Kingpin's expression contorted with rage and disbelief.
His formidable hunting party had disintegrated in moments. Only Elektra and The Bride of Nine Spiders—deadly with poisons but less formidable in direct combat—remained at his side.
Black Widow and Wade had revealed themselves as traitors. Murakami lay incapacitated, a dagger still embedded in his collarbone and his back damaged from Jason's brutal kick. Sowande and Echo were down, ambushed in their moment of confusion. Even Speed Demon—his trump card—lay unconscious at Jason's feet.
Everything had fallen apart.
Jason smiled triumphantly as he tossed aside Speed Demon's limp form. "Allow me to teach you another valuable lesson, Kingpin. Choosing allies is a science."
He stepped forward confidently. "It's not enough to recruit talent—you must also guard against impulsive, reckless teammates. Most importantly..." his smile widened, "...beware of traitors. They'll drive the knife into your back at the critical moment."
"Yeah, he's talking about us!" Wade chimed in, flashing a victory sign with exaggerated pride.
Black Widow rolled her eyes. "To be clear, I'm not a traitor," she clarified. "I'm an undercover agent. Wilson Fisk, you're under arrest."
Kingpin's eyes bulged with fury. He gripped his cane until his knuckles whitened. "Even so," he growled through clenched teeth, "I still intend to kill you—and these two may not be enough to stop me!"
"You sound awfully confident," Jason replied, raising his right hand. Small arcs of electricity danced between his fingers, producing an ominous crackling sound.
It was pure intimidation. His capacity for generating powerful electrical discharges was temporarily exhausted; these were merely residual sparks. But Kingpin couldn't know that.
Or so he thought.
To Jason's surprise, Kingpin studied the display for several seconds before shaking his head dismissively. "My intuition tells me you're approaching your limit."
Damn, this fat bastard is more perceptive than I gave him credit for.
Jason quickly communicated with his system interface. He had earned a Iron-tier gift package during his fight against the first wave of gunmen. He opened it now, allocating the three free attribute points it contained—along with the five points he'd been saving—directly to Constitution.
Instantly, a revitalizing wave flowed through his body.
"Wade," Jason called out, "take Kingpin. Natalie, you handle Elektra. I'll deal with The Bride of Nine Spiders!"
Wade and Black Widow exchanged glances. Wade moved forward obediently while Black Widow reluctantly engaged Elektra.
Jason approached The Bride of Nine Spiders with predatory intent. Fear flickered across her elegant Asian features, partially obscured by elaborate, intimidating makeup. As a subordinate of Madame Gao within the Hand's hierarchy, she was lethal with poisons but significantly less dangerous in direct combat than Jason.
"Shall we begin, little lady?" Jason purred before lunging forward.
Combat erupted across three locations simultaneously. Black Widow and Elektra proved evenly matched, their battle a lethal ballet of precise strikes and acrobatic evasions.
Wade fared worse. Despite his skill with dual blades, he was clearly outmatched by Kingpin's raw power and surprising agility. The crime lord was systematically dismantling the mercenary's defenses.
Most peculiar was Jason's confrontation. Despite the multiple poisoned needles embedded in his chest, he showed no signs of weakness or impairment as he pursued the retreating The Bride of Nine Spiders.
"Stop running," he called out playfully.
As they moved farther from the others, Jason glanced sideways to confirm their isolation. Then his muscles coiled with sudden intensity. His speed increased dramatically, allowing him to close the distance and capture The Bride of Nine Spiders in a single bound.
"What are you doing?" she gasped, genuine terror replacing her usual composure.
Jason's expression hardened. "Why am I not affected by your poison?" he demanded.
He leaned closer, his lips nearly brushing her neck. "Sweetheart, have you ever seen a vampire that died from poison?"
Before she could process his words, he struck. His teeth pierced her skin with surgical precision.
"Ahhh—" Her eyes widened in shock and pain.
Pierce.
Injection.
When Jason finally released her, The Bride of Nine Spiders collapsed limply to the ground. He wiped a droplet of blood from the corner of his mouth. "Wait here and escape later," he instructed. "Remember to come to my chambers tomorrow at midnight."
The Bride of Nine Spiders responded with unfocused eyes, still dazed from the transformation beginning within her. Though the metamorphosis wasn't yet complete, once she fully became his blood slave, she would remember and obey his commands without question.
Jason returned to the main battlefield to find the situation had evolved. After Wade's failure to contain Kingpin, he had exchanged opponents with Black Widow. She now employed her superior agility against the crime lord, while Wade engaged Elektra in a furious exchange of blades.
"No, Elektra!" Wade protested dramatically between parries. "You're being unnecessarily aggressive! This isn't how our fight should unfold! Let's stop this madness and eliminate our former employer together. I'm certain my new boss will double whatever you're being paid..."
Jason approached the dueling pair. "Elektra," he called out, "are you acquainted with attorney Matthew Murdock? He and I are good friends. Surrender now, and for his sake, I'll spare your life today."
As the words left Jason's mouth, an unexpected movement caught his attention. Not from Elektra, but from Kingpin—his massive frame suddenly demonstrating astonishing speed. The crime lord flung his cane backward, triggering a deafening explosion that filled the area with thick smoke.
By the time Jason regained his bearings, both Elektra and Kingpin had vanished.
"Goddamnit! Where did they go?" he demanded.
Black Widow shook her head. "Escaped. Kingpin had prepared a specialized extraction route."
"Then we should pursue them!"
Wade shrugged. "Boss, I don't trust this woman. You need my personal protection." He positioned himself between Jason and Black Widow with exaggerated vigilance.
Jason regarded Black Widow with resignation. "Do you also feel compelled to become my close personal guardian?"
"To be precise," she replied coolly, "it would be surveillance."
Jason produced a business card and extended it toward her. "The scene that follows isn't suitable for all audiences. Call me tomorrow and we'll arrange a more appropriate venue for a deeper conversation."
Black Widow accepted the card but showed no intention of departing.
Suddenly, an explosive sound echoed through the parking structure, followed by the thunderous roar of an approaching motorcycle.
Blade had arrived.
The motorcycle executed a perfect spin before stopping dramatically before the assembled group. With theatrical flair, Blade unsheathed his sword, the blade gleaming menacingly under the garage lights.
"Who the hell blocked the entrance and laid hands on my guy?" he growled, voice low and dangerous. "You got a death wish? Either of you see what went down?"
Jason rolled his eyes. "Why couldn't you have shown up while I was still in mortal danger? Were you a police officer in a previous life or something?"
Wade glanced from the sword in his own hands to Blade's weapon, his eyes widening with genuine excitement. "Hey, what a coincidence—I'm a sword enthusiast too!"
Black Widow assessed the shifting dynamics and made a strategic decision. "Remember to answer my call, Hell's... Iron Man." With that final directive, she departed.
Once outside the parking structure, she retrieved a concealed communication device. "Mission abort," she spoke quietly. "Today isn't optimal for an arrest."
After a brief pause, Coulson's voice responded: "I witnessed a motorcycle blast through the security gate. What happened in there, Natasha?"
"I'll brief you on all unexpected developments upon return."
After Black Widow's departure, Jason surveyed their surroundings. The good news was that several of their opponents still clung to life despite their injuries.
Even Sowande, despite Wade's blade penetrating his abdomen, demonstrated remarkable resilience. Having consumed dragon bones for centuries, his will to survive transcended ordinary human limitations.
As members of the Hand who obsessively pursued immortality, both he and Murakami paradoxically harbored the most profound fear of death.
Three silver-level targets and one bronze.
Jason methodically dispatched the three silver-level gang leaders, causing both Wade and Blade to regard him with uncomfortable expressions.
Jason shrugged off their unspoken judgment. What's the big deal? It's just a matter of tying them to the back of a pickup truck and dragging them until they expire. It's not like it's your floor getting dirty.
When the three enemies finally perished almost simultaneously, Jason received a silver gift package with a five-star rating, exactly as anticipated.
A real man opens his rewards immediately!
If the system granted him sufficient power from this package, he'd pursue Kingpin without delay.
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