Kingpin Allies With The Hand

Over the next few days, the pace suddenly slowed down.

Shack and the other four suspended their nighttime activities. Every day, they either went to various restaurants to eat and drink their fill while spending the stolen money, or went clubbing and singing to experience the prosperity of the human world. Yinsen's schedule was equally fixed. Aside from the occasional special day when he had to represent Yuri at Stark Industries' board meetings, he continued hiding behind the first-floor counter to study and read as usual.

Yuri's days were full as well. To achieve mass production of the Steam Armor, he spent several days designing a qualified production line. Producing one set every two days was not particularly fast, but its advantage was that it could operate on its own. Tony's penthouse had suffered devastating damage, forcing him to move the birthplace of the new element to his seaside villa. Whenever Yuri asked about his progress, Tony would always say, "Soon, soon," which was truly maddening.

Just when everyone thought they could peacefully prepare to head to the Arctic and rescue their Mutant kin, Daredevil knocked on the handmade shop's door, covered in blood.

"A Kingpin built like a monster, five Asians calling themselves the Fingers, Bullseye who never missed, and Japanese ninja everywhere who just won't stay dead?"

Vanax held up four fingers and waved them, saying with a proud look, "The moment we left, all this nonsense popped up. Matthew, it looks like Hell's Kitchen's peace and safety still depend on the five of us."

Daredevil had long known what kind of personality she had. He did not mind at all, instead playing along and flattering her. "Yes, yes, yes. After all, Hell's Kitchen's current harmony is all thanks to you five fighting night after night. You wouldn't want it to be destroyed and return to how it was, would you?"

Yet unlike what he had expected, Vanax did not agree at once. Instead, she hesitated and brushed him off. "Is it urgent? How about..."

"Do you know where their headquarters is?"

Yuri interrupted Vanax. Looking at Daredevil, then at the five Mutant companions beside him, he said, "We're going on a long trip in the next few days, and we may not be back for a long time. If you know where their headquarters is, my plan is to settle this once and for all. Ideally, we'll wipe out every last enemy tonight."

He had not wanted to create extra trouble. After all, whether it was the endless ninja or the powerful Kingpin, they could still be injured by Daredevil. At most, they were ordinary people who had mastered extraordinary abilities. But the "Five Fingers" reminded him of a hidden sect similar to Kamar-Taj—Kunlun. Its sacred artifact, the Dragon Bone, seemed to be buried somewhere beneath New York.

If nothing unexpected had happened, Kingpin and the Hand had likely reached some sort of deal. The Hand had sent ninja to help Kingpin eliminate his enemies and secure his position as the underground emperor, while Kingpin provided them with a place to stay and assisted them in excavating the Dragon Bone, which could extend one's lifespan and slow aging.

Legend had it that the core of Kunlun was a golden egg calling itself Shou Lao, the being that supported the entire Kunlun dimension. Yuri did not know what connection the Dragon Bone had with Shou Lao, nor why it had appeared beneath New York, but that did not affect his desire to claim the Dragon Bone for himself. He felt that he could obtain something from it that would strengthen him.

For example, the power to create dimensions. Or bring the dead back to life.

But New York was vast, and the Dragon Bone was small. The best way to find it was to get the answer from the Hand's upper ranks. They had plotted for who knew how long in pursuit of immortality. Since they had come to New York, they must have at least found a method to locate the Dragon Bone.

"It's in Kingpin's Wilson Building!"

Seeing that things had taken a turn for the better, Daredevil finally relaxed enough to realize just how badly injured he was. There were no fewer than twenty knife wounds across his body, along with broken bones and damaged internal organs...

Intense pain swept over him like a tidal wave, while the weakness from excessive blood loss spread throughout his body at the same time.

With a press of the mechanism, the short baton in his hand extended and lengthened. He placed all his weight on the red-and-white pole that was called a weapon but was, in truth, a blind cane, forcing himself to remain standing. "I can take you there."

"In your condition, I can't exactly rest easy."

Yuri flipped his hand and condensed a ball of Life Energy, sending it into Matthew's body. His wounds healed rapidly at a speed visible to the naked eye, and the blood he had lost along the way was swiftly replenished.

Determined to see his good deed through, Yuri guided the Life Energy to Matthew's eyes and effortlessly repaired the eyes that had gone blind due to nerve damage.

"Oh! Oh! Oh my God!"

Before Matthew could marvel at how quickly his injuries had healed, the colors that had reappeared in his life stole away every word he could have used to express himself. In his excitement, he actually reached toward Yuri, the first person he saw, seemingly intending to touch him and confirm that his sight had truly returned.

Smack!

Yuri decisively slapped his hand away and called Shack and the others to the third floor to collect their equipment. He patted Matthew on the shoulder. With tears filling his eyes, Matthew thanked him over and over.

"Get used to it properly. Don't let it affect the fight ahead."

Third floor.

Vanax chattered away with the other four as they eagerly anticipated their new equipment. Recently, the boss had either been designing the Steam Armor production line in the workshop or tinkering with the black slime inside glass spheres on the workbench. The former was for making money in the future, while the latter was the new equipment he had prepared for them.

"Will we also get to wear a full suit of armor like the Eternals?"

"I don't like how their armor looks."

As everyone discussed it, Yuri arrived late and handed the five glass spheres containing black slime to Shack and the others one by one. "This is the new equipment I prepared for you. It's simple to control, endlessly versatile, requires no energy, doesn't need repairs, can withstand massive physical and magical damage, and can greatly enhance the user's strength in every aspect..."

As the five suddenly began breathing faster, black matter erupted from Yuri's entire body and covered him. Five eyes snapped open, and a familiar yet unfamiliar voice emerged from a hideous mouth that opened and closed. "I call it—the Symbiote Suit!"

"Now, crush the glass spheres in your hands and absorb the black slime within. Give it any command as though you were controlling your own limbs, and enjoy the explosive increase in power!"

Roar!

Five ear-splitting roars erupted across the third floor. Vanax controlled her symbiote to form a savage giant bird, while Kate transformed into a massive hairless demonic cat. Tiger, Cheetah, and Tiger each revealed their Mutant True Forms. In an instant, the five enormous black monsters packed the not-so-small third-floor space to the brim.

"Vanax, take Daredevil into the sky and have him guide us. Everyone else, keep quiet. Stay low-profile until we reach the enemy's lair and minimize exposure!"

After issuing his orders, Yuri vaulted onto Vanax's back. The third-floor ceiling silently opened. A flash of blue light vanished, and the giant bird seized Daredevil Matthew, who still had not figured out what was happening, before soaring into the sky.