Character Setting Background

As the enhancements for those clad in the Knight System were in full swing, Shuka, an organization with less than ten members for now, also began its activities. The transaction between the mini Doctor Death, remotely controlled by Wei Xiuming, and the vampires commenced.

It's worth complaining about Nick Fury here. Although the half-human, half-vampire Blade Warrior had been under his surveillance, after Wei Xiuming mentioned him, Fury genuinely felt there was something special about this guy and conducted repeated sampling and testing.

He had no idea Wei Xiuming was merely forcing Marvel World elements onto Kamen Rider. It was like how some people complained about the absence of Xenomorphs in the Marvel World, but they forgot that the Skrulls possessed very similar abilities. And in an era where interstellar travel was as simple as driving from the east to the west district, bio-modification technology had also developed considerably—Rocket Raccoon being a prime example.

The transaction between Doctor Death and the vampire noble Victor proceeded without any surprises. The representative from the vampire side was an arms dealer from a small Eastern European country—a very common practice.

Just like their predecessors during the slave trade, to acquire resources like minerals from a certain country, America, controlled by capital, would instigate internal conflict in that nation. Arms trading was one of the means.

Possessing a sharp weapon incites murderous intent; holding a peerless blade makes one want to test its edge on something. With firearms, which are far more lethal and can yield greater profit and even power, one becomes even more restless—especially when a certain superpower hints, overtly and covertly, that one can wreak havoc freely, and that all logistical support and firepower during unfavorable situations will be provided.

Official arms dealers typically wouldn't appear directly; instead, they would use backed intermediaries. This Eastern European arms dealer was precisely such a figure. The money earned was basically pocketed by America's own arms dealers, with only a small portion being shared. They earned their keep through hard work, essentially just transportation fees.

Most importantly, by conducting transactions through overseas companies, they could legally avoid taxes through various means. Even though this arms dealer could deliver the Amazon Potion to Victor in just two hours after trading with Doctor Death, the transaction was, in procedure, entirely conducted overseas.

And this guy named Doom didn't seem like an arms dealer at all; he looked more like a scholar conducting research at a university, with a strong scholarly aura. His sense of fashion was excellent, and apart from a slightly receding hairline, he could easily grace the cover of a fashion magazine.

The transaction took place in another abandoned warehouse, not the previous one, but one located near a port.

Compared to trucks, which could be intercepted and inspected, using ships for transportation was much more convenient.

Fighters in simple exoskeletons and black combat suits pushed out portable thermostatic cabinets, each bearing Shuka's emblem. After being taken over by Doom's subordinates, they were loaded into wooden crates filled with foam boards and bubble wrap before being put onto the ship. During this process, having been warned in advance, they did not rashly open the boxes for inspection—there had been those who did so rashly before, but they either died in the transaction or were eliminated by Doom.

Doctor Death's side also didn't bother checking if the amount in the bank account was satisfactory; instead, he chatted with Doom with great interest—after all, this name held immense significance in the Marvel World: the legendary Lord Doom.

"Mr. Doom, are you interested in working for me? I can give you unimaginable power, power far greater than that of those vampires." Although they shared the same surname, Wei Xiuming couldn't pass up the opportunity to personally forge a Doctor Doom, knowing that even with his forced connections, he was still integrating Marvel World elements with Kamen Rider.

"My hometown is in Eastern Europe, called Latovinia—a very poor small country." Doom didn't directly refuse Doctor Death's offer. The other party was the person transacting directly with his superiors. He heard that their big boss had even sent his personal secretary, Bill, to communicate and negotiate with him last time. Offending them with disrespectful words would have severe consequences. "Latovinia is a landlocked country with no coastline, blockaded and surrounded by neighboring countries on land. Due to its geographical location, Latovinia has always been poor, with scarce mineral resources and a mountainous terrain, resulting in a small arable land area. The people have always lived below the poverty line."

"Latovinia has had two periods of relative prosperity. The first was during the Third Reich's grand expansion. Latovinia, still a feudal state, was unable to resist and could only surrender. It then served as a bridgehead for the Third Reich's attack on the USSR, undergoing construction for a period. Large numbers of Latovinian people were employed, earning relatively decent incomes. The land's produce could also be sold to the army or directly exchanged for canned goods. Only apples grew best in the mountains—the first time I stole alcohol was from our homemade apple wine."

As he spoke, Doom subtly observed Doctor Death with his slightly green eyes. He was intelligent and perceptive, and it wasn't hard for him to notice the connection between the so-called Shuka organization and the Third Reich Workers' Party.

"The second period of glory came after World War II. Latovinia joined the USSR. In that passionate era, the USSR spared no expense in developing its member states, and Latovinia also saw some improvement. For the first time, the people became the people, no longer serfs and exploited subjects of the nobles."

"But then the USSR dissolved. As one of its member states, Latovinia didn't inherit much. The people's lives plummeted. And those who had been overthrown returned, turning Latovinia back into a monarchy."

"My father disappeared during a certain period, and I was raised by my mother. The income from farming could only sustain our daily lives, but it was enough to keep us fed. My mother, however, didn't see it that way. She didn't want me to be stuck as a farmer in Latovinia my whole life. Instead, she scrimped and saved to send me to school. But her single income wasn't enough to cover tuition. For this, my mother found some items related to magic from the inheritance of her mother, who was a Gypsy witch, and then became a witch herself, casting fortunes for others to earn income—until she became too engrossed in it, went mad, and died during a so-called magical experiment."

"Ironically, at that time, I had received an acceptance letter from the State University of New York with a full scholarship due to my excellent grades. With this money, I could have taken her away from Latovinia and given us a better life."

"At university, I majored in Engineering and Physics, consistently achieving excellent grades, even earning a doctorate. Then, someone from Mr. Victor's business found me. He needed an overseas representative. Compared to those greedy and ignorant fellows, I, an intelligent person, would be more useful."

Doom paused. Certain details that followed were commercial secrets and could not be revealed to an outsider like Doctor Death.

"My subordinates are all from Latovinia. Although this job is sinful, a catalyst for taking countless lives, it allows their families to live better lives and enables their children to receive an education, thus possessing the ability to change their destiny."

"If I work for you, Mr. Victor will find someone else to replace me, and that person will form their own team. Furthermore, because too many secrets would be known, my subordinates, their families, and I would all be eliminated."