Bab 60: Observers in the Dark
In that chilling moment, time seemed to stand still as he beheld an ominous sight that defied comprehension.
High above, an intricate network of giant, hardened spikes loomed with deadly intent, suspended from the alleyway by powerful webs.
Unbeknownst to the man, the web strands that Spider-Man had expertly deployed throughout their intense confrontation were not mere evasive measures. They had been meticulously crafted, each strand serving a purpose in an elaborate trap, concealed in the air like a dormant beast awaiting its moment to strike.
An unseen siege had taken shape, coiled and ready, poised to unleash a devastating assault should the man falter!
The realization struck the man like a thunderbolt, sending a surge of terror through his veins. He desperately yearned to escape the impending doom, to flee from the clutches of this webbed snare. But his frantic screams were lost in the grip of fate as the siege in the air sprang into action with ruthless precision.
In an instant, a flurry of golden spike arrows hurtled forth, launched with deadly accuracy from the myriad of slings. They sliced through the air like vengeful specters, their trajectory perfectly calculated to ensnare their prey.
The man's attempt to block and evade was in vain as he was ensnared by this deadly symphony of projectiles, trapped within an inescapable web of piercing doom.
His anguished cries were stifled by the onslaught, each arrow finding its mark, transforming the man's retreat into a futile dance of torment. He became a mere sieve, a canvas pierced by the relentless barrage, as the violet spikes penetrated his defenses and painted a grim portrait of his demise.
The alleyway reverberated with the echoes of his agonized screams, fading into a haunting silence as the assault subsided.
The deadly ballet of the siege in the air had reached its crescendo, leaving behind a chilling reminder of Spider-Man's resourcefulness and the unyielding strength of his new web-based arsenal – one even more versatile than the original Spider-Man!
As the echoes of his landing subsided, Spider-Man's voice, tinged with an intriguing nonchalance, pierced the silence of the alley. "Hey, I didn't want to do this either. But, I need that money."
A figure shrouded in shadows, meticulously cleared the remnants of his encounter, the eerie silence of the alley permeating the air. With a deftness honed by countless models, he skillfully bundled the lifeless form with his intricate webbing.
His eyes, concealed behind the gleaming lenses of his mask, flickered with a mix of determination and intrigue as he regarded a chakra blade clutched within his hand. In a display of delicate dexterity, he toyed with the weapon, his fingers dancing along its metallic surface before securing it within a hidden pocket.
With the bundled burden securely fastened to his back, Spider-Man unleashed a resolute web shot into the sky, anchoring himself to the unseen threads of destiny that hung suspended above. As the web stretched taut, he soared effortlessly, carried aloft by the unseen forces of his web-slinging prowess.
Unfortunately, the sprawling town lacked the towering skyscrapers of his customary domain.
So, like a nimble predator navigating an urban jungle, Spider-Man traversed the town's buildings with unmatched grace, his body leaping from rooftop to rooftop.
Amidst his seamless acrobatics, a holographic display materialized before Spider-Man's vision, its ethereal glow illuminating his masked visage.
His keen eyes locked onto the visage that adorned the screen, a reflection of the very man he had just hunted down!
Their encounter was not a cliche arranged by a storyteller, it definitely wasn't an attempt to fill word count. From the very beginning of his performance, he had already determined his prey to be this man! It wasn't a coincidence that he bumped into him!
Although the target was a two-dimensional cannon fodder existence that an author would probably not even give a name, a spider never hunts unprepared. So, he had woven an intricate web of schemes to hunt his prey in the most efficient fashion, luring the prey into a battlefield where his webs were the most effective.
His success was a foregone conclusion, and his success meant he gets to enjoy his favorite activity.
In his vision, the display revealed a tantalizing bounty below the man's portrait, part of a large list he had scanned when he visited the underground bounty hall. This was his reward!
A smile played at the corners of Spider-Man's lips as he processed the information before him. His voice, tinged with a hint of satisfaction, escaped his lips, betraying his thoughts as he spoke aloud, "My favorite, it's time to get paid."
The notion of getting paid distracted him for a moment, causing him to falter, his footing betraying him. With a scream, he plummeted into the shadowed depths of the alleys below.
Moments later, a haunting echo emerged from the embrace of those murky corridors. "My back! My back..."
Unbeknownst to Spider-Man, as he departed the alley with purposeful strides, a mysterious figure began to stir from the very ground he had vacated.
Emerging with an eerie grace, the ominous presence revealed a visage that defied convention, half black and half white, spoke of a duality that permeated every fiber of his being.
Dressed in the distinct Akatsuki cloak and surrounded by a Venus flytrap's insidious embrace, a sinister smile crept across his face, a gleam in his eyes betraying a diabolical interest with the lingering remnants of Spider-Man's webs.
Engaging in an unsettling conversation with the empty air, his voice a chilling whisper, he posed an enigmatic question, seeking validation from unseen entities.
"What do you think?" The words dripped with a sinister anticipation, hinting at an insidious purpose behind his actions.
In the dimly lit alley, cloaked in an air of mystery, a ripple in reality heralded the arrival of a figure long shrouded in secrecy.
The very fabric of reality seemed to bend and warp to the figure's presence, distorting the figure's entry point with a mysterious swirling phenomenon.
Like a specter from a realm beyond comprehension, a figure seamlessly traversed the boundaries of space and time, stepping out from the distorted space and into the alley with an otherworldly grace.
In stark contrast to his companion, whose attire bore the iconic Akatsuki black cloak adorned with crimson clouds, this new figure stood draped in an ensemble that exuded an aura of individuality – a black long-sleeved top that extended to conceal his neck and chin, a pair of black gloves, a thick black belt cinched at his waist, his lower body clad in dark-colored pants, and a long green scarf draped around his neck.
The figure had short, spiky, black hair, a style which didn't appear too obtrusive in the ninja world.
But what truly captivated the gaze was the mysterious mask that bore an intricate design, a hypnotizing swirl pattern. Crafted from vibrant orange material, it concealed all but the piercing gaze of their right eye.
It was through that singular exposed eye that the truth was unveiled - a revelation that would shock those who weren't privy to the truth.
Within the depths of that mysterious hole, a radiant crimson Sharingan gleamed with an otherworldly brilliance. Its pinwheel design swirled in hypnotic harmony, marking the figure as a bearer of the renowned Uchiha bloodline, another powerful but unknown owner of the rare Mangekyo Sharingan!
The Sharingan swiveled with a mesmerizing cadence, observing subtle details of the alley before and seemingly honing in on the retreating figure of Spider-Man in the distance.
Moments later, as the man closed his eyes, a chilling voice emanated from beneath the mask, its icy tendrils creeping into the very fabric of the alley, hinting at a darkness that lurked within. "Usable, but observe for a bit longer. If there are no problems, you can arrange his invitation."
"Hehehe, as you command... Madara-sama." A wide, taunting grin slithered across the monstrous humanoid's visage, its malevolent contours betraying a hidden knowledge that whispered of the truth behind the mysterious man's facade.
Unfazed by the monster's sly taunts, the masked man forged ahead, his steely resolve shielding him from distractions in the face of a deeper purpose. "I still have arrangements to be made."
In an instant, his eye snapped open, the fiery glow of the red Sharingan pulsating with an unfathomable power as the atmosphere crackled with a palpable tension.
As the fabric of reality rippled and warped around him once more, the mysterious figure sank into the vortex of swirling spectacle, vanishing from the alley through his mysterious ability.
In the desolate alley, the monstrous entity with its visage split between darkness and light stood as a lone sentinel, a chilling grin etching itself upon its face, a sinister invitation into the depths of its twisted nature.
A hauntingly high-pitched voice seemingly reverberated through the depths of the dark alley, "I don't know how you keep dealing with his arrogant attitude."
"It's just some trifling attitude. He is still a useful chess piece, and a little sacrifice on our part is nothing." A resonant growl, emanating from the depths of an enigmatic presence, rippled through the air in response, before it inquired, "So, did one of your clones manage to locate the real body of the interesting brat from the bug clan?"
The countenance of the speaker contorted, caught in a peculiar interplay of emotions, as its face morphed from an unsettling grin to a disapproving frown, casting an eerie ambiance that defied comprehension.
The resonant growl dissolved into an abrupt transformation, seamlessly shifting back into a disconcertingly high-pitched voice "No. The boy was more cautious than expected. My clone seemed to have located one of his holes, but he immediately detonated it, sacrificing his hidden army and burying all traces along with my clone."
"Decisive and ruthless," The solemn frown abruptly gave way to a malevolent grin, as if a hidden darkness had surfaced, accompanied by a wicked tongue teasingly sliding out to moisten its lips, evoking a sense of sinister anticipation. "It seems it will take some effort to locate him."
"Why are you so interested in him, Kuro?" The high-pitched counterpart posed the question, its tone betraying a perplexed inability to fathom the intricate workings of its neighbor's thoughts.
"I just have a feeling," Within the darkness of the black half's countenance, the yellow eyes glimmered with an ominous gleam, their piercing radiance hinting at an unfathomable depth of hidden malevolence. "That boy may become a variable in our plans."
"Variable? How so? Does he know our plan? Does he possess the power to hinder us?" The unsettling grin on the face contorted unnaturally, as if engaged in a clandestine struggle for dominance.
"No…" Narrowing with an air of calculated scrutiny, the yellow eyes within the black half of the face intensified, converging as the countenance underwent a unanimous transformation into a resolute frown, instilling a sense of anticipation and foreboding in the air. "I am not quite sure. It's a strange feeling. Perhaps, I will have to meet his main body to confirm."
"It seems I will have to arrange some more clones to search for his whereabouts."
"No need. We don't need to push him too hard, lest he hides even deeper. When he relaxes his vigilance, sooner or later, he would show his tail. And even if he doesn't, once the plan succeeds… hehehe..."
In a gradual descent, the monstrous form began to merge with the rippling earth beneath, becoming one with the shadows, while the chilling cackle of the mastermind reverberated through the alley, an eerie reminder of the malevolent orchestrations that unfolded within the unseen depths.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone