M. Bison, That Show-Off Act of Yours Gets Full Marks from Me!!

Luke shoved his hands into the wall, braced himself against it with his feet, and scrambled up in no time.

Baroque sensed the movement behind him. With a light twist of his feet, he swiftly evaded the attack from his back.

"Damn it. He shouldn't die here!"

With his fist extended, Luke Cage gritted his teeth, spun around in rage, and charged again.

"Hehe, that's more like it~"

With a flamboyant turn, his golden braid swept through the air, and an icy gleam flashed in the night.

Screech—

As if a blade had struck steel armor, Baroque's metal claw raked heavily across Luke Cage's waist, throwing off sparks.

"Impervious to blades and bullets?!"

A trace of surprise flashed through Baroque's eyes, but his attacks and recoveries remained incredibly swift.

He spun several times in succession, his movements graceful and elegant. It looked less like a fight and more like a dance.

His feet tapped the ground in rapid succession as he performed several backflips, widening the distance between himself and Luke Cage.

"It seems I underestimated you a little."

There was nothing wrong with his fighting skills or weapons; they were still as sharp as ever.

In Baroque's eyes, Luke Cage's fighting skills were barely worth mentioning—childish as an infant's!

But that body of his, tough as bronze and iron, really was troublesome!

"Some kind of genetic technology? Enhancement modification? Or a superpower?"

There was no need to answer him. Luke merely clenched his fists and desperately aimed for Baroque's face.

One punch, two punches, three punches.

Baroque's footwork rose and fell in perfect rhythm, and every incoming fist skimmed past his eyes by a hair.

Yet whenever he struck, he pierced Luke with precision.

Chest, waist, back, thigh, sole, arm, head.

Madness and delight coexisted in Baroque's eyes.

Elegant in posture, he circled Luke like a nimble butterfly, constantly probing for weaknesses in his body.

"Fuck you!!"

Luke swung his fists, anxiety boiling inside him.

"One punch, just one punch!"

He believed in his own strength. If he got one chance, just one punch would be enough to take down that masked bastard!

Unfortunately, he was now like a clumsy turtle facing a nimble monkey.

No matter how he struggled, he couldn't land a punch on his opponent.

"Shit. He's way too agile. His combat skills are more than a whole dimension above mine!"

Woo-woo-woo.

Several police cars were rushing this way along the nearby streets.

Alarmed and enraged, Luke quickly changed tactics. After forcing his opponent back once more, he simply turned, jumped down from the rooftop, and ran in a certain direction.

Naturally, Baroque had no intention of giving up this prey.

He leaped across the rooftops, his mocking gaze like a sharp blade constantly roaming over Luke's body.

Tap, tap, tap.

One chased while the other fled.

Twenty minutes later, Luke arrived at an abandoned school. Without hesitation, he plunged inside.

Whoosh.

Outside the school, Baroque silently appeared atop a utility pole.

With the cold moonlight at his back, he looked inside. Then, as if he had suddenly noticed something, he burst into loud laughter.

"Hahahaha! I thought you were going to lure me somewhere special. But this is it?"

Baroque had seen through the simple baiting tactic from the very beginning.

He raised his metal claw, about to toss out another taunt.

Ring, ring, ring~

"Tch. What perfect 'timing'!"

He pulled out a phone.

"Hello, this is Baroque."

"Greetings, Lord Baroque. I am Killer Bee—Cammy White."

A clear female voice came through the phone.

"So?"

Frowning, Baroque lowered his claw.

"It's like this, Lord Baroque. I'm nearby right now. Do you require support?"

Crack!

He suddenly crushed the phone in his hand.

Baroque's face darkened with embarrassment and anger.

"You're nothing more than a puppet prepared by Lord M. Bison. Don't get too cocky—woman!!"

Removing his mask, his cold lips curled upward as he spoke in the tone one used for the dead.

"Hmph. He actually dared to go to the 'Nest'? That brat is as good as dead tonight!"

Bangkok, Thailand.

9 PM, Jade Stone Temple.

Faint candlelight flickered within the temple. It was dark inside, and the air felt bleak and oppressive.

Upon the throne, a five-meter-tall golden Buddha gazed down with lowered eyes, silently observing this filthy world.

A tall, powerfully built man in a red military uniform stood before it with his hands clasped behind his back, as though confronting the great Buddha.

Whoosh.

A massive shadow fell across his face, yet it could not conceal the madness in his eyes.

It was a rational, icy madness.

As if he intended to ignite war and burn this world to ash.

To drag every nation and force across the globe into the conflict and become their king!

Tap, tap, tap.

"..."

After waiting for a while and receiving no response from within, Dr. Senoh spoke softly.

"Lord M. Bison, there is new information from Lord Baroque in New York."

Creak~

The wooden doors opened as though pushed apart by a pair of invisible hands.

Dr. Senoh entered carefully with his head lowered. From the corner of his eye, he glanced at the figure standing with his hands behind his back, his expression intensely fervent.

M. Bison said nothing and remained where he stood, but the air around them suddenly became as heavy as if it had been filled with lead.

"Lord M. Bison, the Ireland gang that attacked our shipment was personally wiped out by Lord Baroque several days ago.

"Although this drew some attention from the Central Intelligence Agency, Lord Baroque assured you that he would resolve and suppress this incident perfectly!"

There was still no response. M. Bison merely stood there, yet his presence expanded without end.

One second, two seconds, three seconds.

Dr. Senoh's legs had gone numb by the time the heavy atmosphere in the air abruptly dissipated.

Within the immense shadow, M. Bison slowly turned his face, like a dragon slightly extending its head.

A faint candlelight fell upon half of his cold face.

His eyes were indifferent, filled with extreme coldness and cruelty. His lips lifted slightly.

"Do not disappoint me."

"Yes!"

"Fuck. Where did he go?"

On the second-floor corridor of the abandoned school, behind a shattered window, Luke Cage stuck out his butt and cautiously peered outside.

He had waited inside for a full fifteen minutes, yet Baroque still had not appeared.

"Did he... realize what I was up to?"

Gritting his teeth, Luke felt anxious inside, knowing that his current situation was rather awkward.

He had originally planned to lure the enemy into this abandoned school.

First, there were hardly any pedestrians nearby, allowing him to use his power freely.

Second, the other party was incredibly agile. In such a narrow, confined space, his movements would be severely restricted.

But now, the other party had not taken the bait and had vanished without a trace.

That left him unable to stay inside the school, yet unwilling to go out either. He was stuck in a deadlock.

Unwilling to give up, he took out his phone.

"Sigh..."

After the explosion, his phone was covered in cracks and had already been damaged.

"Shit. Am I supposed to stay here forever?"

Knowing this couldn't go on, Luke decided to head to the school's fourth floor.

The school only had four floors in total. The higher he went, the better his view would be.

He carefully crouched down, rose lightly onto his toes, and moved forward at an unhurried pace.

He slowly made his way up the stairs from the second floor.

Third floor, fourth floor. He turned the corner.

What?!

The villainous faction created by the first protagonist had officially made its debut. Welcome, welcome—applause! ()