The city skyline stretched endlessly before Alexander as he stood atop a towering skyscraper, the wind whipping against his coat. The neon glow of New York reflected in his violet eyes, but his mind was elsewhere. Below, the streets pulsed with life, utterly oblivious to the war brewing beneath their feet.
Vasili materialized beside him, his presence as silent as the abyss itself. "I have located the closest HYDRA black site," he reported, his voice devoid of emotion. "A secured facility in the Lower Manhattan district, disguised as an old shipping yard. High-level encryption on their communications. Whatever they're working on, they do not want it exposed."
Alexander smirked, his fingers idly trailing along the hilt of his shadow-forged blade. "Then we'll expose it."
Noctis joined them moments later, his form emerging from the darkness like a specter. "They are aware of us now. We intercepted their encrypted transmission. HYDRA is sending a retrieval squad. They will be here soon."
Alexander's smirk widened. Perfect.
"Then we won't have to waste time hunting them," he said, stretching his fingers as the shadows around him pulsed in anticipation. "Let them come."
Inside a dimly lit military compound, the HYDRA retrieval squad prepared for deployment. Operatives clad in advanced tactical gear checked their weapons, calibrating thermal scanners and reinforced body armor. The squad consisted of a dozen elite soldiers, each highly trained in subduing enhanced threats.
At the front, their commanding officer, a grizzled man named Commander Strauss, paced methodically. He was an experienced hunter, a veteran of countless missions against metahumans, rogue super-soldiers, and other anomalies. But this… this was different.
"You've all seen the footage," Strauss began, his voice sharp and unyielding. "We are dealing with an unknown entity. Our intelligence suggests he possesses supernatural abilities—shadow manipulation, enhanced physical attributes, and possibly some level of necromancy."
A younger soldier scoffed, adjusting his rifle. "You expect us to believe in ghosts?"
Strauss shot him a glare that could pierce steel. "Believe whatever you want, but I've buried men who thought the same. This target took out an entire smuggling operation without a trace. This is not some masked vigilante. This is something far worse."
A woman stepped forward, adjusting the settings on a high-tech rifle. "Orders, sir?"
Strauss nodded. "We deploy in five. Standard engagement protocols. Contain and capture. If he resists…" He exhaled slowly. "Put him down."
The squad moved with mechanical precision, loading into black, unmarked transport vehicles. Their target had no idea what was coming for him.
The first sign of HYDRA's arrival was the unnatural silence that settled over the streets.
Alexander, standing in the middle of an abandoned construction site, felt it before he saw it—the air shifting, the distant hum of tactical drones scanning for heat signatures. The darkness whispered, warning him of the approaching threat. He closed his eyes briefly, listening to the abyss, feeling its hunger.
A moment later, headlights flickered in the distance. Four armored transport vehicles screeched to a halt, the sound of reinforced doors slamming open echoing in the empty lot. HYDRA soldiers fanned out in formation, their weapons locked and ready, moving with the calculated efficiency of predators hunting their prey.
Alexander exhaled, rolling his shoulders as the shadows around him pulsed. Finally.
A commanding voice cut through the tension. "Alexander Carter," Strauss called out, stepping forward, his weapon drawn but not yet aimed. "You are an anomaly. An unknown variable. HYDRA does not tolerate unknowns. You will surrender now."
Alexander chuckled, his amusement genuine. "HYDRA? Sending dogs to hunt the wolf?"
Strauss' jaw tightened. "This is your only warning. Resist, and we will neutralize you."
Alexander's violet eyes gleamed as the abyss around him roared to life. "Then let's see you try."
The darkness exploded.
Vasili and Noctis struck first, moving like living specters as they carved through the nearest soldiers with eerie precision. Gunfire erupted in rapid succession, muzzle flashes illuminating the battlefield in brief bursts of light, but it was useless. The shadows consumed everything.
Alexander moved like a force of nature, stepping into the chaos, his fist colliding with the nearest operative. The impact sent the man flying across the lot, his reinforced armor crumpling like paper. Bullets whizzed toward him, but the abyss swirled protectively, devouring the incoming fire like a living entity.
Strauss watched in growing horror, his instincts screaming at him—this wasn't a fight. This was a massacre.
Noctis severed another soldier's throat with his abyssal blade, his movements calculated and efficient. Vasili melted into the night, taking down his targets with surgical precision. The HYDRA squad was collapsing.
Strauss cursed under his breath. This wasn't how it was supposed to go. He turned, reaching for the emergency beacon on his belt, but a shadow wrapped around his wrist, locking him in place.
Alexander approached slowly, his gaze burning into Strauss. "Leaving so soon?" he mused. "But we were just getting started."
The commander gritted his teeth, his breathing shallow. "What the hell are you?"
Alexander leaned in slightly, his smirk widening. "Your worst mistake."
The abyss surged.
Darkness swallowed the remaining soldiers, their screams lost in the void. The only one left was Strauss, his body trembling as the shadows coiled around him like serpents, awaiting their king's command.
Alexander extended his hand, the abyss pulsing hungrily. "Arise."
Strauss' struggles ceased. The darkness wrapped around his form, consuming him entirely. A moment later, he rose, his eyes glowing the same eerie violet as Vasili and Noctis.
Alexander tilted his head slightly, observing his newest shadow. "Tell me, Strauss… who else is coming for me?"
The reborn shadow's voice was empty, but firm. "HYDRA is not the only one. Others have noticed you. They are watching. They are waiting."
Alexander smirked. Good. Let them watch. Let them wait.
Because soon, he would no longer be the hunted.
He would be the hunter.
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