"I believe we have scores to settle, don't we, Kingpin?"
"Arthur Morgan, I told you—if you came, I would kill you."
Kingpin spoke while glaring coldly at Arthur.
He hadn't expected Arthur to possess such power, but what did it matter?
Kingpin had full confidence in his own abilities and strength.
Years of experience wouldn't allow him to lose to a mere arrogant mutant.
Arthur, outwardly calm, was very pleased with what he had just done.
(Whirlwind Slashing Iron Fist… I didn't expect to get this while coming here. Using it was easier than I thought. Maybe because Garou could already use it, I was able to learn and master it immediately after the knowledge appeared in my mind.)
If Kingpin hadn't provoked him, Arthur probably wouldn't have used it so soon.
"It's getting late. I need to go back and rest."
"Then let's finish this quickly."
Arthur looked at the men standing near Kingpin. They were trembling in fear.
Turning his eyes back to the giant before him, Arthur wasn't at all worried about losing this fight.
Well… maybe if Kingpin used one of those classic Marvel villain tricks.
Kingpin stared seriously at him.
He began to remove his suit, ready to fight Arthur.
How dare this boy? A mere mutant attacking him—the King of Crime.
The atmosphere grew tense as Kingpin looked at Arthur with condescension, full of confidence in his imminent victory.
"Hold my suit and cane while I kill this mutant."
"Y-yes, boss!"
Throwing his suit to his stunned subordinates, Kingpin prepared to fight.
(Let's see how strong I've become after this.)
Arthur activated Awakening Breath.
"Ahhhhh~~"
This was a breathing technique that extracted the body's maximum potential. When used, the user's physical abilities were temporarily heightened.
With a swift movement, Kingpin charged at Arthur, throwing a powerful punch.
Arthur dodged skillfully, and with a motion as smooth as flowing water, redirected Kingpin's fist—straight into his own face.
Thud! Crack!
The sound of bone breaking echoed through the room.
Kingpin had broken his own nose. Blood dripped as he stared in shock at his bloodstained fist.
"Arrgh! You damn mutant!" he roared, charging again.
The Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist was a style based on understanding and recreating the torrential flows and undulating forces of water within one's body, channeling them into the fists.
When used by a skilled fighter, it became devastatingly effective against humanoid opponents.
Bang!!
Arthur once again redirected Kingpin's strike, slamming it into the ground.
"Piercing Fang!"
With pinpoint precision, Arthur struck Kingpin's weak points using his fingertips.
The force launched Kingpin backward, but before he hit the wall Arthur moved again.
"Instant Movement."
Using special footwork, he blurred forward, fluid and fast as water, striking Kingpin's vital points with ruthless precision.
"Blergh!!"
Kingpin vomited blood as Arthur's relentless blows crashed into him.
"W-what the hell is going on!?"
On his knees, coughing up blood, Kingpin stared in disbelief.
(My cane is too far away and my—)
Before he could finish the thought, he felt pressure on his head.
Arthur had stepped on him, forcing his face into the ground.
BOOM! Crack!
"My name is Arthur Morgan…"
(What?)
"I'm 20 years old. I live in Queens, New York. I'm not married, nor am I in a serious relationship."
"I'm a world-renowned writer. I don't smoke, and I drink only on rare occasions."
(What is this guy talking about!? And why can't I move!? How is he this strong!?)
"I always go to bed at 11 p.m. sharp, and I make sure to get 8 hours of sleep every night."
"I usually drink milk tea and stretch before bed. I sleep soundly, without interruption."
As he spoke, Arthur pressed harder on Kingpin's skull, slowly burying his face deeper into the ground.
"I wake up refreshed every morning, without a trace of fatigue, like a worry-free child."
"My last health checkup revealed no issues."
(Why the hell is he saying this!? Arrrgh!!)
Crack!!
"I strive to maintain inner peace…"
Crack!!
"I always avoid unnecessary problems or making enemies…"
"But if I'm forced into a confrontation, I'm confident I will never lose."
"In short… you're nothing but a nuisance, one that could keep me awake at night."
Crack!
"Therefore, you, Wilson Fisk, are my enemy…"
Arthur lifted his foot, crouched, and grabbed Kingpin by the head.
He looked him straight in the eyes.
Kingpin's face was swollen, bloody, and broken.
Arthur's eyes glowed yellow, while a dark aura radiated from him.
"But as much as I'd like to kill you and be done with it, that would only bring me more problems."
"W-what do you want…?" Kingpin muttered, barely conscious.
"I want nothing from someone like you."
Arthur released him, stood, and delivered a brutal kick that sent Kingpin crashing into the wall.
Then, Arthur pulled out a small paper covered in strange kanji.
"Let's end this." His voice was cold as he placed the talisman on Kingpin's forehead.
[Loyalty Seal: Single Use – Super Rare]
[After use, the target will be completely loyal to you.]
The seal's power activated, twisting Kingpin's mind.
Arthur slapped him awake.
"Hey! Wake up, you filthy pig!"
Kingpin's men were speechless, trembling with fear. Weaponless—since Kingpin never trusted them enough—they could only watch.
As Kingpin regained consciousness, they rushed to him.
"Sir, what do we do? This man is too strong…"
But their hope shattered instantly.
Kingpin fell to his knees before Arthur, like a loyal servant.
"Mr. Morgan, I deeply apologize for today's offense. I am willing to compensate you in any way you wish, as long as it is within my power."
Arthur's smile confirmed it—Kingpin was behaving exactly as planned.
"You're smart. Fine, you convinced me."
Killing Kingpin would only throw New York's underworld into chaos. Keeping him alive would prevent endless trouble.
That was why Arthur spared him.
Upon hearing this, Kingpin let out a sigh of relief. Despite his battered body, some color returned to his face.
Arthur continued coldly:
"You're intelligent. You also know I want to keep a low profile. What happened today must never be known to anyone."
"Understood, Mr. Morgan. I promise, no one will ever know."
His meaning was clear.
Kingpin's men felt the murderous intent radiating from him.
"Sir, I swear I won't say a word!"
"Me too!"
"N-no!! Boss, please, don't—!"
The next minute was a massacre.
With Kingpin's overwhelming strength, slaughtering them was effortless.
The last man gasped for breath as Kingpin's hand crushed his throat.
"Ki… Kingpin… Sir… please…"
Crack!!!
His corpse was tossed aside like garbage.
When Kingpin turned back, Arthur was gone.
He had survived.
Relieved, he dropped to his knees, panting heavily, drenched in sweat.
Only now did the pain of his wounds hit him.
After leaving, Kingpin gathered fresh men, burned the hideout, and destroyed every trace of what had happened.
It also sent a clear message to the entire underworld:
Anyone who dares cause trouble for Arthur Morgan is an enemy of Kingpin.
NYPD – Technology Division
George anxiously watched his colleagues at work. Soon, a group of officers interrupted him.
"What's the result?" George asked immediately.
One of the technicians let out a sigh of relief.
"Fortunately, all the data and files are still intact. Nothing was deleted or transferred. No signs of modification either."
The tension in the room finally eased.
"But if nothing was tampered with, why did the hacker break into our system?" asked a sharp-eyed officer.
Based on his years of experience, George frowned.
"Can you locate the hacker's IP address?"
The technicians exchanged glances and shook their heads.
George had expected as much.
"In that case, I'll need all of you working overtime. We can't let this happen again."
"If that hacker makes another move, you must do everything possible to track their IP!"
"Yes, Captain!"
(End of chapter)
"Hmph. If you really want to be useful, then entertain me, try to throw those pathetic power stones at me. Let's see if even your insolence can amuse a king."