571

Death of the Punisher

"Back to your place," kingpin commanded, and the powerful robot released the Punisher, retreating to the corner of the room.

Leaning against the wall, the Punisher panted heavily, eyeing kingpin nervously, whose colossal frame cast a shadow that could engulf him under the light.

"Maybe to you, I'm just a big guy with a hefty belly. It's not surprising; many see me that way," kingpin spoke slowly. "But truth be told, I'm a fighter."

"A fighter?" The Punisher doubted.

kingpin, weighing in at 450 pounds, certainly looked like a bloated giant. Frank had never encountered a fighter of such size.

kingpin smiled, setting his cane aside. "Don't you want to kill me? I'll give you the chance to fight me now. It's been a while since I've stretched my muscles."

He clenched his fists, knuckles cracking in preparation. "Come on, Punisher. I hope you won't disappoint me," kingpin said.

The Punisher hesitated briefly. Since kingpin was willing to engage him in single combat, there was no reason to refuse. Refusal would mean facing the robot's bullets, and he had just seen the gun barrel.

As a Marine Corps elite, he still had faith in his combat skills.

Frank adjusted his breathing, assuming a fighting stance. With a roar, he charged forward, delivering an uppercut.

Despite kingpin's enormous stature, his movements were surprisingly agile, easily dodging the attack and retaliating with a powerful backhand punch that struck Frank in the face.

Frank's vision darkened momentarily, the impact sending stars dancing before his eyes. The pain and throbbing in his nose suggested it might be broken.

kingpin's strength far exceeded Frank's expectations!

Surveying the dazed Punisher, kingpin said paused before speaking calmly, "I weigh 450 pounds, that's about 204 kilograms. But contrary to what you might think, my body fat percentage is very low, less than ten percent, perhaps even lower."

Over 200 kilograms with less than ten percent body fat!

In essence, kingpin's seemingly exaggerated bulk was predominantly muscle—a bona fide muscle-bound monster.

The Punisher found it hard to believe; it seemed almost inhuman.

Yet this fact explained kingpin's formidable power. Frank was certain that in his current state, two more blows from kingpin and he'd be incapacitated.

The odds were stacked heavily against him...

But surrender wasn't an option for the Punisher. Despite knowing he was outmatched, he picked himself up and continued the fight.

...

"Argh!" Frank bellowed, launching himself at kingpin again. Dodging a fist, he spun and aimed a knife strike at kingpin's torso.

But the disparity in strength was too great, and with injuries slowing him down, Frank's blade had minimal effect, barely grazing kingpin's imposing frame.

Their skirmish continued in this vein, Frank's attacks proving largely ineffective.

"Bang!" Another kick landed on kingpin.

As before, Frank felt as though he were hitting a solid wall, his strike having little effect on kingpin.

kingpin grinned, lunging to grab Frank's ankle.

Reacting quickly, Frank dodged the grab, but couldn't avoid the subsequent punch.

kingpin's heavy blow struck Frank again, the impact knocking him off balance and shattering a dressing mirror hanging on the wall.

"Crack—clap!"

Shards of glass cut into Frank's flesh, blood oozing from the wounds. The pain was excruciating, almost debilitating.

"It seems the Punisher is not as formidable as rumored," kingpin remarked condescendingly.

Gritting his teeth, Frank staggered to his feet amidst the broken glass. But before he could fully rise, kingpin seized his ankle.

With a roar, kingpin hurled Frank across the room, slamming him onto the floor.

"Pfft—" Frank felt his insides jarred, blood and bits of organs splattering as he coughed violently.

Blood streamed from his mouth and nose, some pooling back into his lungs, making breathing excruciating.

kingpin strolled to the window, Punisher in tow.

"It takes about eight seconds to reach the ground from here. Enjoy your last moments under New York's night sky. Farewell, Frank," he said casually.

With that, kingpin tossed Frank out.

"Crack—"

Through the window's glass, Frank plummeted, falling from the 70th floor of the Building.

Knowing time was short, the Punisher struggled to retrieve a family photo from his pocket.

Despite his efforts, in the dim light of night, his blood-blurred eyes couldn't discern the faces in the picture.

Pain didn't slow the passage of time; eight seconds passed in a flash.

After nearly 300 meters of freefall, Frank hit the ground, the impact instantly fatal...

... His body bounced slightly upon landing.

Hell's Kitchen.

"This sound..." Daredevil, listening keenly, frowned.

Though distant, the sound indicated a significant event—a body hitting the ground from a great height.

"The Kingpin's building!" Recognizing the location, Daredevil's expression darkened as he hurried toward the scene.

The Kingpin's building belonged to kingpin, and a terrible suspicion dawned on Daredevil—had the Punisher finally met his end?

Soon, his dread was confirmed. Rushing to the site, Daredevil found Frank Castle's lifeless body in front of the building.

"Frank!"

Daredevil called out several times, but Frank lay still. No heartbeat, no breath, no pulse. Blood coagulated, and Frank lay silent.

There was no doubt: Frank Castle, the Punisher, was dead.