Chapter 402: Kingpin Vs. Mike
At first, everyone assumed it would be a one-sided slaughter—that Eddie and Venom would crush Jenny, and she would be the first one eliminated.
Instead, much to their utter astonishment, the one being beaten was Eddie, the one eliminated was Eddie, and even Venom had been peeled off like a layer of skin by Jenny.
"Dammit, there isn't a single normal person here," Venom muttered as he retreated into Eddie's body, his head sprouting from Eddie's shoulder.
"Yeah, and they're all freaks," Eddie groaned, lying on the ground with absolutely no desire to move. He swore he would never fight a little girl again. Who could have guessed a frail-looking little girl would suddenly transform into a Hulk-sized giant and use them like a ragdoll?
To make matters worse, Venom had been humiliated by being forcibly removed. If this had been a real fight against an enemy, they would have been dead ten times over.
"Now it's our turn." Mike leaned on his cane and slowly made his way to the arena. With a light tap of his toe, he drifted upward like a falling petal, landing gracefully on the stage.
The fake Kingpin straightened his sleeves as he walked. He slightly bent his knees and jumped, his thick legs exerting massive force.
BOOM!
Kingpin crashed onto the stage, kicking up a cloud of dust and leaving a crater of cracked tiles beneath his feet. The two styles of entry were polar opposites: Mike was like a butterfly; Kingpin was like a heavy tank.
"Of all the Shadow Generals here, we're likely the ones who see each other most in our daily lives," Mike said calmly.
Kingpin smirked. "True. After all, many of our business ventures have... frictions."
The fake Kingpin was now the true Kingpin of Hell's Kitchen. Every grey industry had to pass through his hands, including the illegal underground boxing rings operated by Mike.
"We've seen each other many times, but we've never actually fought~" Kingpin said, rubbing his hands together in anticipation.
"Then I hope that regardless of who wins or loses today, our future cooperation remains smooth," Mike said, twirling his cane.
"I can certainly guarantee that." Kingpin cracked his knuckles, the sound sharp and rhythmic.
"Begin!" Jenny suddenly shouted from the sidelines.
Mike's relaxed gaze turned razor-sharp instantly. He lunged forward, his cane a blur as he closed the distance to Kingpin.
Click!
Vrum!
Mid-strike, Mike twisted the handle of the cane. The outer shell flew off, revealing a razor-edged blade within.
"Hidden tricks~" Kingpin noted, his eyes tracking every movement. He raised his massive, surprisingly agile arm.
POW!
A muffled grunt escaped Mike's chest as he was sent reeling backward. He skidded several steps before steadying himself.
"Impressive," Mike said, wiping a trail of blood from his lip.
In that split second, Kingpin's punch had been remarkably fast. Before Mike's blade could land, the fist had already connected with his chest. Mike had managed to bring the blade up to block at the last moment, but Kingpin's raw power had still vibrated through, bruising his internal organs.
"Don't underestimate me," Kingpin grinned. Ever since obtaining the Shadow Mask, he hadn't tasted defeat.
"Neither should you!" Mike shouted. He intentionally tossed away his weapon, and his arms transformed into long, black tentacles. His legs merged together, turning his lower body into a thick, serpentine trunk.
"Here it comes!" Mike lashed out, his tentacles extending across the arena in a flash.
CRACK!
One tentacle whipped across Kingpin's chest while another coiled around Kingpin's legs to prevent him from dodging.
"Dammit!" Kingpin crouched down, trying to tear the tentacle off his legs.
But Mike gave him no opening. His other free tentacle rained down blows on Kingpin's back. Kingpin gritted his teeth, endured the pain, and gave a massive heave. Snap! The tentacle around his leg broke apart.
Mike retracted the severed limb. Black mist billowed from the wound, and the tentacle regenerated instantly.
Rip!
Kingpin tore off his suit jacket, revealing dense, rock-hard muscles. On his chest was a tattoo of a ferocious giant wolf, so vivid that for a second, it felt as if a real beast was staring Mike down. No one expected the "fat" exterior of the Kingpin to actually be layers of functional muscle.
"I'm getting serious now." Kingpin's body began to swell further. His bones popped and cracked as he grew to a height of four meters in less than a second.
BOOM!!!
Kingpin slammed an arm the size of a grown man onto the arena floor. The stage couldn't take the pressure and collapsed into rubble.
"How can you fight me now?" Kingpin was arrogant; this was his ultimate form, one he believed allowed him to look down on all other Shadow Generals.
"Being big doesn't always make you more effective," Mike replied, undeterred and full of fighting spirit.
Mike became like an agile octopus, constantly extending his tentacles to whip and harass Kingpin. Kingpin used his massive bulk to tank the attacks, waiting for a single chance to grab Mike and end the fight.
Below the stage:
"Now those are real monsters, Venom." Eddie took a piece of chocolate out of his pocket and began to chew.
"That was mine, Eddie!" Venom protested, his head emerging from Eddie's shoulder.
"I didn't realize this new Uncle Kingpin was so violent! I love it!" Jenny cheered, hugging Five-Six-Seven.
Eddie took a step away from Jenny. He felt like he might truly be the weakest Shadow General.
"Don't worry, Eddie. They've all 'awakened' their true General forms. We haven't yet," Venom encouraged. Aside from being careless, the main issue was that they had the lowest comprehension of their mask's power. Eddie's focus was entirely on Venom, using the Shadow Realm only for convenience rather than developing the mask's inherent power.
On the stage:
"Annoying," Kingpin muttered, his dark eyes narrowing. As the battle intensified, Mike sprouted five or six more tentacles from his back.
"ROAR!" Kingpin stopped waiting for an opening. He let out a beastly howl that momentarily stunned Mike.
Seizing the moment, Kingpin leaped into the air. His massive body blotted out the light as he brought both fists down toward Mike.
"Crap!" Mike tried to retreat, but one of his tentacles was still caught in Kingpin's grasp.
KA-BOOM!
Kingpin landed like a falling shell into the already ruined arena.
"I... I yield," Mike gasped, lying on the ground. Kingpin's iron fist was buried in the rubble right next to his ear. If it had hit his head, he would have been half-dead.
Kingpin pulled his fist out of the crater, dust and debris rolling off his knuckles, and helped Mike up.
"Thanks," Mike said, steadying himself. He retrieved his cane and hopped off the stage. Kingpin returned to his normal size, his suit reduced to rags. Fortunately, he had come prepared—his undergarments were made of professional-grade elastic material.
"I didn't expect Kingpin to be this strong," Rei said, gripping her hilt. She knew her limits; she couldn't beat him yet.
In the current group, Jenny was the only one who could potentially challenge him, but even then, winning seemed unlikely. Everyone tacitly accepted Kingpin as the leader of the Generals.
"Who do you think will be the final leader?" Silas asked Blacklight next to him.
"Based on current combat analysis, Kingpin is the strongest. But I have a feeling that little girl Jenny hasn't shown her full power yet..." Little Black noted, his eyes fixed on the young girl.
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