c12: The Decision is Yours
After a few seconds of serious thinking in his mind, Ryan Wong knew it.
Hell's Kitchen is a festering wound on the body of New York City, a disease so deeply entrenched that it cannot be eradicated by time alone.
There are many reasons for this.
Corruption in the system, the rot in government offices, apathy from the people, and the grip of organized crime.
But above all, the most critical reason lies in the absolute dominance of a single criminal empire in Hell's Kitchen.
That empire is controlled by Kingpin Wilson Grant Fisk.
Fisk is a behemoth of a man, standing nearly seven feet tall and weighing in at over 400 pounds. Despite his size, he's far from fat his bulk is pure muscle, honed from years of intense physical training. He's been known to overpower even enhanced individuals like Spider-Man and Daredevil with sheer force.
Fisk is more than a crime boss he's a tactician, a manipulator, and a self-styled king of the underworld. Officially, he's a philanthropist and businessman, operating Fisk Enterprises, but in reality, he is the shadow puppeteer behind much of New York's criminal chaos.
According to a report once uncovered by Ben Urich, and corroborated by Matt Murdock, more than 90% of Fisk's body mass is muscle, developed through brutal hand-to-hand combat training and strength conditioning. He's gone toe-to-toe with heroes like Captain America and still stood tall.
Unquestionably, Fisk is no hero. His influence runs deep, with connections in the NYPD, judiciary, and even political candidates.
It's no coincidence that he's currently campaigning to become Mayor of New York City and polling well. His criminal reach is now extending into legitimate power.
With that kind of influence, Fisk could have easily "gone straight" and washed away his sins in public view. But instead, he chooses to remain in the shadows, reigning as the uncrowned king of New York's criminal empire.
His rule over Hell's Kitchen is absolute. As long as Fisk draws breath, the corruption and violence there will persist like a malignant tumor.
However, if Fisk is defeated whether by death or surrender then and only then could Hell's Kitchen begin to heal.
It would be a monumental task, but not an impossible one. Power, timing, and the right circumstances could align to cleanse the neighborhood.
And without question, Ryan Wong possesses that kind of power.
After all, he was chosen to embody the role of Minato Namikaze, the Fourth Hokage a man so fast and so powerful, even the legendary Uchiha Madara acknowledged his skill.
If Ryan can take on the mantle of the Yellow Flash in the Naruto world, then there is every possibility that he can take on Hell's Kitchen in this world.
But that leads to the critical question: Who should Ryan choose to partner with to carry out this mission?
Just moments ago, he'd completed a task for Peter Parker, the Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, which felt more like an errand than a mission a task so simple, it could be traded for a lollipop.
However, cleaning up Hell's Kitchen involves far more than brute force, and similar missteps must not be allowed to repeat.
If Ryan Wong were to complete the mission and successfully purge Hell's Kitchen, only to receive no recognition or progress in his standing, then frustration would inevitably build and it could lead to catastrophic consequences.
Besides, involving someone like Peter Parker in this endeavor is far too premature.
Had this been the sixteen or seventeen-year-old Spider-Man from the Ultimate Marvel universe—young but already hardened by loss Ryan would've agreed without hesitation. He would've guided Peter to issue an official commission and together, they would've worked to reclaim Hell's Kitchen from the grip of darkness.
But this Peter Parker is still just a teenage boy—freshly bitten, still juggling high school and science fairs. Exposing him to this level of danger against enemies like Bullseye, Elektra, or even The Hand, who have carved bloodied legacies through Hell's Kitchen would be reckless. Even if Ryan Wong is there to protect him, the moral cost remains too high.
Ryan Wong isn't that kind of hero.
Therefore, the task delegate must change—preferably to a seasoned operative or enforcer, someone with enough weight to engage without emotional baggage, and with no hesitation when faced with necessary violence.
Decision made, Ryan planned to remove Spider-Man from Hell's Kitchen for his own good.
He returned to the rooftop, picked up Peter, and said plainly, "Well, Peter Parker, where's your home? I'll take you back. This place isn't meant for you."
After reciting his Queens address, Peter tried to speak again—no doubt filled with a dozen questions but Ryan gave him no opportunity. He began to prepare his Flying Thunder God Technique, a teleportation jutsu that could rival even Boom Tube travel from DC's New Gods.
But just then, Ryan spotted a figure in black entering Hell's Kitchen from the south heels clicking with precision.
He instantly recognized the woman: Natasha Romanoff, codename: Black Widow.
Pausing for only a second, Ryan's mind raced.
If Black Widow was here, then S.H.I.E.L.D. was involved. That meant the agency wanted contact perhaps even an alliance. And if they were sending in Natasha herself, not just a field agent, then they meant business.
S.H.I.E.L.D. had the influence, the resources, and the reach to take responsibility for purging Hell's Kitchen and more importantly, to offer mission rewards of equal value. They were, after all, known to work with enhanced individuals, even offering tech upgrades from Stark Industries and access to classified intelligence.
More importantly, S.H.I.E.L.D. wasn't just S.H.I.E.L.D. anymore.
Ryan knew the truth: ever since the infiltration by HYDRA, the line between ally and enemy had blurred. Whether this was the public-facing S.H.I.E.L.D. or the undercover Nine-Headed Serpent, he didn't care as long as they paid for results.
This was the perfect opportunity.
Without hesitation, Ryan dropped a three-pronged kunai on the rooftop a marker for his jutsu and vanished in an instant using the teleportation technique.
Down below, Natasha paused mid-step, sensing something. She turned sharply, scanning the rooftop above.
She activated her comms and said, "I'm sensing someone powerful was just here. Chief, patch me into nearby satellite feeds scan all rooftop heat signatures in Hell's Kitchen."
While Natasha tracked his vanishing presence, Ryan reappeared in Queens, New York with Peter Parker in tow.
They landed softly near a modest house in Forest Hills, the Parker residence.
Ryan glanced at the house number, confirmed it was the right one, and dropped Peter off without ceremony like someone shaking off a clingy spirit.
The reason was simple: even a young Spider-Man talks too much.
Once Peter realized Ryan wasn't a threat, his mouth fired like a high-caliber machine gun.
"Big bro, what's your name?"
"Minato Namikaze," Ryan said with a faint smirk.
"Bro, are you that superhero on YouTube? I saw you defeat that green rage monster the Hulk, the actual Hulk!"
"Yes," Ryan replied, "that was me."
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