c11: Daredevil's Action, Bullseye's Frustration
New York City Port.
At this moment, Daredevil, clad in his red suit reinforced with layered armor similar to the one Melvin Potter once designed for him, was hiding in a shadowed corner of the dock, his billy club holstered but ready.
Daredevil's real name is Matthew Michael Murdock.
He is a street-level superhero in the Marvel Universe, often compared to Gotham's vigilantes like Batman in the DC Universe, though his methods rely far more on heightened senses than gadgets.
He lost his eyesight in an accident as a child when a truck carrying radioactive chemicals overturned, the same chemicals blinding him while awakening his extraordinary perception.
However, his blindness greatly enhanced his other senses, granting him a radar-like awareness of his surroundings, similar in principle to echolocation but far more refined.
He could even hear sounds from several kilometers away, detecting heartbeats, breathing rhythms, and even the subtle shift of a trigger finger before a gun was fired.
Daredevil practiced boxing and martial arts from a young age under the guidance of Stick, mastering disciplines that combined ninjutsu and acrobatics, making his speed and strength far surpass ordinary people.
So, by day, Matthew worked as an upright lawyer alongside Foggy Nelson at Nelson & Murdock, defending the innocent in court.
At night, he transformed into Daredevil, the Devil of Hell's Kitchen, punishing criminals who slipped through the cracks of the legal system.
His ears twitched slightly, instantly perceiving the surrounding situation, mapping every crate, every weapon, and every heartbeat like a living sonar.
Daredevil's expression turned grim beneath the mask.
"Kingpin actually came in person..."
Not long ago, he dealt with a few small leaders of underground forces tied to Wilson Fisk's vast criminal empire.
He unexpectedly learned a piece of information from one of them whose heartbeat betrayed his lies.
Tonight, there would be a large amount of smuggled goods at the dock.
Including even narcotics and firearms, possibly sourced through black-market connections that even rival organizations like DC's Intergang would envy.
As a superhero, upon learning such a thing, he naturally couldn't stand idly by, especially knowing how such weapons would flood Hell's Kitchen.
Daredevil, having received the information in advance, prepared himself and set up an ambush here, choosing a vantage point where shadows and sound would favor him.
However, what he didn't expect was that...
This smuggling operation actually involved Kingpin, the underground emperor of New York City, whose influence rivaled crime lords across both Marvel and DC's underworlds.
As a superhero, Daredevil naturally often fought crime, and Kingpin stood at the center of countless operations he had dismantled.
Kingpin's business spread throughout the entire United States, with connections stretching from corrupt officials to international syndicates.
Daredevil had disrupted many of Kingpin's businesses and had also been brutally injured by him in direct confrontations.
The grudges between the two couldn't be explained in just a few words; it was a war of ideology as much as fists.
Originally, it was already difficult for Daredevil to defeat Kingpin in a straight fight.
In previous battles, he was mostly suppressed, as Fisk's raw strength and calculated brutality often overwhelmed him.
Moreover, this time, Daredevil sensed that Kingpin had brought many subordinates, far more than usual for a simple exchange.
Those henchmen were all holding rifles, their heartbeats steady and disciplined, their breathing patterns suggesting trained killers rather than ordinary thugs.
Clearly, Daredevil knew that this time, he was probably no match for Kingpin.
After all, the opponent's numbers were simply too great, even for someone with abilities like his.
Should he still make a move?
Thinking from another perspective.
Kingpin himself appeared for this smuggling deal.
Then it's conceivable that the value of the goods must be extremely high, perhaps something beyond ordinary contraband.
Otherwise, Kingpin, the king of the underground forces, wouldn't come in person.
"Even if I might not be able to defeat them this time, victory isn't always about combat."
"I just need to destroy those smuggled goods."
After a moment of contemplation, Daredevil decided to act, recalling how even heroes like Spider-Man often relied on quick disruption rather than direct confrontation.
If it really came down to it, he could just retreat into the maze of the city, where even the police struggled to follow him.
As time passed, several small boats approached the dock, their engines humming softly against the night tide.
Some figures disembarked from those small boats and began unloading cargo, moving with practiced efficiency.
Kingpin did not emerge from his armored car at this time, remaining inside like a king observing his domain.
As if those goods weren't his, though every heartbeat around him betrayed absolute loyalty and fear.
However, several henchmen went forward to tally the goods, checking manifests and crates with precision.
"It must be these things."
After Daredevil confirmed that these were the smuggled goods, his radar sense outlining their exact positions.
He immediately sprang into action.
A shadowy figure rushed at an extremely fast speed towards the henchmen dressed in black suits, his footsteps nearly silent against the concrete.
Soon, he arrived behind the nearest henchman, striking with precision.
Thanks to his excellent speed and the cover of night, no one noticed him.
Daredevil directly knocked out the henchman with a precise blow to the neck, then snatched the rifle from his hand.
Next, he disarmed the nearby henchman just as efficiently, using his baton to strike pressure points before grabbing the gun.
With two guns, Daredevil didn't linger and turned to run towards the port, moving like a blur between crates.
He tucked one gun under his arm and fired with the other rifle.
His attack was directed not only at the cargo but also at the direction of the boats, aiming at fuel lines and critical نقاط.
Although shooting at boats and cargo with a gun seemed a bit reckless.
Daredevil could only take a gamble.
After all, he had no confidence in fighting Kingpin and all those henchmen head-on, especially with Bullseye potentially present.
He could only hope that the intelligence was true, and that the smuggled goods contained narcotics and firearms.
If there were heavy weapons, he might still be able to detonate them with a rifle, triggering a chain reaction.
Daredevil possessed superhuman sensory abilities; even though he couldn't see, his shooting accuracy was extremely high, guided by sound and spatial awareness.
Most of the bullets hit their targets, striking crates and metal surfaces with precision.
However, the explosion he hoped for did not happen.
"It's not working...?"
Daredevil frowned beneath his mask, but his actions didn't stop.
He continued to fire his gun, adjusting his aim based on the echoes of impact.
At this moment, the henchmen standing around the car also noticed the abnormality on Daredevil's side.
Bullseye, whose real name was Lester, looked at Daredevil's figure with a cold and twisted grin and said grimly, "Come with me to deal with him!"
His deadly accuracy, rivaling even DC's Deadshot, made him one of the most dangerous assassins alive.
After getting his wounds bandaged at the hospital, he immediately returned to Kingpin's side, unwilling to miss the chance for revenge.
He told Kingpin what had happened at the Bar earlier, describing the strange and overwhelming presence he had encountered.
Honestly, Kingpin didn't believe what he said.
After all, this matter was simply too incredible, even for someone as calculating as him.
Kingpin had, of course, investigated Karl Smith.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have rashly tried to forcibly buy Karl's Bar, treating it as just another acquisition.
He knew that Karl was just a wealthy tycoon on the surface.
He seemed to be a shareholder in several large enterprises, appearing to have some influence in both legal and underground circles.
However, Kingpin didn't care, because in his eyes, no amount of wealth could rival absolute power.
The other party couldn't possibly make an enemy of him over a small Bar, at least that was what Wilson Fisk believed, as men like him were used to bending New York's underworld and even parts of its upper class to their will.
Of course, Stark Industries and Oscorp were not to be trifled with either, as both corporations held immense influence, whether through Tony Stark's technological dominance or Norman Osborn's shadowy scientific empire.
To be honest, the price Kingpin offered was also very reasonable, at least on the surface, enough to satisfy most businessmen who understood the risks of opposing him.
This was already a price that took into account the large enterprises behind Karl and the inherent value of the Bar, including its strategic location and its rumored connection to unusual individuals from previous encounters.
If Karl himself didn't have shares in those large companies, Kingpin wouldn't even offer a million dollars, as he typically acquired properties through intimidation rather than negotiation.
Now, he had given face and money, something rare for someone of his stature who preferred control over compromise.
The other party wouldn't be so ungrateful, would they?
One must know that Kingpin's true power lay in the underground forces, networks that rivaled even organizations like the Maggia or, in some aspects, DC's Intergang.
If they really fell out, it would purely be because the other party was ungrateful, at least from Fisk's perspective, where loyalty was bought and betrayal was punished.
So, he hadn't expected the other party to refuse, especially not someone who appeared to be just a wealthy second-generation businessman.
Therefore, he sent Bullseye to the Bar today to get acquainted, both as a gesture and as a warning hidden beneath politeness.
Unexpectedly, Bullseye was severely injured, even losing an arm, something almost unheard of for a man of his deadly precision and experience.
Karl Smith shot lasers from his eyes and dissolved his arm?
What a joke.
Kingpin felt that the other party was playing him, because such abilities sounded more like those possessed by beings like Superman from DC or Cyclops from the X-Men, not an ordinary human investor.
However, Bullseye's injuries were real, and even advanced medical treatment couldn't deny the clean, unnatural nature of the wound.
He didn't know what exactly happened, and that uncertainty made the situation more dangerous than any confirmed threat.
An important shipment arrived today, and Kingpin temporarily didn't have time to deal with Karl's matter, choosing to prioritize profit over curiosity.
After all, that shipment contained a lot of narcotics and firearms, enough to arm multiple gangs and flood entire districts.
Its value was extremely high, possibly tied to larger operations that extended beyond New York itself.
As for the Bar matter, it could be handled tomorrow just the same, because in Fisk's world, delayed punishment was still inevitable punishment.
He didn't believe that rich second-generation Karl could really shoot lasers from his eyes, dismissing it as either exaggeration or deception.
It was precisely because Kingpin didn't believe Bullseye that...
Bullseye was very upset now, his pride wounded far more deeply than his body, especially after being compared unfavorably to other assassins.
Seeing someone causing trouble, he naturally wanted to vent his anger, and Daredevil had just made himself the perfect target.
Bullseye drew a sharp blade, one of many perfectly balanced weapons hidden on his body, and fiercely threw it at Daredevil.
A triumphant smile appeared on his face, confidence born from a lifetime of never missing his mark.
This guy was dead.
After all, not everyone could catch his throwing knife, a skill so precise it rivaled marksmen like Deadshot in the DC Universe.
Moreover, it was night, and the angle he chose was extremely tricky, calculated to exploit blind spots and reaction limits.
However, the next moment.
Daredevil easily dodged Bullseye's throwing knife, tilting his head just enough for the blade to slice through empty air.
After all, his strongest ability was his sensory perception, allowing him to "see" the trajectory through subtle shifts in air pressure and sound.
What's going on?
Bullseye was stunned, his confidence cracking for the first time since returning from the hospital.
How did his never-miss throwing knife fail today?
He didn't believe it and threw many more throwing knives, increasing both speed and unpredictability with each attempt.
But they were all dodged one by one, as if Daredevil had already read every move before it was made, turning Bullseye's deadly assault into nothing more than wasted motion.
...