Marvel - The Blood God

The Lizardman sneered, his voice dripping with arrogance. "It's useless! We Lizardmen are the strongest!"

With a feral leap, a Lizardman lunged at Damon, claws slashing for his enemy. Damon smirked coldly, flicking his flaming chain. The glowing links whipped through the air, coiling around the creature's neck in an instant. With a swift motion, Damon swung the bound Lizardman like a makeshift weapon, smashing into others with a sickening crack.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Several Lizardmen were sent flying, their bodies colliding with walls and crumpling to the ground. The unlucky one wrapped in Damon's chain erupted into flames, his screams cut short as he was reduced to ashes.

Retrieving his chain, Damon let it retract into his gauntlet. He drew his flaming sword, its blazing edge illuminating his menacing figure, and advanced on the remaining Lizardmen. Overhead, a man crackling with electricity rose into the air, his hand glowing with power.

"This is the move Mr. Cassain taught me personally," he announced, a smirk tugging at his lips. "The super-electromagnetic cannon!"

He flicked a coin into the air, charging it with an electric surge from his hand. With a thunderous crack, the coin shot forward at blinding speed, tearing through a Lizardman's skull and embedding itself into the wall with a fiery explosion. The sheer velocity left a glowing orange trail in its wake.

"You all have new tricks," said another voice. "But me? I'm still doing things the old-fashioned way."

Wind Demon, grinning, summoned a gust of air that hurled two Lizardmen high into the sky. He released them without ceremony, letting gravity do the rest. They hit the ground with bone-crunching force, their bodies broken and lifeless.

"One trick… but it gets the job done!" Wind Demon cackled.

Damon swung his flaming sword in a deadly arc, decapitating another foe, and turned to Zack, their leader. Zack's eyes widened in terror as he screamed, "Retreat!"

"You can't escape," Damon growled. With a snap of his wrist, the chain extended, wrapping tightly around Zack's body and pulling him into Damon's iron grasp.

This chain, crafted from Uru metal by the Council of Blood's master smith, had a mind of its own. Damon regarded it as one of his favorite tools. He tightened his grip on the chain and leaned in.

"Look into my eyes," he commanded.

Zack struggled, but Damon removed his visor, revealing empty, glowing sockets that pulsed with hellfire. The flames consumed Zack's soul in seconds, reducing it to ash as his body collapsed lifelessly to the ground. Damon flicked the chain free, let it retract, and donned his helmet once more.

"We have a problem," he said grimly.

Wind Demon and the Electric Man hurried over. "What kind of problem?" asked the latter.

"Kingpin is planning to build a Lizardman kingdom," Damon explained.

The two exchanged stunned looks. "Kingpin… that bastard wants to turn all of New York into Lizardmen?" Electric Man said incredulously.

Damon nodded. "Wind Demon, take the body of this Lizardman to Maverick. Electric Man, contact Chief George. Tell him this is an A-level threat."

Electric Man straightened. "If this isn't handled fast, New York's toast. I'll alert him now."

Wind Demon lifted Zack's body with a gust of air and turned to Damon. "What about you?"

"I'm heading to their meeting point," Damon replied. "They might still have their stash of cash there."

With a roar of jets, Damon's suit propelled him into the sky. Wind Demon soared toward the Osborn Building while Electric Man darted into the night to make his call.

---

At the police station, Chief George nearly fell from his chair when Electric Man's report came through. "Kingpin is behind this?" he asked, his voice thick with disbelief.

"That's right," Electric Man confirmed. "He's using Lizard serum to turn people into monsters."

Chief George gritted his teeth. "Notify City Hall and the military. This is an A-level incident. Put the whole city on alert. And get in touch with S.H.I.E.L.D., the Osborn Group, and Stark Industries—we're going to need their help. Also, cancel every officer's leave. Tonight, we're taking down every gang in this city!"

A junior officer gaped at him. "Every gang, sir?"

"They're not human anymore," Chief George snapped. "Move fast. Don't give them a chance to regroup!"

Unfortunately, Kingpin was already steps ahead. He'd received word of Zack's defeat almost immediately. From his penthouse, Kingpin surveyed the city with a sinister grin. "Wesley," he said, "get the bosses to lead their crews. Have them hit the police stations and City Hall. And start injecting the homeless with the failed serum. I want chaos in the streets. Tonight, New York doesn't sleep."

Wesley nodded. "I'll inform them."

The failed serum, a volatile mix of Lizard DNA and unrefined strength enhancers, turned users into disfigured, mindless brutes driven by violence. As Wesley moved to execute his orders, Kingpin raised his hands triumphantly.

"By dawn, the City That Never Sleeps will be the kingdom of the Lizardmen!"

"Long live the Lizardmen!" Wesley shouted.

---

All over New York, chaos erupted. Armed gang members stormed police stations, citizens screamed in terror, and burning cars lit the streets. Despite their best efforts, many officers fell to the relentless attacks. Lizardmen tore through barricades, shrugging off bullets as they rampaged.

Back at HQ, Chief George barked orders. "Hold the line! Protect the station at all costs!" He turned to Spider-Man, who had appeared beside him.

"Kingpin's goal is to create his Lizardman kingdom," George explained. "He'll keep the citizens alive for now. We need to focus on defense."

Spider-Man's mask hid his frown. "The Osborn Group's Lizard serum must be connected to this. Maybe they can develop an antidote."

"Mr. Cassain has already instructed Dr. Connors to start working on one," George replied. "But right now, we've got to hold the line."

---

At the Osborn Building, Maverick Cassain confronted Dr. Connors. "You didn't tell me the serum would turn people into monsters."

"I didn't know!" Connors exclaimed. "The technology matches my serum, but it's been altered. Still, it's clear my version would have similar effects. Thank God I never injected myself."

Maverick cut him off. "Can you make an antidote?"

"I… I believe so," Connors stammered. "But it'll take time."

"Work fast," Maverick said. "The military won't hesitate to level the city if this spreads."

---

Meanwhile, Kingpin's forces escalated their attacks. Gang bosses, now fully transformed into Lizardmen, tore through police defenses. Citizens huddled in fear as chaos consumed the city. The war machine and Peacekeeper joined the fray at City Hall, mowing down enemies with their advanced weaponry, but even they struggled to contain the carnage.

Above the fray, S.H.I.E.L.D. agents coordinated their response. Director Fury growled into his comms, "Find Kingpin now! This has to end before dawn."

As the city burned, Maverick stood atop the Osborn Building, his expression steely. "Let Kingpin come," he muttered. "By the time I'm done, he'll regret ever setting foot in my city."