The cleaned-up Star Ring Tower was silent as Sean leaned back in his chair, eyes half-closed, fingers lightly tapping the armrest...
He was replaying the recent battle in his mind... his control over energy was becoming increasingly refined. From the initial crimson beams to now forming an invisible force field, he was steadily improving.
Perhaps one day, he would possess the terrifying power to shatter stars, just like that formidable character in the comics.
Elektra stood behind him, her hands gently kneading his shoulders with just the right amount of pressure, easing the tension in his nerves.
"We could be more thorough," Elektra suggested, bending down slightly, her soft body exuding a faint fragrance, "Eliminate Hell's Kitchen's street-level heroes completely. They'll only bring more trouble."
Listening to the black-haired woman's bloodthirsty words, Sean smiled faintly and leaned his head back...
He had no intention of eradicating the vigilantes entirely. Whether it was Daredevil or Punisher, they were all on S.H.I.E.L.D.'s watchlist. Wiping out so many key figures at once might trigger unforeseen consequences.
"Danny Rand's death is enough to wake them up," Sean murmured, his deep eyes glinting, "Besides, I was only interested in his Rand Enterprises."
He turned on the television. The screen displayed the breaking news of the young Iron Fist's death:
<...This is CNN, reporting live with correspondent Oriana Fallaci. Last night at 11:32 PM, Daniel Rand, the newly appointed CEO of Rand Enterprises, tragically fell to his death from the Star Ring Tower during a business negotiation with real estate tycoon James Wesley...>
<...Mr. Rand, a prominent New York entrepreneur, survived a plane crash in his childhood alongside his parents… According to the latest NYPD investigation, the suspect in Danny Rand's murder is believed to be Hell's Kitchen's Daredevil, a masked vigilante who has repeatedly violated the law through violent acts...>
Sean pulled Elektra into his lap, savoring the warmth of her body as he chuckled, "See? This is the allure of power... When Kingpin was alive, half the NYPD was on his payroll. Prosecutors and police chiefs treated him like a socialite, laughing and dining with him..."
"...Now, Wesley controls an even greater empire. He is New York's rising real estate mogul, rubbing shoulders with the mayor at galas. Threats to juries, bribing cops? Those crude tactics are beneath him now. Those who want a piece of the pie already know how to play the game..."
"...This is why I dragged you into the darkness, Elektra." Sean leaned in, his warm breath brushing her ear like a faint electric current, "Be the one who makes the rules, not the one who follows them. Only then can you break free from all restraints and seize true freedom."
Elektra's heart trembled. She was utterly intoxicated by the dark aura surrounding this man. Some people adored the warmth of light, while others were drawn to the seduction of darkness.
Ever since her resurrection by the Black Sky, she had shed her former self. The emotions and memories in her mind felt like they belonged to a stranger... once capable of stirring faint ripples in her heart, but now leaving her utterly indifferent...
"Mergers, acquisitions, suppression... with Wesley's skills, absorbing Rand Enterprises will be child's play. As for Daredevil, he can either return to a normal life or keep fighting us. Soon, he'll find Hell's Kitchen has no place left for him."
Sean watched the news broadcast, where Hell's Kitchen's red devil had been branded a most-wanted criminal alongside Punisher.
He smirked, "People worship heroes because becoming one demands unimaginable sacrifices. Putting on the mask means bearing all consequences... There are no saviors in this world..."
Elektra shifted slightly in his embrace, gazing at his youthful face. Her cold eyes ignited with a startling brilliance as she slowly lowered her head, her tongue flicking over her red lips.
Sean's breathing hitched. The sudden, alluring shift in Elektra's demeanor sent a restless itch through his usually calm heart.
The television continued broadcasting NYPD's manhunt for Daredevil, but the man and woman in the chair were already lost in a heated entanglement.
.....
Meanwhile, in the offices of Worthington Industries, CEO Marcus hurled a folder at his incompetent subordinate...
Hamilton resisted the urge to dodge, and continued enduring his boss's fury.
"Worthless! Utterly worthless!" The lion-like old man roared, jabbing a finger at the news report on the TV, "Who was it that assured me Sean Cyphers would sell the genetic formula to Worthington? And now? Oscorp and Umbrella Labs have jointly announced their new drug hits the market today!"
Marcus repeated the news with a face like thunder, glaring at his cowering employee as if he wanted to toss him out the window.
"That cunning little brat. Playing Worthington while seeking outside support..." The man steering Worthington's future cooled down, a cold sneer forming.
He berated his subordinate mercilessly, "Only a fool like you would fall for a youngster's cheap tricks. If he truly intended to sell the formula, he'd have quietly shopped it to buyers, not stalled for time to fast-track the drug's release!"
Hamilton inwardly cursed Sean. That deceitful bastard acted like a Hollywood star... He had actually believed the kid was tempted by Worthington's offer, ready to betray Oscorp by selling the genetic secrets.
"Fine. Since Oscorp's little upstart has trespassed into Worthington's territory, I'll make sure he and Sean Cyphers learn just how brutal business warfare can be..."
Marcus's eyes gleamed with the ferocity of a lone wolf, his icy expression sending a shudder down Hamilton's spine. Having worked under Worthington's ruler for nearly a decade, he hadn't seen this bone-chilling aura in years.
It was like a beast baring its fangs... a terrifying sensation of being hunted, as though one misstep would lead to being devoured whole.
Marcus waved his hand, dismissing the trembling subordinate. He wanted to focus on crushing Oscorp, but his son's worsening condition weighed heavily on him. The daily sight of his wife's tear-streaked face and his son's agonized eyes made him push the labs to work faster.
The thought of Oscorp challenging Worthington's throne gnawed at him, especially as Warren grew older and his mutations became impossible to hide.
Switching channels, the news now featured Senator Robert Kelly, a notorious anti-mutant hardliner, passionately delivering a speech about the dangers mutants posed to society, urging Congress to pass the Mutant Registration Act immediately...
Marcus nodded in fervent agreement, his eyes darkening as he watched the senator's righteous tirade. A plan seemed to be forming in his mind...
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Read ahead on my P@treon...
[email protected]/MayaMatengele01