"General Patton once said, 'Wars depend on weapons, but victory depends on soldiers!' We will definitely win this war, because we have the finest soldiers!"
"The Strategic Scientific Reserve is composed of allied nations. The elite of the free world have gathered here! Our goal is to build the most powerful army in history! And every army needs a leader!"
"After this week, we will choose that person!"
"He will become the first Super Soldier!"
"And he will personally send Adolf Hitler to hell!"
"..."
The two-week recruit training had ended, and Colonel Phillips finally announced the selection plan for the "Super Soldier."
Holding Carter's score sheet, he looked toward Luke, who stood tall and straight.
The young man from Brooklyn had performed outstandingly as always.
Judging by his physical fitness and combined scores across every training exercise, he was unquestionably the top recruit at Caspian Training Camp.
This was the Super Soldier the nation needed!
Colonel Phillips thought with satisfaction.
Then, he happened to notice the frail and undersized Rogers and let out a helpless sigh.
Although Rogers trained diligently and never slacked off,
his naturally weak physique made even becoming a qualified soldier somewhat difficult.
"I really don't know what Erskine is thinking!"
Colonel Phillips was somewhat irritated.
He was under pressure from the committee, as well as scrutiny from the White House.
If the "Super Soldier" failed to satisfy the military, his career would be finished.
After all, the allied nations had invested enormous manpower and resources into establishing the Strategic Scientific Reserve.
Now, everyone was waiting for results!
"Super Soldier..."
After the speech ended, the formation was dismissed on the spot.
Many recruits had fiery looks in their eyes, murmuring those words under their breath.
"Boss Luke! Your performance is probably the best among all the recruits. The Super Soldier spot is definitely yours!"
Back in the barracks, Gilmore Hodge, who had been taught a lesson by Carter, said ingratiatingly.
In the original story, he was little more than a minor villainous character.
He often relied on his large build and hard fists to bully the skinny Rogers whenever he had nothing better to do.
However, things had changed after Luke arrived.
Hodge, who tried to gain satisfaction by bullying the weak, suffered the first crushing defeat of his life.
On the first night after arriving at Caspian Training Camp, Hodge, playing the villain, had planned to make Rogers the butt of a joke. Instead, Luke shoved his head into a toilet.
The fists Hodge considered so tough were nothing before Luke, who had beaten thugs, hacked at gangsters, painted houses, and lived a life full of experience. It was like a sheep meeting a lion—he had no ability to resist.
From then on, no one among the recruits dared provoke the Brooklyn duo again.
As for Hodge, whose head had been shoved into a toilet, he became Luke's devoted lackey.
Every day, he ran errands before and after Luke, calling him Boss like a shameless bootlicker!
Luke had once wondered whether the guy had masochistic tendencies, or whether water had gotten into his head when it was shoved into the toilet.
But later, he figured that bullies like Hodge, who picked on the weak and feared the strong, often believed in the simple logic that the biggest fist made the rules.
So, this kind of behavior was perfectly normal.
In short, Luke seemed to have unlocked the template of a king of soldiers and, without realizing it, had successfully dominated the entire Caspian Training Camp.
Not only did Colonel Phillips think highly of him, but wherever he went in the camp, people crowded around him.
"Use your head and think. If training scores and big muscles were the criteria for selecting a Super Soldier, why wouldn't the military simply choose someone directly from the regular army?"
Luke did not give Hodge a pleasant look.
After all, bootlickers got nothing!
"Yes, yes, yes! Boss Luke is absolutely right!"
Hodge forced a smile as he cleaned the barracks.
"Steve, don't lose heart! I think Dr. Erskine thinks very highly of you!"
After dismissing the fawning Hodge, Luke walked over to Rogers.
The future Captain America was somewhat dejected.
Seeing Luke's outstanding performance and then thinking of his own terrible scores, he could not help feeling discouraged.
"I never thought about becoming a Super Soldier, but I'm starting to wonder whether enlisting was the right choice. Maybe Bucky was right. If there are things you're destined to never accomplish, then giving up can also be a kind of courage!"
Rogers seemed to have reached the lowest point in his life, his tone full of uncertainty.
Through the training of the past few days, he had finally realized just how weak he was.
"I don't see it that way! Dr. Erskine must have discovered some admirable quality in you worth cultivating if he chose you and recruited you into the army! Confidence is the secret to success. Don't let temporary setbacks defeat you! A character of gold is more worth having than strong muscles..."
Luke served up a steaming bowl of motivational talk, filling Rogers with such vigor that his eyes lit up and his fighting spirit soared.
If he kept at it and tossed out a few more inspirational sayings from later generations, perhaps Captain America would start seeing him as a spiritual mentor.
"So reading more marketing fluff really can teach you something."
Seeing Rogers recover his spirited state, Luke let out a breath of relief.
After all, Captain America was an important part of his plan.
During the two weeks of recruit training, Luke had shown off without reservation and achieved excellent results.
Naturally, it was all to obtain the Super Soldier Serum!
But!
He had no intention of putting on the Stars and Stripes uniform and taking Captain America's place!
"Even if I become a Super Soldier, I'll still end up being used as a mascot by politicians! I don't want to go onstage, make my debut, and become some idol!"
Luke's thinking was very clear.
The military was researching the Super Soldier Serum.
Its true purpose was to build an invincible and powerful legion.
That way, they could drive straight ahead, push into Berlin, and end the war.
According to the original plot, Dr. Erskine was eventually assassinated, the only sample was destroyed, and the formula for the Super Soldier Serum was lost forever.
As the only Super Soldier, Rogers was far less useful on the battlefield than he was as a mascot selling war bonds—or so those politicians thought.
If Luke replaced Rogers and put on the Stars and Stripes uniform, his ending would probably be much the same.
If he chose another approach and saved Dr. Erskine,
then Super Soldiers would be mass-produced.
Luke would still have no future, because he would no longer be the special one.
Therefore, after considering the matter repeatedly,
Luke decided to show his outstanding side, strive to win Colonel Phillips' appreciation, and put more pressure on Dr. Erskine.
When there were two suitable candidates, perhaps the story would unfold differently.
As dusk gradually fell, Erskine found Luke while he was resting.
The German scientist got straight to the point.
"Colonel Phillips believes you are the best candidate for the Super Soldier program. Luke, what do you think?"
Feeling that scrutinizing gaze, Luke remained calm, his heartbeat steady.
"The qualities a Super Soldier should possess are not a strong body! He should understand compassion and possess a heart of reverence!"
Luke answered decisively without hesitation.
He could tell that Dr. Erskine was testing him.
The suitable candidate in the other man's heart had always been Rogers.
After the incident with the Red Skull, the German scientist had developed psychological trauma.
No matter how outstanding Luke appeared, he could not move Erskine as deeply as the words Rogers had spoken at the recruitment station.
"Then who do you think in the training camp meets those conditions?"
Erskine adjusted his glasses and asked hesitantly.
"My friend! Steve Rogers! His character is entirely worthy of trust!"
Luke's gaze was firm, as though he truly believed it in his heart.
Upon hearing that satisfying answer, the last trace of suspicion in Erskine's eyes vanished without a trace.
Originally, he had still harbored concerns over Luke's involvement with gangs and the strong possibility that his hands had been stained with blood.
He feared that after becoming a Super Soldier, Luke would become like the Red Skull and lose all humanity!
Because that was how the serum worked.
Good people became better, and bad people became worse!
"Very good!"
Erskine patted Luke's shoulder hard and smiled approvingly.
He and Colonel Phillips had originally held completely opposing views, and neither could persuade the other.
But Luke's answer completely dispelled Erskine's doubts.
With a solemn expression, he said, "The two of you will both become Super Soldiers!"
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