Marvel: Father of Superheroes

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It was another assassin!

Kutch had set up his own ambush.

Mike took a deep breath. Even as bullets whizzed past his body, his expression remained calm and composed.

His heart pounded violently, and his blood began to race through his veins. The world around him seemed to slow down, every detail becoming clear—even the trajectory of the bullets slicing through the air.

In that moment, he saw the bullets' flight paths and pinpointed the direction they were fired from.

Without hesitation, he swiftly moved from his position. As he darted forward, his sniper rifle roared in his arms.

Bang! 

With the gunshot, one assassin's head exploded instantly.

At the same time, Raven, who had been observing the situation, fired a bullet of her own, taking out another assassin in one precise shot.

The gunfire ceased. Mike's eyes darkened.

Kutch would never let an opportunity like this slip by, yet no counterattack had come. If I were him, he thought, after confirming that I fired the first shot and realizing I couldn't be eliminated from a distance...

Suddenly, his expression changed.

"Raven! Watch out! Kutch might be heading your way!"

Raven's heart skipped a beat. She dropped her gun and sprinted down the stairs. But just seconds later, her startled scream rang out.

"He's here!"

"Hold on, I'm coming!"

Hearing the gunfire through his earpiece, Mike barked a reply. He glanced at the building where Raven was located and sprinted to the far side of the rooftop. Crouching low, he took a deep breath. His heart thundered in his chest, and time seemed to slow down once more.

Then, with all his speed, he began to run.

Reaching the edge of the rooftop, he let out a low grunt and launched himself into the air.

His body soared over the street below, landing on the rooftop of the building opposite. He rolled across the ground to absorb the impact before springing to his feet and continuing his dash forward.

Raven was three blocks away from him, and this was the fastest route to reach her.

One, two, three!

On his third leap, Mike adjusted his position midair. He propelled himself in a straight line for more than ten meters before starting to descend. As he neared the next building, he crossed his arms in front of him and crashed through a window, landing inside.

"Ahh!"

Two screams erupted.

A man and a woman, in the middle of an intimate moment, clung to each other in terror as they were interrupted by this uninvited guest.

Mike glanced at the pair.

"Hmm, not bad," he muttered under his breath.

"Uh, sorry. Carry on."

With that low apology, he dashed toward the door.

He was on the tenth floor. The top floor was the seventeenth, but Raven had been on the rooftop earlier. Now...

"Raven, where are you?"

Through the earpiece, Raven's voice came through, her heavy breaths betraying her fear and urgency.

"Fifth floor! I'm running down!"

Mike immediately changed direction and bolted for the stairs.

Raven's decision was smart. If she could make it to the street and disguise herself as someone else, Kutch would lose track of her.

But for that to happen, she had to escape the building first.

Like an agile cat, Raven, still disguised as Mike, moved fluidly. She took large strides down the stairs, occasionally vaulting over the railing by pressing her hands against it to leap to the next floor.

Her speed was impressive, but Kutch wasn't far behind.

With a powerful kick against the steps, Kutch propelled himself forward like an arrow. In just two strides, he could reach the next level.

Even as he pursued, Kutch occasionally fired his gun.

He watched "Mike's" retreating figure ahead of him, a flicker of doubt crossing his mind.

That's definitely Mike, but why hasn't he fought back? Why is he only running?

Could there be a trap waiting below?

"You can't escape, Mike!"

Kutch roared as he leaped into the air. Kicking off the opposite wall, he twisted midair and hurtled downward, bypassing several flights of stairs. Spotting "Mike" about to turn onto the next floor, Kutch smirked coldly and pulled the trigger.

Bang! 

The bullet arced beautifully through the air and struck Raven in the shoulder.

"Ugh!"

Raven let out a muffled grunt as blood spurted from the wound. Panic began to set in.

She was a master of disguise and even skilled in combat, but going head-to-head against the King of Assassins was simply beyond her.

If this keeps up, I'll die!

The icy gaze burning into her back felt like it could freeze her blood.

As she rounded the corner toward the first floor, she heard another gunshot.

Bang!

A sharp collision echoed through the air as the bullet aimed at Raven was intercepted by another. The two bullets collided mid-air before falling to the ground.

Raven, surprised and relieved, looked at Mike. Holding her wounded shoulder, she quickly ran toward the exit, murmuring, "It's up to you now!"

The next moment, Kutch leapt down the stairs, several bullets trailing behind him as they flew through the air.

Puh, puh!

Bullets hit the floor and walls, leaving shallow craters in their wake. Mike, who had already moved to safety, fired his gun just as Kutch's feet were about to hit the ground.

Ding!

A sharp sound rang out as Kutch intercepted the bullet with one of his own. His cold gaze locked onto Mike, but then he seemed momentarily disoriented.

Two?

How could there be two Mikes?

He was certain he'd been chasing Mike, but this one in front of him—was he a mutant, or was it someone else in disguise?

The thought flashed through his mind, but now was not the time for such considerations.

Kutch and Mike stood facing each other, no more than two meters apart. They silently stared at each other.

The killing intent began to simmer in their eyes.

One for the organization's secrets, the other for a future of his own...

In nearly perfect synchronization, their hearts began to race violently, like the relentless beat of war drums.

The two men moved!

Their guns became extensions of their hands, and the bullets they fired were like the deadly edges of swords.

Mike's fingers quickly squeezed the trigger, sending a barrage of bullets flying.

Bang, bang!

The bullets collided in the narrow space, like passionate lovers embracing in a deadly dance.

In a sudden motion, both men took a step forward. As they closed in on each other, the empty magazines from their guns were discarded like hidden weapons, thrown at one another. In the same movement, another weapon appeared in their other hand. As they fired, the discarded magazines were swiftly reloaded, and new ones slid into place.

The action flowed seamlessly, like ballet dancers performing on stage.

And then, they clashed.

The gunshots and bullets became extensions of their limbs. Each time their arms swung, the bullets brushed narrowly past their bodies.

In that moment, the guns and bullets were like the very hands and feet of the two combatants.

Flashes of fire from the gun barrels flickered between their bodies as they fought.

Suddenly, both men grunted in unison and kicked each other square in the chest.

They flew backward, their bodies skidding across the floor. Mike quickly used his hands to steady himself before launching into the air. Dropping his gun, a dagger materialized in his hand, cutting through the air like a bolt of cold lightning, and plunged into Kutch's chest.

Shing!

Kutch hit the ground, blood gushing from his wound. As his body slid backward, a horrifying trail of blood was left in his wake.

Mike landed and strode toward Kutch.

Kach! 

Kutch coughed violently, blood spattering from his mouth with every hack.

The dagger had pierced through half of his heart. Even the organization's healing drugs couldn't save him now.

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(End of chapter)