Leon wasn't interested in how Bullseye would explain things over there; he had already slipped away.
Whether Bullseye confessed to Kingpin or pinned everything on him, Leon was prepared to take it all. It was already a life-or-death situation, so what was the point of verifying the body, going to court, or explaining things to Kingpin?
No need.
"Anyway, they're all going to die sooner or later. Might as well send them down to keep Wesley company. Those two had such a great bond; it's cruel to tear them apart like that! I'm not that kind of person!"
Send them all down! Yeah, all of them!
Without reverting to his human form, Leon continued wandering in his black cat shape. There was no need to wait for Kingpin to come after him. Kingpin wasn't exactly subtle, as Leon realized from asking Wesley. Kingpin's company was a publicly traded corporation, for crying out loud!
Jeez, just like Iron Man!
...
"A loyal son and a servant become enemies,
The murderers and arsonists enjoy glory and luxury.
The warehouse rats are stuffed full,
While the old ox plows till its skin is peeled away.
What crime did the fish swimming in the river commit?
Stripped of their scales, and their spines are still resented.
What luck did the wild beasts have in their past lives?
They chew bones without fearing chipped teeth.
Pheasants and rabbits dare not cause trouble,
Yet they're chopped into meat paste and sprinkled with scallions.
Ancient swords used to kill are hung as treasures,
While worn-out straw shoes are thrown into the valley.
Wu Qi killed his wife and got the marshal's seal,
But Pei Jin, who lit the lamps, got a slap in the face.
Thieves like Dao Zhi died well,
But why did Yan Yuan have to die young?
Could it be that the Jade Emperor got sweet-talked by Zhang San?
Where can I check that dark ledger?
When the mood is high, iron can turn to gold,
But when fortune fades, even the bell's tone is dull.
May the next life bring Cui Yingying ugliness,
And let Shi Chong be reborn as nothing more than a scoundrel.
The world's affairs are like a lonely lamp in the wind,
Even if a few strings of copper coins simmer over time.
Though I lack the priceless treasures of Tongguan,
This beat of the drum will echo across the ends of the earth..."
Across the ends of the earth! The black cat hummed the tune as it walked with a swagger, acting all proper… but eventually got lost.
You couldn't really blame him. Usually, he had a high vantage point and could see far. Now, in his current form, he was barely taller than a large rat, and even a trash can could block his view!
But he didn't mind: "Just taking a stroll!"
As he continued walking, Leon became more and more absorbed in his surroundings. He found himself admiring the neighborhood, which was actually quite impressive. Detached houses, few residents, spaced far apart, with lavish greenery that made the area feel like a forest! The properties were well-shielded from one another, perfect for someone like Leon, who had a slight fear of socializing.
"Every boy dreams of having his own secret cave, a hideout, or an underground tunnel."
And as adults…
Even if it's useless, he still wants one!
This kind of house was exactly what he wanted!
The only problem was likely the price...
Who would have thought that after reincarnating, Leon, with all his powers, would still worry about buying a house?
There was no way around it. As long as he couldn't completely break away from human society, he had to follow its rules.
Some things could be bypassed with powerful allies, like how S.H.I.E.L.D. allowed and ignored Leon's violent methods.
But some things couldn't.
For example, Leon couldn't just show up with a suitcase full of cash to buy a house!
It wasn't that he was afraid of a tax investigation; he just couldn't be bothered!
Leon wanted to live a normal life!
He couldn't just silence everyone who crossed him, right? Even Thanos didn't do that.
"Hmm… gotta find some rich fool to squeeze for a fortune later!"
S.H.I.E.L.D. wasn't an option. Fury was at least a hundred times shrewder than Leon, and Leon knew that much. Didn't all of Fury's safehouses remain intact after Hydra was destroyed? Where did all that money come from?
Could it have been approved by his superiors on the Security Council?
Yeah, right.
Dreaming of squeezing money from Fury was just that—a dream. Leon didn't exactly have a knack for making money.
He had skills, but none of them were money-making ones!
Sure, he could be a bodyguard, but for someone like Leon, who had been blessed with cheats, that felt beneath him!
"Unless it's something like 'The Most Powerful Bodyguard of the City' or 'The Divine Doctor Descends from the Mountains' type deal!"
Yeah! And it'd have to be one of those personal bodyguard-to-an-arrogant-beautiful-heiress types!
Haha… what am I even thinking? Didn't I say this isn't a city novel? Why am I still thinking about it!
Leon had initially planned to take down Kingpin's entire company today, but who would've thought? Just that small timing difference between Kingpin arriving late and Bullseye showing up early, and Leon almost walked right into a trap.
The main issue was that Leon had overestimated himself and underestimated the enemy.
Since arriving here, while he wasn't particularly strong, his opponents had all been pretty much pushovers. This had given Leon an inflated sense of his own strength, filling him with a false superiority that Bullseye shattered.
He had become arrogant, complacent, forgetting the painful lessons of the past.
Pride had taken over, and his once humble soul was now adrift.
He had underestimated just how low people like Bullseye could go.
Comics were comics, movies were movies, but neither could compare to the sheer absurdity and lack of limits in real life. Reality didn't follow rules; once something happened, it simply happened!
Without any clear direction, Leon wandered aimlessly. No one would ever suspect a stray cat.
What harm could a little kitty do?
By the fifth time he made a house cat knock over a vase through the window, Leon finally felt a bit bored.
Maybe being in a cat's form had affected him. Leon suddenly didn't feel like going home and instead wanted to "go on an adventure" in the trash or maybe catch a bird and bat it around a bit.
"This won't do; I need to change back!"
Leon realized things were getting out of hand!
"What if I run into someone with catnip? My reputation will be ruined!"
As the sky grew darker, Leon glanced around at his surroundings. Maybe in all his left turns and right turns earlier, he hadn't even left this neighborhood.
This little patch of woods might belong to one of the wealthy residents here.
Standing beneath a tree, Leon deactivated his transformation spell, his body shifting in a swirl of light and shadow back to human form.
Adjusting his hat, Leon muttered to himself, "Being human just feels different!"
He swung his arms around, noting that his agility seemed a bit lacking compared to his cat form. Rubbing his chin, Leon began to ponder.
"Could it be that the real power or advantage of transformation magic isn't just about physical changes but adopting the traits and behaviors of the animals I turn into?"
The more he thought about it, the more it made sense!
Well then…
What if I transform into something like a tiger or even a mouse—those wouldn't be too bad. But what if it's a turtle…?
"Massive stamina, incredible physical defense, but lazier than anything, with agility straight up to zero?"
Hey! You can't say that's entirely useless!
As he pondered this, Leon strolled out of the small forest like he owned the place. After all, he could always fly out using his martial arts techniques if anyone spotted him. What would surprise people more? Seeing someone flying outside their house or hearing about the nearby fire?
Besides, it's hard to take off in a forest anyway!
Walking step by step across the expensive artificial grass, Leon moved from the shadows of the trees into the open.
Whoosh!
That sound… it was familiar!
Clasping his hands together—smack!
Leon looked at what he caught in his palms.
A nail.
"Oh ho ho ho ho… no wonder you got here so fast…"
Leon gazed at the man standing by the back door of the large house ahead, still dressed in his battle suit with a bullseye symbol on his forehead. His expression was complicated.
"So, you're Wesley's neighbor, huh?"
Like a mischievous child, Leon tossed the nail back, which Bullseye caught effortlessly.
As Leon walked forward, he said, "So, you were his bodyguard, after all?"
Bullseye let out a cold laugh, just about to speak when Leon cut him off: "Hey hey hey! Doesn't matter! Nope, doesn't matter!"
Pulling his hands from his pockets, Leon suddenly flashed forward, landing right in front of Bullseye. But unlike Coulson, Bullseye wasn't so lucky. He took a solid knee strike, his body curling into a shrimp-like shape as he flew into the house, crashing into the furniture with a series of loud bangs.
"Oh! Sorry about that~"
Leon carefully
dodged the broken glass on the floor, looking flustered and apologetic: "I didn't mean to kick you there, seriously."
"Hahaha, dude, does it hurt?"
Amid the wreckage of a shattered liquor cabinet, Bullseye stood up with a dark, grim expression, but his legs were shaking, looking not-so-steady!