*Boom!*
With a thunderous impact, the Iron Fist strike landed like a battering ram against Sean's shoulder.
The overwhelming force sent the previously unstoppable young man flying through the air, his body crashing through an intricately carved wooden door before tumbling into the shadows.
Even Danny Rand seemed surprised by the ferocity of his own punch. Though he bore the title of K'un-Lun's "Immortal Iron Fist", he had never truly mastered controlling his qi. That was why he had been largely ineffective in the earlier fight.
Jessica's eyes widened in disbelief. She hadn't expected this reckless kid to deliver such a devastating blow. Without his intervention, defeating Sean would have been nearly impossible.
"Now's our chance to finish him!" The Punisher, ever the tactician, seized the moment.
A military man through and through, Frank Castle knew how to exploit an enemy's weakness.
Moving like a panther, he lunged into the darkness. He understood Sean's terrifying capabilities... if they didn't eliminate him now, the tables could turn in an instant.
"I think he's overreacting," Danny said with a shrug, flexing his fist.
He didn't believe anyone could withstand a direct hit from his Iron Fist and still stand.
Shaking out his clenched hand, Danny radiated confidence. No matter how durable Sean had seemed earlier, the power of K'un-Lun's qi was absolute. Even steel would have shattered under that blow.
This was the true might of the Iron Fist, a trump card that never failed.
"He's a real warrior," Jessica muttered as she pushed her disheveled black hair back.
Who would have thought Hell's Kitchen's mightiest vigilantes would nearly be wiped out by one man tonight?
Danny glanced at Daredevil who was still unconscious on the floor, then toward the window where Luke Cage had been thrown, "We should call an ambulance. Maybe two. That guy I punched won't be using cutlery ever again."
"Oh, I'm afraid you'll be disappointed."
The amused voice sent chills down their spines.
Sean emerged from the shadows, his imposing frame radiating menace. The sight of the Punisher dangling limply in his grip (choked into unconsciousness) struck them like a physical blow. The six-foot tall brute hung like a ragdoll, his face purple from lack of air.
Silence fell. Danny's triumphant expression twisted into dismay. That punch should have ended the fight.
Yet here Sean stood, utterly unfazed... as if the Iron Fist had been nothing more than a light tap.
"That punch was solid. This is the first time I've been injured." Sean's voice was eerily calm.
His left arm hung limp, the shoulder clearly shattered, "Having my first time taken by a man... I'm not exactly thrilled."
Still clamped around the Punisher's throat, his right hand flexed slightly. Without the regenerative energy coursing through him, he might have been the one lying defeated.
"I made a mistake. Maybe it's because everything's gone so smoothly until now, every enemy knelt before me with no real challenges... I grew arrogant. That's dangerous. Even Achilles fell to an arrow in his heel. Far stronger opponents await. If I keep this mindset, one day I'll suffer an irreversible defeat..." Sean's tone was introspective, and his eyes devoid of emotion.
His grip tightened... The Punisher's face darkened, his veins bulging as he teetered on the edge of death.
Then...
*Thud..*
...Frank's massive frame collapsed to the floor.
Sean rolled his injured shoulder. Golden light flickered beneath his skin as the shattered bones knitted back together.
"Let's wrap this up. If we hurry, I might still catch the pizza place before it's closed."
Ignoring the unconscious Punisher, Sean's gaze locked onto Jessica and Danny. A dangerous smile played on his lips as his eyes flashed with golden light.
.....
A black Passat idled outside the restaurant...
Inside, one of the Hand's leaders, Alexandra, observed the scene with detached interest. Had Sean not intervened, her original plan involved deploying her ultimate weapon to retrieve the Iron Fist.
"Elektra, if Wesley's employer fails, you'll step in," Alexandra murmured as she stroked the woman beside her as if petting a prized hound.
Elektra turned mechanically. Her eyes were devoid of life... She was just like a beautiful marionette awaiting its strings.
This emotionless killer was the Hand's most fearsome asset: the legendary living weapon known as Black Sky...
"And if he succeeds? Kill him anyway. No upstart makes demands of the Hand." Alexandra's voice was ice.
Greed demanded punishment...
Elektra nodded as her fingers traced the katana's edge. To Black Sky, blades were mere extensions of her will. Guns lacked intimacy... only cold steel could sate her bloodlust.
Minutes ticked by. Just as Alexandra's patience waned, the restaurant door creaked open.
Sean strolled out humming as he dragged a limp body behind him.
"Danny Rand. The Iron Fist of K'un-Lun. As promised..." He tossed Danny onto the Passat's hood like garbage.
The once-proud warrior's face was reduced to a swollen bloody mess. At least a dozen of his bones had been methodically broken as well.
"Don't worry, I was gentle. These are just flesh wounds. A doctor will patch him right up with no permanent damage."
Hearing that, Danny's barely conscious mind screamed curses, but his shattered body refused to obey.
"Elektra. Kill him."
With the Iron Fist secured, this loose end needed trimming.
Elektra stepped out, her blade whispering from its sheath. Sean didn't even flinch as her predator's gaze locked onto him.
"So much for honoring agreements..." Sean cracked his neck.
Energy crackled beneath his skin as the battles had honed his instincts, bringing him closer to understanding his power's true nature...