Chapter 34: Valmont
Inside the Fisk Building's top-floor office, Kingpin sat at his expansive desk, steadily inhaling and exhaling plumes of white smoke. His cold gaze was fixed on a letter slowly materializing from the shadows on the polished surface.
Extraordinary beings existed in this world, a fact the underworld king was keenly aware of. His allies, the Hand, possessed such mystical power, though they kept it concealed. As a prominent local boss, Jin Bing had little trouble uncovering details about foreign organizations operating within his territory.
Just as Kingpin reached for the letter, his trusted confidant, James Wesley, standing beside him, cautioned, "Wilson, be more careful. Don't touch anything that appears so suddenly."
However, Jin Bing, a man in a position of power who should have valued his life, shook his head, speaking as if to himself. "No, Wesley, you don't understand! I can feel that my body and mind have reached their limits. If there's no path forward, I will become an ordinary mortal, vulnerable to many weaknesses."
With that, Kingpin disregarded his confidant's advice, picked up the letter, and unfolded it to read.
"Wilson, what does it say?" Seeing Kingpin quickly close the letter, Wesley leaned in, his voice low with concern.
"The letter says they will be here soon!" Jin Bing folded the letter and returned it to the envelope. His tone hardened, becoming fierce and sinister. "I want to see the extent of this organization's extraordinary power. If they fail to meet my expectations, I will tear them apart alive!"
He then tossed the envelope to Bullseye, who was idly shuffling cards in the shadows. "Check it! Check it now! I want every detail about this letter within half an hour."
"There's no need for that. We're already here!" A vibrant and refined voice suddenly echoed from outside the office door.
Kingpin, Bullseye, and Wesley exchanged solemn glances at the unexpected intrusion.
"Bang!" A deafening crash erupted from beyond the door! The next instant, the heavy office door flew inward with tremendous force.
Instinctively, Bullseye, a seasoned killer, dodged to the side with ghostly agility as the door hurtled towards them. While Kingpin appeared a massive, lumbering figure, this was a deceptive facade. Beneath his bulk lay well-trained muscles. With surprising speed for his size, Kingpin braced himself on the desk and rolled aside to avoid the incoming projectile. Wesley, realizing he couldn't evade in time, simply dove forward and took cover under the desk.
"Boom!" The door, ripped from its hinges by brute force, slammed violently into the desk, leaving a gaping hole. The only sound in the immediate aftermath was the splintering of wood.
Kingpin and Bullseye had narrowly avoided the attack, and Wesley remained hidden. The three men unconsciously swallowed, their eyes fixed on the door embedded in the desk. Then, their gazes shifted towards the doorway.
Standing there was a towering man, easily two meters tall, with pigtails and a menacing expression, his eyes scanning the interior of the office.
Wesley's voice trembled slightly. "Boss, is that... the mysterious organization?"
"I remember Kingpin being a fat guy, so it looks like it must be you!" Valmont stepped out from behind the massive figure, his gaze sweeping over Kingpin, Bullseye, and Wesley as he swaggered into the office.
"Swish..." As a professional killer, Bullseye, recognizing Valmont as the likely leader, immediately retaliated! His hands moved in a blur, and playing cards shot towards Valmont in rapid succession.
However, the shadows within the office suddenly solidified, and a multitude of Black Shadow Ninjas materialized. Countless flashes of blades intercepted the incoming poker cards, slicing them into confetti.
"Is this the power of the gods? He summoned so many at once..." Kingpin and Wesley's breathing quickened, while Bullseye displayed a manic grin. He reached to his waist, and several throwing knives appeared in his hands.
Valmont eyed Bullseye, who seemed to be channeling a certain flamboyant villain, and said with disdain, "I have an appointment with your boss. Why are you, a mere lackey, interfering? Go back to where it's cooler!"
"I'll have a good chat with you after I kill you," Bullseye spat out, his hands already blurring as he unleashed a barrage of dozens of throwing knives in the blink of an eye!
These knives collided mid-air, their trajectories shifting at impossible angles to bypass the ninjas blocking their path, all aiming directly for Valmont. The Shadow Ninjas swiftly drew their shurikens and hurled them at the incoming knives. Faced with the dense volley, even the erratically flying knives were knocked off course.
"What a pathetic display, utterly useless..." Before Valmont could finish his mocking words, the deflected knives suddenly glowed red.
"Bang..." Dozens of explosions ripped through the office, the concussive force blowing away the intercepting shurikens. The remaining knives, propelled by the blast, continued their fierce trajectory towards Valmont.
Observing the knives hurtling towards his vital points, Valmont shook his head, a bemused smile on his face. He made no attempt to dodge or evade, allowing the bomb-laden projectiles to approach.
"Truly ridiculous, is this the extent of their power?!" Bullseye sneered, witnessing Valmont's inaction.
But Kingpin and Wesley, observing from the sidelines, felt a growing sense of unease. Their apprehension proved well-founded.
The high-speed knives abruptly halted a mere ten centimeters from Valmont's vital areas. The exploding knives hung suspended in mid-air, ripples forming around them like the surface of a disturbed lake. Then, several Black Shadow Ninjas materialized and calmly removed the suspended weapons one by one.
Bullseye's carefully prepared explosive throwing knives had posed no threat to Valmont whatsoever.
"Is this... extraordinary power?" Shock registered on the faces of Kingpin, Wesley, and even Bullseye.
At that moment, a Black Shadow Ninja silently materialized behind Bullseye. It held a sharp, long knife, and the sickening "swish" of the blade piercing flesh echoed in the room. The knife was thrust fiercely into the back of Bullseye's eye, the blade then tearing through his chest! Before he could offer any resistance, several more Black Shadow Ninjas materialized, their long swords drawn. The bright blades flashed, followed by a series of piercing sounds.