The Punisher ran through the dark alleys of Hell's Kitchen, his breath ragged. He knew the terrain like the back of his hand, but retreat wasn't an option.
These ninjas were like sticky plaster; he couldn't shake them off. He had gone to Queens earlier to find Spider-Man, hoping the web-slinger could help stop the Hand's conspiracy, but the kid was nowhere to be found.
He had to find help.
The earthquake earlier had shaken the city to its core. A golden light had exploded into the night sky, spilling bright energy particles over the city.
The Punisher's mood was grim.
He wanted to cross the Brooklyn Bridge, but he knew it was too late. The light was the signal. The Hand was preparing to strike at the foundation of the city.
Just as he was about to turn around and make a last stand, he glanced up at a balcony.
"That's... the cartoonist," Frank muttered. "The one who killed Bullseye."
He changed direction instantly.
The Loft
Light Inksworth, wearing his pajamas, stood on the balcony watching the chaos unfold in the distance. Suddenly, the Punisher rushed toward him from the fire escape, and the ninjas pursuing him followed closely behind.
To a stranger, it would look like a desperate man running to ask for help from a civilian, but the group of deadly assassins behind him told a different story.
"Light," Frank shouted, "we need your help!"
"I refuse," Light said instantly. "And how do you know who I am? Who would agree to help a stranger with a death squad on his tail?"
"You killed Bullseye. I found the clues myself," Frank said rapidly, ignoring the ninjas closing in behind him. "I knew you would refuse, so I'll tell you this: The Hand is digging up the ruins of ancient Kunlun under Manhattan."
As soon as the voice fell, Light couldn't help but chuckle.
"Kunlun?" Light chuckled. "This is New York. How could Kunlun ruins be here?"
"Dragon bones," Frank said. "There is a dragon skeleton buried deep beneath the foundation. The Hand plans to blow it up to harvest the essence. The explosion will shatter the bedrock. The city will sink."
Light frowned. "Sink?"
"Manhattan will collapse. Millions will die."
"You're joking," Light said, but he saw the seriousness in Frank's eyes. "There are plenty of superheroes. And you have that groupie thing with Daredevil, the Defenders was it? No offence but its a tacky name,"
"It's true," Frank growled. "The chaos last night and the earthquake were all done by them."
He turned around. The ninjas were two steps away. The situation was critical.
"..."
Light didn't say a word. He raised his hand.
Energy Ball (Level 3).
BOOM!
A sphere of white light slammed into the ninja squad like a high-explosive bomb. The speed was beyond human reaction. In an instant, the ninjas were blown into residue.
Frank didn't expect it at all. He blinked, staring at the empty space where the enemies had been.
Light looked back at the bedroom door. Gali and Lorna were standing there. After the earthquake, the two had run out of their rooms, circling around the living room in confusion.
"I'm going out for a bit," Light said.
"I'll go too," Lorna said without thinking. "I can help you."
Light stared at her deeply. He didn't expect her to volunteer.
Lorna felt his gaze and blushed slightly. She looked away, raising her pinky finger. "Just... a little help."
Light shook his head secretly. He looked at the metal mop bucket in the corner.
Lorna rolled her eyes. She controlled the iron bucket, filling it with water to wash the blood off the balcony eaves, then floated the mop over to clean up.
If Magneto saw his daughter using her powers for housekeeping, he would probably have a myocardial infarction.
"Let's go," Light said to Frank.
On the way, Frank hesitated. "You..."
He was about to ask why Light changed his mind, but was interrupted.
"I'm not a vigilante, nor a hero, and at the same time I am not interested in dealing with Kunlun politics," Light interrupted with an ugly expression.
"I just want to make sure New Yorkers are alive tomorrow to buy my comics."
If the foundation was destroyed and Manhattan sank, the delivery trucks would fall into the abyss before reaching the bookstores.
Who is in the mood to read comics in a ruin?
If his fan base died, his Fan Value would drop. If the comics weren't released tomorrow, he would lose a bunch of points income.
10,000 points less? No, how much would he lose by then? Millions!
Who would pay for that loss?!
Since the Hand wanted to cut his revenue stream, he would cut them down.
Midtown Manhattan: Underground Excavation Site
Deep beneath a skyscraper, a massive excavation site revealed ancient stone structures.
An elevator in the center clicked open. The five leaders of the Hand walked out.
Simultaneously, ropes dropped from the ceiling, and a countless army of ninjas slid down.
The Defenders—Daredevil (Matt Murdock), Iron Fist (Danny Rand), Luke Cage, and Jessica Jones—stood ready to confront them.
The first to walk out was Alexandra, a tall European woman. She was followed by Madame Gao, Murakami, Sowande, and Bakuto.
The Five Fingers of the Hand.
They had defected from Kunlun centuries ago, using the life energy of dragon bones to achieve immortality. But their supply was running dry. They had found another skeleton under Manhattan, sealed by the Iron Fists of old.
In the past few days, the Hand used all methods to open the seal but failed. Today, they decided to use high-energy explosives to directly blast through the foundation and break the seal with brute force.
Daredevil and the others came to stop them in time, forming a team called 'The Defenders' to protect the safety of Manhattan.
There were not many members of the Defenders. There were no official leader amongst them.
Danny Rand, who had just returned to New York and was now the sworn enemy of the Hand.
He had been dubbed "Iron Fist," and his girlfriend Colleen Wing stood right next to him with her katana drawn.
Daredevil, who was active in Hell's Kitchen, found two helpers: the enhanced private detective Jessica Jones and an enhanced former soldier, Luke Cage, both of whom were powerful super-powered individuals.
There was also the Punisher, who had gone out to rescue soldiers.
They didn't expect that there would be so many ninjas hiding in this building.
With so many foreign armed forces infiltrating the city, what were the relevant departments doing?
Daredevil complained secretly about the certain organization that was supposed to help with this kinds of things. S.H.I.E.L.D. had been monitoring them very vigorously on weekdays, and now that they're needed, they aren't even showing up!
"Danny, it seems that you are a new generation of Iron Fist. It just happens that the seal needs an Iron Fist to open," Alexandra took a few steps forward, looking at them with cold, predatory eyes, and finally addressed Danny.
"Stop talking nonsense!" Danny Rand shouted, his fist glowing. "You traitors!"
He rushed forward, his first glowing orange like a beacon of golden light.
Danny's actions were like a fuse. Daredevil and the others followed closely, and the ninja army pressured them instantly.
For a time, swords and shadows clashed, hidden weapons burst out, and a chaotic melee ensued.
Luke Cage and Jessica Jones used their super strength to plow through the ninjas. Danny smashed them with his Iron Fist. Daredevil fought with superb skill using his billy clubs.
But the Hand had numbers. They threw wave after wave of cannon fodder at the heroes to drain their stamina. As long as there was a trace of fatigue, the wolves would tear them apart.
In just a moment, without even touching the Five Fingers, the Defenders began to exhaust their strength.
Outside the Building
The dark night obscured the tactical team positioned on the rooftops.
"Natasha, what's the situation?" A voice came through Black Widow's earpiece.
"I am ready to act anytime. Coulson, start preparing," Natasha Romanoff whispered. She was wearing a black tactical suit, her red hair blending into the shadows.
As the largest official supernatural response agency, S.H.I.E.L.D. began in-depth investigations as early as the first small earthquake.
The incidents that Agent Coulson investigated were all focused on Manhattan. The source of the earthquake was enough to attract S.H.I.E.L.D.'s full attention.
They planned to wait for the opportune moment— strike when the Defenders were about to lose, securing the assets and the threat simultaneously.
"I... Oh, shit," Coulson's voice broke the silence. "Hold fire. An unknown flying object is approaching."
"What is it?" Natasha asked, signaling her team to hold.
"Look up."
Natasha looked at the night sky.
Buzz.
The sound of air being displaced echoed above. A figure passed over her head, less than twenty meters away.
Hawkeye, perched on a nearby water tower with his bow, spoke into the comms. "White kimono. Short brown hair. Black-rimmed glasses."
"He can fly," Natasha noted, her eyes narrowing. "And I don't see any thrusters."
"Who is he? Mutant? Or an Enhanced?" Coulson asked.
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Word count: 1550
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