Deadpool returned home carrying a roll of bandages.
He flipped on the small spare light in the living room.
Then he froze.
Matt Murdock was sitting quietly on the sofa.
Deadpool blinked once.
The bandages in his hand came from Sisters Margaret's Bar.
He had no other choice. Claire had refused to let him anywhere near her clinic tonight, so if he couldn't fleece Claire for supplies, he could only fleece Weasel instead.
Besides, Deadpool was confident Weasel had made plenty of money from Elektra's mission.
Thinking about it carefully, Deadpool suddenly decided something.
The fifty thousand dollars he owed Weasel before?
Yeah.
He definitely wasn't paying that back.
At that exact moment, far away in Sisters Margaret's Bar—
Weasel sneezed loudly.
Back in Deadpool's apartment, Matt sensed Wade's presence and slowly stood up.
His posture was calm.
Peaceful.
Almost like a sage who had reached enlightenment.
Deadpool was completely used to this expression.
He had seen it many times.
Men often looked exactly like this after finishing certain activities.
He waved his hand dismissively.
"You wish."
He pointed toward the clock.
"Tonight is almost over."
"Which means I absolutely will not step on you tonight."
Matt's face immediately turned black.
Completely black.
Like the bottom of a burned cooking pot.
"I didn't come here for that," Matt said stiffly.
Deadpool tilted his head.
"Then what did you come for?"
He leaned forward suspiciously.
"Oh, I know."
"Little Matt ran out of ammo and now needs a secret place to hide from the wolf-like Elektra?"
Matt's face twitched.
Deadpool crossed his arms.
"Well, you came to the wrong place."
He grinned wickedly.
"After you left earlier tonight…"
"Elektra came to see me."
"And we spent a very wonderful time together."
Deadpool nodded to himself.
Listening to gossip about his best friend definitely counted as a wonderful time.
Matt nearly choked.
Yes, Elektra had been with him earlier.
But he swore that Elektra was the one who initiated everything.
It had nothing to do with him.
Elektra had just learned that her daughter might not even exist.
She was suffering from what could only be called the pain of losing a child.
Matt, as a grown man, couldn't just push her away.
So he did the only thing he could.
He lay there quietly.
Letting Little Matt comfort Elektra's wounded heart.
And maybe soothe his own wounded heart as well.
Because earlier tonight—
Elektra had beaten him thoroughly.
As for the phrase "wonderful time"…
Matt wanted to remind Deadpool of one thing.
He was the blind one.
Not Elektra.
But in the end, Matt swallowed his words.
Deadpool still held a very dangerous piece of leverage over him.
"It's not that either," Matt said.
Deadpool immediately raised his hand.
"Oh!"
"Then you must be here to pay me my sixty thousand nine hundred dollars."
He stretched his palm forward.
"Home delivery payment service."
"How thoughtful."
"I knew you weren't the kind of scumbag who finishes the job and refuses to acknowledge the worker."
Matt stared at him silently.
After holding back his frustration for a long time, he finally spoke.
"I'll transfer one thousand dollars to you tomorrow."
He paused.
"The sixty thousand Elektra promised you…"
"You'll have to collect that from her yourself."
Many people believed lawyers earned huge amounts of money.
And in Hell's Kitchen, Matt was relatively famous.
But the truth was far less glamorous.
Matt's law firm mostly provided legal aid for poor people.
Most of his clients could barely afford rent.
His income was just enough to survive.
Deadpool clicked his tongue.
"Heh."
"Men."
He shook his head dramatically.
"When they're staring at the stars and the moon, they call you sweetheart."
"But when it's time to pay money…"
"They suddenly remember they only owe their own share."
He sighed deeply.
"Honestly."
"Talking with your pants on is really difficult."
Matt's patience finally snapped.
Without saying another word, he turned around and walked toward the door.
This conversation could not continue.
His original reason for coming here had been very simple.
He wanted to thank Deadpool.
If Wade hadn't intervened tonight, the conflict involving the Church of the Hand and Elektra would not have ended so smoothly.
But now…
Matt decided it was best to leave quickly.
"Wait!"
Deadpool suddenly raised a finger.
"One last question!"
Matt stopped.
He turned around slowly.
Deadpool's expression had become strangely serious.
"I've had this question for a long time."
"It has tortured me for years."
Matt frowned slightly.
"Only two people I know can answer it."
"One of them rejected me cruelly."
"The other one…"
Deadpool pointed directly at Matt.
"Is you."
Matt's expression became serious.
"What question?"
Deadpool leaned forward and looked directly into Matt's eyes.
"How do blind people know…"
He paused dramatically.
"…whether they wiped clean after taking a dump?"
Matt froze.
Completely frozen.
Then he turned around and walked toward the door without hesitation.
In that moment he made a solemn vow.
If he ever trusted Deadpool again…
He would officially be a dog.
Deadpool chased after him.
"Hey! Don't go!"
"Just give me a hint!"
"How do you know?!"
BANG!
The door slammed shut.
Deadpool stood there blinking.
"Tsk."
"So violent."
But honestly—
He had been genuinely curious about that question.
Years ago, when he had still been sharing an apartment with Grandma Aier, he had asked her the same thing.
Unfortunately, she hadn't answered.
Instead, she had stared at him like he was insane.
Then she asked him a strange question.
"Can you really not live one day without talking about poop and pee?"
Deadpool had replied immediately.
"Come on."
"Can anyone live without poop and pee?"
Grandma Aier had briefly considered the logic.
Then she decided she did not want to admit Deadpool had a point.
So she ignored him completely and went back to organizing her antique display cabinet.
Back in the apartment, Deadpool stretched lazily.
"Alright."
"All the annoying people are gone."
He locked the windows.
Locked the door.
Double-checked that no one could disturb him.
Then he stored the bandages he had collected into his system space.
With a confident stride, he walked toward the bathroom.
He pulled out his carbon steel longsword.
Standing in front of the mirror, he adjusted his stance.
His reflection stared back.
Deadpool sighed.
Then—
A flash of steel.
The blade swung.
Half of his head fell to the floor.
Blood burst out like a fountain, splashing across the bathroom walls and turning the room crimson.
---
Far beyond the universe—
Beyond all dimensions—
There exists a strange realm.
Even powerful beings like Mephisto, Lord of Hell, and Dormammu, ruler of the Dark Dimension, would never dare covet it.
And yet…
This place connects to every dimension.
It is the mirror of all existence.
The place where all things eventually end.
The final resting place of every soul in the universe.
This is the realm of one of the Five Cosmic Entities.
The embodiment of death itself.
The Realm of Death.
Death is not simply a goddess.
She is not merely a spirit.
She is Death itself.
The personification of the concept of death that appeared at the birth of the universe.
If she did not often appear in a female form—
The word "It" would actually be more accurate.
At the very center of the Realm of Death stood a massive palace.
It rose like a mountain of bone.
Inside the great hall—
A strange figure sat upon a throne made entirely of skulls.
Her chin rested on her hand as she stared toward the palace gates with overwhelming boredom.
She wore a black robe.
A hood covered her head.
The hands emerging from the sleeves were nothing but pale bones.
Yet the body beneath the robe had flawless curves.
Two faint green flames burned inside her empty eye sockets.
They flickered lazily.
She sighed.
Then glanced at the small band-aid wrapped around her left ring finger.
Below the throne sat an ancient well glowing with shifting colors.
This was the Well of Infinity.
Within it existed the knowledge of countless dead souls.
Almost any question in the universe could be answered here.
Death leaned forward slightly.
"Well…"
She spoke softly.
"When do you think Wade will come visit me again?"
Normally, only beings near death could perceive her.
Unless Deadpool actually died and arrived here—
They could rarely meet.
Death dropped a small stone into the glowing well.
Ripples spread across its surface.
And from deep within the well—
Voices began to respond.
--------------------------------------------
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