Chapter 15: bird out of its cage
(POV: Noah)
The cold wind bit into my skin, signaling the onset of a chilly night. I'd been waiting for hours, orchestrating the movements of the trucks around various parts of the city. It was crucial that they seemed like ordinary people and not zombies following orders.
With a sigh, I decided to emerge from the alley. Giving the command, I watched as the trucks, accompanied by the zombies, approached the Fisk Tower. Inhaling deeply, I steeled myself for what was to come. Charging forward with all my might, I crashed into the main door, shattering it and sending the hinges flying.
Screams echoed through the streets as bystanders caught sight of me. Inside the building, I wasted no time, determined to eliminate everything in my path. Each death would not be in vain—it meant valuable XP, essential for becoming immensely strong. My tentacle lashed out at sonic speeds, striking down anyone in my way. At my command, the zombies in the trucks opened the back doors, allowing the lickers to storm into the building with incredible speed. Chaos ensued as the assault began.
The sound of alarms blared throughout the building as guards attempted to retaliate, but my tentacle swiftly dispatched them, slicing them in half. People scrambled to escape, but the lickers were relentless, tearing into anyone in their path. Sighing heavily, I seized a peculiar-looking individual who attempted to resist but was no match for my strength. Surprisingly, I felt a force much greater than that of a typical human—perhaps a modified mutant soldier from Kingpin's?
Without hesitation, I snapped the man's neck with a swift motion, blood spraying as I discarded his lifeless body. Making my way to an elevator, I stepped inside and selected the top floor. That damn bastard would soon feel my wrath. As far as I could recall, Kingpin's appearance wasn't difficult to discern—he was a towering figure, standing at two meters tall, and bald. Identifying him shouldn't be too complicated, at least according to what I remembered from the comics.
I'm planning to take him out. Well, truth be told, he hasn't really done much to me, but I know if I stick around New York any longer, that jerk's gonna be a thorn in my side. Honestly, after today, I'm seriously considering leaving New York behind. I want to venture into other places, explore forests, and other countries and, of course, instill fear and wreak havoc.
I waited for a bit, then suddenly, the elevator came to an abrupt halt. I noticed it had stopped between floors, like someone had intentionally halted it from another location. How irritating.
In a fit of frustration, I slammed my fist against the elevator door, causing it to cave in dramatically. Hitting it again, I sent it flying down the hallway. As it crashed, I caught sight of armed individuals, likely mercenaries. Taking advantage of their confusion, I charged towards them. Pulling out my tentacle, I swiftly dispatched most of them. One attempted to attack from behind, but I grabbed him by the head and exerted so much pressure that he exploded. Letting him drop, I flung his remains at another mercenary in the distance.
I charged towards the remaining mercenaries, unleashing a flurry of punches that left them shattered in my wake. A few attempted to lob grenades my way, but I swiftly intercepted them with my tentacle, hurling them back with great speed. Closing the distance, I obliterated the remaining mercenaries into pieces.
When the dust settled, the hallway was nothing but a grisly tableau of blood and entrails, a testament to the ferocity of the encounter.
Looks like it's stairs for me, damn it.
Hurriedly, I dashed down the hallway until I reached the stairs. Passing by offices filled with unsuspecting civilians, I extended my tentacle and commanded them to eliminate every human on nearly every floor, except the last one—reserved for me.
Ascending the stairs at breakneck speed, I felt the floor tremble beneath me with each step. As I sprinted, I witnessed the lickers descending upon the upper floors through the building's windows, tearing into and devouring anyone in their path. In the midst of my ascent, I used my tentacle to fend off additional mercenaries who dared to cross my path.
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(third person)
Kingpin seethed with anger as he watched the chaos unfolding on the security cameras. His once impenetrable fortress, a sanctuary for his illicit activities, was now under siege, with his workers, mercenaries, and innocent civilians falling victim to monstrous foes. With a furious roar, he shattered the glass containing his expensive wine.
"Damn it... DAMN IT!" Kingpin's rage was palpable, his desire for tranquility within his stronghold shattered by the carnage unfolding before his eyes. All he wanted was a quiet night while his workers scoured for clues about the data theft from his experiments.
"Haa... damn it," Kingpin muttered through clenched teeth, his gaze fixed on the screens displaying the destruction. Across from him stood Arthur Boyle, a 60-year-old man whose gray hair betrayed his age. Arthur was the mastermind behind the spider mutant experiments, essentially the boss of the other scientists.
"It seems we're in quite a bind, Wilson..." Arthur spoke with a nervous smile, his eyes flickering between the monitors and Kingpin. He and Kingpin had been acquainted for years; Arthur served as his personal scientist. Now, they were faced with the grim reality unfolding on the screens.
"Do you have it...?" Kingpin's voice was low and grave, his expression stern.
"Yes, but it's risky. The formula may be unstable, but it could potentially work on your body. However... are you certain you want to subject yourself to it? The chances of success are only at 50%..." Arthur's tone was fraught with concern as he laid out the grim odds.
"It doesn't matter... inject it into me. I'll tear that damn son of a bitch apart," Kingpin growled, his eyes ablaze with murderous determination. He was prepared to do whatever it took to exact his revenge without hesitation.
"Very well... let's hope for the best. Just remember, it'll grant you immense strength, but there's a chance you might lose control, and there could be side effects..." Arthur cautioned, his tone grave as he retrieved a briefcase and placed it on the desk. Opening it, he revealed a syringe filled with a liquid resembling water, but tainted with black and red hues.
Arthur sighed heavily as he delicately retrieved the syringe containing the evolutionary material extracted from the mutant spider. It was the purest substance they had synthesized, promising immense strength, yet fraught with the potential for dangerous side effects. With a heavy heart, Arthur handed it over, his expression tinged with concern.
"Here... just remember, it's risky," he cautioned, his voice laden with solemnity.
Kingpin seized the syringe and drove it into his neck without hesitation. As the potent substance coursed through his veins, he rose from his seat and strode to the window, gazing out at the city below with newfound intensity.
"You'll see... I'll make you regret ever crossing me... You think you're in control? You're nothing," he declared, his voice laced with a chilling certainty.
Suddenly, Kingpin began to stagger, a trickle of blood emerging from his nose. He wiped it away, but the bleeding persisted, now seeping from his eye sockets and ears. Despite the excruciating pain, Kingpin gritted his teeth, refusing to cry out. He understood that his body was undergoing a profound transformation, one that promised to make him far stronger than before.
Suddenly, Kingpin nearly collapsed to the ground, his skin flushing red as his boiling blood surged within him. Clenching his teeth so hard they cracked, he began to vomit black blood, each retch wracking his body with agony. Somberly, Arthur observed the harrowing transformation unfolding before him.
"Your metamorphosis is nearing completion. Brace yourself; it will bestow upon you unparalleled strength, though I cannot say for certain if it will be enough. According to my calculations, there's even the possibility of further enhancement as your blood reaches higher temperatures," Arthur remarked with a faint smile, though his eyes betrayed a hint of concern.
As the door of the spacious office dented and flew outward, crashing through the window, Arthur's surprise was palpable as Noah made his entrance.
"But... the mercenaries were supposed to still be alive... damn it," Arthur muttered, his teeth clenched in frustration.
With a thunderous roar, Kingpin surged forward with astonishing speed, launching himself at Noah with unbridled fury. The force of Kingpin's attack sent Noah hurtling through the air, crashing into an employee office with bone-shattering impact. The devastation wrought by the collision left the occupants of the room lifeless.
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What the fuck??
I burst into the room and got tossed when this huge, bald dude, probably Kingpin, shoved me. Damn, someone like him shouldn't have that kind of strength. I woke up hurting all over, feeling every bit of pain. This fight's gonna be one hell of a mess.
I scrambled to my feet and glanced ahead. A few meters away stood this tall, bald dude, emitting what looked like steam from his body. His skin was all red, like he was boiling from the inside out. And holy shit, there was an eye popping out of his forehead. Did he shoot up with some mutant crap or what?
I watched as an eye emerged from his cheek, blood oozing from the wound. Looks like Kingpin shot himself up with some mutant crap or something. This fight's gonna be one hell of a challenge.
But hey, I live for this kind of brawl. Letting out a primal roar, I charged towards him. Kingpin roared back, and we collided with a force that sent shockwaves rippling through the ground. I felt a solid impact against my chest, but I didn't hesitate to strike back. My fist connected with something hard, but it didn't hurt much. Kingpin went flying, crashing into a nearby hallway, leaving cracks in the walls and floor.
The bald dude's looking like a straight-up monster now. Probably knocked himself out, idiot.
Kingpin, like a beast awakened, rose to his feet with a deafening roar. He charged at me, delivering a powerful blow to my chest that sent me crashing into a wall. The impact was so forceful that I burst through the wall and tumbled onto the floor of Kingpin's office. There, I laid eyes on a guy with gray hair. A scientist, perhaps?
Without hesitation, I snatched him up with my tentacle and squeezed with all my might, shattering his bones and ending his life swiftly. In that moment, I made the decision to slaughter everyone present—civilians, mercenaries, it didn't matter. I paid no heed to the chaos unfolding around me as police sirens wailed in the distance and a helicopter hovered on the horizon. It was time for a spectacle.
Rising to my feet swiftly, I locked eyes with Kingpin as he charged towards me. With a thunderous roar, I too sprinted forward, unleashing my whip at maximum velocity. A sonic boom shattered the air as Kingpin was propelled backwards, crashing into the elevator door with enough force to dent it severely. But in the blink of an eye, he was back on his feet and running once more.
With fury coursing through my veins, I dashed towards him and seized his face, crashing through the elevator door and sending us hurtling downwards. As we plummeted, I unleashed a barrage of powerful blows to Kingpin's face, feeling the satisfying crunch of bone beneath my fists.
Upon impact, I felt the amazing pain shoot through my back, but I shook it off as we landed amidst a cloud of dust. Swiftly rising to my feet, I found myself in the reception area of the building. Without a moment's hesitation, I bolted outside, only to witness lickers in the distance wreaking havoc on the police.
Suddenly, a powerful force struck me from behind, hurling me through the air and sending me careening towards the exterior of the building with bone-jarring force, the impact reminiscent of colliding with a speeding car.
As I soared through the air, I gripped the concrete of the street below, taking in the chaotic scene illuminated by police car lights and the hovering helicopter above. With a heavy sigh, I rose to my feet just in time to witness Kingpin emerging from the building, his form grotesquely mutating before my eyes. Fangs protruded from his mouth, while additional eyes sprouted across his face and forehead.
"Ha..." I exhaled sharply, steeling myself for what was to come. Drawing upon the full extent of my Nemesis powers, I let out a primal roar, feeling the rush of power as my blood boiled within me. I could almost control my mutation at will, though there lingered the ever-present risk of losing control entirely. My vision tinged red as Kingpin charged towards me, and I mirrored his advance.
The collision between us unleashed a shockwave that sent police cars hurtling through the air, while the concrete beneath us fractured and shattered. Seizing Kingpin by the head, I hurled him towards the ground with all my might, the impact causing the concrete to splinter further. But in the midst of the chaos, a powerful blow struck my chest, sending me hurtling backwards through the air. With a swift effort, I managed to regain my balance before plummeting to the ground below.
I felt the searing heat running through my chest, but it wasn't just a sensation: it was my blood, burning with an intensity that bordered on unbearable. My hands throbbed with burning agony, and I watched in amazement as they contorted and transformed into grotesque claws, while tentacles sprang from my shoulders.
With power coursing through my veins, I charged towards Kingpin, slashing his chest with my sharp claws. He howled in agony and jumped back, narrowly avoiding my blow. With a deep sigh, I continued forward, unleashing all my strength against him. Dodging his retaliatory strike, I kneed him in the chest, moving with an unreal speed that defied comprehension.
Grabbing his arm, I slashed it in one swift motion, blood splattered on the ground. However, my surprise came when I witnessed Kingpin's limb regenerate in a matter of seconds. son of...
The impact hit my face with brutal force, launching me into the air and crashing me into the wall of a nearby building. Crashing through the wall, I staggered to my feet in the billowing dust, my face throbbing with pain. With a primal roar, I charged back and ran out to face the Kingpin once more.
When I stepped out into the open, I saw Kingpin throwing a police car straight at me. Without hesitation, I slashed at the vehicle with my claw, splitting it in two as it rushed towards me. Spectators fled in terror from the chaos unfolding before them.
My attention was briefly diverted when I looked up into the sky and saw a distinctive helicopter approaching. S.H.I.E.L.D... the possibility was in the air. I focused back on Kingpin and delivered a grotesque cut to his chest, boiling blood spilling onto the pavement. Despite my relentless assault, his incredible healing ability thwarted my efforts at every turn.
With a swift movement, I caught him with my tentacles and threw him towards a distant building. The impact sent shockwaves through the structure as it hit the wall. Just in time, I narrowly dodged a missile aimed in my direction, the explosion echoing through the area.
"S.H.I.E.L.D...!!!" I shouted in the midst of the chaos, the first time I had tried to get his attention. Gathering my strength, I leaped into action, grabbed the helicopter, and quickly dispatched the pilot with a single swipe of my claw. Stepping down to the street below, I watched as the helicopter plummeted and exploded in a fiery blaze.
My gaze snapped to Kingpin emerging from the rubble of the building, his anger mirroring mine as he charged towards me with a deafening roar. With a fierce battle cry.
With a fierce push, I sent Kingpin through the wall of another nearby building. Seizing the opportunity, I grabbed him by the head as he slammed inside, relentlessly slamming him into more and more walls. Dozens of walls were shattered in our wake as we leveled walls of buildings, leaving a trail of destruction in our wake.
Throwing Kingpin towards a police car, I ran forward to give him another punishing blow to the face. But as he approached me, I watched in surprise as Kingpin's form began to boil and smoke.
In the blink of an eye, a deafening sonic boom echoed through the air and I found myself hurtling uncontrollably through the air, crashing into dozens of building walls with a gut-wrenching impact. The pain that tormented my body was immense.
I rose to my feet, blood staining my hands, though none of it was my own. Casting my gaze downwards, I beheld a grim sight—dozens of lifeless bodies lay beneath me, a testament to the carnage of our battle.
Suddenly, a system window materialized before me, its message detailing an extraordinary development:
[You have leveled up!
Upgrades: Immensely improved strength, Immensely improved speed, Immensely improved senses!
You have achieved: massive virus improvement, massive mutation improvement!
You have achieved something incredible!
You have managed to reach the maximum level with an evolutionary card!
Do you want to evolve the card?
Y/N]
With unwavering determination, I swiftly pressed "YES" without a moment's hesitation.
[Congratulations, you have evolved a blue card into a green one!
You've got:
Nemesis the Ultimate Tyrant (Green)!]
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone