Cold sweat instantly soaked Crossbones' back. He had never imagined that he would one day be approached by a target without even realizing it. Clearly, the opponent possessed some kind of special ability to take down so many elite agents in an instant.
Thinking about the other party's identity, Crossbones suddenly felt a sense of relief.
According to the investigations by S.H.I.E.L.D. and Hydra, the group of beta players had gained a variety of strange abilities from the game 'Origin Continent.' As the man behind Future Technology and its true chairman, Makiya himself surely possessed these abilities. It was only normal for him to have a few more tricks up his sleeve.
"Chairman Makiya," Crossbones said, flashing what he thought was a friendly smile. However, his long history of doing dirty work gave him a sinister aura, making his grin look more like a gruesome grimace. "We are from the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, and Logistics Division. We mean you no harm."
"No harm?" Makiya kicked an agent lying nearby. A rifle fell from the man's coat, and two more handguns were holstered on his leg and under his arm. Electric batons, telescopic clubs, and specialized sprays were all present, and his gear was covered with grenades and other gadgets of unknown purpose.
"And you call this 'no harm.'" Makiya looked exasperated. Crossbones' words were a pure insult to his intelligence—just saying whatever came to mind, expecting someone to believe it.
Crossbones pretended not to see the mockery on Makiya's face and nodded naturally. "These are necessary measures. Our intelligence network detected that someone intended to harm you, so we specifically dispatched agents to protect your safety in secret."
"Enough with the act. I heard that 'Hail Hydra' just now."
"I see. Then there's no other way..." Crossbones' eyes narrowed slightly, hiding the cold killing intent within. This was the precursor to his attack; only the top hunters could completely conceal their intent to strike, taking down their opponents by surprise.
Makiya was a superhuman. Based on the abilities he had shown so far, Crossbones didn't think he had a full chance of capturing him alive. It seemed he would have to find an opportunity to kill him.
Crossbones was extremely confident in his own fighting skills. Years on the battlefield and his experience as an agent gave him the assurance that no one could beat him in close-quarters combat.
The target was now only a step away, right in the optimal range for his martial arts. Crossbones quietly clenched his fists and, taking advantage of the moment Makiya glanced at the communication device on his chest, suddenly lunged!
Splat!
The moment his hand was about to touch Makiya, his world suddenly spun. The sound of bones snapping was exceptionally clear in the quiet room.
Crossbones felt his vision blur for a brief moment. When he regained his senses, he found himself staring at the wooden floor. He had somehow collapsed onto the ground without knowing it.
"What happened?" Crossbones was dazed and curious about how he had suddenly ended up on the floor. Makiya's strike had been too fast; the pain only reached his nervous system after a slight delay. In an instant, the agonizing pain from his limbs made even the battle-hardened Crossbones scream out in agony.
His arms were bent backward at a grotesque angle, and his legs were snapped at the mid-thigh. Pink bone spurs protruded from his flesh, and crimson blood sprayed out continuously.
"Hydra actually dared to set their sights on me," Makiya said, squatting beside Crossbones and placing a hand on his head. His voice was indifferent. "Heaven had a path for you, but you chose to barge into hell instead. I didn't plan on dealing with you lot yet..."
Crossbones was merely a super soldier enhanced through human experimentation, using a serum that was even inferior to Captain America's. He had no chance of resisting Makiya's Genjutsu interrogation. Powerful ocular power invaded his brain, and Makiya quickly stripped every bit of information from Crossbones' mind.
The mastermind behind this operation was Alexander Pierce, one of the Hydra leaders hidden within S.H.I.E.L.D. Having recognized the potential of the virtual reality game 'Origin Continent,' he decided to use force to seize the technology for himself.
From Crossbones' memories, Makiya learned that various factions were eyeing his company, Future Technology. Some were pulling strings and making political donations to exert pressure through official channels, while others were sharpening their blades in secret, ready to use their traditional methods of blatant robbery.
Many factions were watching him. Information about Internal Power was spreading, and legacies for several hidden classes were being discovered one after another. The hidden great families had finally found an opportunity to become stronger without side effects, and they immediately began plotting.
In the supernatural systems released by 'Origin Continent,' they saw the chance to significantly extend their lifespans. Pursuing long-lasting rule was the core desire of those in power, and to that end, they began to fully mobilize their resources.
Faced with this situation, Makiya didn't intend to play by the rules of those 'vampires.' This world was governed by the law of the jungle; only absolute force could make people sit down and listen to reason.
Before being thoroughly beaten into submission, their arrogant pride wouldn't let them listen to a single word.
As a respected great man once said, 'One punch to prevent a hundred.' Makiya took the old man's teachings to heart and decided to throw a very good punch.
He reached out his left hand and made a crushing motion toward the group of agents. A series of popping sounds, like melons bursting, echoed in the quiet room as the agents' heads exploded, splattering the floor with red and white matter.
Most of these agents were Hydra plants within S.H.I.E.L.D., while a few were still loyal to the agency. Makiya felt no guilt in killing them all. Since they had decided to strike at him, they couldn't blame him for how he chose to retaliate.
There were still many agents hidden in the nearby residential buildings. The communicator on Crossbones was still ringing incessantly, broadcasting reports of various agent squads moving into position.
A large number of clones rushed out of the room, heading toward each agent squad. Faced with the inhuman Makiya, the well-trained agents were completely powerless.
Screams echoed through the communicator one after another, followed by silence as the channels went dead. The elite agents sent by S.H.I.E.L.D. were wiped out, slaughtered by Makiya in less than a minute.
Crossbones finally recovered from the intense pain, gritting his teeth as he endured the agony, his eyes fierce and bloodshot.
The intense pain came in waves like a tide, crashing against his brain as if trying to breach the dam of his sanity. While he still had his wits about him, Crossbones glared at Makiya and forced words through his teeth: "Hydra won't let you get away with this... *hissing*... Before that, you'd better find a way to survive S.H.I.E.L.D.'s wrath! Heh heh heh heh..."
Makiya squatted by Crossbones' head, stroking his chin as he looked at the twisted but resilient Hydra soldier. "To be honest, you're the most pathetic-looking villain I've ever seen laugh."
With that, Makiya grabbed a random headless corpse, pulled off its underwear with his gloved hands, and stuffed it into Crossbones' mouth. Then, he ripped the communicator from the man's chest and activated his data manipulation ability.
Invisible signals pulsed through the air, and a massive amount of data spread through the city. Busy signals and data chains interlaced, flowing through base stations and data lines.
Tracing the signal, Makiya successfully located the equipment on the other end. The location was near Washington, D.C. Looking at the map, it was on the Potomac River between D.C. and Virginia. In the middle of the river sat a massive island—the location of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s headquarters, the Triskelion.
Makiya never held a grudge; once he became strong enough, he usually settled his debts on the spot. He grabbed Crossbones, who was nearly unconscious from the stench, and soared into the sky on a flying sword.
"Iris, don't go out until I return. Keep an eye on the house. If anyone attacks, kill them on sight."
Makiya's voice reached the minds of Iris and the others through their contract. They immediately stopped what they were doing and bowed gracefully. "Yes, Master."
At ten in the morning, warm sunlight poured over the shimmering waters of the Potomac River. The river flowed slowly, creating layers of golden ripples. On the central island, the Triskelion stood majestically.
From a distance, the headquarters building looked like a cold, steel beast. Its unique three-pronged design cast a massive, orderly shadow in the sunlight. The exterior walls were built from some high-tech alloy, the cold metallic luster contrasting sharply with the soft natural scenery around it.
The plaza around the headquarters was bustling with people. Agents were heading out on missions in small groups, while others moved quickly in electric commuter vehicles. Agents who had just completed their missions walked leisurely, celebrating with colleagues and feeling the pride of saving the world once again.
The appearance of an uninvited guest completely shattered this harmonious scene.
Boom!
A figure descended from the sky amidst flames, and the ground instantly exploded under Makiya's feet, cracks spreading in all directions.
Crossbones, still in his hands, rolled his eyes. Having just regained some consciousness, he was once again hit by the violent vibrations and impact, blissfully passing out once more.
"What's going on? Is it a gas explosion?"
"An enemy attack?"
"I think I just saw someone!"
"It couldn't be that big guy from South America again, could it?"
"Quickly call for backup! It's an enemy attack! Captain Rumlow has been captured!"
"
Crossbones' real name was Brock Rumlow. His public identity in S.H.I.E.L.D. was the leader of the STRIKE team. He commanded several armed units and was famous for never taking a day off, earning him the respect of other team members.
In reality, he was a man working one job but getting paid twice. In the Snake Shield Bureau, he was a veteran with seventy years of seniority, tracing his roots all the way back to the time of the Red Skull.
Makiya stepped out from the smoke, carrying Crossbones as he walked toward the main entrance of the Triskelion, completely ignoring the agents surrounding him.
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