Luke Cage's small restaurant was surrounded.
An oppressive green military convoy encircled the building—a steel tide of armored vehicles, weapons, and disciplined soldiers.
Inside the formation, a petty thug approached an officer.
"That's him. He's inside," the thug said, pointing at the restaurant. "Changed his name to Luke Cage. But the face? Still the same. Recognized him right away."
The officer stepped forward, voice sharp and commanding.
"Carl Lucas—Luke Cage. Come out. Don't make this harder."
Silence.
Then the restaurant's steel shutter slowly rolled up.
Luke Cage stepped out.
"I was wrongfully imprisoned," he said, his voice low and firm.
"That's not our concern," the officer replied. "You signed on to the military's secret program. You belong to the army now—not hiding in backstreets, wasting resources."
Luke's eyes narrowed. "I volunteered for the experiment. But someone tried to kill me. I had to run."
"No one will harm you now," the officer said. "Come with us. We'll protect you."
Luke shook his head.
"I won't give up my freedom."
Without warning, Luke dashed toward the perimeter, attempting a breakout.
"Suppress him! Open fire!" the officer barked.
Bang bang bang!
Gunfire erupted like thunder.
Clang! Clang!
Bullets struck Luke's unbreakable skin. His clothes tore under the assault, but no blood was drawn. Still, a pained grimace crossed his face. The bullets couldn't pierce him—but they hurt.
He roared, charging into the military ranks like a wrecking ball, flipping vehicles and scattering soldiers.
"Clear a path!" the officer shouted.
Soldiers fell back instantly, opening a corridor.
Luke stopped, stunned. He'd expected resistance—not retreat.
Seeing his chance, he sprinted for the exit, aiming to vanish into the night.
His little restaurant would have to be abandoned. He'd build another under a new name—again.
But just as he began to escape, the officer barked a new order:
"Deploy the ultrasonic vehicle! NOW!"
An armored vehicle rolled forward, fitted with a massive sonic emitter—technology developed by Stark Industries. It had once subdued the Hulk.
Luke's eyes widened. This... was a threat.
BUZZZZ!
A deafening ultrasonic wave burst out.
The air rippled visibly.
"AARRGH!"
Luke collapsed, clutching his head, groaning in agony. His powerful body shook uncontrollably.
The officer watched with cold satisfaction. "Even the Hulk couldn't stand against this. You never had a chance."
Meanwhile, a growing crowd had gathered at a distance.
"Isn't that the guy who owns the restaurant?"
"He took all those bullets! Not a scratch!"
"He flipped a tank!"
Among the crowd stood Alex.
He had arrived earlier, quietly observing.
But seeing the military's arsenal—including what they hadn't revealed—he chose caution over intervention.
Even at his current power level, a head-on clash with the army would be reckless.
His eyes focused on Luke's crumpled figure.
"…He's going to be taken," Alex muttered.
Suddenly, he felt a gaze.
Someone was watching him.
Alex scanned the crowd—then locked eyes with a man of Japanese descent.
Shin.
The leader of a Japanese gang affiliated with The Hand.
Alex recognized him immediately.
Then he noticed something else.
In the stairwell of a nearby building stood a massive, hooded figure.
Steel skin. A familiar face.
Colossus. From the X-Men.
Older. Worn. But unmistakably alive—despite the incident last year that had wiped out most of his kind.
More figures emerged.
Daredevil, cane in hand, wearing earplugs.
Black Cat, poised like a shadow on a rooftop.
Alex exhaled. "Hell's Kitchen really is a magnet for chaos."
His gaze lingered on Daredevil.
Perhaps it was time to shift focus—just temporarily.
Studying Daredevil's super-hearing could prove useful.
Then:
"Prepare the noise weapon," the officer commanded.
Another military vehicle rolled forward. Smaller. Its weapon: a sonic blaster tuned to 172 decibels.
They shut down the ultrasonic wave.
Luke lay groaning, barely conscious.
The new weapon activated.
Zzzzzz!
A wave of static screeched through the air.
Luke's eyes turned red. He roared in agony. Then—collapsed.
Unconscious.
Captured.
Alex sighed, watching the soldiers carry Luke into a secure vehicle.
"…Didn't expect that," he muttered.
Then he reached into his pocket, flicked a small mechanical button.
Whizz—click!
It zipped through the air, skimming under vehicles, until it latched onto the bottom of the special military truck.
A tracker.
He didn't intend to fight now.
But he would find out where Luke was taken—and plan.
Meanwhile, Shin stood watching Luke's capture.
He turned his attention to a large, heavily disguised figure in the crowd.
Suspicious.
He activated a special beast-gifted power—one that let him hear a person's heartbeat.
The rhythm he heard wasn't human.
It was a monster's pulse.
His eyes narrowed.
"He's the one we've been tracking."
He made a call.
"I found him. The mystery man who took the artifact. He's here."
In a hidden chamber deep beneath the city, inside The Hand's base, a coffin creaked open.
From it stepped the Black Void Girl.
She smiled.
"Excellent. Go. Bring him to me."
She placed her hand on a ninja's forehead.
A black glow flickered in his eyes—his power surged.
One by one, she enhanced them all.
"Now you are strong enough," she said.
"Bring me the mystery man."
Whoosh!
They vanished into the shadows.
Back at the alley, Alex felt a hostile gaze.
He turned, walked away.
Sure enough, the enemy followed.
Ninjas—nine of them.
Well-equipped. No steel blades this time, but polymer ones—meant to resist electricity.
Smart.
But Shin wasn't among them.
One ninja stepped forward. "Come quietly. You're no match for us now."
Before Alex could reply—
Whoosh!
A red figure landed beside him.
Daredevil. Fully suited.
"I sensed them tracking you. Their energy is different. Stronger than before. You can't take them alone."
Alex didn't reply.
He unholstered his pistol.
The ninjas scoffed. "A gun? Pathetic."
"Nine of you. Nine bullets," Alex said coldly.
"You think you can hit us?"
A ninja lunged.
But Alex moved first.
Bang!
In a flash, he was in front of the attacker. Muzzle to forehead.
Boom.
The bullet exited the back of the ninja's skull.
Alex didn't flinch.
"One," he said.