Two Glock 17 pistols emptied their combined 38 rounds in mere seconds.
Most of the tactical operators dropped instantly, their bodies collapsing in unnatural postures.
The few survivors spun around, catching only a glimpse of a devil mask flashing through the darkness.
One mercenary, eyes dilating with primal fear, immediately shouted into his tactical radio: "Hell's Butcher! It's Hell's Butcher—he's here! He's working with Daredevil! Most of our team is down—one coordinated strike!"
His voice cracked with desperation. "Mission compromised! Requesting immediate extraction! Mission compromised—"
BANG!
A single bullet pierced his temple, silencing him mid-sentence as his lifeless body crumpled to the pavement.
Jason hadn't fired that shot.
A chilling voice emanated from the fallen mercenary's radio: "Perfect timing! Both Daredevil and Hell's Butcher are now priority targets. Eliminate them simultaneously. Anyone attempting retreat will be terminated immediately. Advance and neutralize them—NOW!"
...
After his successful ambush, Jason maintained his momentum, using darkness as cover while moving swiftly toward the sniper's position.
His intimate knowledge of Hell's Kitchen's urban landscape allowed him to navigate without exposing himself.
While maneuvering between buildings, he contacted David through his earpiece. "Did you identify the sniper?"
"He's wearing tactical black with distinctive white accents. Face concealed, but there's something unique—his mask features a bullseye emblem on the forehead. Accessing NYPD database for matches... nothing. Checking Homeland Security identification protocols—"
"Don't bother," Jason interrupted. "I know exactly who we're dealing with."
"You do?"
"Bullseye—Daredevil's most lethal adversary. No wonder our horned friend found himself overwhelmed."
David's perplexed voice crackled through the comm. "Why do I detect a hint of satisfaction in your tone? If you harbor such animosity toward Daredevil, why intervene on his behalf?"
"I don't hate him," Jason clarified. "I simply don't respect his methods. He's fundamentally decent, possessed of admirable moral conviction—but it's precisely that rigid code of conduct I find contemptible."
Jason continued while maintaining his tactical advance. "So idealistic, so naïve, borderline simplistic. He aspires to transform this corrupt world while refusing to stain his hands with blood! Unwilling to face nightmares in the dark hours, unwilling to risk damnation in the afterlife—he's inherently destined for failure."
His voice hardened. "In this regard, I partially align with Bullseye's philosophy: only through blood and death can order be established—even if that order exists in shadow."
The comm remained silent for several moments before David responded: "Being completely honest—you sound less like God's knight and more like the devil's advocate."
"Just philosophical musings," Jason replied with dark amusement. "Is the backup drone operational?"
"Deployed and tracking, but the distance compromises visual clarity. I can confirm the target's presence but not precise movements."
"That's sufficient."
Guided by David's surveillance, Jason rapidly approached the building where Bullseye had established his sniper position.
He ascended silently, then burst through the rooftop access door with both pistols already tracking.
Multiple rounds erupted toward the prone figure on the rooftop's edge, perforating the target repeatedly.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
As the bullets impacted, Jason immediately recognized his error—no blood spray!
"Did you really think I wouldn't notice that pathetic surveillance drone?" a mocking voice called from behind.
Before the sentence completed, several bullets were already streaking toward Jason. His enhanced perception activated instantly, the world around him decelerating as he twisted away from the incoming fire, diving back through the rooftop door.
Bullseye—wearing nothing but underwear—stared in momentary disbelief. Impossible reaction time!
Jason touched the shallow grazing wounds on his face where bullets had narrowly missed. "Goddamn it! These higher tier targets are genuinely challenging. David, what happened? He left his uniform as a decoy, and you didn't detect the substitution?"
David sounded equally shocked, perspiration evident in his voice. "How did he spot our drone from that distance? We're operating well outside normal visual range. Of course I couldn't distinguish between the actual target and gear arranged to mimic a human form! Wait—he's advancing on your position!"
Jason frowned quizzically. "Advancing?"
Fine. I'll beat you to death instead.
Bullseye appeared in the doorway with predatory quickness.
Jason raised his weapons and fired; Bullseye returned fire with equal intensity. The confined stairwell's multiple angles prevented either combatant from landing decisive shots.
When Bullseye paused to reload, Jason seized the opportunity—lunging forward, knocking the weapon from his opponent's grasp before unleashing a devastatingly precise sequence of military-style strikes, each connecting with vulnerable anatomical targets.
Bullseye was momentarily stunned—he hadn't anticipated that Hell's Butcher would possess advanced hand-to-hand combat skills rivaling Daredevil's own.
Fortunately, Bullseye's physical strength remained considerable. After absorbing the initial surprise attack that left one eye swelling shut, he rapidly adjusted, meeting Jason's combative intensity with equivalent skill.
The engagement briefly stabilized into a deadlock.
Jason gritted his teeth, drew upon his depleting will reserves, hyper-focused his perception, and executed three perfectly timed critical strikes in rapid succession!
The concentrated impact bent Bullseye forward involuntarily. Jason capitalized immediately, seizing his opponent and forcefully projecting him down the stairwell, where his head impacted the concrete with sickening force.
Bullseye lay groaning, temporarily incapacitated by overwhelming pain.
Perfect moment to eliminate this threat!
The system confirms—he's Bronze-tier target!
Jason retrieved his pistol and pressed it against Bullseye's forehead, yet hesitated momentarily.
The assassin's eyes reflected no terror whatsoever.
Unacceptable. If my first Bronze-level elimination fails to achieve a five-star rating, it's an enormous missed opportunity.
During his recent campaign, Jason had experienced firsthand the vast disparity between standard reward packages and five-star variants. The former provided transformative abilities like Night Vision and Compound Eyes, while the latter typically yielded mere attribute increments—with only extraordinary luck occasionally unlocking master-level skills.
Bullseye spat a bloody mixture onto the floor. "Enjoy your temporary advantage, Hell's Butcher. When next we meet, your death is guaranteed—along with that self-righteous Daredevil—"
Before he could complete his statement, Jason seized him by the throat, dragged him back to the rooftop, and dangled him precariously over the edge.
The street lay dizzyingly distant below, yet Bullseye's expression remained remarkably composed.
He even detected Jason's hesitation, prompting his puzzled inquiry: "What exactly are you waiting for?"
"Why aren't you afraid?" Jason demanded.
"..."
Jason's expression shifted as inspiration struck. With a decisive motion, he tore away Bullseye's final remaining garment, leaving him completely exposed.
"Does dying like this frighten you more?" Jason asked with calculated cruelty.
Bullseye's eyes widened dramatically—finally, genuine fear manifested in his voice: "What are you planning?"
"Your fear remains insufficient," Jason observed dispassionately.
He gestured skyward toward the hovering drone. "Record everything. After his death, broadcast this footage across Times Square displays. Continuous loop."
"You can kill me, but you cannot humiliate me like this!" Bullseye snarled.
From some hidden reservoir of desperate strength, Bullseye suddenly wrenched himself free, deliberately plunging from Jason's grasp. Rather than falling to his death, he caught a railing on the level below, continuing his descent through controlled drops.
Jason watched his ungraceful maneuvering with malicious delight.
A predatory smile crossed his face. "You insignificant creature—you cannot escape my reach."
The pursuit began—Bullseye fleeing, Jason relentlessly following, his quarry earthbound and vulnerable.
Though Bullseye had sustained serious injuries, a final adrenaline surge had enabled his initial escape down the building. His reserves depleted rapidly, however, before he'd covered significant distance at street level.
Jason savored the hunt, enjoying these final moments of pursuit like a cat toying with wounded target.
Unfortunately, David interrupted his macabre entertainment.
"Urgent alert, Knight! Daredevil has eliminated the remaining hostiles and is converging on your position!"
Jason frowned irritably. "The man sustained multiple gunshot wounds. He can still fight?"
"Not only fighting—he's leaving a blood trail behind him! You claim divine knighthood, but from my perspective, he seems more like God's actual son! His will must be extraordinary."
Without further deliberation, Jason accelerated his pursuit, seizing Bullseye by the nape of his neck with one hand while clenching his other into a fist that resembled a sledgehammer.
CRACK!
One devastating blow—nasal cartilage shattered, blood spraying in a crimson mist.
Bullseye weakly clutched Jason's arm in desperate self-preservation.
THUD!
A second punishing impact. Bullseye's arms fell limply to his sides as consciousness abandoned him.
The third fist raised high, prepared to deliver fatal trauma—
"STOP!"