Chapter 4741: X-Empire: Rebirth (Part 22)

When the weather is clear, the shadows of the tall trees will appear more intense, falling on the steps of the stone path like a pair of hands wearing black silk gloves playing on ancient piano keys. When the sky is blue to the extreme, the shadows of the leaves are always a very intense blue-purple, and even if one just glances at it inadvertently, one will sigh that such a bright color could actually appear in real life.

Krakoa's architecture likes to use wooden structures paired with crystal glass windows and domes; when the weather is good, the natural light in the room is very abundant. After scattering through the crystal windows, everything is covered with a layer of hazy soft light.

Under such light, Natasha's red hair faded from its original cold tone and turned into a passionate orange-red, while Bucky's head of black hair was also illuminated into brown, the slightly fluttering hair glowing, and the whole person looked like he had just walked out of a medieval religious mural.

Steve walked up and gave Bucky a hug.

"You finally came. And, lady, has work been going smoothly lately?"

"Let's talk about me first," Bucky said. "Tell you a piece of good news, the stingy Nick finally intends to give me the treatment of a Level 8 agent; from now on, I'll be a colleague at the same level as Coulson. Oh, by the way, he ate a golden apple two days ago, did you know?"

"I just found out," Steve said. "Don't forget, he's my fanatical fan; he thinks of notifying me first whenever anything happens. He even discussed with me whether or not to eat the golden apple."

"I forgot about that," Bucky smiled and said. "You know, sometimes I always forget that you are Captain America, or rather, I can't connect the past and present you."

"That's too normal; when we first met, I was still a weak otaku, if you hadn't dragged me out, I might not have left home for a year. We have both changed a lot."

Steve paused and said: "S. H. I. E. L. D.'s work is too busy, Coulson is aging too fast. In just over ten years, he has grown wrinkles. Fortunately, there are golden apples."

"I always feel that Nick just can't bear to lose this capable assistant and wants him to work for a few more years. After all, where can he find such a cheap and easy-to-use Level 8 agent?"

"You will be the next one soon," Steve laughed and said. "To wear the crown, one must bear its weight. Agent Carter hasn't reached Level 8 yet, and you came later than her, yet you were promoted before her."

"Speaking of this, I..." Bucky stopped mid-sentence, glancing at Natasha beside him. Clearly, there were some complaints between good buddies that were not easy to say in front of outsiders.

Natasha waved her hand and said: "A good agent should understand when to act like they're dead. If you had understood this truth earlier, you would have been promoted long ago."

"You don't look right," Steve observed Natasha carefully, then said, "You don't seem to have much spirit, could it be that you've caught a cold too?"

"I didn't catch a cold," Natasha said. "Who else caught a cold?"

"Of course it's Tony. You came late so you don't know, the sick Tony Stark is ten thousand times more difficult to deal with than the usual him..." Steve stopped here, clearly feeling that it was not good to talk about others behind their backs. But he had been holding it in for a long time, so he gave Bucky a wink.

"You don't need to be winking at each other here, I'll leave immediately," Natasha sighed lightly and said. "When does the hot spring banquet start? I'm going to sleep for a while first."

"It's not until the evening," Steve said. "If you're tired, go rest for a while, we'll call you up at lunchtime."

Natasha walked away without a word. Steve looked at her back and said with some confusion: "What's wrong with her? How does she look like..."

Bucky shook his head and said: "I don't know either, maybe she's just feeling a bit unwell. Let's walk around the island, I must tell you how many outrageous tasks Nick has assigned me..."

"Exactly, I have a lot to say too, let's talk while we walk."

When Natasha arrived at her residence, those people from the Central Universe were not there. Tony and Shiler went to the hot spring bathhouse to help with the finishing touches, and Ma Te and Stephen went to find the mutant leaders to study the legal issues of sanctions. She hadn't even walked into the room when she met the Captain America of another universe.

"Good morning, lady... oh, wait, you're not the Natasha from our universe?"

Natasha nodded, but didn't say anything. Captain America said with some confusion: "You look a bit uncomfortable, are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Natasha waved her hand and said. "I just need to rest."

After saying that, she walked into the room and went to her bedroom, falling asleep as soon as she hit the bed. The main universe Captain America stood at the door for a while with some confusion, but soon left. When he returned to his residence, Black Widow was eating snacks.

"I ran into you from the Central Universe," he said. "This is my first time seeing the Natasha from that universe..."

"Impossible," the main universe Black Widow said. "During the previous multiverse war, you must have seen her, you just didn't get to talk."

"That's not right," Captain America said. "Although I might have seen any hero in the multiverse war, the people from the Central Universe are very special and completely different from other counterparts. If I had seen her, I would definitely have recognized her."

"Other heroes might be like that, but I'm different," Black Widow shook her head and said. "I understand her."

"You mean the Black Widow of the Central Universe is no different from other counterparts?" Captain America gestured slightly. "No special abilities?"

Black Widow shook her head and said: "No. If I have to say, she is weaker than other counterparts."

"Ah?" The main universe Captain America was truly a bit surprised. "She's actually weaker? Why is that?"

"Lived too good a life," Black Widow shrugged lightly. "Powerful agents need a harsh environment to hone themselves; only a long-term high-pressure environment can keep my body in its best state. If it's too leisurely, all kinds of problems will appear."

Captain America was a bit puzzled. Black Widow laughed lightly, then said: "Do you know? The Natasha of the Central Universe actually menstruates."

Captain America's movements paused slightly: "Don't you?"

Black Widow rolled her eyes lightly: "I am a modified soldier; the purpose of the modification is to make me a perfect agent. Does a perfect agent bleed while fighting?"

Captain America opened his mouth, but didn't know what to say. He was projecting his own situation onto Natasha; after all, when he underwent modification, it was basically all positive effects, becoming stronger, more determined, more focused, and his reproductive function was not affected. He didn't expect that Black Widow, who was also a modified human like him, would have such a problem?

"Then... then how is this achieved?" Captain America asked, then added, "Of course, this is your privacy, and I'm not asking out of curiosity, but out of concern. Although so many years have passed, it doesn't mean problems won't arise..."

"It's through chemical means," Black Widow said. "I know you all suspected that I didn't have a uterus, but organ removal surgery is too damaging to the human body. They went to great lengths to cultivate perfect agents, not to throw them on the operating table for a cut; that risk is too great."

Captain America nodded. Selecting astronauts and pilots, and even members of some special forces, didn't want people who had undergone surgery. Especially those who had undergone chest or abdominal surgery, because surgical operations were too damaging to the human body and could fundamentally affect their constitution. Secondly, some wounds looked healed, but they were never as good as the original. In some high-pressure or special environments, it could be fatal.

Although Natasha was a modified human and had plenty of technological components on her, this kind of thing could be completely avoided, and there was no need to increase the risk in vain.

"But you said she might..."

"Actually, so many years have passed, the chemical means have long since failed," Black Widow shook her head and said. "Now it's more of a psychological factor. If I can't keep a fighting state at all times, but become weak, I simply can't complete my work well, so I've always maintained the state of that year."

"Oh, I understand," Captain America nodded. "Her work environment over there isn't that dangerous, so she can live like an ordinary woman. However, I saw she was quite uncomfortable, this isn't entirely a good thing, right?"

"Of course, I don't think any counterpart would want to menstruate. I think it might be that some accident happened, causing her to become like this," Black Widow didn't have any schadenfreude, she just said. "But she will always find a way to solve it. After all, no matter how good the situation in their universe is, she still has to work, this really affects efficiency too much."

Natasha slept until lunchtime. Just as she was waking up, she heard a knock on the door. Steve's voice sounded outside: "Lady, it's lunchtime, get up and eat something."

Natasha moved out slowly. Her appearance scared everyone; it wasn't that there was any change in her appearance, it was mainly that her movements were a bit stiff, and many people had never seen Natasha like this.

"What on earth is wrong with you," Strange frowned deeply. "Do you really not want to go for a physical examination? I'll help you make an appointment at the Elder Council Hospital?"

"Don't mention physical examinations," Natasha's face was as black as the bottom of a pot. "If it weren't for that damn Nick forcing me to go for a physical, this wouldn't have happened!"

"So what on earth is wrong?" Stark asked. "You don't really have dysmenorrhea, do you?"

But soon he realized it wasn't good to say it like that, he said: "I always thought you didn't menstruate, although it's not bad to have it now, but can't this ailment be cured?"

Natasha said weakly: "I didn't have it before, but ever since I participated in the last S. H. I. E. L. D. comprehensive physical, they told me that a hormone index in my body had changed, and I started bleeding again..."

"I didn't quite understand," Ma Te thought for a moment and said. "What hormone index changed?"

"The Red Room would use hormone modification to prevent female agents from menstruating, which allows them to maintain complete combat effectiveness. Generally speaking, it can be maintained for life, but my life is clearly a bit too long," Natasha said helplessly. "The hormones in the medicine faded completely over a dozen years ago and are no longer effective."

"Then why did you only have changes now?"

"Of course it's because of psychological factors; if I don't know, it's fine, but once I know, it starts to have an effect. Human hormones are just that magical."

Stark suddenly realized. He looked at Natasha with some worry and said: "Then can't you use some painkillers?"

Steve, however, seemed to have thought of something: "Ordinary painkillers are useless for modified humans like us, but if you take a large dose, it might cause more serious damage, which is probably not worth it."

Natasha nodded weakly. ===== CHAPTER 4742 =====