Chapter 25: The Arc Reactor Was Stolen

Kingpin's expression was dark and cold.

New York's high society had gathered for the evening, but now the atmosphere was tense—his true identity had been exposed. While many suspected that Wilson Fisk was no ordinary man, they hadn't imagined he was actually the notorious underworld boss, Jin Bin. After all, anyone who had ever known the truth was already dead.

James Wesley betrayed me!

Kingpin's face remained composed, but his bloodshot eyes betrayed his seething anger.

"Wilson Grant Fisk, I demand an explanation!" a furious congressman shouted, rushing toward him.

Thwip!

A toothpick flew through the air, embedding itself between the man's eyebrows, right into his brain. The congressman fell dead to the floor, and the room fell silent. The man responsible, Bullseye, stood there smiling eerily, holding another toothpick between his fingers. He had a bullseye symbol on his forehead, making him all the more sinister.

"Shall I deal with the rest of them?" Bullseye asked, grinning at the frightened guests.

Kingpin, now exposed, glanced coldly at the terrified high society crowd. His entire empire, carefully built over twenty years, was now teetering on the edge of collapse. But he wasn't going down without a fight.

Men in black, armed to the teeth, began to surround the room, sealing off all exits.

"I can't let any of you leave," Kingpin growled, his voice cold and menacing.

"Applause, applause…" came the sound of slow clapping from the shadows.

A tall man dressed in black stepped onto the stage, his face concealed by an icy mask. It was Ethan Hayes. The mask, sculpted from solid ice, reflected the dim lights, giving him a spectral appearance.

"Ladies and gentlemen," Ethan's voice was hoarse, distorted by the mask. "Your beloved philanthropist, Wilson Fisk—also known as Kingpin, the kingpin of New York's underworld—has revealed his true face. And now he plans to kill every one of you to keep his secret safe."

Kingpin's eyes burned with fury as he locked gazes with Ethan.

"I built this empire over two decades, and you, Ice Demon, dare to expose it? Tonight, one of us will leave this banquet hall alive, and it won't be you."

Kingpin's voice carried the weight of a man who had conquered and crushed countless enemies. His aura darkened as though the flames of hell surrounded him.

"Innocent," Ethan replied dismissively, his tone laced with contempt. Jin Bin's men began to target Ethan, with Bullseye eyeing him specifically, contemplating how to take him down.

"Naive? This is New York, my world!" Jin Bin growled, eyes blazing with madness. For the first time in years, he had lost his temper. If a single guest escaped tonight, the empire he had built would be reduced to ashes.

"You really think you can hide from me? I know everything about you," Jin Bin continued, his voice a deadly whisper. "I will eliminate every friend you have, one by one."

Ethan showed no fear or reaction, smiling under his mask. His closest allies were no ordinary people—Jessica Jones and Gwen Stacy. With their strength, Jin Bin would find it near impossible to lay a hand on them.

"Let's not waste time," Ethan said, his tone patronizing. "I need my rest."

Realizing that Ethan had no intention of giving him any leeway, Jin Bin knew he had to act quickly or risk being cornered. There was no time for more words.

"Fortunately," Ethan added with a smirk, "I've thought of a perfect move for you."

Raising his palm, Ethan activated his power, manipulating the water in the air around the room. He focused, using his mental abilities to seize control of Jin Bin and his men through the moisture in their bodies. In seconds, they were all lifted into the air, helpless.

"Ice Explosion Funeral!" Ethan announced.

The water inside their bodies crystallized, forming sharp ice spikes that pierced them from the inside out. Their bodies convulsed as they were drained of all moisture, leaving them dry husks, suspended in mid-air like grotesque puppets.

Without a second glance at the devastation, Ethan turned and calmly exited the banquet hall. The remaining guests, who had been too scared to move, finally reacted. Screams echoed through the room as panic set in.

The news soon spread like wildfire.

"Mysterious Mutant Ice Demon Slays Underworld Kingpin Jin Bin!"

"Wilson Fisk Exposed as Crime Lord Jin Bin!"

"Charity Banquet Turns to Massacre as Demon Strikes!"

"Ice Explosion Funeral: The Devil's Work or Something Worse?"

The headlines ran rampant. Ethan, now back in his apartment, couldn't stop the steady stream of desire points flowing into his account. His reputation had spread across New York—and soon, the world.

Meanwhile, Tony Stark sat in his luxurious cliffside villa, staring blankly at the ringing phone.

It was his assistant, Pepper Potts.

"Pepper…" Tony started, but her frantic voice cut him off.

"Tony, listen to me. Obadiah Stane is the one who kidnapped you!" she said, her words urgent.

Suddenly, Tony's body stiffened. He felt his muscles tense, and his veins bulged as an intense numbness washed over him. He was paralyzed.

"You recognize this, don't you? It's a prototype. The government didn't approve it, but it causes temporary paralysis. Looks like it still works," Obadiah Stane's voice echoed through the room as he entered, holding a small device.

"Tony, I didn't kill you back then because I still had some use for you. You were always good for something—like laying golden eggs."

Obadiah walked over to Tony's chest and pulled out the arc reactor.

"This… is your last egg," he said smugly, holding the arc reactor in his hands. "Did you really think what you created was yours? Your father built the atomic bomb for me. If he had been as selfish as you, what would the world have become?"

Obadiah looked down at Tony, who struggled to move, his eyes wide with disbelief and pain.

"This is your masterpiece, Tony. And with this, I'll rule the world."

Placing the arc reactor into a suitcase, Obadiah smirked.

"I hope you get a chance to see my prototype, Tony. It's not as refined as yours, but it'll do."

With those final words, Obadiah left the room, leaving Tony alone, paralyzed and dying. Without the arc reactor, the shrapnel in Tony's body would soon reach his heart.

Obadiah, however, felt victorious. He could already taste the wealth, power, and prestige that would come with the arc reactor in his hands. The world was his for the taking.

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