Viper?
So this world wasn't the Marvel movie universe Jason Kin was familiar with after all. In his memory, Viper had only ever appeared in The Wolverine (2013), rewritten due to licensing issues as a mutant immune to every toxin on Earth. But the real Viper was far more dangerous than any mutant. She was the leader of supervillains, a criminal mastermind with razor-sharp intellect and a natural-born air of command. She had led multiple villainous organizations, expertly controlling the underworld from the shadows, her reputation unmatched in the global crime world.
She possessed a terrifying combination of abilities: the slowing of her aging to remain eternally youthful, near-total immunity to poisons, and an innate resistance so absolute that almost no toxin on Earth could harm her. Her supernatural constitution came with encyclopedic knowledge of every poison and venom in existence—not only was she immune, she was a master poisoner. She was also a highly trained terrorist, skilled in firearms, close-quarters combat, and sabotage. A strategist. An elite spy. An infiltration specialist. And to top it all off, she had a beauty and figure to rival Black Widow's, a true femme fatale scorpion-woman. But no matter how strong the woman, if she provoked him, her fate would be the same: to wither and die.
Having learned the truth from the man's memories, a cold smile touched Jason Kin's lips. Then he casually put a bullet through the man's head. Picking up the still-connected phone, Kin spoke lightly.
"Should I call you Viper… or Madame Hydra?"
On the other end, Viper, already reeling from shock, felt her chest tighten. She hadn't expected him to uncover her identity so quickly. For once, she had no words. The situation had spun out of her control. She had seen countless strange and dangerous things in her career… but this? This was the first time she had encountered something like him.
"You're not Phils. Who are you?" she demanded, her voice tight.
"Heh. Is it really that important whether I'm Phils?" Kin's tone turned mocking. "Or are you just… scared?"
Viper's eyes narrowed. Kin's gaze shifted toward the factory's security camera. He raised a hand and made a slicing motion across his throat toward the lens.
"Don't worry. It won't be long before I come knocking on your door. When that time comes… I'll tell you exactly who I am. I hope you can make me wish I were dead."
BANG!
A sudden gunshot shattered the camera into pieces. The loud crack made Viper flinch. Staring at the now-black monitor, her expression twisted into a complex mix of anger, suspicion… and something far more dangerous—fear. Fear of the unknown. And right now, in her eyes, Jason Kin was the unknown.
Crushing the phone in one hand, Kin took Laffey and Effie by the hand and vanished. When they reappeared, they were already back in his room. As a god, Jason Kin could teleport instantly, his range limited only by the reach of his divine sense. At present, his divine sense extended ten kilometers, meaning he could teleport anywhere within that radius—and he was still only a demigod. Once he gathered enough faith to condense divine power, his range would grow far beyond that.
In the room, Laffey glanced at Effie's battered body, her voice soft and gentle. "That must hurt… doesn't it?"
Effie shook her head. "As long as you're safe, Young Master… no wound is too painful to bear."
Kin smiled, ruffling her hair affectionately. "Silly girl. Whether you can endure it is one thing. Whether it hurts is another. Don't move—I'll heal you."
As he spoke, he summoned the Holy Light of Life. A soft, golden glow enveloped Effie, and before her own eyes, every injury on her body closed and faded away. Effie stared at him, utterly stunned.
"Young Master… are you really… still the same Young Master?"
Looking at the almost godlike Jason Kin, she couldn't help but ask.
"If I'm not your Young Master, then who do you think I am?" he teased.
"You feel… more like an all-powerful god now," she said seriously.
Kin laughed. "Then treat me as one. I am the God of Life. From now on, you are my follower."
It was a joke. But then, his Follower Interface suddenly changed.
He blinked. A new Apostle had appeared—and it was none other than Effie. All he had done was make a playful remark, yet she had believed him with absolute sincerity, enough to become his Apostle instantly. Her loyalty ran that deep. As expected of a woman he had chosen, she had potential.
Becoming an Apostle meant Kin could bring her directly into his Divine Realm—the greatest benefit an Apostle could receive. Inside the Divine Realm, she would be nourished by its life force. Even an ordinary human would enjoy greatly extended life, far beyond that of others. To enter a god's Divine Realm—that was the highest dream of any follower.