58 Visiting Asgard

Inside the police car, Zemo glared at the two EPD members sitting on both his sides menacingly.

"You all are making a big mistake here."

One of the EPD members rolled his eyes and sighed.

"Look, can you do us both a favor here and shut up?"

"You have no idea who I am, do you?"

Zemo frowned and was about to continue making a fuss when the other EPD member snapped his fingers.

"Zip it."

Suddenly, the handcuffs restraining Zemo shrunk a bit and tightened on his wrists.

With the emergence of the EPD, all sorts of people with all kinds of abilities appeared as well.

At first, they were afraid of being judged as a mutant or some kind of freaks so none of them revealed themselves. But as time went on, more and more heroes emerged, and some felt their own calling.

No one wanted to remain a nobody forever. And the EPD was their way to becoming a hero.

Although their current job now was simply escorting a wanted criminal back to the base, the two of them knew that this matter is a special case.

Benjamin had already told them the plan beforehand so they needed to make sure everything goes well.

As expected, the car suddenly stopped due to some kind of disturbance in front of them.

A black van had blocked their way.

From this black van, several armed men appeared and quickly surrounded their car.

The two EPD members looked at each other and quickly left the car to fight these people.

But during the fight, someone snatched Zemo from under their nose and quickly escaped.

After a while, the fight had ended and the two EPD members looked at the empty police car.

They sighed and reached out for their communicator to report.

"Sir. They have taken the bait."

"I've also placed one of my flies on him. We can track him at any time."

"Good work, you two. Thanks for the help."

While one of them had the ability to shrink small objects, the other had the unique ability of talking to flies. Not only that, but he can also maintain a telepathic connection to one particular fly and sense its location.

Benjamin smiled as he ended the call.

Now that the bait has been taken, it was time to wait for what kind of fish he can reel in.

"Next is…I guess I should call Steve."

Meanwhile, in an undisclosed abandoned warehouse, Zemo woke up and found himself tied to a chair.

"What is this? Where am I!?"

Zemo shouted and looked around.

He wasn't in the EPD base but in some kind of abandoned warehouse.

On both sides, there were two armed men in green and black uniforms standing solemnly.

His eyes focused on the emblem on their clothes.

"HYDRA?"

As he spoke of this, a figure appeared by the door as it opened.

"You sure are a hard man to find, Baron Zemo."

"...Ophelia. You were the one who saved me?"

"That's right."

"...Then why am I tied to this chair!?"

Zemo shouted angrily.

Ophelia rolled her eyes.

"What are you doing harassing university girls, Zemo? Do you know how dangerous your situation is? I don't know how but that guy Benjamin found out who you were and formed that plan to capture you. I didn't even know who you are under that mask, I only found out when he told me."

Zemo frowned at that.

"He knew about me? He told you?"

"Are you not aware? I'm still working as a member of the EPD. On the surface, HYDRA is supposed to be gone. I'm sure you understand how valuable my cover is! I'm risking so much already by trying to break you out!"

"...Then why did you?"

Zemo frowned again.

He knew that Ophelia had taken it upon herself to lead HYDRA but he always felt that she wasn't worthy to rule over him so he didn't join her.

So why risk it for him?

Ophelia snorted.

"Because I am Madame Hydra. And for better or worse, you are still a part of HYDRA."

"..."

Zemo fell silent.

After a while, he sneered.

"Even if you call yourself that, it isn't your turn to lead HYDRA."

"Oh? Is it your turn then?"

Ophelia asked with a mocking tone.

However, Zemo shook his head.

"No."

"Who is it then? Don't tell me it's that chick you're trying to get back there."

Zemo smirked.

"Heh. Do you have any idea who she is?"

"...Who?"

Ophelia frowned and asked.

"She is the Red Skull's daughter! The rightful heir of HYDRA!"

"..."

Ophelia fell silent.

Zemo saw this and continued.

"Help me get her, and the Red Skull will be pleased. I'm sure you will have a chance to sit by his side."

"You're talking as if the Red Skull is still alive."

Zemo smiled.

"He is. How do you think I knew about where his daughter was?"

Ophelia chuckled.

"What bullshit. Everyone knows he died years ago in his fight with Captain America."

"He is alive!"

"Prove it."

Zemo hesitated for a moment before speaking.

"There is a base that he is using at the moment. A decommissioned HYDRA base in Siberia."

For a while, there was silence in the room.

Zemo was confused by how they were acting.

Just as he was about to speak, Ophelia turned to the two HYDRA agents standing at the side.

"Well, is that enough?"

"It is. Thanks, Ophelia."

One of the 'HYDRA agents' smiled and removed his helmet.

Zemo's eyes widened in shock as he saw the familiar face…it was none other than Benjamin Freed!

"To think the Red Skull is still alive…"

Suddenly, the other 'HYDRA agent' removed his helmet as well and revealed yet another familiar face.

Steve Rogers!

For a while, Zemo couldn't understand the situation.

…No, he understood it full well but he didn't want it to be true!

As such, he could only ask…

"You two…are HYDRA?"

"...Seriously? That's your conclusion?"

Of course it wasn't!

Zemo asking that was only to give himself a slimmer of hope…

Because otherwise…

"No…NO! HOW COULD YOU OPHELIA!? HOW DARE YOU BETRAY HYDRA!!!???"

Ophelia narrowed her eyes.

"Betray? It was HYDRA that betrayed me first! Used me! Brainwashed me! HYDRA killed my parents and made me believe in them! I betrayed HYDRA? No. I was never a part of HYDRA in the first place."

Ophelia clenched her fist.

Clearly, she still has a lot of unresolved hatred for being brainwashed. It was just that she didn't have anywhere to vent it on.

Benjamin patted her shoulder and gave her a reassuring smile.

"You did well, Ophelia. I especially liked it when you acted so domineering earlier when you called yourself Madame Hydra."

Ophelia was unamused.

"Hmph. I can be domineering if I want to."

Benjamin chuckled and looked back at Zemo.

"Well, we're done here. Time to send you off."

Benjamin waved his hand and a portal directly to a special prison appeared behind Zemo.

Benjamin simply kicked him off and closed the portal. Not without Zemo trying to have a final say.

"YOU WILL REGRET THIS! HYDRA WILL PREVA-"

"Yes yes, off you go."

Benjamin shook his head and didn't care about him anymore.

Anyway, these HYDRA fanatics are always like this.

He had already heard this a ton of times.

"What's your plan now, Capt.?"

"I'll contact Coulson and assemble a team. We'll take down HYDRA once and for all…"

Suddenly, Steve looked at Ophelia and added.

"Well…those that aren't on our side at least."

"I'm not on your side. I'm on Ben's side."

Ophelia glared. She still don't really like Captain America.

Steve just chuckled.

"Then we just have to side with Ben as well."

He then turned to Benjamin and asked.

"Are you coming along too?"

"I-"

Just as Benjamin was about to answer, he heard a cry for help.

It was Sif.

"I trust you guys to deal with it. I'm needed elsewhere."

Benjamin turned to Ophelia and continued.

"Stay here and see if you can recruit any of the HYDRA agents that escape their attack. Be ready to turn them on our side."

"Where are you going?"

"Asgard."

Benjamin opened up his phone and contacted a free members.

Although he can most likely deal with the problem alone, the current invasion in Asgard is too wide and it would be troublesome to deal with everything himself.

Besides, those guys also need some more experience.

A few seconds later, everyone agreed and told him their locations.

Benjamin waved his hand and a portal appeared in front of him.

Destination: Asgard.

Ophelia sent him off with a smile.

"Bring me back some souvenirs!"

"Oh, me too. Thor got Tony something but he never gave me anything."

"...You guys are too chill about this."

Benjamin let out a wry smile but still nodded as he left.

At the same time, a portal also appeared in front of the various people that Benjamin contacted.

They only hesitated for a second before taking a step forward.

The next moment, everyone appeared in Asgard.

Specifically, in the Throne room where Sif was currently fighting against a bunch of people with pointed ears and pale white skin…the Dark Elves.

"Ben! You really came!?"

"Well, I did tell you to call out to me if you needed help right?"

Benjamin chuckled and used his Telekinesis to easily solve the dark elves surrounding Sif and slam them to the wall.

"Oh wow! So this is Asgard!?"

Appearing beside him, Spiderman exclaimed as he looked around.

Other than him, there was also Iceman, Mr. Fantastic, Invisible Woman, Thing, Human Torch, Scarlet Witch, Quicksilver, and Daisy who is now known as Quake.

Susan turned to Benjamin and asked.

"So what's the plan?"

Benjamin didn't answer immediately and asked Sif instead.

"Is there a place where you are evacuating the citizens?"

Sif nodded.

"Then everyone is to help with the evacuation and dealing with the dark elves that get in your way. I'll handle the rest."

"You got it!"

Spiderman excitedly shoots a web on the ceiling and started to swing out and help.

"Heh! I bet you can't take out as many bad guys as I can, popsicle!"

"Oh, you're on matchstick!"

As expected, Iceman and Human Torch immediately hit it off…not.

The rest also moved out.

Benjamin turned to Sif again and asked.

"Where's Thor?"

Before Sif could answer, they heard a loud shout from a familiar voice.

"NOOOO!!!!"

Benjamin wasted no time and quickly flew over to where Thor was.

He saw Thor angrily shooting out lighting from his hammer to a dark elf and throwing his hammer at another one with a huge build.

The large one was holding onto an old woman with white hair as his sword pierced through her stomach.

After being hit by the hammer, the large dark elf let go of the woman and quickly fled as he carried the other that was struck by Thor's lightning.

Benjamin narrowed his eyes and used his Telekinesis to stop the two and at the same time, moved close to the stabbed woman and take out a High Recovery Pill to give to her.

Thor also recognized him and quickly asked.

"Ben! How are you…no, that doesn't matter. Can you save my mother!?"

Benjamin didn't answer yet and continued to observe the old woman who should be Frigga, Thor's mother.

After seeing her stable breathing and the wound that's slowly closing, he sighed in relief.

"She's safe. Don't worry."

Thor finally heaved a sigh of relief as he collapsed to the floor.

However, he saw the two currently frozen in place by Benjamin and was enraged once again.

"You dare try to kill my mother!"

He grabbed onto the dark elf and asked.

"Who the hell are you!? Why have you come to attack Asgard!?"

Despite his shouting, the dark elf was unafraid.

"I am Malekith. I came here for one purpose and one purpose only. To reclaim that which is mine!"

Malekith turned to look at someone who had appeared from behind a pillar.

It was Jane Foster. Thor's little girlfriend.

"The Aether will only eat away her life. You can't kill me. You need me to get it out of her. Only I can do it!"

This was why Malekith wasn't afraid of Thor.

However, he miscalculated.

He didn't think that there would be a being in this room that far surpassed his own imagination…

"Oh? If it isn't the Reality Stone. You sure found a troublesome thing, Ben."

A childish voice rang out in the room.

Benjamin was surprised to see Death suddenly appear before him.

As if answering his thoughts, Death explained.

"I am still bound to your Soul Stone. Wherever you go, I can naturally go too. I sensed the presence of another Infinity Stone around you so I'm here."

Right, Benjamin was actually still wearing the Infinity Crown with the Soul Stone.

He only casted magic on it to make it invisible to others.

Death no longer minded him and simply pointed her small finger at Jane.

Suddenly, Jane's body started to hover and a dark red mist started to leave her body.

It was the Aether. Or otherwise known as the Reality Stone!

When Malekith saw this, he started to panic and struggle.

"No! The Aether is mine! MINE!"

Death glanced at him casually and recognized his race.

"The Dark Elves. Didn't think you guys are still alive. I thought that kid Bor had killed all of you. All this power of the Reality Stone, yet all you wanted was to turn off the lights."

Death sighed and shook her head in disappointment.

Benjamin smiled wryly.

Well…she isn't wrong.

Malekith's face paled even more when he heard her.

To call Bor a kid…

"W-who…are you…!?"

"Me?"

Death revealed an enchanting smile unbefitting her current size and appearance.

"I am the one you see at the end of your life. The final destination of all beings. The absolute ending to everything. I am Death."

Hearing this, everyone felt a chill down their spine but Benjamin just cringed at it.

This girl…has she been reading some mangas or watching animes in her free time?