The fight had long since shattered the overhead lights, leaving the top floor shrouded in darkness. Only a few flickering bulbs provided any illumination. Kingpin's massive frame blended into the gloom as he moved through the toxic haze, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
Close combat! He had to seize the chance for a melee engagement!
Kingpin adjusted his plan on the fly. He had noticed that Makiya's attacks were mostly long-range, much like a mage. He wagered that the man's physical combat skills might be lacking. If he could close the distance, Kingpin believed no one could withstand the twenty tons of force behind his punch.
Large chunks of the ceiling fell away, and raindrops the size of beans finally began pouring from the sky. They cascaded through the massive gap in the roof, splashing onto Kingpin and the shattered floor.
Using the sound of the rain to mask his footsteps, Kingpin crept forward, inching toward Makiya.
However, that distance of less than ten meters felt like an uncrossable chasm. Makiya raised his short sword high, funneling a massive surge of Wave Power into the blade before slamming it down. The sword struck the ground, releasing all the pent-up energy in a single burst.
Ground Quaker.
Ripples of thunder spread rapidly across the floor. The speed of the lightning far exceeded Kingpin's reaction time. As the white ripples filled his vision, his consciousness realized something was wrong, but his body couldn't keep up with his thoughts.
The Wave Power sensed Kingpin's position and swept over him instantly. Countless arcs of energy transformed into lightning, surrounding him like ball lightning and swallowing his massive form whole.
The thunder clung to him like a curse, coursing through his body. Even with a physique that was ninety percent muscle, he couldn't withstand an electrical shock of this magnitude. A foul stench soon rose from Kingpin as a wet stain appeared on his trousers and quickly spread.
"Gulp!" Matt swallowed hard, staring blankly at the display of power. The image of Kingpin beating him like a ragdoll was still fresh in his mind, yet in the blink of an eye, the invincible Kingpin was being pulverized by this mysterious chairman.
'Such powerful Wave Power... what an incredible ability,' Matt marveled silently. He had seen the techniques Makiya was using in his inherited memories, but memories were just memories. Seeing it in person brought a level of shock that no mental image could match.
Thinking back to how confidently he had said, 'Let me show you the power of an Asura,' Matt felt a flush of embarrassment. He had wanted to show off in front of the chairman, but he had ended up making a total mess of things.
As the electric light faded, Kingpin collapsed to the ground, smoke rising from his body. His white suit was in tatters, and the air was thick with the stench of charred meat and waste.
Suddenly, Makiya leaned slightly to the side. A split second later, a crimson laser beam shot out from beneath Kingpin's body. It aimed for Makiya's shoulder but missed his cheek as he shifted, instead striking the already ruined ceiling.
The battered ceiling hissed with thick smoke as the surface material melted instantly, dripping down like molten lava.
Seeing his sneak attack fail, Kingpin stopped playing dead. He pushed himself off the ground and stood up, his eyes wide and fixed on Makiya. "Who are you exactly? We have no grudge. Why attack me?"
His gaze was no longer arrogant. His deep-set eyes were like frozen ponds—dark and bottomless—yet they flickered with a feral, murderous intensity. His nose was short and flat, looking as though it had been punched so hard it never quite recovered, and blood leaked from his cracked, blackened lips.
"No grudge?" Makiya calmly gathered his Wave Power, finding Kingpin's expression almost comical. "What about the people you've tormented? What was their grudge with you? Why didn't you let them go?"
Kingpin remained silent, frantically trying to figure out if Makiya was a former victim who had lucked into some mutation and gained superpowers to seek revenge.
But he truly had no memory of Makiya's face. Kingpin took pride in his exceptional memory; he wouldn't forget. So, how on earth had he offended this bringer of death?
After a moment, Kingpin spoke with difficulty, "The essence of this society is survival of the fittest. Those I killed can't blame anyone but their own weakness. Today, I am the same. But the cost of killing me is more severe than you can imagine. Are you sure you can handle it?"
"The cost?" Makiya chuckled. "Are you referring to the military brass you do business with, or the politicians your group has bought and paid for?"
Makiya casually rattled off several names—high-ranking officials and elites with close ties to Kingpin. These were people of immense social standing, capable of influencing the entire country with a single gesture.
With every name Makiya spoke, Kingpin's pupils dilated further. He hadn't expected Makiya to have investigated him so thoroughly. The secret web of connections his syndicate relied on was completely exposed to this man.
If he knew the power backing him, why did he still dare to strike?
Kingpin couldn't understand the logic. In his view, no matter how strong a superpowered individual was, they still lived in society. No one wanted to offend the people who secretly controlled the world—even he had to bow and serve them.
But regardless of the reason, Kingpin knew his luck had run out. he could hear the underlying threat in Makiya's calm tone. The man intended to kill him.
Kingpin was not one to accept fate quietly. As Makiya stepped closer, Kingpin drew a deep breath, filling his lungs with air before lunging forward with every last ounce of his strength. He charged like a mad bull, each step making the floor tremble as if a miniature Hulk were running.
Facing the tank-like charge, Makiya was prepared. He funneled Wave Power into the floor, and a massive purple magic circle manifested beneath his feet.
"That's...!" Matt's eyes widened and his jaw dropped in shock and envy. This was the high-level technique from his inherited memories: the Agni Pentacle. The chairman had already mastered this move!
The dark purple formation enveloped the entire floor. An inexplicable force bound Kingpin's body, and his massive frame began to float uncontrollably.
His Wave Manifestation Brand transformed into four massive orbs of light, revolving around Makiya at increasing speeds. Concrete pillars, metal walls, and elevators were reduced to powder upon contact with the orbs. Violent bolts of lightning surged within the formation as the high voltage ionized the air, drawing down the lightning from the clouds above.
Crack!
Lightning branched through the storm, striking from the clouds directly into the top of the skyscraper. Guided by the lightning within Makiya's formation, it slammed into Kingpin. No matter how tough a body was, it couldn't withstand the dual assault of natural lightning and Wave Power. His skin began to disintegrate, his flesh turned to a bloody pulp, and his resilient muscles rotted away, exposing white bone.
As the orbs reached their peak velocity, the Wave Power suddenly contracted inward before triggering a violent explosion. The thunder-laced shockwave completely blew the roof off the building, turning the top floor into an open-air balcony.
Kingpin's corpse hit the ground, half of his body reduced to a skeleton. The grisly skull stared back with hollow sockets, seemingly lodging a silent protest against Makiya.
The rain poured down in torrents, as if the souls of those Kingpin had victimized over the years were finally weeping in celebration of his descent into hell.
With a flick of his finger, a golden flame drifted from Makiya's fingertip, incinerating Kingpin's remains into ash. The rain washed the residue away, sending it down through the cracks in the floor and into the sewers.
Notably, despite the series of attacks and the natural lightning strikes, the scepter in Kingpin's hand remained unscathed. Once the dust was washed away by the rain, it shone brightly, looking as good as new.
"Such durable material. Could it be made of Vibranium?" Makiya picked up the scepter and examined it, intending to take it back for study.
With Kingpin dead, the scepter was now masterless. It looked like it was destined for him, and Makiya accepted it with a natural smile.
Stowing the scepter behind him, Makiya walked back to Matt with his short sword. The vigilante had long since ducked into the stairwell. Aside from being covered in dust and debris, he was unharmed.
Makiya patted his shoulder and said earnestly, "Next time, don't call yourself an Asura. At least wait until you've mastered the Agni Pentacle, otherwise you're just embarrassing me."
Matt nodded dumbly.
"Alright, today's business is concluded. I'm heading out. Do as you please," Makiya said with a wave. A golden flying sword appeared beneath his feet, and he soared into the rainy sky, his silhouette as elegant and unburdened as a petrel in a storm.
Crack!
Another bolt of lightning struck down. Although Matt couldn't see, his perception of Wave Power allowed him to 'see' the world through a different sense. In his field of vision, the Makiya who had just flown into the sky seemed... well, he seemed to have been zapped.
"The chairman is so strong, he should be fine, right?" Matt whispered to himself.
Gripping his short sword, Matt recalled the moves Makiya had just displayed. His heart raced with excitement. He vowed to train even harder to reach the chairman's level one day!
Sirens wailed in the distant streets, and reporters were no doubt following the scent. Since the elevators were destroyed, Matt had to run all the way down to the first floor via the stairs.
'It's fine. Consider it cardio,' he consoled himself mentally.
Makiya was indeed fine, though the lightning strike had been a bit sudden, leaving him with a massive afro.
'How did I get struck by lightning? I wasn't even showing off.'
Kingpin's death caused a massive stir. News outlets scrambled to report on the event. The skyscraper was riddled with holes, and the top floor had been completely de-capped—this was a major news story.
His public persona was that of a philanthropist, a famous businessman, and a patriot. The Mayor of New York immediately declared it a major terrorist event and pledged full cooperation with relevant departments to find any clues and close the case quickly.
Makiya leisurely sipped his coffee, monitoring the progress of the beta players through their contracts. The Vanko father-son duo and the CEO were making great strides, and even Yinsen's progress was significant. His crop of 'leeks' was thriving.
Just then, the expression of the sexy female news anchor suddenly shifted, looking as though she had just lost a loved one. In a voice heavy with grief, she announced: "We break for an emergency update: According to the latest reports from our correspondent, the head of Stark Industries—noted philanthropist, arms dealer, and genius inventor Tony Stark—has gone missing in Afghanistan. It is suspected he was ambushed by terrorists. All accompanying U.S. soldiers were killed, and military support at the scene has not located Mr. Stark's remains..." Meanwhile, in Afghanistan.
Having just finished his cultivation, Yinsen slowly exhaled a long breath of white mist that lingered in the air for a long time before dissipating.
He clenched his fists, feeling that it was time to leave this place. Before departing, he planned to give the members of the Ten Rings a grand parting gift.
Outside the cave, a man covered in blood was just being delivered. A small leader waved his hand frantically: "Quickly take him to Doctor Yinsen! Tell him he must save Stark!"