Sean's appearance froze the underground space for an instant...
Whether it was the Hand or Hell's Kitchen's street-level heroes, everyone instinctively held their breath, their gazes locked onto the black-clad figure emerging from the darkness, filled with wariness and apprehension.
Elektra gracefully stepped across the battlefield and moved to stand beside Sean. The ruthless woman who had just beheaded Murakami now seemed as docile as a kitten, her icy aura had completely vanished.
The scene took on an eerie tension. With Sean's arrival, both the Hand and Hell's Kitchen's vigilantes found themselves on the back foot.
"I'll give you a chance to leave." Sean tossed the unconscious Danny Rand to the ground like trash, his gaze swept over the street-level heroes, "Take your friend and go. The game is over."
His target was the Hand.
The vigilantes had already played their part, there was no need to waste effort on them.
Jessica and Luke Cage exchanged a glance before looking to the Punisher. They were deeply wary of this mysterious man, especially Frank, who had been humiliated twice by him.
"Where's Daredevil?" the Punisher demanded as Luke slung the unconscious Iron Fist over his shoulder.
"He's lying in some cold corner. Hopefully, you'll find him before he bleeds out," Elektra replied indifferently.
'Heartless woman...' The Punisher suppressed a curse and signaled for Jessica and the others to retreat.
As the vigilantes disappeared into the darkness, Sean stood at the center of the battlefield, calm as if taking a leisurely stroll. The Hand's remaining leaders backed against the rock wall, their escape was blocked by Elektra... They were trapped like caged beasts making their last futile struggle...
"I know what you want to ask." Sean raised a hand, cutting off Madame Gao before she could speak, "We have no personal grudges. But unfortunately, you're in my way."
His cold words echoed through the cavern. Hidden behind his black mask, only his deep, penetrating eyes were visible as they studied the group.
"When I first arrived in this place, I was a nobody, a speck of dust in this vast, bustling city. No one is content with mediocrity. To climb higher, to seize the wealth and power everyone covets, you must clear every obstacle in your path. I'm sure you understand…"
Sean's tone was eerily calm, almost gentle, as if addressing old friends rather than enemies, "...So I wiped out Frank D'Amico's gang... not out of some righteous crusade, but because I needed money, and the drug lord happened to cross me. The same goes for Kingpin. I needed more resources, and the so-called 'King of Crime' had plenty to offer. So I sent him and Bullseye straight to hell..."
"...Now, I need the Hand. Will you hand it over?"
The Hand's leaders exchanged stunned glances. If not for their fear of the Black Sky's power, they would have lunged at Sean on the spot.
The sheer audacity of his demand was absurd... It was like a polite robber asking, "Would you kindly hand over your fortune and the woman behind you?"
The Hand had taken centuries to build into a global empire. And now this man expected them to surrender everything? The sheer ridiculousness of it left them speechless.
After a silent exchange, they nearly refused, until they remembered their dire predicament. Elektra alone could slaughter them all, let alone the enigmatic man beside her.
"I am willing to relinquish all my assets within the Hand to you," Madame Gao declared suddenly, her aged face creasing into a smile, betraying no reluctance.
Sean nodded approvingly, 'The old fox knows when to fold...'
The others weren't so quick to comply. Sowande, the African warlord, sneered. Centuries of effort had built his power... losing it would leave him vulnerable in a land where mercy didn't exist.
"There are only two of them…" Bakuto muttered, as if urging the others to act.
"I gave you a chance." Sean sighed regretfully.
He raised a hand.
A pinprick of crimson light flickered in the darkness... Just a tiny glowing ember.
*Whoosh..*
The scarlet beam lanced through the air and pierced Bakuto's skull before he could react. Not a single drop of blood spilled, the heat vaporized it instantly.
Ignoring the horrified stares, Sean turned to Madame Gao, "Five fingers… even two is still too many..."
The elderly woman's eyes gleamed. In one fluid motion, she drew a slender blade from her cane and plunged it into Sowande's throat.
The warlord's eyes bulged, his dark face twisting in disbelief. He choked, unable to speak as his trachea filled with blood. With a final, gurgling gasp, he collapsed, his body going limp as darkness claimed him...
"Bravo." Sean's applause echoed through the cavern, "Only the clever survive this game."
Of the Hand's five leaders, this seemingly frail old woman had outmaneuvered them all.
"Let them rest with the dragon bones." Sean motioned for Elektra to follow, with Madame Gao trailing obediently behind. The three stepped onto the elevator.
...
Half an hour later, Sean stood before a floor-to-ceiling window holding a bottle of red wine in hand...
Across the skyline, the Midland Circle Financial building erupted in a thunderous explosion. Flames and smoke billowed skyward as the structure trembled.
Even from his high-rise apartment, Sean felt the faint tremor...
Elektra handed him a glass, he poured himself some wine, then clinked his glass with Elektra's as the crimson liquid swirled like blood.
The building imploded, shockwaves ripped through steel and concrete. Glass rained down like crystalline hail as the skyscraper crumbled... an artificial mountain collapsed in a roar of destruction.
Sean raised his glass, "To this beautiful city." he muttered as his eyes reflected the distant inferno...