Chapter 13

Eric was in an extremely foul mood lately!

After obtaining his family's heirloom ring, he immediately encountered a superhero. Fortunately, the hero was a rookie, and with the help of his powerful ring, Eric managed to escape the bank unharmed.

He was thrilled after leaving the bank. As long as he could find a quiet place to study the magic within the ring, he would finally have the means to live freely in this world. But unfortunately, his luck seemed to have run out. Just as he settled down in Manhattan to begin his magical training, he was ambushed by a group of soldiers armed with tranquilizer rounds.

If it weren't for the handy spells contained in his magic ring, he might have been captured and turned into a research subject. He knew that his actions had surely alerted the supernatural forces in the United States, so while training his magic, he used his ability to foresee danger to evade their pursuit. It wasn't until a few days ago, after mastering the art of teleportation, that he finally escaped their surveillance.

However, just as he thought he was free, a certain news report filled him with rage. The subject of the report? None other than the superhero Shadow Knight.

Why? It was simple. He had spent half his life striving for power, and just when he finally obtained it, he was forced to flee in disgrace. While he lived a life of constant hiding, that so-called Shadow Knight had already become a household name as a superhero!

It wasn't fair!!!

Eric roared in his mind: "I will never let Shadow Knight have his way!!!"

Blinded by rage, he forgot about continuing his magical training. He even forgot about avenging his family. His only thought was to defeat Shadow Knight—better yet, to kill him in front of everyone and rid himself of this burning hatred.

And so, using his newly learned teleportation magic, Eric returned to Manhattan. A sinister smile played on his lips as he arrived in front of the Times Square Tower. With a flick of his magic wand, a parked patrol car was sent flying.

He let out a cold, eerie laugh, his large hood concealing his wicked expression. Then, in a chilling voice, he declared, "Greetings, everyone! My name is Eric Hansen! The greatest magician this world has ever known! Today, I am honored to inform you... that you have been taken hostage!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he tapped his wand on the ground. Instantly, a massive purple magic circle with a 400-meter diameter appeared, forming a barrier that separated those inside from the outside world.

Panic erupted. Countless tourists and passersby were trapped within the magic formation, their terrified screams and desperate cries for help filling the air.

Eric's voice echoed from within the magic barrier: "Alright, let your hero, Shadow Knight, show himself. If he doesn't arrive within five minutes, then I'm afraid I will have to kill five of these fine people! Just so happens I know a few blood sacrifice spells—I could use them for some experiments!"

Outside the barrier, fear gripped the crowd. Some began praying for Shadow Knight's arrival, while others hastily called the police.

Among them was a young tourist, Wang Qianqian, whose friend was trapped inside. She frantically looked around for help, her voice trembling with anxiety.

A kind-hearted New Yorker approached to comfort her. "Don't worry, Shadow Knight will come. He'll definitely save your friend!"

Wang Qianqian was puzzled. "Shadow Knight? What is that? Some kind of American special forces?"

The New Yorker shook his head. "No, he's just one man—not military, but our very own superhero!"

Wang Qianqian had seen some superhero propaganda online—mainly about Captain America—so she shook her head in disbelief. "I don't really believe in superheroes."

The New Yorker smiled slightly. "Well, we didn't believe in superheroes either... until we saw him with our own eyes. Look—he's already here!"

He pointed toward the edge of the magic formation. There, standing outside the glowing barrier, was a figure clad in a dark blue and purple suit, a large "S" emblazoned on his chest. A deep red cape billowed behind him, and a black mask covered his eyes—Shadow Knight had arrived.

Wang Qianqian was stunned. Just moments ago, that spot had been empty, and now he was there as if appearing out of thin air. "Is... is this a superhero?"

The New Yorker grinned proudly. "That's right! That's our superhero, Shadow Knight! Only in New York can you see him!"

At that moment, Eric's voice rang out from within the barrier. "Oh, oh, oh! What a familiar face! Isn't this the little super-kid I beat up last time?"

A calm and magnetic voice responded, belonging to none other than Shadow Knight himself. "Who ran away like a beaten dog? I don't think I need to say it—you know the answer."

Eric immediately flew into a rage. "Aha? Fine, fine, fine! Let's fight again! This time, I'll make sure you admit defeat!"

Shadow Knight's tone remained cool. "Release half of the hostages, and I'll fight you."

Eric sneered. "Do I look like an idiot?"

Shadow Knight shrugged. "I wouldn't know. Your hood covers your face—I can't see clearly."

In truth, Shadow Knight had long since memorized Eric's face. He had even handed Eric's portrait over to the police, only for S.H.I.E.L.D. to take control of the case, leading to the tranquilizer-armed ambush.

Eric gritted his teeth. "Clever tongue, kid! Hmph, even if I release half of them, I can always take them hostage again!" With that, he did something unexpected—he released all the hostages.

Shadow Knight was briefly stunned. Was Eric truly here just for a fight? He widened his eyes, scanning the freed hostages for any hidden tricks, but found nothing suspicious.

The truth was simple. At this moment, Eric was nothing more than an ordinary man consumed by jealousy and rage. He wasn't some irredeemable villain—he just wanted to prove that he was stronger than Shadow Knight.

Eric's voice dropped to a cold whisper. "Alright, I've released the hostages. But don't even think about running. If you don't defeat me, I can always take them hostage again. And next time... I won't be so merciful. I'll use blood sacrifices!"

As a true hero, Shadow Knight would never run. He stepped into the glowing magic formation without hesitation, while the crowd outside watched with a mixture of gratitude and worry. Some began leaving, fearing that if Shadow Knight lost, they might be in danger again.

Meanwhile, on a nearby rooftop across from Times Square Tower, a man in a black tactical suit, dark red goggles, and a quiver full of arrows stood watching the scene unfold. A stern voice spoke into his earpiece.

"Hawkeye! What's the situation?"

The archer, Hawkeye, replied calmly. "Shadow Knight and the magician are fighting inside a purple magic formation. What are our orders?"

"Continue observing."

Hawkeye nodded. "Understood. But are we sure those hostages are safe? Would a magician really kidnap people just for a fight?"

"Don't worry. Agent Coulson is handling the situation."

Trusting Coulson's abilities, Hawkeye acknowledged. "Got it. Wait... I see some old friends. Looks like we're not the only ones watching Shadow Knight."

The voice in his earpiece grew cold. "Their target is likely the magician. If Shadow Knight wins, support him. If he loses..."

Hawkeye's expression darkened. "And if he loses?"

"Kill him. We can't let him fall into their hands."

Hawkeye frowned but responded firmly. "Understood." Then, he ended the call.