"Hm? Oh right, a few more got away," Noah stretched his arms and walked forward. Just moments ago, some gangsters had fled in fear of him. Besides, he still had to find the target of the mission.
The flickering light from the hanging lamps in the old factory, combined with the hum of the machinery, gave the place a sinister atmosphere. But Noah wasn't afraid; he walked confidently. The dusty floor showed chaotic footprints—evidence left behind by the fleeing enemies.
Noah reached the factory's back entrance and saw several people lying on the ground. These were the same gangsters who had run away. In the corner by the wall, a man in a red suit sat, breathing heavily, clutching a long stick in his hand.
"Of course, it's Daredevil," Noah realized, recognizing the man. He had already suspected it. In Hell's Kitchen, Daredevil was the only known superhero. He hadn't heard of Jessica Jones or Luke Cage, so perhaps they hadn't become heroes yet, or maybe they didn't even exist in this world.
Hearing approaching footsteps, Daredevil lifted his head, trying to make out the figure coming toward him.
"Huff, huff… Who are you?" he asked, breathing heavily. He didn't know if this person was friend or foe, but he hoped for the best, as they had just taken out the gangsters, seemingly saving him.
"Daredevil, you're badly injured. Do you need help?" Noah asked, seeing the hero's severe wounds.
"Thanks for the help. I do need assistance. Please, call an ambulance," Daredevil rasped. He was grateful for the help, but his condition required immediate medical attention.
"No need. You don't need a hospital. Drink this," Noah said, pulling a bottle of health potion from his backpack and tossing it to Daredevil.
"What's this?" Daredevil asked, catching the bottle. He couldn't see the contents, only hearing the liquid sloshing inside.
"If I wanted to kill you, I would've done it already," Noah said, understanding Daredevil's doubts. He wouldn't drink something unknown from a stranger either.
Daredevil considered this. Indeed, if Noah had wanted to kill him, he would have targeted him, not the gangsters.
He opened the bottle and, with some hesitation, drank the red liquid. He felt a warm wave spreading throughout his body, and his wounds began to slowly heal. The bullet was slowly pushed out of his shoulder wound, which then closed up.
Inspecting his injuries, Daredevil was astonished: they had all disappeared. Even hidden injuries from previous battles were gone. He clutched the empty bottle and asked Noah, "What is this liquid? Its effects are incredible!"
Noah smiled at his reaction.
"Sorry, that's a secret."
"Apologies, I shouldn't have asked," Daredevil said, rising to his feet, feeling his strength return.
"Thanks for saving me and for the potion. I'm Daredevil."
"No problem. I know you, Daredevil, the superhero of Hell's Kitchen," Noah replied, feeling a sense of camaraderie with the hero. He'd heard of him even before awakening his own memories, knowing Daredevil had helped improve the safety of the neighborhood.
"Superhero is too grand a word. I'm just fighting crime," Daredevil responded modestly. "What's your name?"
"Call me Yasuo," Noah replied, glancing at the gangsters lying on the floor.
"Do you know who these people are? Why did they attack you?"
"I don't fully understand myself. Today, I got word of a crime happening in this abandoned factory, so I came here. Turned out, it was a trap. I don't know who's behind it," Daredevil said with a bitter smile. Over years of fighting crime, he had accumulated many enemies, and it was difficult to pinpoint who had orchestrated this scheme.
Hearing Daredevil's words, Noah nodded and told him what he'd seen:
"Daredevil, did you notice the sniper hiding in the shadows? His name's Bullseye, and he works for Kingpin. I suspect it's Kingpin who's trying to take you out."
Noah suddenly remembered that Daredevil was blind and realized he'd made a mistake in his wording. However, Daredevil would surely understand his point.
"Bullseye? Kingpin!?" Daredevil was stunned. He had heard of Kingpin, the biggest crime boss in New York, known as the "Emperor of the Underworld." Most likely, he had decided to eliminate Daredevil after he disrupted several of his operations.
"Thanks for the warning, Yasuo. Be careful, though—Bullseye saw you today, and he may decide to come after you next. Here, take my contact. If you ever need my help, get in touch," Daredevil said, handing Noah a piece of paper with a phone number.
Noah took the slip. This number likely wasn't Matt Murdock's personal contact, but rather a way to reach Daredevil.
He received a system notification about completing the mission but decided to check the reward later. Glancing at the gangsters lying on the ground, he asked Daredevil, "What should we do with these guys?"
"Leave them to me," Daredevil said. He was experienced in handling such matters.
"Then I'll leave it to you. I have to go," Noah nodded, said goodbye, and left to check his rewards.
Daredevil nodded back and, sensing Noah's departure, began thinking about how to confront Kingpin. He wasn't afraid of his power. On the contrary, the stronger the enemy, the more resolute Daredevil's sense of justice became. Besides, after drinking the potion, Daredevil noticed that his eyes had started to itch slightly.
...
When Bullseye saw his bullet being stopped by some magical force, he realized the mission had failed. He had heard of people with special abilities but hadn't expected to encounter one today. Realizing the failure, Bullseye quickly left the scene and returned to Kingpin's headquarters.
At the top of a high skyscraper, in his office, Kingpin sat in a chair, smoking a cigar and looking out at the night city.
Just as he exhaled a puff of smoke, the elevator doors opened, and Bullseye entered, walking toward the desk.
"Boss, today's mission failed. We couldn't take out Daredevil," Bullseye said, addressing the boss's back.
Kingpin turned in his chair. His massive, muscular body, rumored to be 90% muscle, made him resemble a mountain. Even sitting, he exuded an overwhelming sense of power.
Kingpin looked at Bullseye and asked, "Oh? You rarely fail, Bullseye. Explain why Daredevil is still alive."
"Yes, boss. Everything went according to plan, and Daredevil was cornered, but then a mysterious man appeared. He could create whirlwinds that ripped through steel and shields that stopped bullets. Because of his interference, the mission failed," Bullseye explained, recounting the events of the night.
"A mysterious man? With unusual abilities?" Kingpin turned back to the window, gazing at the city's nightscape. Taking a drag from his cigar, he said, "Find him. I want to know who this man is and why he's interfering with me."