Allies front lines.
The operational meeting has just concluded.
On the sand table, the blue arrows symbolizing victory have driven Hydra's red markers into Extremis.
But the atmosphere in the meeting room was more oppressive than after any previous crushing defeat.
"The supply depot outside Dresden was completely destroyed. Well done, Soldier Boy! Although... the accompanying report mentioned civilian casualties in several villages, that's an inevitable cost of war."
"Cost?"
Steve Rogers stepped out from the corner.
His clear, deep blue eyes, enhanced by the " Rebirth " potion, were burning with raging fury.
He stared intently at the " God of War " leaning against the wall, idly trimming his nails.
"Your fighting style was too reckless."
"Your attack affected three neighboring villages, causing hundreds of civilian casualties."
"They are innocent!"
The Soldier Boy blew away imaginary dust from his fingernails.
The captain's questioning seemed less important than the little bit of dirt under his fingernails.
The generals around them exchanged glances, not daring to utter a sound.
Finally, the Soldier Boy turned around.
He looked at everyone present with the same laziness one would give a country bumpkin visiting the city for the first time.
Only then did they turn their attention to Steve.
"Innocent?"
There are no innocent victims in war.
"They live on enemy land, breathe enemy air, and eat food grown by the enemy; therefore, they are my enemies."
He took two steps forward, casually picked up a glass of whiskey from the table (whose glass it was), and swirled it around.
"This is war, sweetheart, not some fucking game!"
"My mission is to win, not to hand out candy to those Germany. Am I supposed to airdrop cakes and flowers and ask them if they want to surrender peacefully?"
"They are civilians, not soldiers!"
Steve's voice rose a few decibels.
Anger ignited in his azure eyes.
"We came to liberate them, not to Carnage them! How is your behavior any different from that of Hydra?!"
"The difference?"
The Soldier Boy finally looked him in the eye and drank the wine in his glass in one gulp.
That look was as if he were looking at an idiot who was so naive as to be beyond redemption.
"The difference is, I won. And you, you just clung to your ridiculous morality, playing in the mud with your brothers in the trenches."
He took a step forward.
His tall stature created an extremely strong sense of oppression.
"Don't fucking try to teach me your Boy Scout rules, you little rascal."
"The reason you can stand here and boss me around is because I cleaned up all the trash in front of you."
"What you should do is kneel down and thank me, not bark at me like a mad dog."
"You..."
Steve clenched his fist.
He could not tolerate this disregard for life, nor could he tolerate this man's tarnishing of the name of hero!
This is not a hero at all!
This is a Butcher disguised as a hero!
"What? You want to attack me?"
The Soldier Boy's smile widened, tinged with cruel anticipation.
She even leaned her face closer.
"Dude, you don't actually think you built all those muscles yourself, do you?"
"Enough! You two, we are..."
An elderly army officer finally mustered the courage to try and smooth things over.
He certainly didn't want to see the country's two "nuclear weapons" accidentally detonate here.
But it was too late.
Steve moved.
The body, enhanced by the " Rebirth " serum, unleashed astonishing speed, and a straight punch, brimming with rage, slammed directly into the Soldier Boy's face!
The surrounding officers gasped in surprise.
The Soldier Boy's expression vanished, replaced by a cruel grin.
"Good timing!"
He did not dodge.
He didn't even bother to block with his hands.
He simply straightened his neck and took the captain's blow, which was infused with all his strength and rage, headfirst into his face!
"Bang!"
Steve felt as if his fist had hit a mountain; the recoil made his arm go numb.
The Soldier Boy simply tilted his head slightly to the side.
There wasn't even a red mark on his face.
He stuck out his tongue and licked the corner of his mouth.
"Is that all the strength you have?"
He said it in a tone of utter disappointment.
"You think scratching your itch isn't enough, you little rascal?"
The Soldier Boy, having finished his taunts, moved.
Even Steve's enhanced dynamic vision couldn't capture a clear trajectory!
A large hand grabbed Steve by the throat and lifted him off the ground!
Steve's feet were kicking wildly in the air.
He used all his strength to pry the Soldier Boy's fingers open, only to find that the hand was as hard as cast steel.
It remained completely still.
"You think you can be my equal just because Lynn gave you a new toy?"
The Soldier Boy brought Steve's face close to his own.
The scorching breath hit his face.
His eyes were filled with violence.
"Let me tell you, in my eyes, you'll always be that coward who needs to hide behind others!"
"Boom!"
He didn't even use much force; he just flicked it casually!
Steve's body was smashed through the conference room wall and fell into the hallway outside.
Smoke and dust filled the air.
In a corner not far away.
Jim Hammond, the Human Torch, stood quietly.
His orange-red pupils remained completely still.
His guide did not give any orders.
So he was just a spectator.
The Soldier Boy stepped out of the hole in the wall.
The leather boots made a "crunch, crunch" sound as they stepped on the gravel.
He was like a lion that had just taught its challenger a lesson, surveying its territory.
"Cough cough..."
Steve struggled to his feet from the rubble.
My throat burned, and a trickle of blood escaped from the corner of my lips.
He lost.
A complete and utter defeat.
He was far inferior in both strength and speed.
This is a gap that cannot be bridged by skill.
The Soldier Boy walked up to him, looked down at him, and stomped heavily on the star shield beside him.
"Click--"
The Vibranium shield did not shatter.
But the force caused the shield to sink deeply into the stone slabs of the ground.
"Remember this lesson, Radish Head."
"This world has always been ruled by force."
He withdrew his foot and looked down at Steve's face, which was covered in dust and blood.
"Women are the ones who reason."
After saying that, he let out a wild laugh and walked away without looking back.
All that remained was a disheveled Captain America and a deathly silent command post.