CHAPTER - 21 { Brutal Life }

TING!

The clash of swords and the metallic echoes, reverberated in the dark passage.

Mariko and Yukio both showed impressive sword skills and their noticeable coordination with each other.

Two katanas in his hands, Creed opposed the two with equally or even superior sword skills. Pushing them back, he stuck down his swords.

SLASH!

Mariko and Yukio distanced themselves from each other and came on the opposite sides.

"Haa!"

Yukio held her katana with both hands, gripped the handle tightly and cut down the blade at Creed while Mariko slashed horizontally.

"Is that all you got?"

Swinging his swords, Creed blocked the attacks from both sides. Then he spun in his position, extending his katanas outwards.

TING!

Yukio and Mariko had to stick themselves to the walls to avoid the sharp blades. They locked their eyes on Creed to find him invisible once again.

BAM!

Mariko was kneed on her stomach, then lifted up and thrown at Yukio with immense force.

"Ahhge!"

"Ahhh!"

Yukio broke her ankle while Mariko had internal organ damage from the powerful and sharp knee. She coughed out blood from her mouth.

"You two have good skills. In your afterlife, make better use of them if possible."

STAB!

Creed positioned the tip of his katana on Mariko's thigh, which was above Yukio's stomach. Then with a jolt, he pushed the katana in.

"Ahhhh!"

"Ahhhr! Y-You!"

Behind in the darkness, the old man Ichiro, coughed and watched the scene with fear in his eyes.

He couldn't hold on much longer. The female doctor by his side, lowered her head and listened to his command.

"They can no longer protect me. You go. Finish him."

He said in a cold voice. The female doctor nodded her head, dropping her white coat she walked out of the dark with graceful steps.

"Oh mister. Please listen to me. I don't have anything to do with them. At least let me live. I swear I won't talk about this to anyone."

As she neared Creed, her hands cracked up and her fingernails sharpened.

It seems that she was also a mutant. The old man Ichiro then heard a gunshot, and saw the mutant woman's head blow up into bits.

Parts of skull bone, brain matter, flesh and red blood splashed on the ground. The body then fell down lifeless.

BANG!

Another gunshot rang, this time the bullet drilled through the old man Ichiro's forehead and made its way out of his skull from behind.

"N-No! Grandfather!"

Mariko screamed loudly. Tears of sadness and pain rolled down her cheeks. Yukio had already taken her last breath, she lay motionless underneath Mariko.

"Blame the one who sent me to kill you."

Creed muttered, he aimed the handgun muzzle at Mariko's head. Just as he was about to pull the trigger, he sensed something.

His eyes shifted, and stared at the front of the passage. There, the mutant man was glaring at him with furious red eyes.

Blood vessels popped out in his skins, the muscles twitching in rage, the man was beyond angry.

"I'll rip you apart. Slowly."

His voice, cold and deep, spread in the passage and reached Creed's ears. His entire figure was emitting a dangerous signal.

BANG! BANG!

Creed fired the handgun, killing Mariko and Shingen quickly before facing in the direction of the mutant man, who stood there completely stunned after his act.

"Come. I will let you try."

* * *

Few hours later, inside the very same hotel where the deal took place. The Big Boss of the Japanese yakuza, sat on his chair and looked at Ichiro, the boss of Dragon gang.

"He has finished. Transfer the money to his account. And get men to Yashida' resident."

He spoke nonchalantly. Ichiro nodded his head, then made a call to his men to get the orders done.

"By the way, boss. Shouldn't we do something about this hitman? What if someone hires him to kill you?"

Ichiro asked the Big Boss, who was also thinking the same and trying to find a way to deal with Creed.

"That's true but for now, we can only wish no one wants to kill me."

The Big Boss honestly was worried, he couldn't help but feel that his head was on someone's scope.

At any moment it felt like he was about to get shot. It was all so real.

BANG!

SPLASH!

Ichiro had his eyes closed for a second, the warm sensation on his face and the loud burst was enough to tell what happened.

He opened his eyes and looked at the Big Boss's body, which was like a headless statue, it slowly slid down and slammed on the cold floor.

"I'm sorry boss. Your wish didn't come true."

Saying that, he raised his right hand before the glass wall and showed thumbs up.

Far away, on a tall skyscraper. Creed put away the Arctic Warfare Magnum (AWM) sniper rifle and leaned for support on the edge.

His current shape wasn't good.

Claw marks on his front and back, stabs, fractures and also broken bones. His suit, 'Silent Death' was damaged and unusable for now without any repair.

There was exhaustion, headache and intense pain in every corner of his body.

"Next time, don't try to kill something which can't be killed."

He muttered under his breath. With a heavy inhale, he stood up and picked the sniper rifle, and made his way down the skyscraper.

* * *

Back in New York City, in his apartment. Creed prepared his breakfast while watching the latest news on the television.

After the events of Iron Man, Tony Stark has become famous and his Stark Industries was blooming further towards the future.

Many countries have invited Tony Stark for guest appearances and special deals.

Surprisingly, few news channels showed the news from Japan as well. One of which was obviously about the assassination the Yashida family.

Watching the news, Creed remembered the battle between him and the mutant man.

He was able to trap the man once again in the passage while escaping with many wounds and injuries.

"10 million was way less than what I had to face. Next time, the prices will have to go up."

Creed toasted the bread and cooked the eggs before making himself an egg sandwich. A glass of orange juice and the morning was perfect.

"Eh, the pain."

Days have passed but the pain didn't leave, neither did the injuries and wounds heal fully. He was still recuperating from the last mission and months were needed.

RUMBLE!

Suddenly, Creed felt a strong shake. The orange juice in the glass that was calm and steady, rippled in waves.

BOOM!

A loud explosion, so huge that it could be seen from thousands of meters away, took place not that farm from his apartment.

"What the hell?'

Running out of his apartment, he watched walls of flames rise up in the sky and the black smoke gather.

"This is the end of the world!"

"Ahhhh! Run!"

"God have mercy!"

Everyone panicked, most ran for their lives while some got on their knees begging for mercy from the gods that they believed in.

'It's happening in Harlem.'

Creed headed in the direction of the explosion to see what exactly happened or what was the cause.

Could be it another suicide terrorist attacks like 9.11?

"Roarrr!"

A terrifying roar resonated from Harlem. Loud and clear, it scared souls away.

"A monster?"

Creed thought as he sped up and ran forward with a grave expression. What was happening in his life?

Dead Corpses trying to kill him, mutants, and now what? Aliens? Monsters?

It was too exciting for him to handle with a calm face.

The screams, shouts, and loud explosions all came in his ears. With sweats falling down his eyebrows, he arrived in Harlem.

In his eyes he saw buildings crumbling down, roads cracking up, houses on fire, vehicles upside down and dead bodies laying on the grounds.

The sky now was covered with black smoke, how shocking it was,as not long ago the sky was clear and the sun shone brightly.