73

Chapter 73: The Chosen People

In the face of the sudden shockwave, each person reacted differently.

Falcon soared into the sky, while Gwen and Felicia dodged. Steve stood firm, using his shield to absorb the impact.

"They've discovered us. That shockwave just gave away Rhino!" Steve observed.

"It feels like more than that..." added Felicia.

Meanwhile, Murdoc emerged from the stronghold, tapping his cane as he stepped forward. "Seems we have uninvited guests tonight. Rhino."

Behind him followed Rhino, fully armored once more, Horror who had unleashed the shockwave, Sandman, and Purple Man.

"It's Spider-Woman and Black Cat!" Rhino exclaimed excitedly, remembering who had sent him to prison.

"Oh, they're old rivals. Where are the other two?"

"One can fly with wings, and the other... is a Captain America fan," Steve interjected wearily.

"Enough fanfare. Are you all under Kingpin's command?" He raised his shield, ready for action. "You're all under arrest now."

"It seems you two aren't exactly on friendly terms," Murdoc frowned, surprised by the unexpected provocation tonight. Facing so many enemies was unexpected.

Nevertheless, his team of superhuman criminals had just formed and needed to prove their mettle...

Stepping back, Murdoc gestured to his cohorts. "Take them down and show me what you've got."

Gwen hadn't anticipated such a crowded confrontation. Their opponents seemed far from ordinary, prompting her to take the situation seriously.

"Captain... I think we need to coordinate," she suggested.

"I have no objections."

"Then it's four against four now."

Rhino couldn't wait any longer. With Murdoc's approval, he charged straight at Gwen. "Spider-Woman!"

Unsuited with vibranium today, Gwen left it at Peter's place. Without its comfort, her training required she make do without.

She couldn't handle Rhino as easily this time without the suit, resorting instead to her old-fashioned tactic of using spider silk to restrain him. But Rhino's upgraded armor broke through her silk effortlessly.

Gwen was forced into a bullfight with him.

Meanwhile, Horror unleashed another shockwave, targeting Steve, who had just witnessed its devastating impact...

Felicia eyed the remaining two foes, one with a challenging purple complexion and the other normal-sized without armor or unusual skin. She took her chance to strike at the seemingly easier target.

Felicia lunged forward with her claws, only to find herself holding sand moments later.

Confused, she looked up to see the man turning into sand before her eyes, growing larger by the second.

"Uh... my bad, I didn't mean to," she stammered, turning to flee. But Sandman, now a towering dune giant, gave chase.

"Now it's just us," Falcon declared from the air, eyeing Purple Man below.

"What tricks do you have? Strength, speed, or wall-crawling skills?" he inquired.

"None of those," replied Purple Man, shaking his head. A sly smile crept across his face as he summoned a group of armed children.

"Damn it!" Falcon cursed, swiftly dodging as he realized the unexpected challenge.

This guy's proving tougher than expected...

And just like that, chaos erupted on the battlefield.

Gwen grappled with Rhino, Horror and Cap engaged in a back-and-forth of offense and defense, Felicia evaded Sandman's pursuit with frantic meows, and Falcon and Purple Man engaged in an intense standoff over moral compromise and human nature distortion.

"Asshole! You're using kids to shield yourself!" Falcon accused.

"Yes, attacking me means endangering them!" Purple Man retorted.

"Is that the best you've got? I can keep this up all day!"

"Spider-Woman! Ahhhh!"

"Meow meow meow, help! My mistake, someone, please distract him!"

Amidst the chaos, Murdoc observed with a hidden satisfaction. The plan, albeit chaotic, seemed to be working.

Gwen managed to maneuver Rhino into colliding with Sandman, while Purple Man inadvertently had his own forces target Horror with stray shots. Steve seized the opportunity to toss his shield and incapacitate him.

Gwen and Falcon quickly coordinated their efforts, neutralizing Purple Man by ensnaring the children in spider silk, leaving him without his soldiers.

Felicia, on the other hand, was pursued relentlessly by Rhino until Falcon swooped in and knocked him from the sky.

In moments, the villainous quartet was defeated one by one by the more seasoned heroes.

Murdoc, infuriated, clenched his fists and reluctantly took action.

He first targeted Gwen. Initially underestimating her, he quickly realized his mistake. Murdoc utilized all his skills, leveraging his strength and combat prowess to gain the upper hand against Gwen.

Seizing the opportunity, Purple Man regained control, commanding the immobilized children to aim their weapons at them.

"Move, and they die!" he threatened.

"..." Steve and the others hesitated, halting their assault momentarily. The villainous quartet took advantage, with Sandman growing to a towering height and delivering a devastating blow, scattering everyone.

Meanwhile, Horror, having gathered power, unleashed a charged blast at Falcon, sending him crashing down.

Rhino charged again, this time sending Steve flying despite his shield.

Using his acute senses, Murdoc subdued Gwen, preventing her from retaliating effectively.

Once again, the heroes found themselves at a disadvantage.

Adding to their plight, Purple Man emitted chemical pheromones that could hypnotize and control targets within a certain range, dependent on their willpower.

In previous exploits, he had exploited this ability to manipulate a female hero for years, leaving her with enduring trauma.

Now, he employed this tactic to overpower the children earlier and now directed it at Falcon, still reeling from the earlier attack.

"What have you done to me!?" Falcon snapped back to reality, but it was too late. His body was already under Purple Man's control.

"Attack the Captain America fan!" Purple Man commanded, forcing Falcon to engage Steve.

Meanwhile, Rhino, Horror, and Sandman teamed up to hunt down Felicia.

"Meow Meow Meow! Enough of this!" she cried, employing her agility to evade their relentless pursuit.

...