Empire State Building, top floor.
A spacious office, expensive carpets, a beautiful crystal chandelier, and valuable antique vases all spoke of prestige.
Seated at the desk, a large bald man was eating a huge portion of prime steak.
His massive frame made the chair beneath him creak, threatening to collapse at any moment.
Behind the bald man stood two bodyguards in suits, complete with black sunglasses and black leather shoes. To the untrained eye, they might have seemed like agents from a spy movie, but a closer look revealed bulges at their lower backs, indicating they were armed.
The bald man was none other than Wilson Fisk, the Kingpin, the underworld emperor of this city.
He picked up the tall glass beside him and finished the red wine.
A nearby attendant immediately stepped forward to refill his glass.
Though referred to as an attendant, it was clear to anyone with discernment that the woman possessed soft, delicate skin, suggesting a background far from ordinary. Her demeanor further indicated rigorous etiquette training from a young age.
Perhaps due to sheer terror, the woman's hands trembled slightly as she poured the wine. An accidental glance at Fisk sent her fear soaring to its peak. Losing her composure, she spilled a few drops of wine, which unfortunately landed on the cuff of Fisk's white suit.
A mere look from Fisk rendered the woman speechless. She fumbled for a napkin, her hands shaking as she tried to wipe away the wine stain, murmuring apologies repeatedly.
Fisk's large hand suddenly clasped the woman's small one. After toying with it like a trinket, he calmly said, "It's alright. Try to be more careful in your next life."
As soon as he finished speaking, the two bodyguards behind him stepped forward, seizing the woman by the arms, one on each side. Despite her protests and cries, they dragged her forcefully out of the office.
After the woman was removed, a middle-aged man entered the office and approached Fisk.
"Boss, you sent for me?"
Fisk wiped his mouth with a napkin and casually tossed it aside. "Hammerhead has been around for too long. Find a time to take care of him."
Hammerhead was no minor figure. He was another notorious crime lord in the city, his position second only to Fisk's. After sustaining a severe head injury during a gang war, doctors had replaced part of his skull with steel, granting him an impenetrable iron head, hence his moniker.
Unfortunately, the Hammerhead of today had lost his former might. Many of his strongholds had been attacked by Fisk, leaving him like a candle in the wind, on the verge of extinction. To buy himself time to regroup, Hammerhead had even gone so far as to offer his youngest daughter to Fisk.
However, from Fisk's current demeanor, it was clear he had no intention of sparing Hammerhead.
The middle-aged man nodded upon hearing Fisk's command, spoke no further, and exited the office.
When Fisk was left alone in the office, he looked at the oil painting on the wall and suddenly remarked, "Looking at you, you seem to have failed."
The oil painting depicted a life-sized woman. As Fisk spoke, a large face, belonging to Tala, emerged from behind the painting. It passed through the wall and entered the office.
"Failure is only temporary. Soon, my power will be restored, and the earth will once again be enshrouded in darkness."
"But you still failed. Your rage led you to make a most foolish move."
Fisk slammed his fist on the table, his massive body rising as he bellowed at Tala.
Tala, seemingly unfazed by Fisk's fury, spoke unhurriedly, "I admit, I underestimated the demon's strength. But a small probe was necessary for us."
"Yet, your probe cost me a crucial magical artifact."
Tala looked at Fisk, and dark shadows began to snake out from beneath him. In the next instant, four shadow ninjas materialized, surrounding Fisk.
Undeniably, Fisk lived up to his reputation as the underworld emperor. He showed no fear in the face of the surrounding shadow ninjas, instead taunting Tala, "Do you think your little minions can handle me, Fisk?"
As if that wasn't enough, Fisk added, "It's precisely because of me that you were resurrected from your seal. Everything you have now is because of me."
"It is precisely because of this that you are still alive."
Tala waved his hand, dismissing the ninjas.
"Your people were incompetent. Their greed for useless trinkets gave the enemy an opportunity. Also, while you released me, our relationship is one of cooperation. You have no right to command me. Helping you is my choice; if I don't get what I want, it's not your place to criticize."
"Alright, alright. As you wish. But don't forget, without me, you are nothing. Now leave, and let me have some peace."
Just then, Tala suddenly looked towards the window and, within seconds, used his telekinesis to shatter it. Not just that one, but all the windows in the office were destroyed by his power.
"Tala! What in the world is wrong with you?"
Fisk, already in a foul mood from Tala's earlier threats, was further enraged by Tala's destructive rampage in his office.
Tala offered no reply, continuing to smash every reflective object in the office.
Just as the last mirror was about to be shattered, Afu, transformed into the alien King Cobra, leaped out from within it.
Seeing Afu emerge from the mirror, Fisk was greatly shocked.
"Is this technology, or is it magic?"
"Neither," Tala answered Fisk's question. "It's the Mirror Dimension. This fellow's armor can withstand the corrosion of the Mirror Dimension."
Afu, facing the approaching shadow army, showed no fear. He drew his venomous sword and, with a few swift moves, dismantled the ninja closest to him.
Fisk, true to his powerful physique, did not falter.
Gripping the edge of the desk with both hands, he heaved, lifting the entire table high into the air. With another surge of strength, he hurled it towards Afu.
Fisk then lunged forward, reaching Afu and saying, "Although I don't know who you are, I am more than willing to show you the purpose of ninety percent of my muscles."
With that, he aimed a punch at Afu's abdomen.
With the support of the wall, Fisk's punch landed squarely on Afu, causing the alien King Cobra's outer armor to show signs of cracking.
"Do you have anything to say?"
"Volcano... eruption!"
Afu, who had appeared to be on the verge of collapse, suddenly erupted with renewed vigor, like he had received a shot of adrenaline. He repelled Fisk back two meters.
Now, it was the Black Tiger Afu's turn to shine.
"Watch this! Black Tiger's Heart Grab! Elephant Kick! Kangaroo Jump! Two Dragons Playing with Pearls! Flying Crane Catches Shrimp! Flying Dragon in the Sky! Tornado Destroys Parking Lot!"
Faced with Afu's relentless onslaught, Fisk was forced to retreat repeatedly. However, he sustained no significant damage. What truly became unbearable for Fisk was Afu's incessant chatter, which had become nothing short of noise pollution.