Chapter 16: Don't Just Go Around Cleaning People Up
Luke twisted his neck.
Then.
He turned his head to look at the bespectacled man in the corner who was paralyzed with fear on the ground and couldn't even hold his gun.
James Wesley.
Kingpin's chief advisor, and also the smartest person in this building.
At this moment, Wesley's face was pale and his breathing was rapid.
He had witnessed with his own eyes his boss of many years vanish alive.
Luke stepped over Kingpin's cane and walked up to Wesley.
He squatted down and picked up the handgun Wesley had dropped on the ground.
Toying with it in his hand for a moment, he casually crushed it into an iron ball and threw it into the trash can.
"Don't be nervous, Mr. Wesley."
Luke smiled, but in Wesley's eyes, this was no different from the smile of the Grim Reaper.
He reached out, straightened Wesley's crooked tie, and patted the dust off his suit.
"You see, Mr. Fisk has gone on a long journey."
"But this building, as well as the massive business empire, has to have someone to manage it, right?"
Luke smiled slightly.
"You are very talented, Wesley."
"These years, if you hadn't been plotting behind the scenes, a fat man like Kingpin who only knows how to use violence would have been played to death long ago."
"So, I was thinking, why not let you be this boss?"
Wesley was stunned.
He widened his eyes, looking at Luke, somewhat dumbfounded.
"Me?"
"That's right, you."
Luke stood up and spread his arms.
"Starting today, you are the master of this building and the new boss of Hells Kitchen."
"You only need to do one thing."
Luke lowered his head, his pupils staring at Wesley.
"Listen to me."
"Provide me with the best service, handle all the trivial matters, and don't let anyone disturb my life."
"As for the disobedient gang bosses..."
Luke pointed at Pietro.
"If it's something you can't resolve, this friend of mine will be more than happy to help them move."
Wesley swallowed a mouthful of saliva.
He was a smart man, extremely smart.
He knew he had no choice.
Either die, disappearing like Kingpin, or kneel and become the puppet of the new king.
Moreover, the power to control the entire empire was an irresistible temptation for him.
Wesley took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the fear in his heart, and pushed up his glasses on the bridge of his nose.
He struggled to his feet and bowed deeply to Luke.
"Yes, sir."
"Mr. Fisk unfortunately passed away due to a sudden heart attack."
"From now on, Fisk Enterprises will be managed by me on his behalf."
"I will arrange everything for you."
"The penthouse apartment will be your private territory, and no one will dare to disturb you."
"All the supplies you need will be delivered within half an hour."
Luke laughed.
That's right.
Dealing with smart people is just worry-free.
"Very good, Wesley."
"I have high hopes for you."
Luke patted Wesley's shoulder.
"Now, have someone clean up here."
"This carpet is dirty, change to a new one."
"And that painting..."
Luke pointed at the painting "The Rabbit in the Blizzard".
"Throw it away and hang a TV up there."
"I want the biggest one, the kind that can play games."
"Yes, boss."
Night fell.
The lights of Manhattan were like a brilliant sea of stars.
The luxury apartment of Fisk Tower had been rearranged.
Wanda lay on the sofa, holding an ancient book on mind control in her hands.
That was dug out by Wesley from Kingpin's collection room.
Pietro sat in front of the newly installed, hundred-inch giant TV.
Holding a controller, he was playing the latest fighting game with Wesley, who was forced to work.
"Left! Left! Block it, Wesley! You suck so much!"
"Sorry, Mr. Maximoff, I'm not very good at this..."
And Luke.
He sat at the bar in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, shaking a glass of milk in his hand, iced.
He looked at the brilliant night view of New York outside the window, looking at the shining STARK neon lights on the distant Stark Tower.
This day had truly been fulfilling.
Blew up Hydra, hijacked a plane, killed Kingpin, and settled down in New York.
"Life is stable, energy is sufficient, base established."
"Next..."
Luke took a sip of milk, feeling the milk slide down his throat, a hint of ambition flashing in his eyes.
"It's time to go meet the super Hero."
"How many days does Tony Stark still need to solve his palladium poisoning?"
"When does the hammer fall?"
"That old popsicle still sleeping in the ice..."
"Marvel world, are you ready to welcome my baptism?"
This is the early morning of New York.
Sunlight passed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, spilling onto the carpet of the top floor of Fisk Tower.
This used to be the lair of Kingpin, the once-unrivaled underworld emperor.
But now, this place has a new master.
"Wesley."
Luke sat behind the desk, his legs resting uninhibitedly on the tabletop.
Holding an extra-large glass of milk in his hand, he looked critically at the man walking on thin ice in front of him.
"I am here, sir."
Wesley bent over, his attitude respectful.
Although he wore a custom suit and gold-rimmed glasses, he looked like a Wall Street elite.
"The temperature of this milk is wrong."
Luke frowned and shook the cup in his hand.
"I said, it needs to be 45 degrees."
"It can't burn the mouth, nor can it be too cold."
"The temperature now is at least 48 degrees."
"Are you feeding pigs?"
"Or do you want to scald the new boss to death?"
"I am very sorry, sir!"
Wesley's eyelids twitched.
"I will immediately have someone change it! This was the mistake of the newly arrived chef downstairs, I will deal with him right away!"
Wesley's internal monologue was simply a disaster movie.
God, will he kill me? Just like he killed Mr. Fisk?
No, maybe worse.
He will suck my brain dry, or turn me into nourishment for the black monster.
Damn it, I must show my value, I cannot die here!
Seeing Wesley looking like he was about to have a myocardial infarction, Luke sighed.
"Alright, don't go around disposing of people so easily."
"We are civilized people, not barbarians."
Luke waved his hand and casually downed the milk in the cup in one gulp.
"Don't let it happen again."
"Yes, yes! Thank you for your mercy!"
Wesley felt as if he had been granted amnesty, and quickly took out a handkerchief to wipe away his sweat.
"Let's talk about the current situation."
Luke put down the cup and tapped his fingers gently on the desk.
"Fisk is dead, Hells Kitchen should have turned into a Ran, right?"
Wesley quickly adjusted his state and entered his most proficient role.
Butler and advisor.
"Yes, sir."
"The news is tightly blockaded, and the outside world only knows that Mr. Fisk is sick."
"But those gang bosses have a very sharp sense of smell; the Irish, the Russians, and those ninjas of The Hand are all testing our bottom line."
"Last night, several of our warehouses were attacked."
Chapter 17 The Mustachioed Man
At this point.
Wesley glanced at Luke.
"According to your previous instructions, I didn't send people for a large-scale turf war, I just strengthened the defense."
"But this will be regarded as weakness by them."
"Weakness?"
Luke smiled.
"Very well, let them make a fuss, it's better to make a fuss together."
He stood up, walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, and overlooked the city beneath his feet.
"When they're almost done making a fuss, I'll harvest them all at once."
"After all, it's too troublesome to look for them one by one, a buffet is only delicious when all the dishes are served."
The virus inside Luke's body was cheering.
Although devouring Kingpin gave him a hearty meal, he still needed more biomass to unlock more forms and abilities.
Those gang members were nothing more than piles of walking protein and experience packs in his eyes.
Just then, the elevator door behind him opened.
Pietro walked out yawning, still holding a game controller, with two big dark circles under his eyes.
"Morning, Luke."
"Morning, Wesley."
Pietro plopped down on the sofa, picked up an apple on the table and took a bite.
"This game is too hard."
"I said Wesley, can't you have someone develop a cheat?"
"Dark Souls is simply abusing players!"
Wesley's mouth twitched slightly.
"Mr. Maximoff, that's this year's Game of the Year."
"If you need, I can hire a professional esports player for you to play on your behalf."
"What's the point of that."
Pietro curled his lips.
Shortly after, Wanda also walked out.
She changed into casual clothes, her long red hair draped casually over her shoulders.
Holding an ancient magic book in her hands, her gaze was somewhat cold, but she had a bit more vitality than before at the base.
"Good morning, Luke."
Wanda said softly.
"Morning, witch Miss."
Luke turned around, looking at the siblings, in a good mood.
This was the life he wanted.
Rich, powerful, with thugs, and potential stocks.
Although they were still addicted to games now.
"Any plans for today?"
Wanda closed the book and asked.
"You said you were going to see some friends."
"That's right."
Luke snapped his fingers.
"Wesley, prepare the car."
"We're going to Queens, Flushing Meadows Park."
Wesley was stunned for a moment.
"Flushing? It seems they are hosting... there today"
"Stark Industries Expo."
Luke took over the conversation, the light in his eyes flickering.
"Iron Man Tony Stark is going to show off his big toys to the whole world there."
"As the newly-minted New York tycoons, how can we not go and show our support?"
"And..."
Luke touched his chin.
"I smelled the taste of rust."
"That is the taste of palladium poisoning, and also the taste of despair."
Two hours later.
A stretched black Rolls-Royce Phantom was driving smoothly on the highway leading to Queens.
Wesley acted as the driver himself, escorted by a Cadillac in front and back.
Although Luke didn't need bodyguards, this was a matter of face.
Inside the car.
Pietro pressed against the window, watching the scenery flying past outside the window with an excited face.
"Whoa, look at that! A huge globe! I've seen it on TV!"
"That's the World's Fair site, idiot."
Wanda corrected helplessly, although her gaze was also attracted by the huge building.
For the siblings who grew up in war and experiments, the prosperous scenery of a peaceful world would never get old no matter how many times they saw it.
Luke sat in the seat, shaking the cup in his hand.
He was thinking.
The current timeline should be the beginning stage of Iron Man 2's plot.
Although Tony Stark seemed infinitely glorious on the surface, and was even called a super Hero due to publicly revealing his identity, he was actually dying.
The palladium in the Ark Reactor was constantly corroding his blood.
The more he used the Iron armor, the faster he would die.
"An arrogant, conceited, yet shivering genius inside a metal shell."
Luke defined Tony in his heart.
"If I go and tell him now that I have a way to save him, what would he do?"
"Most likely give me a repulsor blast, and then laugh at me as a liar who went crazy for money."
Luke shook his head.
That wouldn't be interesting.
For a person like Tony Stark, begging him was useless.
You had to be stronger than him, more mysterious than him, and even more arrogant than him, so that he would look at you squarely.
"Stop."
Luke spoke suddenly.
At this time the motorcade had driven into the entrance area of the expo, surrounded by crowded crowds and media reporters everywhere.
"Sir, there are too many people here, for your safety..." Wesley tried to dissuade him.
"I am the biggest security hazard."
Luke pushed open the car door and walked down.
In an instant, the surrounding hustle and bustle rushed towards him.
Flashes, cheers, and loud music rose one after another.
"Whoa!"
Pietro also squeezed out, stunned by the scene in front of him.
Stark Industries logos were everywhere, and hot models in bikinis were handing out flyers.
Huge holographic projections were playing combat highlights of Iron Man in the air.
"Is this the treatment of a super Hero?"
Pietro muttered to himself, his tone full of envy and jealousy.
"Don't be fooled by appearances."
Wanda walked to Luke's side, her brow slightly furrowed.
"Everyone here is fanatical, as if worshiping a god."
"But behind the fanaticism is emptiness."
"Let's go."
Luke straightened his collar and led the two towards the main pavilion of the expo.
At this moment, on the main stage.
Accompanied by the classic "Shoot to Thrill", Tony Starkwearing the Iron armor descended from the sky.
Boom!
He landed in the center of the stage, his gold-red armor shining brilliantly under the lights.
The mechanical arms quickly dismantled the armor, revealing a mustachioed man wearing a suit inside.
"Didn't expect that! I didn't plan to come back either!"
Tony spread his arms, enjoying the cheers of tens of thousands of people in the audience.
"I don't need to say how long the world has been at peace because of me!"
"I don't need to say that I alone am like a phoenix reborn from the ashes!"
He talked eloquently on stage, full of confidence and overbearing.
However, in the shadows under the stage.
Luke's eyes turned pitch black, the perception of the Symbiote and the virus fully opened, directly piercing through the glossy skin and seeing the essence of Tony Stark.
[Target: Tony Stark]
[Status: Palladium poisoning (erosion degree 25%), cell necrosis in progress, extreme anxiety, abnormal adrenaline level]
"Tsk tsk, almost rotting away."
Luke chuckled softly.
"He's holding on hard."
Wanda also felt it.
"His heart is filled with fear."
"He is afraid of death, and furthermore, he is very lonely."
"Lonely?"
Pietro curled his lips disdainfully.
"Look at those beauties surrounding him, how is he lonely in any way?"
"The loneliness of the soul cannot be filled by no matter how many bikini beauties."
Luke turned around and stopped looking at the performance on stage.
"Let's go, it's too noisy here."
"Let's go to a quieter place to wait for him."
"Wait for him? Will he come to see us?"
Pietro was puzzled.
"He will come."
Luke took out his phone and sent a message to Wesley, asking him to send out a gift that had been prepared long ago.
"Because I have something in my hand that he cannot refuse."
Chapter 18 Oh, shit!
Half an hour later.
Backstage lounge.
Tony Stark had just finished his speech, and the smile on his face vanished instantly.
He took out a portable blood tester and pricked his finger.
[Blood Toxicity: 24%]
"Damn it."
Tony cursed under his breath, feeling a taste of copper rust all over his mouth.
He pulled a bottle of chlorophyll juice from his pocket and gulped it down. The taste was practically like drinking rotten grass roots.
"Tony, are you alright?"
Pepper Potts walked over with a worried look on her face.
"Great! Never been better!"
Tony immediately put on a smiling face.
"Look, wasn't I totally awesome just now?"
Just at that moment.
Happy Hogan, Tony's bodyguard and driver, walked in holding a black envelope.
"Boss, some weird guy asked me to give this to you."
"He said it concerns your... um, heart health."
"I don't have time to read fan mail, Happy." Tony waved his hand impatiently.
"No, that guy said if you don't read it, you won't live past next week."
Happy scratched his head.
"Also, the material of that envelope is very strange. To the touch, it feels like it's alive."
Tony was stunned for a moment.
Won't live past next week?
This sentence stabbed at his nerves.
He snatched the envelope.
Indeed.
The feel was very strange—cold, smooth, and even carrying a faint pulsing sensation.
He tore open the envelope.
Inside was only a blank sheet of paper with a line of text written on it, and the handwriting was actually wriggling slightly.
[I know you are dying, tin man. Palladium poisoning doesn't feel too good, does it?]
[If you want to live, come to the donut shop at the backstage exit.]
[A devil who can keep you alive]
Tony's pupils shrank abruptly.
How was this possible?
Aside from Jarvis, absolutely no one knew about the palladium poisoning!
Not even Pepper and Rhodey knew!
Then who was the sender?!
"Jarvis! Scan this envelope!"
Tony commanded in a low voice.
"Sir, the envelope is composed of an unknown organic polymer. Its molecular structure is extremely active and seems to possess a certain biological activity."
"I cannot trace the source."
Unknown biotechnology?
Tony's gaze grew solemn.
As a scientist, his curiosity was piqued.
Of course, more importantly, that was a glimmer of hope for survival.
"Happy, get the car ready."
"No, I'll go myself."
"Boss, where are you going?"
"To get a donut."
...
The famous Randy's Donuts.
Under the donut sign, Luke sat on an outdoor chair with a pile of colorful donuts in front of him.
And of course, a large glass of milk.
Wanda and Pietro sat opposite him, dividing up a strawberry-flavored donut.
"Here he comes."
Luke took a bite of a chocolate donut without even raising his head.
A roar of an engine came over.
An Audi R8 screeched to a sudden halt by the roadside.
Tony Stark stepped out of the car.
He wasn't wearing armor, wearing only a black suit and sunglasses. He still looked dashing, but his pace was noticeably hurried.
He looked around, his gaze quickly locking onto the three people sitting in the corner with Luke.
There was no helping it; these three people were too eye-catching.
That man was excessively tall, and his body exuded an aura that made Tony instinctively feel dangerous.
And the twins opposite him didn't look like ordinary tourists either.
Tony took off his sunglasses and strode over.
"I don't remember inviting you guys to my party."
Tony stood by the table, looking down condescendingly at Luke.
"Also, this kind of unknown biological material letter paper is very creative."
"Which biotech company are you from?"
"Osborn?"
"Or did that idiot Hammer hire you?"
Luke took a sip of milk before slowly raising his head.
"Sit, Mr. Stark."
Luke pointed to the empty chair beside him.
"Don't be so hot-tempered; it's bad for your liver."
"Though your liver has already been pretty much tortured to pieces by the palladium element."
Tony's expression changed.
"Who are you?"
"Who I am doesn't matter."
Luke smiled.
"What matters is that I am the only one who can keep you from having to drink disgusting chlorophyll juice while waiting to die."
"Ha."
Tony let out a dry laugh, pulled out a chair and sat down, crossing his legs as he tried to use arrogance to mask his inner shock.
"Listen, kid."
"Every day countless people claim they can save my life, or want my life."
"What makes you think I should believe you?"
"By this."
Luke extended a finger.
Crackle!
Black fluid instantly surged from his fingertip, transforming into a slender tentacle.
Before Tony could even react, the tentacle pierced Tony's suit at an astonishing speed and gently tapped against the Arc Reactor on his chest.
"Jarvis! The armor!"
Tony was alarmed, finding that he had only brought his watch and not the briefcase.
"Don't be nervous."
Luke's voice seemed to possess a kind of magic.
"Feel it."
As Luke's words fell, the Symbiote crawled along the tentacle and infiltrated Tony's body.
This wasn't an attack, but a form of repair.
The virus possessed extremely strong biological manipulation capabilities.
Luke controlled the virus, instantly enveloping the free palladium element toxins in Tony's blood.
Then wrapping them up, temporarily isolating their harm to the body.
In an instant.
Tony felt that the excruciating pain, nausea, and dizziness that constantly accompanied him had all vanished!
His breathing became smooth, and the dull pain in his chest was completely gone.
He felt as if he had returned to before he was poisoned!
"This is..."
Tony widened his eyes, watching Luke retract the tentacle.
"This is only temporary."
Luke picked up a donut again and took a bite.
"I just helped you package and seal away the toxins."
"If you don't completely solve the source, which is the outdated reactor on your chest, you will still die."
"Outdated?"
Tony was angry to the point of laughter.
"That is currently the most advanced energy technology in the world! It's a micro Arc Reactor!"
"But it's killing you."
Luke said calmly.
"You need a new element."
"A new element that can replace palladium, is non-toxic, and is stronger."
Tony fell silent.
Of course he knew.
He had tried every combination on the periodic table and found no substitute.
"You know about this element?"
Tony stared at Luke, his gaze complex.
"I know."
Luke nodded.
"And I know where to find its synthesis formula."
"Where?"
"Right in the heritage left to you by your father."
Luke pointed to the globe model of the expo in the distance.
"Howard Stark, he was a true genius."
"He discovered this element long ago, but was limited by the technology of the time and couldn't synthesize it."
"He hid the structural diagram inside the expo's model, waiting for you to discover it."
Chapter 19: See What He Wants to Be
Tony was stunned.
Father?
That father who was cold and distant to him, caring only about his work?
"This sounds like a plot written by some screenwriter," Tony muttered to himself.
"Reality is often more absurd than a script," Luke spread his hands.
"Alright, the intelligence is free for you. Consider it a welcome gift."
Tony looked at this mysterious man.
He knew there was no such thing as a free lunch in this world.
"What do you want?"
Tony regained his businessman's astuteness.
"Money? Shares of Stark Industries? Or an Iron Man suit?"
"Let's get one thing straight, the armor is not for sale."
"I don't want any of those."
Luke shook his head.
"I want you to agree to three conditions."
"Three?"
Tony frowned.
"You're more greedy than I imagined."
"Let's hear it, as long as it's not asking me to give you Stark Tower."
"First, I need top-level access to Stark Industries, including but not limited to your databases, laboratories, and certain undisclosed weapon R&D data."
"Of course, I won't use it for bad things; I'm just studious."
Tony's frown deepened.
"This sounds like the demand of a corporate spy, but..."
"If you can save my life, I can give you the title of special consultant, with authority second only to mine."
"Deal."
Luke continued.
"Second, I want you to help me build something."
"Not armor, but some special equipment."
"What exactly it is, I'll tell you when I have the blueprints."
"You cover the cost of materials, and you cover the labor costs too."
"No problem."
Tony shrugged.
"Anyway, I have plenty of money and time. As long as your blueprints aren't meant to destroy the world."
"Third..."
Luke stood up, walked over to Tony, and looked down at him.
"If one day, Earth faces an irresistible threat, and we need your strength, you must unconditionally stand on our side."
"No matter who the opponent is, even if it's a so-called god."
Tony was taken aback for a moment.
He looked into Luke's pitch-black eyes, and in the other's eyes, he saw solemnity.
"It sounds like you seem to know about some big trouble I don't know."
"I know a lot."
Luke smiled.
"How about it? This is my price."
"Very fair, right?"
Tony was silent for a moment, then reached out his hand.
"Deal."
"As long as you can keep me alive."
The two hands shook together.
"Pleasure doing business with you, Tin Man."
Luke patted Tony's shoulder, and by the way...
[Target contact complete.]
[Acquired skill: Mechanical Engineering, Artificial Intelligence Programming Logic, Physics...]
[Acquired memory fragment: Mark armor design blueprints, Jarvis source code fragment...]
This knowledge is priceless.
"Knowledge is power; that phrase really isn't wrong."
Luke felt countless complex formulas and blueprints added to his brain.
"Now, we have money, territory, and technology."
Luke patted Tony's shoulder again.
"Hurry up and get the new element out, Tin Man."
"You don't have much time left."
"Oh right."
Luke took a few steps, then suddenly turned back.
"Be careful recently of a Russian named Ivan Vanko."
"He has the same reactor technology as you in his hands, and that is a grudge between his old man and your old man."
"If you don't want to be cut in half on the racetrack, you'd better check that guy out."
With that.
Luke strode away with the two of them, leaving Tony alone sitting in the doughnut shop, staring blankly at the huge sign.
"Jarvis."
After a long while, Tony spoke up.
"Sir?"
"Prepare, we'll go back and study right now."
Tony took off his sunglasses, his eyes flashing with unprecedented brilliance.
"Dad..."
After leaving the doughnut shop.
"We're just leaving like this? Not taking any benefits?"
Pietro was somewhat puzzled.
"That's not urgent."
Luke walked on the street, his mood very relaxed.
"He's still too weak right now."
"Bullying a dying man is no fun."
"When he creates the new element and truly becomes a fully-form Iron Man, going to collect the debt then will be much more interesting."
"Besides, I left a little gift on him just now."
Luke stretched out his hand, looking at a trace of blackness on his fingertips that hadn't completely dissipated.
"Wanda, do you want to learn some real skills?"
"Real skills?" Wanda asked doubtfully.
"Besides magic, you also need some self-defense techniques."
"After all, your body is too fragile."
Luke thought of the combat skills in Kingpin's memory.
"Starting tomorrow, we are going to undergo special training."
"Not just you, but also you, Pietro."
"I'm going to train you into real warriors, not brats who only know how to throw red balls and do parkour."
Pietro let out a wail.
"No way? Just escaped the lab and now entering a training camp again?"
"You can choose not to train."
Luke showed a kind smile.
"And then be practiced on as a punching bag by me."
Pietro: "I'll train."
Meanwhile.
S.H.I.E.L.D. Headquarters
Nick Fury, that one-eyed dragon, was sitting in his office, watching a piece of surveillance footage on the screen.
The content of the footage was precisely the scene where Luke instantly dealt with a dozen security guards using black tentacles in the lobby of Fisk Tower.
"Sir."
Natasha Romanoff stood aside, holding a report in her hand.
"There are no matching records."
"This Luke seems to have appeared out of thin air on Earth."
"No birth certificate, no entry records, and his DNA information cannot even be found in any country's database."
"The other two were checked out: Wanda Maximoff and Pietro Maximoff, Sokovians, missing a long time ago."
"Luke's ability is very strange."
Fury frowned, his remaining single eye staring intently at the screen.
"Is this some kind of biological weapon? Or an alien creature?"
"Also, Kingpin has gone missing," Natasha added.
"Our insider reports that Kingpin vanished into thin air after meeting these three people."
"Now Fisk Tower is managed by Wesley, and he obeys these three people implicitly."
"Not only that, today they also went to the Stark Expo, and had close contact with Tony Stark."
Fury was silent for a moment, his fingers gently tapping on the desktop.
"A mysterious powerhouse without any identity background, bringing two superpower children, controlling the mafia of Hells Kitchen, and also contacting Iron Man..."
"What on earth does this guy want to do?"
Fury felt a long-lost headache.
"Call Barton back. Also, Coulson."
"This Luke is rated Level 8. Extremely dangerous."
"We need to contact him."
"See if he wants to be an Avenger, or the next Kingpin."
The night in New York grew deeper.
Undercurrents were surging.
And on the top floor of Fisk Tower, Luke lay on a big bed, having a sweet dream.
In the dream.
Inside his body, the virus was quietly evolving, beginning to analyze the knowledge stolen from Tony.
And trying to perform some crazy fusion of those mechanical principles with biomass...
Perhaps in the near future, a true organic Iron Man is about to be born.
Chapter 20 Ghost-Spider
The next morning
Before the sunlight could disperse the mist in Hells Kitchen, the noise on the street began to fade.
Luke was awakened by a rhythmic knocking on the door.
"Boss, are you awake?"
Wesley's voice rang out from outside the door, sounding calm and steady.
There was no panic at all despite the chaos happening outside.
As a top gangster butler, his psychological resilience was unquestionable.
Luke rubbed his sleep-heavy eyes, and with a wave of his hand, the door lock automatically popped open.
"Come in."
Luke leaned against the head of the bed, casually grabbed the milk by the bedside, and took a gulp. This had already become a mandatory morning ritual for him.
Wesley pushed the door open and entered, holding a tablet computer. Even at a time like this, his suit remained crisp and his hair was impeccably neat.
"Boss, I think you need to see this."
Wesley handed the tablet to Luke, and the screen was playing an emergency broadcast from Fox News.
On the screen, somewhere in the desert of New Mexico, a huge crater was surrounded tightly by S.H.I.E.L.D. agents.
And in the center of the crater, a hammer covered in runes stood quietly in the dirt.
"Late last night, an unidentified flying object crashed in New Mexico. At the same time, witnesses claimed that in a local town, four weirdos wearing ancient armor were seen searching for a person named 'Thor'."
Wesley reported concisely.
Luke glanced at it, his eyelids twitching.
It seemed that the Thor storyline had fully kicked off.
"What kind of big deal is this?" Luke handed the tablet back.
"Isn't it just a hammer and a few cosplay enthusiasts?"
"And this, Boss."
Wesley swiped his finger across the screen, switching to another view.
The video showed the scene of a hearing on Capitol Hill.
In the video, Tony Stark was sitting at the witness stand wearing a suit, facing a crowd of aggressive senators.
"Mr. Stark, we demand that you hand over the Iron Manarmor immediately! That is an extremely dangerous weapon and must be regulated by the government!"
Senator Stern shouted, slamming the table.
"Weapon? No, no, no." Tony wore sunglasses with a look of utter disdain.
"This is not a weapon; this is a high-tech prosthetic limb. Besides, I have successfully privatized world peace. You should be thanking me instead of trying to steal my toys."
Luke looked at the arrogant Tony on the screen and laughed.
"This guy is still as punchable as ever."
Just then, a red breaking news box suddenly popped up in the upper left corner of the screen.
[Breaking: Times Square attacked by an unknown superpower individual!]
The screen cut to the center of Manhattan.
This was the wealthiest area of New York, but now, it was in complete chaos.
A bald freak radiating blue current all over his body hovered in the air.
He was frantically absorbing energy from the high-voltage power lines, and then unleashing a lightning storm upon the police and crowd below.
Meanwhile, a figure in a red and blue spandex suit was swinging between the skyscrapers, trying to stop that blue power plant.
"Electro? Spider-Man?"
Luke narrowed his eyes and took a closer look at Spider-Man.
It didn't look like Holland's suit, nor Garfield's.
This suit was very classic, looking a bit thick and somewhat retro.
Most importantly, it was red and blue.
Tobey Maguire version!
"The original Spider-Man?" Luke laughed.
"This universe is really getting more and more interesting."
"Boss, Times Square is only a few blocks away from us. Although the police have cordoned off the scene, the glowing guy's energy readings are still rising and might affect Fisk Tower."
Wesley analyzed calmly.
"Affect?" Luke stood up, his gaze turning sharp.
"How can we miss out on this kind of excitement?"
"Wesley, let Wanda and Pietro continue their special training, and don't let them come out."
Luke walked up to the floor-to-ceiling window, looking at the blue lightning flashing from time to time in the center of Manhattan.
"They can't get involved in battles of this level yet. It's enough for just me to go."
"Alright, Boss. Do you need me to prepare the car?"
"No need."
Luke pushed open the window, and the fierce wind poured in.
"I'll fly there myself."
Before his voice fell, a sudden change occurred.
"Zzzt!"
Black fluid instantly surged out from Luke's body, covering him completely!
In the blink of an eye, the young man in pajamas disappeared.
What appeared was an armored monster standing over two meters tall, pitch black all over, exuding a terrifying aura!
The black biomass shell looked full of oppressive pressure.
The shoulders and back were covered with heavy bone plate armor, and every muscle line was filled with explosive power.
The most eye-catching part was his head.
There was no longer a human face, but a full-coverage black mask.
In the center of the mask, a pair of blood-red eyes instantly lit up, like the devil's eyes staring at prey in the abyss.
His hands had mutated into two half-meter-long black blades, flashing with cold light, as if they could cut through everything in the world.
This was the Blacklight Armor form!
Although Wesley had already witnessed Kingpin's miserable death once.
Seeing this scene again, he still couldn't help taking a step back, his heart pounding wildly.
What a perfect biological weapon.
"Hoo!!"
A low breathing sound came from under the mask, carrying a certain echo.
"Watch the house, Wesley."
Luke's voice became hoarse and majestic.
"Otherwise, I'll break your legs."
"Boom!"
The next second, the black armored giant leaped forward, directly smashing through the floor-to-ceiling window, and jumped down from the top floor of Fisk Tower!
He cut a black afterimage in the air, and then...
"Splat!"
Two streams of black biomass airflow suddenly spewed from his back, which were biological jets imitated from Iron Man's thrusters!
Although he couldn't continue flying like the armor, this thrust was enough for him to perform ultra-high-speed jumps and gliding between the skyscrapers of Manhattan!
After all, this kind of flight consumed a lot of energy.
...
On the streets of Manhattan, police sirens echoed one after another.
Like a black lightning bolt, Luke shuttled between the rooftops.
Every time he landed, he trampled a deep pit into the ground, and then used the force to bounce up again, spanning a distance of hundreds of meters.
Just as he was about to arrive at Times Square, a white figure suddenly swung out from a nearby building.
This was a figure wearing a white, black, and pink tri-color suit, with a hood behind, slender and agile in build.
Ghost-Spider, Gwen Stacy!
She didn't seem to notice Luke running on the rooftop, and was only focused on the web in her hand, speeding towards Times Square.
"Oh? Buy one, get one free?"
Luke raised an eyebrow.
He exerted force with both legs and leaped fiercely, carving an arc in the air, and actually landed directly on a water tower in front of Gwen.
Chapter 21 Shock Boy
"Thud!"
The water tower let out an unbearable groan.
"Who?!"
Gwen reacted extremely quickly, pulling off a sudden stop in mid-air and landing steadily on the billboard opposite, watching the suddenly appeared monster vigilantly.
When she saw Luke's appearance clearly, her eyes under the mask widened instantly.
This is way too ferocious, right?
Pitch-black armor, blood-red eyes, and sharp blades exuding an aura of death.
This is simply a major villain BOSS walking straight out of a horror movie!
"Who are you?!" Gwen's wrist lifted slightly, and her web shooter was already aimed at Luke.
"Don't be nervous, miss."
Luke stood at the top of the water tower, his voice low, forming a sharp contrast with his terrifying appearance.
"Although I look a bit fierce, I'm just a passing enthusiastic citizen."
"Enthusiastic citizen?" Gwen's mouth twitched slightly.
"You call this outfit an enthusiastic citizen? You look more like a monster about to eat the citizens."
"Appearance is just a shell."
Luke spread his hands, although that hand was a knife.
"I'm just interested in the blue generator. As for you, wearing such a flashy tight suit, are you getting ready to go to a comic con?"
"This is a suit!" Gwen was somewhat speechless.
"Moreover, that generator is very dangerous and not something you can handle. Go home quickly, big guy."
Having said that, she ignored Luke, shot out a web, and continued swinging toward Times Square.
"Big guy?"
Luke looked down at his current physique.
"Well, it is indeed quite big."
He shook his head, kicked off with his feet, turned into a black shadow, and closely followed.
...
Times Square.
At this moment, this place had turned into an ocean of lightning.
"Hahaha! I am invincible! I am electricity! I am light! I am the only true god!"
Max Dillon, aka Electro.
He floated in mid-air, his skin showing a translucent blue, with high-voltage current flowing through his veins.
He laughed wildly, and with a casual wave, a bolt of lightning blew a police car away.
Meanwhile, on the billboard opposite him, Spider-ManPeter Parker squatted there, somewhat disheveledly dodging the bombardment of lightning.
He didn't speak.
Really, he didn't speak.
He was as silent as an autistic patient.
This was Electro's inner thought.
He just silently shot webs, silently saved people, and silently took beatings.
"Speak! You mute!"
Electro seemed to be angered by Peter's silence.
"Do you look down on me too?! Just like everyone else!"
"Bzzzt!"
Electro roared, his whole body bursting with dazzling bright light, instantly burning through Peter's web, and backhanded a bolt of lightning striking at Peter.
Peter dodged with a nimble backflip, but instead of counterattacking, he rushed at the first instance toward a nearby school bus about to be crushed by a billboard.
"Boom!!"
Just at this moment, a huge black figure descended from the sky, crashing heavily onto the street between the two of them!
The huge shockwave directly overturned several surrounding cars, and dust and smoke rose everywhere.
Peter was startled and hurriedly jumped onto a street lamp.
Electro was also stunned by this sudden change and stopped discharging electricity.
The dust and smoke dispersed.
Revealing a suffocating figure.
Luke slowly stood straight, the over-two-meter-tall black armor looking very oppressive under the illumination of the lights.
His blood-red eyes lit up, scanning the whole scene.
"What is this thing?"
Peter widened his eyes, and even through the mask, his shock could be felt.
This thing looked even more terrifying than Electro!
This armor, those bone spurs, the texture of biological and metal fusion.
"A newly arrived villain?"
Peter secretly cried out that it was bad in his heart.
One Electro was enough to handle, and with another big guy like this coming, today he was afraid he'd kick the bucket here.
Electro also watched Luke vigilantly.
"Who are you? Are you also here to stop me?"
Luke ignored Electro and instead turned his head to look at Peter on the street lamp.
"Yo, quite lively."
Luke's teasing voice came from under the faceplate.
"Is this the legendary Spider-Man? I thought you would tell stand-up comedy while fighting."
Peter:...
He still didn't speak, just watching Luke vigilantly, his body tense and ready to fight at any moment.
"Fine, Mr. Aloof."
Luke shook his head somewhat disappointedly, and then looked at Electro in the air.
"As for you, little blue battery."
Luke extended his fingers turned into sharp blades and crooked them gently.
"Come down and let me charge up."
"Seeking death!!"
Electro was infuriated.
He was an existence that even Spider-Man couldn't do anything about, and this monster that popped up from nowhere dared to look down on him!
"Bzzzt!"
Countless currents converged in his hands, turning into a thick lightning whip, fiercely lashing towards Luke!
Peter wanted to step in to rescue, but as soon as he moved, he saw the black monster advancing instead of retreating.
Energy Absorption!
Luke's left hand changed instantly!
The armor on his arm suddenly expanded and unfolded, transforming into a biological shield covered with holes!
"Crack!"
The lightning whip lashed on the shield without exploding, but instead, like water flowing into a sponge, it was instantly absorbed completely!
The holes on the surface of the shield lit up with a faint blue light, and then quickly dimmed.
"What?!" Electro was dumbfounded.
"Tastes not bad, kind of like mint-flavored Pop Rocks."
Luke felt the small increase in the energy slot inside his body.
"Come with a bit more punch! This little bit of electricity isn't even enough to charge my phone!"
"Monster!!"
Electro went crazy, connecting himself to the main cable of Times Square, preparing to release a maximum-power overload attack!
Just at this moment.
"Whoosh!"
A white figure suddenly landed on the car roof next to Luke.
"Looks like the party here has already started?"
Gwen's voice was crisp and pleasant.
She glanced at Peter on the street lamp, and then glanced at Luke below.
"Hi, Spider-Man. Looks like you need a little help?" Gwengreeted Peter.
Peter froze.
He looked at the figure wearing the white suit; although he couldn't see the face, he could feel that the other person was also a Spider-Man.
"Who are you?" Peter finally spoke, his voice somewhat low.
"Just call me Ghost-Spider." Gwen smiled.
"While I'd love to watch you two spider demons recognizing each other as relatives, the big blue light bulb seems about to explode."
Luke interrupted the somewhat eerie atmosphere.
He looked at Electro accumulating energy in the sky, and said to Gwen and Peter.
"You two, take charge of evacuating the surrounding crowd. Leave this generator to me."
"Can you handle it alone?" Gwen looked at Luke somewhat skeptically.
"A man can never say he can't."
Luke's legs bent slightly, and the ground under his feet instantly cracked.
"Wesley is right, today is a good day."
"Not only is there free electricity to charge up, but I can also get to know a future friend by the way."
Luke's blood-red eyes glanced at Gwen, a trace of profound meaning flashing through his eyes.
The next second.
"Boom!"
He was like a black cannonball, shooting straight into the sky, facing the all-over-the-sky thunder, and fiercely crashing towards Electro!
"Come on! Shock Boy! Let me see how much electricity you can charge me with!"
Chapter 22: Max, You're Too Noisy
"Boom!!"
The deafening roar echoed through Times Square.
A black meteor and blue plasma violently collided mid-air.
The burst of light in that instant overshadowed the surrounding flashing neon billboard lights.
A powerful shockwave exploded in a ring, whipping up shattered glass and debris from the ground to form a small-scale storm.
Perched on a street lamp, Peter Parker instinctively raised his arm to shield his eyes, his gaze filled with shock and worry.
"Is that guy crazy?"
Peter exclaimed inwardly.
As an old opponent who had fought Electro many times, he knew all too well how terrifying the energy inside Max's body currently was.
If a mortal flesh-and-blood body crashed into it, there would only be one outcome—turning into a pile of smoking charcoal.
Yet.
The anticipated scream did not come.
"It tingles a bit. Looks like your voltage really packs more of a punch than my home outlet."
The light faded.
High in the air, a jaw-dropping scene unfolded.
Luke's black armor was actually hovering in mid-air!
One of his large hands was tightly gripping Electro by the throat!
"Bzzzt!!"
Countless streams of blue electricity crazily burrowed into Luke's body, attempting to blast the mortal who dared touch him into powder.
But the moment those currents came into contact with the black armor, not only did they cause no damage, but they actually made the pitch-black carapace even deeper, faintly shimmering with an eerie blue-purple halo.
"That's impossible!!"
Max's eyes widened, his eyeballs practically popping out of their sockets.
He could feel that his energy was draining away!
It wasn't just draining; it was being plundered!
The monster before him was like a bottomless black hole, greedily devouring his power!
"Let me go! You monster!!"
Max roared, grabbing Luke's arms with both hands, trying to unleash a super-scale shockwave.
"Monster?"
Beneath the mask, Luke raised an eyebrow.
He felt absolutely fantastic right now.
If Kingpin last night was a steak, then Electro right now was a bottle of iced sports drink.
The virus inside him was cheering joyfully, and the Symbiote cells were frantically devouring and spitting out energy.
[High-intensity bio-electrical energy detected... Absorbing...]
[Energy reserves: 30%... 45%... 60%...]
[Parsing target genetic traits...]
[New ability acquired: Bio-electricity Manipulation (Novice)]
Looking at the struggling Smurf in his hand, Luke's eyes grew even redder.
"Max, you're too noisy."
Luke's tone was icy.
"Besides, since you turned yourself into a battery, you should be prepared to be plugged into by the charger."
Before he even finished speaking.
"Splat!"
The armor on Luke's back suddenly split open, and four thick black tentacles thrust out like spears, instantly piercing Max's limbs and locking him firmly in mid-air!
"Suck it... up!"
Luke's mind stirred.
"Ahhhhh!!"
Max let out a shrill scream.
This time, it wasn't just simple contact absorption, but deep plunder!
Black light surged across the four tentacles, as if countless tiny mouths were breathing.
The dazzling blue light on Max's body began to dim at a speed visible to the naked eye.
His originally translucent, energized skin also began to gradually return to normal human flesh tones.
"Is he draining him dry?"
On a billboard not far away, Gwen Stacy drew in a sharp breath.
Crouched atop the pillar, her beautiful eyes beneath her white hood were filled with apprehension.
"If this kind of ability isn't kept in check, he's even more dangerous than Electro."
Gwen's inner thoughts flashed rapidly.
"This guy gives me a really bad feeling. I have to do something, just in case he loses control..."
Just as Gwen was hesitating whether to step in and interrupt, Peter Parker on the other side had already made his move.
"Stop!"
Peter shouted, flicking his wrist as two streams of white web shot out, quickly sticking to Luke's shoulders.
"Whatever you are, let him go! You're going to kill him!"
Peter gave a hard tug, attempting to pull Luke away.
In Peter Parker's eyes, although the world was full of suffering, he still adhered to his bottom line.
And that was never killing anyone.
Even if the other person was Electro, who wanted his life.
Moreover, Luke's current appearance was simply unbelievable.
"Hm?"
Feeling the pull on his shoulder, Luke turned his head slightly.
Looking at the taut web, he wasn't angry at all; instead, he found it somewhat amusing.
The original Spider-Man truly was a good guy.
Luke inwardly muttered a retort.
"Don't rush, Spider-Man. I'm helping him cure his internet addiction... Oh wait, electricity addiction."
Luke didn't let go; instead, he controlled the armor, causing the current to form a protective shield on the surface of his body.
"Zzzt!"
Along the web, a surge of blue electricity traveled back in reverse!
"Whoa!"
Peter exclaimed, feeling his palm go numb as if he had touched a bare wire, and then let go of the web.
In just a matter of seconds, Max in Luke's hand had already lost the ability to resist.
At this point, Electro was no longer glowing.
He had turned back into a bald, rotten-toothed, weak-looking middle-aged man, limp in Luke's hands.
"Hoo... burp."
Luke actually let out a burp.
This wasn't him playing tricks, but a physiological reaction caused by the momentary overflow of energy within his body.
He felt like a walking human nuclear bomb right now, with his cells completely filled with violent currents.
"Alright, since you're out of juice, stay quietly."
Luke casually tossed him away.
"Bang!"
Max was thrown onto the roof of a wrecked police car, smashing a large crater into it before passing out.
The battle was over.
So fast that people couldn't react in time.
Times Square fell into a brief silence.
The police hiding behind cover and the bold onlookers stared dumbfounded at the black giant standing in the middle of the street.
Fear began to spread.
Compared to the freak who could only discharge electricity, this mysterious person in black armor with brutal methods looked much more like a world-destroying demon king.
"Clack, clack, clack."
Luke took a step, the heavy thumping sound echoing through the silent street.
He walked toward Peter and Gwen.
The two Spider-Men instantly tightened their nerves, taking defensive postures on either side.
"Who on earth are you?"
Peter asked in a deep voice.
"You have the scent of a Symbiote on you. But you don't have the crazy mental noise."
"Symbiote?"
Gwen also landed beside Peter; although the two had just met, their Spider-Sense allowed them to reach an instant tacit understanding.
"You mean an alien Parasite?" Gwen asked.
"Worse than that." Peter stared at Luke.
"This guy looks like he's evolved."
Seeing them acting as if facing a formidable enemy, Lukestopped.
Standing beneath the street lamp, his height advantage gave him enough to look down on the two of them.
His blood-red eyes flickered once, and then, the ferocious mask began to recede.
"Swish!"
The black fluid contracted downward along his neck, revealing Luke's young and handsome face.
He looked at the two of them, flashing a sunny smile.
"Don't be so tense, you two."
Luke pointed at himself.
"Look at this face, where does it look like a bad guy?"
"Besides, if I were a bad guy, that electric rat from earlier would have turned to ash already instead of sleeping over there."
Chapter 23: Take a Look at That Hammer
Seeing Luke reveal a human face that looked quite young, Peter and Gwen were visibly stunned.
The terrifying pressure lessened considerably as the faceplate retracted.
"You..." Peter hesitated, still not lowering his guard.
"What did you do to him? Did you absorb his energy?"
"Something like that."
Luke shrugged as the black armor on his body rapidly receded, turning back into a form-fitting black trench coat.
"Instead of letting him run around causing destruction, it's better to hand his excess energy over to me for safekeeping. Call it resource recycling."
"Let me introduce myself."
Luke extended his right hand. Although unarmed, it was still long and powerful.
"Luke. Just a slightly special New York citizen."
"Of course, you can also call me a containment specialist. Specifically responsible for dealing with disobedient superpowered kids."
"Luke?" Gwen mused over the name, curiously sizing him up.
"Your abilities are very unique. Armor? Biotechnology? Or some kind of superpower?"
"Trade secret, lady."
Luke winked at Gwen.
"However, your look is pretty cool. I mean, way more fashionable than the old guy next to you in the red tights."
Peter:...
"I'm not an old guy!" Peter protested again.
"I've just... been tired lately."
Peter looked at Luke. Although the alarm from his Spider-Sense was still ringing faintly, he could feel that the man before him bore no malice.
At least not right now.
"Thanks for stepping in," Peter sighed.
"Max isn't actually bad; he just lost control. If you had killed him just now, I would have stopped you."
"I know."
Luke nodded and put away his smile, his expression turning a bit serious.
"That's why I spared his life. But that doesn't mean he's innocent. Power has no good or evil, but the person wielding it does."
"Spider-Man, you're a good person. But sometimes, good people can't save this world."
Luke walked up to Peter and patted his shoulder.
"This world is starting to get chaotic. Aside from this guy playing with electricity, there will be even more and far more dangerous figures appearing in the future."
"Relying solely on your friendly neighborhood service won't be enough to handle it all."
Peter fell silent.
He thought of Uncle Ben's words, thought of Harry, and thought of MJ.
He had always tried to find a balance between a normal life and being a superhero, but reality constantly hit him hard.
"What about you, then?" Gwen interjected, leaning against a lamppost with her arms crossed.
"What do you plan to do? Assemble a superhero team? Or make big news like the Tin Man?"
"No, no, no."
Luke wagged his finger.
"I have no interest in playing superhero. That's too exhausting, and you have to maintain an image in front of the public."
He turned around, looking at the flashing police lights in the distance and the approaching S.H.I.E.L.D. Quinjet.
"I just want to earn a stable life for myself and my family in this world."
"And incidentally..."
Luke looked back and smiled faintly.
"Set a few rules for those self-righteous gods and villains."
Just then, the roar of an engine came from the sky.
A black Quinjet hovered above Times Square, casting intense searchlights onto the three of them.
"This is S.H.I.E.L.D.! Personnel below, please remain where you are immediately for investigation!"
Agent Coulson's gentle yet official voice came through the loudspeaker.
"Here they come already? Nick Fury's hound nose really is sharp."
Luke curled his lips in disdain.
"Alright, you two. Much as I'd like to buy you a cup of coffee, I don't really like dealing with secret agents."
"Especially a certain one-eyed man."
Luke looked at Gwen and Peter.
"If you run into trouble you can't handle in the future, or if you want to find a place to drink some real milk..."
He pulled two black metallic business cards from his pocket and flicked them casually toward the two.
"Come to Hells Kitchen, find me at the top floor of Fisk Tower."
"Mention my name for twenty percent off."
Peter and Gwen caught the cards.
The design was simple—pitch black all over, with only a red Logo printed in the middle and a line of text on the back.
[Luke — Problem Solving Specialist]
"Hells Kitchen? Fisk Tower?" Peter frowned.
"Isn't that Kingpin's territory?"
"It used to be."
Luke's figure began to slowly retreat, blending into the shadows.
"Now, it's my home."
"Goodbye, Little Spiders. Hope you've changed your look the next time we meet."
Before his words fully faded—
*Whoosh!*
Luke's figure was instantly encased in a black fluid, turning into a dark blur that shot straight up the adjacent building.
He ran up the vertical wall as if on flat ground, disappearing into the vast night after a few bounds.
He left only Peter and Gwen standing bewildered in the cold wind, holding the business cards.
"Did he just call us 'Little Spiders'?" Peter looked toward the direction where Luke vanished, his expression a bit strange.
"Yeah," Gwen shrugged, slipping the card into her suit pocket.
"And he even offered to buy us milk. What an oddball."
"He's very strong." Peter gripped the card tightly, his eyes solemn.
"Extremely strong. And he seems to know a lot of things."
"Yeah."
Gwen put her hood back on.
"I have a feeling we'll be seeing him again very soon."
"In a world like this, maybe oddballs like him are the only ones who are truly clear-headed."
...
Meanwhile.
Top floor of Fisk Tower.
Luke leaped in through the window, his armor rapidly retracting back into comfortable pajamas.
He slumped onto the sofa, letting out a long sigh of relief.
"Satisfying!"
Although it was just a light warm-up earlier, after absorbing Electro's energy, he felt every cell in his body cheering.
A massive amount of bio-electric energy was being rapidly parsed and converted by the Blacklight Virus.
Luke extended his finger.
*Zzzzt!*
A blue arc of electricity danced at his fingertip before turning black, carrying an aura of destruction.
[Ability Unlocked: Blacklight Lightning]
[Effects: Comes with paralysis, high temperature, and viral erosion effects.]
"Not bad, totally worth it."
Luke nodded with satisfaction.
Just then, Wesley walked over, carrying a glass of milk at just the right temperature.
"Boss, welcome back. Your fight just now was spectacular."
Wesley's eyes were full of awe and respect.
He had watched the whole process through the tower's surveillance.
That overwhelming, crushing power had once again refreshed his understanding of his new boss.
"It was fine, just went out to recharge a bit."
Luke took the milk and took a sip.
"By the way, where are Wanda and Pietro?"
"They are still in the training room, undergoing impact resistance training per your instructions," Wesley reported.
"However, someone from S.H.I.E.L.D. called just now."
"Oh?" Luke raised an eyebrow.
"The one-eyed man couldn't sit still?"
"Yes. Director Nick Fury would like to meet with you."
Wesley paused and added,
"He said he has some intelligence regarding off-world visitors he'd like to exchange with you. Also, he knows you are living here now."
"An intelligence exchange?"
Luke chuckled.
"He's testing me. Trying to see if I'm the next Kingpin, or an even more dangerous Hydra."
Luke set down his glass, stood up, walked over to the floor-to-ceiling window, and looked toward Stark Tower.
"Tell him I'm busy."
"If he wants to see me, tell him to bring his sincerity and line up himself."
"Now, I'm going to rest."
Luke yawned.
"After all, tomorrow I have to go educate a big guy carrying a hammer, and while I'm at it..."
His gaze shifted toward the distant direction of New Mexico.
"Go see if that hammer can actually be consumed by me."