Half a month later
Inside the villa, in a basement full of advanced technology that shouldn't exist in today's era.
Morgana, in a lab coat, stands in front of the workbench, holding a folder while staring at it thoughtfully.
---
[Super Soldier Serum (SSS) v24]
Description: An improved version of the original SSS formula.
Enhancements: Five times stronger than the original formula, Removes previous flaws, Minor enhancement of the X-gene, depending on the person who takes it, Semi-longevity (approximately 200 to 500 years)
Drawbacks: None
Compatibility: 99%
Enhancement Effect: 650%
Warning: Further improvement not recommended – the human body cannot withstand it and DNA structure begins to collapse.
---
After finishing reading, she picked up another folder and began reviewing it.
---
[Gen Lock]
Description: Inspired by the SSS formula
Enhancements: Unknown
Drawbacks: Unknown
---
Morgana rubbed her head from an imaginary headache as she stared at two different test tubes. In the end, she just sighed and slowly walked toward the living room above her.
While drinking wine and thoughtfully looking at the clear sky, memories from two weeks ago started to return.
Back then, in her villa, she began experiments through which she went through considerable difficulties or perhaps not.
During the first week, she experimented with the original formula, achieving unprecedented enhancement, almost ten times stronger than the current version.
However, everything went downhill when the first testing began. As for how she got the people for the tests, everything was through various connections she had. Even though she lost part of her wealth, for her, that was just a drop in the ocean of what she possessed.
But let's get back to the topic...
The first test ended in failure, the body couldn't handle it and simply exploded. Even now, when recalling that moment, Morgana feels sick to her stomach, as the image of the body inflating like a balloon and eventually exploding, covering her in blood from head to toe, returns to her mind.
After that mistake, she learned her lesson and since then, always stands behind protective glass during experiments.
As the days passed, she continued progressing with the experiments. From exploding human bodies, DNA collapse, unimaginable agony, and various accidents that followed the testing, all of it led to the current version of the serum with high compatibility.
Even though the new enhancement was only five times stronger than the original formula, compared to the original fifty times, Morgana didn't feel dissatisfied. She knew the problem wasn't the serum, but the human body, which simply wasn't capable of withstanding such power.
Out of a total of twenty-four attempts, twenty-three were failures, and only one was successful.
Morgana felt no sympathy for those used in the testing, she knew they were the worst scum of humanity. All were prisoners sentenced to death, whom she acquired through her connections.
As for the only one who survived, Morgana personally eliminated him using her own poison that she developed, strong enough to kill a person with a single breath.
She also didn't worry about being discovered by government agencies or secret organizations. Everything she did was anonymous, in a remote location, far from any social contact.
When the time finally came to try the serum on herself, her instinct stopped her. It was as if her body itself was telling her she wouldn't benefit from it. Instead, that same instinct guided her toward a new serum that she developed during the second half of the second week.
Even though her instinct told her to take it, Morgana remained firm. She didn't give in, she feared the unknown.
During that week, many other things happened as well, including Tony developing his Iron Man suit, which was now being shown on television.
Morgana looked at the screen, where a human figure in armor appeared as a mystery to most, but not to her, she knew that inside was her brother Tony, now fighting terrorists.
While staring at the TV, she suddenly remembered that she had forgotten something. That was strange to her, considering she had an almost perfect memory. Still, she didn't linger on that thought for long.
Inside Tony's villa, in the basement.
Morgana was sitting and playing with the hologram displaying the Iron Man Mark III armor while waiting for Tony, who was currently dealing with the military combat jet sent by the army.
Some time later…
Morgana heard noise coming from the direction of the garage door. It didn't take long before the red and gold armor appeared, visibly damaged from battle.
Tony stepped out of the suit, and Morgana approached him, slowly running her fingers over the bullet hole marks.
"Brother, you should appreciate your laundry more," she said mockingly as she looked at him.
Tony was about to reply to her comment, but he was interrupted by a sudden, panicked scream:
"What is going on here?!"
Morgana and Tony turned toward the shocked and upset Pepper, who appeared out of nowhere.
"Well, looks like we'll save our talk for later, brother," Morgana said playfully, winking at Tony.
"See you, lovebirds."
She casually walked out of the basement, leaving behind a red-faced Pepper and a flustered Tony.
Instead of waiting for Tony in the living room while he finished his talk with Pepper, Morgana went straight to the bedroom to rest, considering that over the past two weeks she had barely gotten any sleep.
The next day.
In the afternoon, Morgana stepped out of the bedroom, stretching and still sleepy. As she was going downstairs to find Tony, she encountered the person she least wanted to see.
Obadiah noticed Morgana walking toward him but paid no attention to her. He hurried straight toward the exit.
Morgana watched him suspiciously as he left. She couldn't shake the unease building in her chest, nor her instinct warning her. She shook her head and continued toward the basement where Tony was.
When she entered, she found Tony sitting thoughtfully by the table.
"What's up, brother? Something bothering you?"
Tony startled at her sudden voice and turned toward her.
"Nothing~," he said quietly, without further explanation, which felt strange to Morgana.
She looked at him confused, noticing how he avoided her gaze, but didn't insist.
"Anyway," she said while approaching the wine rack and grabbing a bottle at random.
"Hey, that's my wine, not yours!"
Tony snapped, suddenly shaken from his thoughts, looking at Morgana acting like the wine belonged to her.
"Haha, don't worry, brother, it's just one bottle," Morgana joked, while Tony gave her a deadpan look.
"Says the one who drank half my wine collection…"
"Haha," Morgana laughed, shyly avoiding his gaze, then immediately headed for the exit as if running away, while Tony helplessly watched her flee.
On the road, a car speeds through the curves effortlessly.
Morgana leans one hand on the window while holding the steering wheel with the other, driving at extreme speed.
Suddenly, the phone lying on the passenger seat rings. Morgana picks it up without looking at who's calling, already guessing.
"Hello, Sofija, did something happen?" Morgana says in a bored tone.
"Hello, Morgana."
"Yes, something happened," Sofija replies seriously, catching Morgana's interest.
"Oh, what happened that made you so serious?"
"Looks like we have to stop the building construction because all the companies working on it reported urgent tasks." Sofija slowly explains what's going on, while Morgana listens quietly as if it's trivial.
"Do you know who's targeting us?" Morgana asks when Sofija finishes.
"All I know is that we're being attacked by Hell's Kitchen. I also went to Continental and asked others, but they have no information either," Sofija says seriously.
"Either they won't tell us, or they really don't know," Sofija adds suspiciously.
"Hmmm, alright, I'll see what I can do," Morgana replies lightly.
"And also, can you come to the villa in three or four days? I need your help with something."
"But..."
"It's okay, Sofija, we'll talk about that later, it's not a big deal," Morgana interrupts Sofija, who was about to say something.
"Alright, I'll also try to investigate more who it could be."
"Uh-huh~"
After that, the call ends. Morgana slows down the car and gazes thoughtfully at the road ahead.
I wonder who could be targeting me.
"Hell's Kitchen... haa," Morgana murmurs quietly.