Marvel - The Blood God

"Are you kidding me? When the acquisition of Oscorp is critical, you run off to a casino? Can't you show a little responsibility?" the old Green Goblin cursed loudly.

The distance between Las Vegas and New York was considerable, taking several hours by plane. In his current situation, he couldn't possibly make it there.

Frustrated, the old Green Goblin decided to deal with other matters first. He donned his exosuit and Goblin mask, then attacked the rival aerospace company's experimental base, obliterating their humanoid armor prototypes, senior management, and all attending Department of Defense officials.

By doing this, he not only retaliated against his competitors and the Department of Defense but also delayed their signing of contracts. That way, when he regained control of Oscorp, he could secure new deals.

The operation went smoothly. The only thing that annoyed him was that General Slocum wasn't present—having been scared off from their last encounter.

After destroying the competitor's base, the Green Goblin turned his attention to Oscorp's board members. Partly for revenge, and partly because the fewer shareholders there were, the more shares he could reclaim.

As a result, New York's murder rate skyrocketed. Police Captain George Stacy ordered round-the-clock patrols, determined to catch the elusive criminal.

While the police hadn't encountered the flying Green Goblin, someone else did—Spider-Man, swinging through the city.

Clinging to a building wall, Spider-Man shouted at the Green Goblin, "You just killed someone. Think you can get away?"

"You think you can stop me?" the Green Goblin sneered. His glider extended two barrels, firing rapidly at Spider-Man.

Startled, Spider-Man quickly shot a web to the opposite building and swung away. Bullets shattered the glass behind him, sending shards raining down and causing pedestrians below to scream.

"Throwing stuff from high places is against the law." Spider-Man quipped as he leaped onto the building's side and rushed toward the Goblin.

The Goblin maneuvered his glider to evade, but Spider-Man snagged the underside with two webs. Swinging hard, he aimed a kick at the Green Goblin.

The Goblin leaped off his glider to dodge, then hurled two high-tech, homing boomerangs at Spider-Man. The boomerangs sliced through the webs and zeroed in on him.

"What the heck are these?" Spider-Man exclaimed, dodging frantically.

Taking the opportunity, the Green Goblin regained his glider. He wanted to finish off Spider-Man but heard sirens approaching from below.

"Curses." the Goblin spat, deciding to retreat for now.

Spider-Man, after deftly evading the boomerangs, used his webbing to chase after the Goblin through the maze of buildings.

A police car below had spotted their target and began to pursue. Seeing this, the Goblin grinned wickedly and launched missiles from his glider.

With a deafening explosion, the police car was blasted into the air, crashing onto the outdoor seating of a café. It rolled several times, sending tables, chairs, and unlucky pedestrians flying.

But it wasn't over. Another explosion followed as the car detonated, the shockwave overturning more tables and scattering people, flames spreading rapidly.

Horrified, Spider-Man abandoned the chase and rushed down to help. Despite his best efforts, several people died, and more than a dozen were injured.

The incident quickly made headlines. The police were heavily criticized, and Spider-Man faced backlash as well. The Daily Bugle even claimed that if Spider-Man hadn't pursued the Green Goblin, none of this would have happened.

The term "Green Goblin" used by the Bugle officially became Norman Osborn's nickname.

Disheartened by the criticism, Spider-Man was off his game during training that night, taking several hits from Trish.

"What's up with you today? You're so distracted," Trish said, puzzled.

Having gotten to know Trish's ambitions over the past few days, Peter asked, "Trish, do you think Spider-Man did the wrong thing today?"

"Of course not." Trish replied firmly. "It's the Green Goblin who's at fault. He's ruthless. If we don't catch him soon, who knows how many more people will die."

Peter still felt guilty. "But if Spider-Man hadn't chased him, maybe those people wouldn't have died today."

"By that logic, should the police stop chasing criminals?" Trish retorted. "Look at past cases—these things happen. The police are right, and so is Spider-Man. Now, let's not waste time. I want to become a superhero as soon as possible and catch criminals."

"Alright," Peter agreed, getting back into position. Secretly, he resolved to catch the Green Goblin and bring him to justice.

In Las Vegas, Maverick shook his head as he watched the news from New York. The first notorious supervillain had emerged.

"What's going on these days? First Iron Man, then Spider-Man, and now the Green Goblin?" Frank Castle remarked, finally fulfilling his role as a personal bodyguard.

"Where there are superheroes, there will naturally be supervillains," Maverick replied with a smile. "Frank, you need to hurry up and learn how to cultivate your Qi. I don't want to see you get hurt. Mercury and Snow started training at the same time as you, and they've already mastered it."

"That stuff is too hard to learn," Frank said proudly. "Besides, even without Qi, I won't run into trouble. I'm Frank Castle, the best Special Forces soldier."

Maverick glanced at the thermos in Frank's hand and quipped, "A Special Forces soldier who carries a thermos everywhere? I mean, it's fine to drink hot water, but adding goji berries? Who taught you that?"

"What's wrong with drinking hot water? Who says we have to drink it cold?" Frank retorted. "As for the goji berries, the Yeti suggested it. He said it's good for health."

"If you're worried about health, it means your stamina's declining," Maverick teased. "Frank, once you practice Qi, your body will stay at peak condition. It's not just good for fighting—it'll make things better with Maria, too. Maybe even a third kid."

Frank's eyes lit up. "It helps with that? You're not pulling my leg, are you?"

"Trust me," Maverick assured. "With Qi cultivation, you could father children well into your eighties."

"Well, I might be able to, but Maria can't," Frank laughed. "But if it helps, I'll train hard. Maria's always wanted more kids. We couldn't afford it before, but now it's possible."

Their conversation was interrupted when Natasha walked in with a phone. "Maverick, Director Fury is on the line."

"Tell him I'm on vacation and unavailable," Maverick said, knowing Fury wanted to discuss the Green Goblin.

Natasha nodded and stepped out to relay the message. She returned shortly after. "It's Agent Carter this time."

Maverick gestured for her to leave, then answered the call. "Agent Carter, what can I do for you?"

"Why did you tell Tony about Howard?" Carter asked, a hint of frustration in her voice.

"Tony Stark isn't a child who needs protection," Maverick replied. "He's the CEO of Stark Industries, Iron Man, a superhero admired by millions. He's qualified to investigate his parents' deaths. Besides, S.H.I.E.L.D. is trying to recruit him. Do you want him to follow in his father's footsteps?"

Carter hesitated. "Maybe you're right..."

"He could be a valuable ally for you," Maverick continued. "He'll never side with those responsible. You should consider telling him everything."

"I'll think about it," she conceded. Then she changed the subject. "Why are you at a casino now? What's going on with the Green Goblin?"

"How should I know?" Maverick said casually. "I'm here to make a purchase. The seller insisted on meeting here."

"Are you aware that the people who died were Oscorp directors?" Carter pressed. "Maverick, are you orchestrating something behind the scenes?"

"Agent Carter, unless you have evidence, I'd advise against making accusations," Maverick warned gently. "I'll be back in a few days. By then, Oscorp will officially be part of our holdings."

Carter sighed. "Managing the Council of Blood is challenging enough. You'll need someone else to oversee Oscorp."

"I'm planning to have Mercury take over," Maverick replied. "She's already familiar with the company's operations."

With that, he ended the call. Was he using others to do his dirty work? Perhaps. But Oscorp would soon be his, and he didn't need meddling from others.

Maverick had prepared for this takeover for a long time—not just to be a major shareholder, but to control the company entirely.

"You know, you really come off like the evil capitalist in movies," Frank remarked.

"Is there any capitalist who isn't a little evil?" Maverick shrugged. "Behind the glitz and glamour, there's always some dirt."

"I guess," Frank admitted. "So, when is this seller contacting you?"

"Should be soon," Maverick said. "In the meantime, let's enjoy ourselves. Casinos are paradise for me—not only can we have fun, but we can also make money."

"What are you buying that's so important you had to come here?" Frank asked.

"A special metal worth ten thousand dollars per gram," Maverick replied with a grin. "He's the only one who has it, so I had to accommodate him."

"Ten thousand per gram? That's way more than gold." Frank exclaimed.

"It's worth every penny," Maverick assured. "The seller is cautious. I had to use my vampire connections to set up the deal. In the underworld, the vampire name carries weight."

"So, he knows who you are?" Frank inquired.

"Exactly," Maverick nodded.

Just then, an old mobile phone rang in his pocket. After a brief conversation, he hung up. "Time to go," he told Frank. "Make sure the team brings their gear. We're not looking for trouble, but we need to show we're not to be messed with."

"No wonder you had me bring so many people," Frank said, getting up to make preparations.

Soon, a convoy left the hotel, heading toward an abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of the city.

As Maverick stepped out of the car, a bearded man with facial tattoos approached, a sly grin on his face. "Maverick, pleasure to finally meet you."

Behind the man stood over a dozen heavily armed thugs, all exuding a dangerous aura. They looked like pirates—and indeed, they occasionally were.

"Mr. Klaw, the pleasure is mine," Maverick replied, shaking his hand. A drop of blood silently entered Klaw's body during the handshake.

"Impatient, aren't we?" Ulysses Klaw chuckled. "Come, I've got the ten kilograms of vibranium you requested."

Walking beside Klaw, Maverick said, "Ten kilograms of vibranium—hundreds of millions of dollars. You've done well for yourself, Mr. Klaw."

"The more you earn, the more you spend," Klaw shrugged. "Besides, my stash is nothing compared to what's out there."

"True," Maverick agreed. "Some people have entire mountains of vibranium. I wouldn't dare call myself the richest man when they exist."

Klaw glanced at him. "So, you know about that place?"

"The longer you live, the more you learn," Maverick said with a knowing smile. "But who's going to believe that a nation more advanced than the U.S. pretends to be a third-world country needing aid?"

"Exactly. No one would believe it," Klaw sighed. "I've always thought even the U.S. couldn't take them on."

"Maybe not," Maverick mused. "They've never been tested in war. Technology is just one aspect; war is fought by people."

As they chatted, Natasha and Frank exchanged bewildered glances. Frank couldn't help but ask, "Maverick, what country are you talking about? More advanced than the U.S.? Seriously?"

"If I told you, you wouldn't believe me," Maverick replied with a smirk.

"No point in telling them," Klaw agreed. "They'll think we're crazy."

"Honestly, if I had proof, I'd love to inform S.H.I.E.L.D.," Maverick said. "Those paranoid folks would lose sleep—or maybe even wet themselves."

"That's not far-fetched," Klaw laughed.

Natasha frowned, pondering whether they were joking or not. If it was true, Director Fury wouldn't wet himself, but he'd certainly be losing sleep—just like he did after learning about the Ancient One.

"Good thing the Director is already bald," Natasha thought to herself. "At least he doesn't have to worry about losing more hair."

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