C164

Boom!

On the first floor of the shopping mall, darkness engulfed everything. Only faint wisps of light spilled in through the massive holes in the front and back walls. High above, helicopters hovered, their spotlights cutting through the dust and smoke. Amidst the chaos, two massive figures were locked in a ferocious battle, their forms barely visible through the haze.

Each collision of punches and kicks sounded like detonations. Fists slammed into flesh, and the impact rippled outward like shockwaves, sending debris and air surging in every direction. Blood splattered with each devastating blow.

The crowd watching from a safe distance held their breath, mesmerized by the inhuman battle unfolding before their eyes. Each onlooker's face bore a different expression—fear, awe, or silent calculation.

Across the street, Natasha observed the scene, a slight smirk playing on her lips. Whatever thoughts crossed her mind seemed to amuse her. Suddenly, a faint noise stirred behind her. Without turning around, she spoke, her voice cool and sharp:

"If I were you, I'd stay put. Half the bones in your body are already shattered, and your cells are barely holding on. Sure, your self-healing ability is impressive, but push yourself any further, and there's a good chance it'll kill you."

She paused, her tone hardening. "And don't think for a second I'd bother collecting your body."

Behind her, a figure staggered into view. Bloody Mary clung to the railing of a damaged billboard, her body trembling. Blood dripped from her mouth as she struggled to stand, her other hand clutching her injured arm. Wisps of faint blue light shimmered around her fingertips as she whispered hoarsely,

"I finally found you. Even if it kills me, I'll find him."

Boom!

The ground shook violently once more. The two monstrous fighters crashed upward, smashing through to the second floor of the shopping mall. Natasha's gaze never wavered, her voice calm and detached.

"Give it up, girl. If he doesn't want to be found, you'll never track him down—not in this lifetime." She glanced briefly over her shoulder, adding, "Even if you join S.H.I.E.L.D., it won't make a difference. But let me offer you some advice: S.H.I.E.L.D. is a good place for now—for you and the child."

Her cryptic words hung in the air, and they were not spoken only for Bloody Mary. Back at S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters, Nick Fury and Maria Hill were listening in real time. Fury's single eye glinted with a flicker of interest, though his thoughts remained unreadable.

Bloody Mary, however, ignored Natasha's warning. Her voice, raw and filled with fanaticism, cut through the din:

"I was born from violence. Madness, killing, and power—they're in my blood. I thrive on them."

She drew a ragged breath, her eyes blazing. "For me, Kingpin was the one. A man worth following. Strong, ruthless, unstoppable. A god in his own right."

Her voice broke slightly as she continued, "But that night... you destroyed everything."

She took an unsteady step forward, her voice trembling with anger and obsession. "Do you even know what you did? To me, he was like a god—untouchable, unstoppable. And I... I was nothing. Just an insect under his heel. He crushed me without a second thought, without even looking back. I was nothing more than an ant to him. But you... you changed all of that."

"And Kingpin—just one look, one tone—his stern and irresistible aura of domination could penetrate an entire building. Yet, in that moment, the once-arrogant Kingpin knelt before him."

Bloody Mary's eyes glinted as she spoke, her voice steady with conviction. "From that moment on, I knew Kingpin was no longer worthy of my loyalty."

She let out a bitter laugh. "Both Kingpin and S.H.I.E.L.D. think I betrayed him. But they don't understand—it wasn't betrayal. My nature is to follow strength. When I judged Kingpin as no longer someone worthy of following, I left him. It's just who I am."

There was something feral in her tone, a raw intensity that matched the wildness of her spirit. Bloody Mary was less a person and more an untamable beast. When she held power, she hunted at will, unstoppable and merciless. But when faced with someone more powerful, her instincts drove her to submit entirely, to become the most loyal of followers—even a slave.

Natasha remained silent for a moment, then subtly tilted her chin, gesturing toward the two monsters locked in combat on the second floor of the mall.

"They're both powerful," Natasha remarked.

Bloody Mary's lips curled in disdain. "They're nothing more than mindless beasts. And beasts aren't worthy of my loyalty."

Her words were sharp, laced with the scorn of someone who had lived among power and knew its many faces. Bloody Mary had tasted the raw strength of hatred before. She acknowledged its terrifying force but dismissed it as nothing more than mindless bloodlust—a beast's power, not a king's.

And she had seen a true king.

"Do you know what true power looks like?" she said, her voice softening into something almost reverent. "I've seen it. A real king doesn't need words to command. His presence alone can shatter an entire dynasty, like Kingpin's building that day. That kind of majesty, that kind of domination—it's not something you forget. After witnessing that, everyone else is just... strong. But strength without majesty? It's meaningless. There's no draw. No allure."

Natasha tilted her head slightly, considering the woman before her. Crazy? Yes. But her reasoning, Natasha thought with a wry smile, was disturbingly clear.

She turned around, her sharp gaze sweeping up and down Bloody Mary, studying her intently.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The ground shook violently as the battle continued to rage in the distance. The vibrations rattled through the air, but Natasha seemed unfazed. Her scrutiny, however, made Bloody Mary shift uncomfortably.

"What are you thinking about?" Bloody Mary snapped, irritation evident in her tone.

Natasha smirked faintly, tilting her head. "I have to say, you're crazy enough, and I like the way you think. Unfortunately, your body is... too special."

Bloody Mary's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Do you think my multiple personalities will stop me from following him?"

Her lips twisted into a cold smile. "I can kill them all."

Natasha raised an eyebrow, the corner of her mouth twitching with amusement. "That won't be necessary. I think he might come back for you someday—but not today."

As if punctuating her words, a deafening roar erupted from the mall. Suddenly, a massive green figure shot through the air like a cannonball, hurtling straight toward Natasha with astonishing speed.

Bloody Mary's expression shifted instantly, and she prepared to unleash her power.

But Natasha didn't even flinch. Without so much as a glance behind her, she calmly extended the palm of her right hand.

Bang!

Hulk's back collided with her outstretched hand, the force of his immense kinetic energy meeting an immovable object. The impact was deafening, and a tremendous gust of wind exploded from the point of contact, whipping Natasha's trench coat into a frenzy. The ground beneath her feet cracked wide, spiderweb fractures spreading across the surface.

And yet, Natasha didn't move an inch.

Hulk sat on the ground, defeated, his massive frame slumped. His scarred face and weary eyes gave him the look of someone who'd endured too much. He glanced at Natasha, a mix of frustration and embarrassment on his face—clearly, he'd taken a beating from Abomination.

Natasha turned toward him, her expression softening into a gentle smile. "You haven't been sleeping well, Hulk," she said soothingly. "And you've been exposed to too much smoke and green-cell contamination. You're still weak. It's normal that you couldn't beat me today."

Her tone shifted to a light tease. "Let your sister handle your revenge for now."

Hulk's eyes lit up, and he nodded with an almost childlike happiness. But before the moment could settle, a massive steel pipe came hurtling from the second floor of the mall. It spun through the air like a colossal bolt from a siege crossbow, brimming with lethal force.

The crowd braced for impact, but Natasha remained unfazed. Just as the pipe was about to hit, she raised her hand and lazily flicked her index finger.

Boom!

In an instant, a blazing blue slash, nearly a hundred meters long, ripped through the air. It sliced the steel pipe into fragments and shot forward, tearing through the shattered floor-to-ceiling windows and toward the second floor of the mall.

The slash roared toward Abomination, who stood arrogantly in its path. Confidence radiated from his massive form as he raised his fist, intent on breaking the deadly energy with brute force.

Boom!

The fist and the blue slash collided with a thunderous crash. The ground trembled violently beneath the force of the impact, cracks spidering outward like a web of destruction.

...

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