him a couple of times, he would never know who was boss!

As she finished reciting the incantation, an almost imperceptible golden light merged into Natasha's body.

At the same time, the loose clothes she wore tightened over her muscles, and her foot left a dent in the wall.

Facing this vicious kick aimed directly at his vital point, Alexei grinned and arrogantly raised his left arm alone to block it.

He did not notice the change in the slightest, still judging Natasha's attack with a condescending attitude.

"A beautiful strike aimed straight for the weak point. Just like me—ruthless enough!"

"But my dear daughter, your old man is Russia's first super soldier, the man who once beat up Captain America!"

"Now, let me open your eyes and show you the power at the limit of human physical strength!"

After blocking the whip kick, Alexei planned to overpower Natasha and seize her directly.

That would not only display his strength as her father, but also avoid injuring Natasha as much as possible.

The idea was beautiful, but reality was cruel.

Smack—bang!

A pair of deafening impacts rang out in rapid succession.

As Alexei's left arm met the whip kick, he felt as if his left hand had been struck by a speeding locomotive!

Then his arm, along with his fist, slammed into his own left cheek. His entire body spun three hundred and sixty degrees seven or eight times in midair before crashing heavily into the wall.

When he finally hit the ground, his eyes rolled back, and he slumped crookedly against the wall, unconscious.

Natasha stood where she was and tilted her head. "This is... the power at the limit of human strength?"

Silence—

That strike did not just leave Alexei stunned. Even Melina at the side and Dreykov behind the surveillance monitors were dumbfounded.

"Damn it, am I dreaming?"

"That bastard Alexei got knocked unconscious in one hit? He isn't putting on an act for me, is he?"

Hearing Dreykov mutter to himself, the messenger standing by swallowed and quietly reminded him.

"General, you aren't dreaming. I saw it too. Red Guardian really passed out."

"I don't need your reminder!"

Dreykov shot the messenger a vicious glare before picking up the headset and putting it on.

"Melina, wake Alexei with adrenaline, then inject him with a dose of Berserker Serum."

Melina frowned tightly at the voice coming through the headset.

"But the serum is still unstable. Even someone with Alexei's physique could die from it. And once he goes berserk, he'll kill Natasha!"

The Berserker Serum had been extracted and refined by the Red Room from the blood of those mutated plants and insects.

A single drop could make a soldier as strong as Alexei.

But this state was extremely unstable. The effects lasted only about three minutes, after which every organ in the human body would rapidly age and fail until death.

Though the side effects were severe, Dreykov never lacked soldiers.

If not for its extremely low production and inability to be mass-produced, he would have equipped everyone with it long ago to pursue his ambitions.

"Shut up!" Dreykov's furious voice came through the headset.

"Do as you're told. Don't worry about whether they live or die. Even corpses have research value!"

"I... understand." Melina's voice was low, yet it seemed as if she had made some kind of decision.

Dreykov seemed to hear something wrong in Melina's voice.

His expression darkened as he turned off the headset and gave the messenger an order.

"Notify them to prepare two doses of Berserker Serum. Inject them remotely into Alexei and Melina."

"As long as we survive this crisis, Russia will inevitably become great above the world once more!"

The terrifying strength Natasha had displayed had already made Dreykov's fear overwhelm his greed.

He no longer planned to gain anything from Natasha. He only wanted to preserve his base and research.

After all, if the Berserker Serum could be mass-produced or its side effects reduced, he would have enough to build a terrifying super army.

"General, I'll handle it right away!"

The messenger seemed to envision that scene as well. With excitement and fanaticism on his face, he jogged away.

But he did not know that Dreykov was no longer the Russian general he had once been.

Now, Dreykov only wanted to satisfy his own ambitions and become the master of the world.