Restart, Spider-Man!

Hell's Kitchen

Matt paused, turning back. "I need to change into something more suitable first."

"Suit?" Xia Luo asked.

Matt nodded. "Yeah. Like you, I'd prefer no one knows who I am."

"A smart choice." Xia Luo reclined back into his webbed hammock. "I'll wait."

"I hope you actually mean that," Matt replied, leaning slightly toward him.

"And I hope you succeed in your revenge," Xia Luo added, closing his eyes as though preparing for a nap.

Matt adjusted his sunglasses. "I won't hold back."

With that, he spun his cane, snapped it closed, and vaulted down from the rooftop with a practiced silence.

Xia Luo could hear the distinct sound of Matt's footfalls as he moved away.

Heightened senses and fighting ability, Xia Luo thought. Perfect for close-quarters combat, though… probably not so great against someone as physically powerful as Kingpin. No wonder he's been lurking around Hell's Kitchen for an opening all this time.

He lay back on his web hammock, letting the night air drift over him.

A loose newspaper page caught in the wind, floating up and landing in Xia Luo's hand.

Bored, he started reading.

Headline: Shocking! Spider-Man Transforms into a Living Lightning Bolt at the Solar Experiment!

Xia Luo rolled his eyes. Right. What would they even call the real Electro if he showed up?

He kept scanning the headlines.

"The Story of Spider-Man and the Green Vulture that Couldn't Be Told!"

"To Defeat His Foe, Spider-Man Practices Speed at the Power Station."

"Captain Carter's Fiery Look Stuns at the Solar Experiment Site."

"Tony Stark Caught Ogling Captain Carter—Has the Playboy Finally Fallen in Love?"

"The Secret Love Life of Dr. Otto and Ruth Octavius—Did Midlife Crisis Inspire the Tentacle Arms?"

"Director Fury's Unmentionable Deal with the Rhino—All For Love?"

Xia Luo blinked, doing a double-take before flipping to the back of the paper.

Right. Daily Bugle Entertainment Edition.

Ah. No wonder.

Old man J. Jonah Jameson really must be desperate to avoid bankruptcy if he's publishing this stuff, Xia Luo thought with a laugh, reading on with amusement.

Minutes ticked by, but there was still no sign of Matt returning.

Suddenly, the sharp sound of something whistling through the air made Xia Luo turn. He sidestepped as a black throwing star embedded itself into a low wall nearby.

A flash of red appeared on the rooftop across the street.

"Spider-Man! The situation's changed—I need your help!"

It was Matt, who now carried a small, unconscious figure in his arms. He deftly dodged more incoming shuriken, occasionally batting them away with his short staff.

Xia Luo shot out a web, yanking Matt over to safety.

"I thought you went to change? What's this—did you skip the bill and end up with a mob on your heels?" Xia Luo teased.

Panting slightly, Matt held the woman tightly, not releasing his grip.

"She's an old friend… they're after her. I couldn't just let them kill her."

Xia Luo eyed the woman in his arms. "Girlfriend?"

Matt hesitated. "Ex."

Seeing Matt's anxious expression even through his mask, Xia Luo shook his head, sighing.

"Alright, Hell's Kitchen's Casanova, take a seat—your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man is on the job."

As Xia Luo turned to face their pursuers, several figures appeared, moving like shadows across the moonlit rooftops, surrounding them in a flash.

"They're ninjas," Matt explained. "Part of a group called The Hand. They're dangerous."

Xia Luo clapped his hands. "Well, I've only ever watched Naruto, so let's give this a shot."

At his words, the surrounding figures hurled a barrage of shuriken, filling the air with lethal projectiles.

"Look out!"

Matt braced himself, gripping his staff, ready to shield against the oncoming assault.

But Xia Luo simply picked Matt and his ex up, tossing them to the side as he twisted mid-air in a slow, graceful flip. The shuriken glanced off his suit, sparking with every hit.

Clang clang clang clang…

He landed in a classic Black Widow stance, casually scratching his back as though completely unaffected.

Matt, using his heightened senses to take in the scene, asked, "Did you really need to do all that?"

Xia Luo smirked. "Looks cool."

Seconds later, a wave of masked ninjas armed with kunai charged forward, darting in and out of shadow.

"Nice choreography," Xia Luo scoffed.

With a flick of his wrist, a net of artificial web shot out, casting a wide arc and dissolving their illusions. The ninjas were immediately exposed, pinned down by the thick webs.

"Nani?!"

Their stunned exclamations were cut short as the web tightened, dragging them all into a pile and slamming them against the low wall.

Bam!

Crash!

Bricks crumbled, and the ninjas sputtered and gasped, trapped in a mass of webbing. Xia Luo retracted the webs, swinging the group around in wide circles before finally slamming them down repeatedly until they went still.

Matt approached, taking in the mess of webbing and shattered bones.

"I've… heard that Spider-Man doesn't kill people."

Xia Luo dusted off his hands. "Don't trust everything you hear in the gossip rags."

They were just nameless minions anyway; the respawn system wouldn't waste a slot on them.

"So, who are these people?" he asked. "And why are they after your… ex?"

Matt looked down at the woman, visibly conflicted.

"She used to be one of Kingpin's top assassins. This is probably related to him."

"Right now, Kingpin's not exactly in any condition to send hit squads after your ex," Xia Luo pointed out, returning to his hammock with a lazy grin.

"Your mission's not over yet."

"You could handle it yourself."

"But then it'd be over too quickly. And with you being so... delicate, you're bound to take longer."

Matt's face went blank. "...Fine. I'll go."

He gently set his ex-girlfriend down. "Look after her, will you? I'll be back soon."

"Of course. Watching over someone else's girlfriend is my specialty."

After Matt disappeared, Xia Luo finally took a closer look at the woman.

Daredevil's ex and a skilled assassin for Kingpin?

Elektra?

Yeah, probably.

As a trained Marvel Universe assassin, she naturally wasn't dressed in anything particularly modest. She wore a red strapless top, short shorts, and several red bandages tied around her legs to complete the red-accented look she shared with Daredevil.

Her features were strong and striking, but… not Xia Luo's type.

Still, he squatted down beside her, lifting her gently and pressing a finger against her philtrum to revive her.

"Ugh…"

She groaned softly as she came to, her eyes slowly focusing on Xia Luo's upside-down, blue-tinted mask. Instantly, her instincts flared.

With a low hum, the blade at Elektra's thigh slipped from its sheath, but Xia Luo sidestepped it effortlessly. Before she could make another move, he plucked the short sword from her grasp.

"Seriously? You're attacking your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man?" he asked, unimpressed. "You want me to knock you out in one punch?"

Without waiting for an answer, he fired webbing to secure her arms, then casually reclined back on his web hammock.

"Matt asked me to rescue you," he said, "So—who are these people hunting you down?"

At the mention of Matt, Elektra flinched. The memories of her encounter with her ex before she'd blacked out started flooding back, and her gaze shifted warily to the man in front of her.

This was Spider-Man—an enemy to her former employer.

But was he an enemy to her?

Most people in the criminal underground didn't exactly see Spider-Man as a "hero." Heroes, after all, didn't go around snatching wallets from street thugs.

"They're assassins from The Hand," she finally said. "They want information on Kingpin's whereabouts. Their goal is to take control of Hell's Kitchen."

Xia Luo shook his head. "Come on, tell me the truth—after all, you're just Matt's ex."

Elektra's face betrayed a hint of surprise. "How do you know I'm not being honest?"

"Because pretty women are the best liars."

Elektra: "…"

"That's an interesting saying," she mused. "Who came up with it?"

Xia Luo shrugged. "A very wise mother."

Elektra fell silent, contemplating his words. After a pause, she finally said, "Fine. I am—or was—a member of The Hand. I disagreed with their ideology and left. That's when I ended up working for Kingpin as one of his assassins.

"They came after me not just to eliminate me but to take advantage of the chaos in Hell's Kitchen. Kingpin's empire is a big pie, and plenty of players want a slice. That part I didn't lie about."

Xia Luo nodded. "Thanks for being honest. When Matt gets back, you'll both be free to go."

She held his gaze, her expression shifting as if reevaluating him.

"To be honest… I wanted to be a hero once, too."

"Cut the act," Xia Luo replied bluntly. "You still want to."

Elektra was speechless.

"…I do," she admitted with a hint of a smile. "But no one considers me a hero because I tend to… use a bit too much force on criminals."

Xia Luo gave a thoughtful nod. "Then stop listening to them.

"With great power comes great responsibility. A true hero shoulders criticism, doubts—even hatred.

"Be your own hero, and all those voices from outside won't matter."

"With great power… comes great responsibility…"

Elektra repeated the phrase, mulling it over. Gradually, the shadows in her eyes faded, replaced by a new spark.

"Spider-Man, thank you. I'll consider your advice."

"Hey, no need to thank me—just doing my job."

Meanwhile, from down below, a loud commotion broke out, followed by the unmistakable laugh of Aleksei.

"Hahaha! I am Aleksei, the Redeemer under Director Fury! I am The Rhino! I'm here to rid Hell's Kitchen of scum!" he bellowed, smashing through the streets. "Hey, you punk with the mohawk! You're next!"

"Aleksei, stop!" Nick Fury's voice rang out, sounding increasingly desperate.

"Don't worry, Director! This little punk is toast!"

"No, your target is Kingpin's men, not some random drunk!"

"What? Speak up! I—CAN'T—HEAR—YOU!"

Boom!

A powerful crash echoed as Aleksei stomped through the street, sending rubble flying. Xia Luo peered over the edge and couldn't help but laugh at the sight of Nick Fury and his team frantically chasing the rampaging Rhino.

"Hah, now that's some quality entertainment."

Elektra heard Aleksei's voice and snorted.

"Aleksei? Just a brainless brute—not even close to an assassin."

Xia Luo waved a hand dismissively. "But he's a Thunder Agent now, with full credentials."

At that moment, Matt returned, scaling the rooftop with hurried movements.

"Sorry, couldn't take out those guys downstairs," he admitted, rubbing his brow in exasperation. "Aleksei did most of the damage for me."

"No worries. You've got a new assignment," Xia Luo said, motioning toward Elektra. "The Hand is expanding its operations into Hell's Kitchen. Take them down, and I'll tell you where Kingpin is hiding."

"The Hand?" Matt's face tightened as he looked at Elektra. "You mean the notorious international assassin syndicate?"

Elektra nodded. "Yes. They're after a relic known as the Dragon Bone. That's where we could start."

"The Dragon Bone?" Xia Luo asked, intrigued.

Elektra explained, "It's said to be a fossil with miraculous properties—it can extend one's lifespan. The founder of The Hand has been searching for it for years."

"Extend one's lifespan…"

Xia Luo fell silent, considering. "If that's their aim, it means coming to New York wasn't just about settling personal grudges."

"They might be targeting the Time Stone," Matt speculated.

"Yes. Compared to the Dragon Bone, the power of the Time Stone is far more tempting," Elektra confirmed.

Xia Luo rose to his feet. "Alright, you two handle the rest. Once you've taken care of this, I'll give you Kingpin's location."

"Wait—The Hand's influence stretches far and wide," Elektra interjected. "Are you really not joining us?"

"If they're after the Time Stone, they'll come straight to me. No need for me to hunt them down," Xia Luo replied with a grin. "Now, you two go in first—if it's too much for you, I'll step in.

"And let's not forget—in New York, Spider-Man is the main character."

With that, Xia Luo dove off the rooftop.

"Rhino! Ready for a real showdown?" he shouted toward Aleksei, who was rampaging in the street below.

Hearing the familiar taunt, Aleksei looked up, spotting Xia Luo's descending figure.

"Spider-Man! I'll crush you!"

"Oh, yes, that's the spirit! Chase me down, and if you catch me… maybe I'll let you hee-hee-hee…"

"Stop running!"

CRASH!

Aleksei tore through the streets after him, smashing cars underfoot as he barreled along, leaving a trail of destruction in his wake.

Down below, Nick Fury looked on, dumbfounded.

"Has he completely lost his mind? Does he not want to see his 'friend' Xia Luo again?" Fury muttered, visibly frustrated.

Beside him, Agent Coulson sighed. "Director, we're still in Hell's Kitchen. If this goes too far, we're bound to get complaints. You might want to start thinking about how to cover all these damages."

At the word "damages," Fury's headache worsened.

The remains of Stark Tower were still being paid off in installments, and now it was an entire city block.

For the first time, Fury began questioning his Thunder Agents Initiative.

"Didn't Carter want to run her own Thunder Agents program?" he asked.

Coulson nodded. "Yes, sir, but without your approval, it won't be cleared by HQ."

"Fine. If she takes on the responsibility of paying for this mess, the Thunder Agents are hers. And she can have the big lug, too."

Fury's single eye narrowed with a glint. "Let's make sure Aleksei gives her plenty of 'tasks'—that should keep her busy and off my case."

---

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