Nolan's eyes narrowed slightly as he studied Kingpin through the dark haze of smoke and rain.
Even under the night sky, the Thunder Hammer armor's sensors provided perfect clarity. Every subtle movement, every shift in the man's weight, every ripple of muscle beneath his tailored suit Nolan saw it all.
Kingpin was built like a tank yet moved with frightening agility. His raw power was monstrous, almost unnatural. Even the APU combat mechs machines designed to withstand heavy artillery had been torn apart by his bare hands.
A monster like that couldn't be described as "human potential."
The thought almost made Nolan laugh.
If even Jessica Jones were here, she'd barely be able to stand against him. Frank and his men, mere humans with guns and steel, didn't stand a chance.
But it didn't matter.
Whatever gave Kingpin his strength, whatever dark secret hid behind that brute power it all meant nothing now.
Because at this moment, they were enemies.
And Nolan had only one goal left: kill him.
Across the battlefield, Kingpin stared back, his expression cold but weighted with something else respect.
He recognized that armor. It was the same suit Nolan Lock had worn during the battle against those two so-called "monsters."
Even someone as confident as Kingpin felt a twinge of unease.
But mixed with that tension was something stronger: excitement.
He had been craving a real fight. For years, no one had been worth his time. No one could push him to his limits.
Yet now, the man before him the infamous Nolan Lock, encased in the Thunder Hammer armor might just be that opponent.
Nolan didn't bother answering the look in Kingpin's eyes.
Instead, he turned to Frank, who was climbing out of a ruined APU mech, battered but alive.
"Frank," Nolan said evenly. "What the hell are you doing here?"
Frank's face twisted with guilt. His mech was totaled, but he hadn't abandoned the fight. He stood before his boss, head lowered like a soldier facing judgment.
"Boss," he muttered, voice heavy. "I heard you were in trouble. I thought I'd take care of it before things got worse. But… things didn't go as planned."
He paused, his tone darkening.
"In just a few minutes… I lost seven men."
Nolan exhaled softly. There was no anger in his voice, only quiet understanding.
"Don't blame yourself," he said. "You did what you thought was right. As for your men… I'll see to it their families are taken care of. I promise."
Frank's jaw tightened, and he nodded deeply. There was nothing else to say. He wasn't in any position to refuse the boss's words nor did he want to.
As he turned his head, something else caught his eye.
The killer drones.
Rows of them, swarming the battlefield like a mechanical tide, surrounding Kingpin and Lady Gao.
Frank's face twitched.
He remembered those machines.
They were the same models that had attacked him during a raid on one of Kingpin's drug operations months ago. He'd nearly died that night, facing those merciless machines.
And only days later, Nolan Lock had approached him with an offer to head Lock Industries' private security division.
Now, seeing those same drones under Nolan's command, everything clicked into place.
Damn it. The person who almost killed him back then… had been his boss all along.
But knowing that now didn't change anything.
Frank glanced at Nolan, then gave a small, tired smile.
Nolan caught the look but said nothing. Some truths didn't need to be spoken.
Both men turned their attention back to the battlefield.
The killer drones charged forward, their plasma rifles blazing. Kingpin's men fired back with assault rifles, bullets cutting through the air in blazing arcs. The drones weren't invincible; some fell under the storm of lead, collapsing into heaps of molten metal.
But mixed among them were the T-1000s liquid metal war machines that tore through the front line like demons made of mercury.
This was no longer a fight between men. It was a clash between flesh and steel a war of technology versus brutality.
As the battle raged, Lady Gao's calm demeanor finally cracked.
"How many of these machines does Nolan Lock have?" she hissed. Her tone was laced with disbelief and fear.
Even Kingpin's brow furrowed.
Yes, Nolan was a weapons manufacturer. But this level of military force… it was beyond reason.
No private contractor should have this much power.
The army would never allow it.
The government tolerated arms dealers they needed them but not ones capable of challenging their authority.
Clearly, these killer drones weren't part of any official weapons registry.
Kingpin's mind worked quickly. He was powerful, both in the underworld and the corporate sphere, but this this was another level entirely.
He was beginning to understand something crucial:
Nolan Lock didn't play by the same rules as everyone else.
That's what set him apart.
And that's why Kingpin, for all his strength and influence… was still beneath him.
His level just wasn't high enough.
The ground was already soaked with blood and oil. Shattered mechs lay in smoking heaps, and the cries of the dying echoed through the night.
Lady Gao's face grew grim.
"If this keeps up," she said coldly, "we'll lose."
Kingpin's eyes flickered. "Then there's only one option left."
Their gazes met and in that instant, they both understood.
Kill Nolan Lock.
End the man, and everything else would fall apart.
Lady Gao straightened her frail posture, her dark eyes gleaming.
Behind her, shadows rippled and a dozen ninjas emerged silently from the darkness. They had been waiting, hidden, ready to strike.
At the same time, Kingpin gripped his cane tightly, his knuckles cracking.
Every eye turned toward Nolan.
If they could kill him, this war would end in a heartbeat.
Nolan met their gaze calmly and smiled.
"So that's the plan, huh?" he said softly. "You're going to kill me."
He almost pitied them.
Because they had no idea what they were up against.
Two flashes of silver light cut through the darkness two ninjas leaping from the shadows, blades aimed straight for Nolan's head.
Clang!
The swords struck the Thunder Hammer's helmet, sparks bursting into the air.
Both ninjas froze, their attacks useless.
They had waited patiently for this one chance but it was meaningless.
Nolan didn't even blink.
The Thunder Hammer armor had survived blows from the Hulk. Two ordinary assassins weren't going to scratch it.
His plasma blade flared to life.
In a single motion, the blade swept through both attackers, slicing them cleanly in half.
Their bodies fell before they even realized they were dead.
"Pathetic," Nolan muttered.
And then Kingpin and Lady Gao charged.
Gunfire erupted all around them. Frank fired his weapon, trying to cover his boss, but in the chaos and darkness, his shots barely found their mark.
He managed to take down two of Kingpin's men, but it wasn't enough.
They were getting closer.
Frank gritted his teeth and drew the combat knife from his thigh.
He was the head of security. It was his job to protect Nolan even if it killed him.
But before he could act, a figure blurred past him.
Nolan moved.
The thrusters on his armor ignited, propelling him forward like a thunderbolt.
In less than a second, he was in front of Lady Gao.
His plasma blade came down.
She reacted instantly, raising her ceremonial sword to block.
The moment the blades met
Clang!
Her sword shattered.
And so did her body.
Nolan's blade cleaved her in two.
Anyone who interfered would pay the price.
He turned his gaze toward Kingpin.
"Now," Nolan said coldly, raising his sword once more. "It's your turn."
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