"I never thought Paul's self-detonation at the supermarket would attract S.H.I.E.L.D.'s hyenas!"
Not far from the barbecue restaurant, four young men with cropped hair sat in a car. Cigarettes hung from their lips as they watched Kai and the others eating barbecue.
At the feet of one of them rested a rocket launcher.
"Ever since Tony Stark became the superhero who saved the world, S.H.I.E.L.D.'s attention to him has increased significantly."
"This time, Killian personally went to New York to carry out his plan of revenge against Tony Stark."
"Therefore, Mr. Salino had Paul self-detonate in the supermarket to divert S.H.I.E.L.D.'s attention."
"Now the plan's working—those S.H.I.E.L.D. hyenas have already caught the scent and are closing in!"
"Next, we intensify our efforts to draw even more of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s focus here. That'll keep Mr. Killian's trouble in New York to a minimum!"
The leader picked up the rocket launcher and looked at his teammates.
"When these five come out of the restaurant and get in the car, I'll greet them with this. But with Flash there, one shot might not finish the job."
"If something goes wrong, you three rush in and take out whoever's left. Got it?"
"Understood!"
The three nodded, put on their caps, and crossed the street to set up.
About ten minutes later, Kai, Coulson, and the others exited the barbecue restaurant.
"I never thought New Jersey would have such a delicious barbecue place. I always figured New York's steakhouses were unbeatable," Simmons said.
"The one we went to last time was great," Fitz replied, "but still not as good as this one!"
Coulson smiled, glancing at Melinda, who actually seemed to be in a decent mood for once. Then he turned to Kai.
"So, how do you rate this place?"
"Not bad," Kai replied casually.
"It's good that you like it. Oh, by the way—are you heading back tonight?" Coulson asked, checking his watch. "We're officially off-duty."
As they reached the car, Coulson opened the door. Fitz and Simmons had already climbed inside.
"I've arranged a special suite for you," Coulson continued. "Snacks, a PS3, and the latest games. Not an assignment—just comfort. I thought it'd be convenient if you stayed nearby."
Melinda glanced at Kai as she started the car. In her mind, missions meant the whole team stayed together. But Kai wasn't technically S.H.I.E.L.D., so she said nothing.
Kai thought for a few seconds, then nodded. Wherever he went, slacking off was all the same anyway.
Melinda started driving, but the car had barely moved a few meters when she saw a man in a hoodie ahead—aiming a rocket launcher straight at them.
"Damn it!"
She yanked the steering wheel to dodge, but the missile was already shrieking toward them.
At that instant, Kai's body flashed into pure light, reappearing in front of the vehicle.
He raised one finger—a blinding flash gathered at the tip—and fired directly at the incoming rocket.
BOOM!
A fiery explosion bloomed midair. The shockwave sent the attacker flying backward, slamming him into a wall. Red energy patterns spread rapidly under his skin.
He barely managed to stand before his body surged with uncontrollable heat—then self-detonated with a deafening roar, collapsing the wall behind him.
Melinda and Coulson jumped out immediately, shouting for Fitz and Simmons to take cover.
Weapons drawn, they took positions behind the car, ready for a fight.
Because right after that explosion—three more men appeared, their skin glowing dark red with unstable energy.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Coulson and Melinda fired in sync, forming a crossfire, but their bullets barely mattered.
The wounds glowed with molten light and healed instantly.
Panic spread through the street as terrified pedestrians ran for cover. Chaos and screams filled the night.
Seeing their weapons useless, Kai flashed forward, standing between the attackers and the civilians.
"Oh great, three more self-detonating freaks—and bullets can't hurt them. Terrifying," he said dryly, clearly unfazed.
There were too many civilians around. Using Yasakani no Magatama now would be a disaster.
Still, he didn't seem worried in the slightest. His elementalized body made him untouchable, and his Finger Flash left precise, burning wounds on each enemy.
From a corner, Simmons watched in awe, her eyes wide and trembling with excitement.
Seeing the superhero Flash in real battle—it was a thousand times better than watching the Battle of New York on TV.
"Oh my god, he kicked them into the air again! Take them out, Kai!" she whispered, fists clenched.
By the car, Melinda stayed alert, scanning for other threats while watching Kai's movements.
"Is Kai holding back?" she muttered. "He's letting them attack him like he's toying with them."
Coulson, still aiming his pistol, smiled slightly.
"No, he's not holding back. I told you—Kai's got a kind streak. His target isn't those three guys."
He nodded toward the crowd of panicked civilians.
"It's the innocent people he's protecting."