Chapter 37: Everyone’s Shocked. A Righteous Kingpin?

Obadiah and his son, Zach, Were dragged out of the banquet hall by Kingpin's men, Then beaten within an inch of their lives. Just as Kingpin had ordered, both of their legs were broken. From beginning to end, neither of them could make sense of what was happening. Why the hell was Kingpin turning on them? Logically speaking, even if their business deal had gone sour... There was no reason for Kingpin to go this far. After all, Obadiah Stane was no small fry. His name carried weight in America's elite circles. Unless... Was it because of Carl, that young shareholder from Stark Industries? Obadiah quickly shook the thought from his head. Sure, Carl held a decent chunk of shares. But in terms of real influence? He had nothing. Obadiah's own stake in Stark Industries was even bigger than Carl's. So it couldn't be about corporate power. Then what was it!? No matter how he tried to piece it together, Obadiah just couldn't figure it out. But one thing was clear, This wasn't over. Carl, who dared lay a hand on his son... And Kingpin, who dared humiliate him publicly... Neither would walk away from this. Even if Kingpin ruled America's underground... Obadiah wasn't afraid. In the U.S., he was still a man of status, with deep political connections. You could call him an elite of the upper class, and you wouldn't be wrong. More importantly... He had just succeeded in setting Tony Stark up. Very soon, Stark Industries would be under his full control. There was no way he'd let this insult slide. Still, Kingpin's influence wasn't something to take lightly. As the emperor of the underworld, any retaliation would have to wait. But once he had control of the company... Then it would be time to settle the score. As for Carl? The sooner he was dealt with, the better. But first... He needed a doctor. Back in the banquet hall... The guests were still reeling. 『Guest A』: W-What just happened? 『Guest B』: Did Kingpin just order his men to beat up Obadiah Stane!? 『Guest C』: They walked in together! I thought they were partners! 『Guest D』: Oh my god... 『Guest E』: Doesn't Kingpin fear the government? Stark Industries has deep federal ties... 『Guest F』: Who knows? The world of the powerful is too complicated for us to guess. 『Guest G』: Maybe... Kingpin just didn't like Obadiah's face? 『Guest H』: Honestly? Possible. No one could make sense of it. This was just too shocking. Obadiah and Kingpin, Both were giants in the American power structure. While it was normal for titans to clash behind the scenes... To publicly break someone's legs at a banquet? That was insane. Everyone was stunned. Everyone... except Kingpin. Because only he understood the truth. He knew who Carl was. And after what had happened between Carl, Erika, and Erika's father, Kingpin had no choice. He had to make a statement. To show exactly where he stood. Because that was the only way to protect himself. And just maybe... If he played this right, he could get close to Carl. And if that chance ever came? He wouldn't hesitate. Even if it cost ten billion, a hundred billion, a trillion, It'd still be worth it. (Well... even if he didn't actually have that kind of money.) Kingpin stepped forward. With a respectful nod and half-bow, he addressed Carl. 『Kingpin』: Mr. Carl. Was this outcome to your satisfaction? Carl met his gaze with a faint, easygoing smile. 『Carl』: It's fine. 『Carl』: You can go. No need to stick around. This Kingpin guy... sure knew how to play the game. Carl hadn't needed his help at all. If Carl had handled it himself, Obadiah and Zach might've ended up worse than just broken legs. But still, Kingpin's attitude was... appreciated. 『Kingpin』: Understood. With a quiet nod, Kingpin stepped back and vanished into the crowd. Not far away... Erika and Isabella had just arrived at the scene. They didn't come any closer, They knew what kind of man Kingpin was. A man who could destroy lives with a glance. So the two women stood back in silence. But, They had seen everything. And they were stunned. Especially Isabella. In the Hollywood world she moved in, Everyone knew Kingpin. There was a famous actor once, an A-lister, multiple-time Best Actor winner. At a party, he got drunk and mouthed off to Kingpin. The next day, he disappeared. A few days later... His body washed up on the beach. The official story? Accidental drowning. But everyone in the industry knew, He'd offended the wrong man. Since then, Kingpin became an unspoken rule. Someone you never messed with. And yet just now, That same Kingpin... bowed to Carl. Isabella already knew Carl was a shareholder of Stark Industries. But so was Obadiah. And by age, experience, and rank, Obadiah should've been more powerful. Yet the way Kingpin treated them... Was like night and day. It made Isabella even more curious, Just who was Carl, really? Truth be told, It wasn't just Erika and Isabella who were shocked. Everyone who knew anything about Kingpin... Felt like they were living in a dream. 『Guest A』: Did I just... see what I think I saw? 『Guest B』: Did Kingpin actually bow to that kid? 『Guest C』: I've never heard of Kingpin bowing to anyone. 『Guest D』: Not even in rumors. 『Guest E』: Who is that young man? I've never seen him before. 『Guest F』: He looks too young. Maybe the heir of some secretive ancient family? 『Guest G』: So that's why Kingpin went against Obadiah... It was all for this guy. 『Guest H』: Unbelievable... At first, People had thought the clash was just between two giants. A power struggle between Kingpin and Obadiah. But now? After seeing Kingpin bow, They realized... This wasn't about Obadiah at all. It was about Carl. Speculations exploded like wildfire. Some said he was the son of a top government official. Others said he was the heir to some hidden empire. Nobody could agree on anything, Except one thing: Carl was not someone to mess with. Off to the side, Erika couldn't help but whisper: 『Erika』: Do you... know Kingpin? Isabella looked at Carl with curious eyes as well. Carl gave a relaxed nod. 『Carl』: Sort of. This is actually the second time we've met. 『Erika』: Then why did he treat you like that? Carl let out a casual chuckle. 『Carl』: Who knows? 『Carl』: Maybe he's just a righteous man who can't stand seeing the weak get bullied? Erika rolled her eyes. Carl, weak? She knew better. This guy had powers no one else could match. There was no way he was scared of Obadiah. Since he clearly didn't want to explain further, she let it go. Instead, she asked: 『Erika』: What exactly happened earlier? 『Carl』: Well... Carl briefly explained what had happened. 『Erika』: So that guy really tried to splash wine on Isabella? Gross! 『Erika』: You did the right thing, Carl! Isabella smiled sweetly. 『Isabella』: Thank you, Carl. The three chatted for a while. Eventually, Isabella took her leave. But before she walked off, She discreetly sent Carl a few text messages. Let's just say... They weren't exactly innocent. Hey Everyone! If you've been enjoying the story so far, the battles, the twists, and the wild encounters across worlds, I've got something special for you. ✨ I've officially launched my Patreon! By joining, you'll gain early access to advanced chapters before anyone else, sometimes several chapters ahead of public release. This is your chance to travel further into the plot, discover hidden events, surprise battles, secret character reveals, and game-changing power-ups before they go live. It's like unlocking a VIP mission in the System, only for the chosen few. Every bit of support helps me write faster, dive deeper into the lore, and expand this universe for all of you. So if you're loving the story and want to see more, faster, come join the squad. Let's conquer the multiverse, one chapter at a time! ????Patreon Link: patreon.com/MrBehringer Thank you always for your support, comments, and power levels. More madness is coming soon.