Chapter 174: Chapter 172: Silk Slinger and Mech Marauder
Crash!
The usual hustle and bustle of the street outside Gibson Bank was interrupted by a loud explosion.
A booming sound echoed, and a large hole appeared in the wall of Gibson Bank. From this hole, a figure with eight mechanical arms slowly emerged, holding two bags stuffed full of money.
This man was short and stocky with a fierce look on his face. He wore a device on his back that supported eight robotic arms, and he was clutching two bags filled with cash.
"Oh no, it's Mech Marauder, everybody run!"
Suddenly, the street was thrown into chaos as people started running in every direction to escape. In the panic, a young black man stumbled and fell. He tried to get up, but he was too overwhelmed by the fear and confusion.
Mech Marauder saw him on the ground and slowly walked over, his voice rough and intimidating, "You better stay out of my way, move!"
Right after Mech Marauder spoke, a determined voice called out from above.
"Mech Marauder!"
Hearing this, Mech Marauder cursed under his breath, "Damn!"
Looking up, he saw a superhero standing on the top of a nearby building. The hero wore a sleek, silver suit designed like a spider, complete with a mask and protective eye shield.
"It's Silk Slinger! He's come to save us!" someone in the crowd shouted.
Silk Slinger jumped from the building and landed perfectly in front of Mech Marauder. He addressed him solemnly, "Mech, I once looked up to you. You were my friend. Everything you did was to help people!"
"Go to hell!" Mech Marauder responded angrily. "I spent my life trying to do good, risking everything, and what did I get in return? Nothing! No one remembered me or my sacrifices!"
Throwing the bags of money to the ground, Mech Marauder got ready to fight.
"It's time I took something for myself—some money, some funds for my projects. And I'm going to reclaim the recognition you stole from me. I will take you down, Silk Slinger!"
"But I can't let you do that," Silk Slinger replied firmly.
"Then come and stop me!" Mech Marauder challenged, spreading his mechanical arms, the gears and motors buzzing loudly.
Silk Slinger's face grew serious, and in a surprising move, he didn't shoot webs from his hands. Instead, a white web sprayed from his back toward Mech Marauder, just like a real spider would do from its abdomen.
Mech Marauder swung his robotic arm, easily intercepting the web Silk Slinger had launched. The two opponents were locked in a fierce struggle.
Jon, who had been watching the scene unfold from a nearby spot, couldn't help but make a sardonic remark. "It's basically a discount version of Spider-Man and Doctor Octopus, isn't it?" he observed. Despite the surface appearances of heroism and villainy, Jon knew better. These characters, Silk Slinger and Mech Marauder, were merely actors in the elaborate theatricals orchestrated by Vought Corporation, part of a larger group of imitation superheroes and villains who often took inspiration from Marvel and DC characters. The battles they fought were scripted and safe, designed to captivate audiences and generate massive profits for Vought, without real danger to those involved.
Even the rare real injuries or fatalities were swiftly spun by Vought's PR machine to maintain control over the narrative. Such incidents were simply considered the cost of doing business in a world where staged battles between good and evil were big business.
As Jon's eyes gleamed with a fiery light, he employed his Penance Stare, a power that revealed the sins of those he looked upon. Not surprisingly, both the hero and the villain had their share of sins, but intriguingly, Silk Slinger, the hero, bore more sins than Mech Marauder, the supposed villain. This only confirmed Jon's cynicism about the true nature of those called heroes, especially those among 'The Seven', whose off-camera personas often left much to be desired, with few exceptions like Starlight and Queen Maeve.
As the scripted climax of the fight approached, Jon turned to his companion, Alessa, with a plan in mind. "Alessa, I need your help with something—actually, a few things," he said.
The battle, which should have been winding down according to the script, instead saw Mech Marauder unexpectedly gaining the upper hand against Silk Slinger.
"Alessa, now!" Jon gave the signal.
Alessa, unseen by all but Jon, quietly approached and tapped Mech Marauder on the head. Instantly, his eyes flared a demonic red, and his expression contorted into something far more sinister.
Silk Slinger, taken by surprise by the sudden change in Mech Marauder, was struck by a powerful blow from a mechanical arm. He barely managed to save himself from a humiliating tumble by firing a web from his back, catching onto a nearby building.
"What's going on?" Silk Slinger cried out, bewildered and unprepared for this turn of events. The script had called for the battle to be wrapping up, yet here was Mech Marauder, still aggressively engaging in combat.
In the aftermath of the violent confrontation, the crowd, which had gathered to watch the typical display of heroics, was now left in shock. The script had always promised them a superhero's victory, a moment where good triumphed over evil reassuringly and predictably. But today, the tables had turned drastically.
Jon, watching from the sidelines, knew that the effects of his and Alessa's intervention had spiraled far beyond a simple deviation from the script. Mech Marauder, once a mere performer in Vought's orchestrated world of superheroes and villains, had broken free from his scripted chains, driven mad by suppressed rage and Alessa's sinister influence.
As Mech Marauder stood over the pit into which Silk Slinger had been thrown, his laughter echoed off the buildings, a chilling sound that marked a pivotal moment of change. The crowd's reaction was a mix of horror and disbelief. People whispered and pointed, their expressions a mixture of fear and fascination. The invincibility of their heroes, a comforting constant in their lives, was shattered.
Meanwhile, Silk Slinger, trapped and injured in the pit, struggled with the reality of his defeat. His confidence and heroic facade were as broken as his body. For years, he had been the golden boy, the untouchable hero who always emerged victorious. Now, lying in the debris, he felt the weight of every blow he had scriptedly delivered to Mech Marauder, each punch scripted not just by writers but by an unspoken societal demand for a perpetual hero.
Mech Marauder's voice cut through the confusion again, filled with a wild, vindictive triumph. "Finally, after all these months, it's my turn to win! Why should heroes always shine while villains like me lurk in the shadows? Not today!"
As the crowd started to feel the stirrings of panic, a clear and determined voice broke through the commotion.
"Stop! Villain, you're getting ahead of yourself in this celebration!"
Turning around with a scowl, Mech Marauder saw a superhero wearing a bright red suit and cape adorned with a phoenix symbol on his chest. The superhero was hovering in the air and then gently landed.
Alessa sneered at this sight, "Really? Is this your big plan? To throw a pajama party?"
This new superhero was none other than Jon. Interestingly, Jon didn't naturally possess the ability to fly; his powers were the result of the incredible magic from the Darkhold.
Jon understood that to be part of the elite Super Seven, he needed to be popular, strong, and have a compelling image. His first move was to craft such an image for himself. Despite the odd looks his outfit received, Jon felt it was stylish, especially compared to those who dressed in outfits themed after the American flag.
"Oh, my gosh! Another superhero!" a spectator shouted excitedly.
"What a day to be here! Two superheroes showing up at the same time!"
"Who is this new hero? I've never seen him around!"
"He must be new in town, or perhaps he's not from around here!"
The onlookers buzzed with various comments, their attention now split between the ongoing chaos and the arrival of Jon, adding to Mech Marauder's fury.
"Who are you?! Did Vought send you to clean up this mess? Even if Homelander were to show up, I'd destroy him!" Mech Marauder declared, bolstered by Alessa's dark powers, feeling invincible and eager to take on any challenger.
However, Jon remained composed, knowing he had to uphold his superhero persona.
"Hahahahaha~! Villain, since you asked so sincerely, I'll gladly introduce myself!"
Jon stepped forward confidently, his red cloak billowing dramatically behind him as he stood tall, striking a heroic pose.
"I am known across the multiverse, revered and recognized. I am the sacred flame born from the ashes and destined to return to them."
Jon's declaration left everyone, including Mech Marauder, in stunned silence.
Though they didn't fully grasp his words, they were undeniably impressive.
"You guessed it right, I am the superhero known as the Phoenix Warrior!" Jon had chosen this name and persona on a whim, knowing that in this world, the more spectacular, the better. His powers, being fire-based, perfectly matched the fiery phoenix emblem he wore.
Mech Marauder's patience snapped. "I don't care who you are! If you're playing the superhero game, be prepared to be taken down. I won't play along with your foolish antics. Today, any superhero that shows up is going down!"
"Stop right there, villain! You will not succeed! Behold my Phoenix Flame Fist!" Despite feeling a bit ridiculous shouting this, Jon maintained a determined expression.
'Man, being a hero is exhausting~!' Jon thought to himself.
He summoned hellfire into his hands, and with a powerful thrust, he launched it towards Mech Marauder. In response, Mech Marauder extended his mechanical arms towards Jon.
But there was a loud explosion, and Mech Marauder's arms shattered instantly on impact, breaking into pieces.
"What?!" Mech Marauder was completely taken by surprise.
In the next instant, Jon's fiery punch connected squarely with Mech Marauder's face, sending him flying with great force to crash onto a car, from which he couldn't rise.
Mech Marauder lay across the car, his face bloody, his fingers weakly trembling as he pointed at Jon, struggling to speak. His strength faded, and he eventually lost consciousness.
After defeating the villain, the crowd burst into cheers, chanting the name "Phoenix Warrior."
Amid the roaring applause, Jon soared into the sky on a trail of flames, vanishing from sight.
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