"…That really looked like you," Kana Kimishima said quietly, still staring at the now-changed TV screen.
But not everyone took it at face value.
The Noble Blade and the Exorcist exchanged a brief glance. Even though the footage had only flashed for a second, the expressions on those people's faces hadn't looked friendly.
The Noble Blade smiled lightly, playing it off. "Mr. Vale is clearly influential in this world. Seeing him on TV isn't exactly surprising."
Noah Vale didn't respond immediately.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
He glanced at Tony Stark and Willy. Both of them had reacted—subtly, but enough. Their heart rates had spiked for just a moment.
They'd known.
That building… the Empire State Building.
Noah pieced it together instantly.
So that's why it wasn't part of the tour. They deliberately avoided it.
In the next instant, he stopped holding back.
His senses expanded outward, sweeping across half of New York. Voices, movement, distant noise—everything poured into his awareness. Within seconds, he understood exactly what was happening.
The Exorcist stepped in smoothly. "I agree. It'd be stranger if someone like Mr. Vale didn't show up on the news."
"Yeah, yeah—exactly," Master Ronin added quickly, nodding along.
Too quickly.
Too eager.
Noah clicked his tongue under his breath.
They meant well—but the forced reassurance only made the situation more irritating.
Still, he kept his composure.
"It's nothing," he said calmly. "Let's finish dinner. We've still got a couple of places left tonight."
Willy caught the cue immediately.
The original plan had included several more stops. Without a word, he quietly cut most of them, keeping only the essentials.
Half an hour later, the gathering wrapped up.
Everyone seemed satisfied, offering their thanks before preparing to leave.
"Oh, one more thing," Noah said with a faint smile. "Since you made the trip, I've got something for each of you before you go."
"A gift?" The group exchanged looks, interest sparking instantly.
"Yeah. Willy will take you to them."
These weren't random souvenirs. Noah had prepared each one personally, tailored to the recipient.
Something practical. Something useful.
Something they wouldn't forget.
As the group followed Willy away, their anticipation obvious, Noah remained behind.
The moment they were gone—
His expression went cold.
Clap.
The sound was soft.
But the effect was absolute.
Time stopped.
The entire street froze in place.
Pedestrians stood mid-step. Conversations cut off mid-sentence. A man sat frozen in a restaurant, his wristwatch still ticking as everything else fell into stillness.
Even a small dog tugged at its leash, confused as its owner remained completely motionless.
The illusion shattered.
The truth was simple.
Every single person they had seen tonight—from Liberty Island to this very street—had been hired actors.
The tourists had been cleared out.
The crowds had been staged.
All of it had been arranged to give his guests a perfect experience.
And now—
It had been ruined.
From a nearby corner, a massive figure hurried forward.
Kingpin approached, his usual imposing presence replaced with visible tension.
"You already knew?" Noah asked flatly.
Kingpin hesitated. "…Yes."
"I planned to tell you last night," he added quickly. "But I didn't want to ruin your evening, so I delayed it."
Noah gave him a brief look.
"Your decision?"
Kingpin's breath caught. "I—"
Noah cut him off with a small wave. "You've done well so far. Don't let it happen again."
Relief flooded Kingpin's face. "Understood."
He straightened slightly, regaining some confidence. "Should I handle them? Same as before—break a few legs, shut it down?"
"No," Noah said.
His gaze shifted toward the skyline.
"The Empire State Building."
A faint wind stirred around him.
"You're too slow."
Kingpin blinked.
"I'll take care of it myself. Just clean up afterward."
Before Kingpin could respond—
Noah vanished.
Outside the Empire State Building, the protest had grown loud.
Dozens—then hundreds—of people crowded the streets, holding signs, shouting slogans, broadcasting their outrage to anyone willing to watch.
It had been less than two weeks since Noah had crushed their last attempt.
Apparently, that hadn't been enough.
Standing at the top of the building, Noah looked down at them.
His expression was cold.
Always angry. Always convinced they're right. Always forgetting what happens next.
Always being used.
He exhaled slowly.
"Fine."
"This ends now."
He stepped forward—
—and dropped.
The fall accelerated instantly.
Faster.
Faster.
Breaking the sound barrier in seconds.
Then—
Impact.
The ground exploded beneath him.
A crater nearly ten meters wide tore into the street, concrete and debris blasting outward. The shockwave ripped through the crowd, screams erupting as chaos replaced the protest in an instant.
The scene was being broadcast live.
Across the city—and beyond—people watched in stunned silence.
From the center of the crater, Noah rose slowly.
Unbothered.
Unhurried.
He walked forward.
"Th-that's him!" someone shouted, pointing. "That mut—"
The word never finished.
Noah didn't even turn around.
His foot shifted slightly—
—and the ground behind him ruptured.
A violent surge of force tore through the street, hurling the speaker and several others into the air before slamming them into a nearby wall.
Silence followed.
"Loud," Noah muttered, brushing at his ear as if the noise had been mildly annoying.
He kept walking.
Never looking back.
To him, they weren't worth the effort.
Inside the White House, the live broadcast played across multiple screens.
Matthew Ellis stood frozen.
"…He actually did it," Ellis said, voice barely above a whisper.
"He just attacked them. Publicly."
He turned, looking toward his advisors.
"Does he think we won't respond? That we won't send in the military?"
No one answered immediately.
The room was tense.
Even James Rhodes—War Machine himself—looked caught off guard.
Because this wasn't subtle.
This wasn't contained.
This was a message.
And now—
Noah Vale had already reached the doors.
With a quiet push, he stepped into the building's interior, where a heavy, suffocating silence hung over the ongoing meeting inside.