The Punisher's voice echoed in the dimly lit the high point of the area, a low growl that was as cold as the steel of his weapons. "Those three were complete lunatics. They thought they were righteous, but their hands were stained with the blood of innocents. They even had the audacity to invite me to lead them...but I killed them all!" His words were punctuated by the clink of bullets as he loaded his gun.
Jon, leaning against the truck, nodded in approval. "Well, I think it was the right thing to do." He admired the Punisher's ruthless efficiency. There was a certain comfort in working with someone who was as straightforward as a bullet. He shuddered at the thought of working with Daredevil, the constant moral debates would be exhausting.
"But at least one thing is that although they are lunatics, they hate the gangsters. I don't understand why they would rather join the likes of Parker Robbins or Kingpin!" The Punisher's voice was filled with disdain.
Meanwhile, the transaction between Tombstone and the Vigilante Squad was in full swing. Tombstone's men produced a bag, and upon opening it, revealed a fortune in cash.
The Holy, the leader of the Vigilante Squad, gestured for his men to inspect the money. Once they confirmed its authenticity, he signaled to the Elite behind him to bring forth another bag.
Jon, observing from a distance, squinted through his telescope. "That thing doesn't look like a weapon at all!" He remarked, puzzled.
"Diox-3 serum!" The Punisher's voice was grim.
Jon turned to him, confusion etched on his face. "What's that?"
"Diox-3 serum can enhance a person's physical fitness, endurance, and mental strength within a certain period of time. It's a one-time enhancement agent. If you can mass-produce this serum and use it on your subordinates, you can create an army of super soldiers. It's not an exaggeration to call it a weapon!" The Punisher explained, his voice heavy with concern.
Jon's eyes widened. "...Well, that's even more dangerous than actual weapons." He said.
The Punisher walked to the front a little bit, his muscles rippling under his shirt. "Let's go, I've been sitting idle for too long, it's time to stretch out my muscles!" He flexed his wrist, anticipation gleaming in his eyes, and started towards his truck.
"Wait, I have a better idea!" Jon called out, a mischievous smile playing on his lips.
***
Back at the transaction site, Tombstone and the Holy were nearing the end of their deal. Tombstone took the box of serum, and in return, offered his box of money to the Holy.
But as the Holy reached out to take the box, he noticed Tombstone's grip on it was unyielding. He was about to accuse Tombstone of reneging on the deal when he saw the look of sheer terror on Tombstone's face.
"Hey, what are you looking at?!" The Holy snapped, irritation lacing his voice.
Tombstone, his gaze fixed on the sky, stammered, "What the hell is that?!" His voice was filled with a dread that sent chills down the spines of those present.
The Holy's face contorted into a grimace, his eyes narrowing as he surveyed the sky. The Elites and Mister Payback, their loyalties aligned with his, followed his gaze, their eyes widening in shock and awe.
A fiery spectacle was unfolding in the heavens. Igris, a skeletal dragon wreathed in flames, was soaring towards them with a speed that belied its monstrous size. Its eyes, twin orbs of molten gold, were locked onto them with a predatory intensity.
The Holy, momentarily taken aback, quickly regained his composure. His voice, usually smooth and soothing, was now a harsh bark. "Fire!" he commanded, his tone brooking no argument.
Several gangsters, their hands shaking as they clutched their guns, obeyed. Bullets whizzed through the air, their trajectories aimed at the incoming fire dragon. But Igris was undeterred. With a roar that echoed through the night, it spewed a torrent of flames from its maw, reducing the gangsters to charred remains in an instant.
With a thunderous crash, Igris landed on the ground, the earth trembling under its weight. From its back, an ablaze figure dismounted, landing with cat-like grace. Emerging from behind the cars, a tall man in a leather jacket, his face obscured stepped forward. The Punisher and Ghost Rider had arrived.
Mister Payback, his face pale, pointed a trembling finger at Ghost Rider. "Oh my god, you are the Flaming skeleton..." His voice trailed off as Ghost Rider advanced on him.
Before he could finish his sentence, Ghost Rider was upon him. He grabbed Mister Payback by the collar, his grip ironclad. "Don't ever say that name again!" he growled, his voice a low rumble. With that, he unleashed a blast of fire from his mouth, reducing Mister Payback to a pile of ashes.
[The Soul Sacrifice function has been successfully activated, the soul has been traded, and 50 penalty points have been accrued.]
Meanwhile, The Punisher was engaged in a tense standoff with The Holy and the Elite. His voice was icy as he addressed them. "You have fallen, even though you are absolutely rotten people!" he spat out, his words laced with contempt.
"We admired you, but how did you treat us?! You killed us!" The Holy retorted, his voice filled with bitterness and resentment.
The Punisher's response was cold and unyielding. "You are a Catholic priest, and you like to torture those who confess to you, and I just did the same thing as you!"
Elite, his patience wearing thin, interjected. "Stop talking nonsense to him, Holy! Don't forget why we came back to life and why we are still collaborating with rubbish like Parker!"
The Punisher's lips curled into a smirk. "Hahah~! So you are here to take revenge on me!" he said, his tone mocking. "Then it depends on whether you have the strength."
As if on cue, The Holy and Elite reached for their guns. But The Punisher was faster. Two shots rang out, and The Holy and Elite crumpled to the ground, their lives extinguished in an instant.
"Obviously, you didn't have the guts!" The Punisher said, his voice devoid of emotion as he looked down at the lifeless bodies. His words echoed in the silence, a chilling reminder of the ruthlessness of their world.
Meanwhile, Ghost Rider was approaching Tombstone, who had picked up a submachine gun and was firing wildly. The bullets were swallowed by Ghost Rider's flaming skull, leaving him unscathed.
Tombstone, trying to maintain his composure, said, "I'm not afraid of you, devil! My body is not afraid of fire!"
Ghost Rider smirked, "You should be afraid!" He opened his mouth, and molten iron, formed from the bullets he had swallowed, spewed forth, scorching Tombstone's face beyond recognition.
[The Soul Sacrifice function has been successfully activated, the soul has been traded, and 150 penalty points have been accrued.]
With the gangsters dealt with, the Punisher held up two boxes containing the serum and money. "What are you going to do with these?"
Boom!
Jon, having retracted his Spirit of Vengeance, looked at the box of serums and snapped his fingers. The serums exploded, consumed by Jon's hellfire.
Roar!
The sound of approaching car engines caught their attention. Dozens of black cars, including several large trucks, were slowly approaching. Igris roared, flames swirling in his mouth, a warning to the incoming vehicles.
"It seems we have a company!" Jon said calmly.
"Looks like," Punisher responded, his hand instinctively reaching for his gun.
--------------------
A/N: I know this work is still very new, but your opinions matter a lot to my progress, please write a review 🙏.
-----------------------
(A/N: If you want to see more chapters, go to my Patreon to see more chapters ahead.
patreon.com/TheMightyZeus