The urgent voice from the front line came through the phone, tense and grim.
"The mercenary squad and the company commander are both dead."
The report hit like a thunderclap. Several senior executives inside the Essex headquarters froze, disbelief flashing in their eyes.
The high-ranking officer who had ordered the mission leaned forward sharply.
"What about the Zero Team? Didn't they rush to the scene?"
The field operative's reply was immediate:
"They should have. Two vehicles were found at the site—one belonging to the mercenaries, the other ten belonging to the Zero Team."
There was a pause, then the voice continued:
"We also found some of the Zero Team's standard combat knives on the ground. But not a single body from them. Only traces of blood… it appears the Zero Team members aren't dead."
Another pause.
"Their assault weapons were scattered across the area. Judging from the scene, no one from the Zero Team remained behind—they were all taken away."
The conference room fell into a heavy silence. Several Essex executives exchanged uneasy glances, their disbelief deepening.
A senior official broke the stillness.
"Are you saying… Kurt defeated the entire Zero Team and took them?"
Another shook his head in disbelief.
"Impossible! How could some small-time Osborn employee defeat our elite Zero Squad?"
A third voice cut in.
"Then maybe it wasn't Kurt. Maybe there's a very powerful super-ability user inside Osborn."
"Or," another suggested grimly, "they've got some sort of advanced weaponry we didn't account for—something strong enough to bring down the entire Zero Team."
One man scoffed.
"That's absurd. We've investigated Osborn. They're a small player, barely worth our attention."
Then, a different theory emerged.
"What if it was Osborn's boss—Daniel Grant—who acted?"
The room went still for a beat.
"Daniel Grant? Is he really that strong? Strong enough to wipe out our Zero Team?"
Someone nodded slowly.
"If that's the case… he's far beyond what we imagined."
Expressions hardened. For the first time, the Essex higher-ups looked at each other with genuine caution.
"Yes… I didn't think Daniel Grant could be this dangerous."
"He's clearly hiding something. I thought he was just another low-level superpower, but if he can take out our Zero Team, he's a serious threat."
The murmurs built into a consensus.
"Daniel Grant must be a powerful super-ability user."
"We'll have to report this to the boss immediately."
---
Minutes later, in the most secure office within Essex headquarters, the senior team delivered their report to their leader.
"Boss, we deployed the Zero Clone Team to deal with Kurt," one began respectfully.
"They never came back. All signs indicate they were taken by the enemy."
The leader's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Taken… all of them?"
"Yes. And based on the scene, we suspect Daniel Grant is responsible."
For a long moment, the office was silent except for the faint ticking of a clock. Then the leader leaned back in his chair.
"Defeating the Zero Team and taking them alive… that's no small feat. Daniel Grant is not a simple man."
The senior officers nodded.
"We underestimated him. No wonder he was able to acquire Osborn and raise it up—he's not ordinary at all."
"Boss, what are your orders?"
The leader's voice was calm, deliberate.
"First, I want a complete investigation of Osborn and Daniel Grant. Every detail of his abilities, his allies, and his resources. I want to know exactly what kind of man we're dealing with."
"Understood. And for now?"
"No rash moves. Our main force is still tied up in the other region. Finding that old man remains the priority. Do both at the same time—track the old man and dig into Osborn."
"Yes, Boss!" the senior management replied in unison.
As they filed out, the leader stared at the closed door.
"Daniel Grant… I clearly underestimated you. If you can take down the Zero Team, your power must be far greater than most."
His voice dropped to a murmur.
"I'll find out just how strong you are…"
---
What Essex didn't know was that the man who had taken down the Zero Team wasn't Nathan's public alias—or even Nathan himself.
It was one of his subordinates.
---
In a hidden underground laboratory, Luke Cage tossed one of the Zero agents onto the floor like a sack of flour.
Kurt stood beside him, addressing Nathan.
"Boss, this is what we were dealing with. They can absorb attacks and turn them into something worse."
Nathan studied the downed operative with a sharp gaze.
"I know exactly who they are—Agent Zero operatives."
He explained, more to himself than anyone else:
"They can convert kinetic energy into a corrosive acid that shuts down a target's healing ability. Even with a Cabaret-alloy blade, it's their acid that makes them truly lethal."
His lips curved in a calculating smile.
"If I can reverse-engineer them, mass-produce the effect, my people will be unstoppable."
Kurt added another crucial detail.
"Their minds are factory-set to be loyal to Essex. Branded into their thinking."
Nathan's eyes glinted.
"Then I'll erase that brand… and stamp my own."
Kurt gave a short nod.
"The materials you wanted will arrive soon. If there's nothing else, we'll head out."
"Go."
---
Not long after Kurt left, a crackling current raced into the room, coalescing into a man made of living electricity.
"Boss, what's the job?"
Nathan didn't waste words.
"Infiltrate Essex. I want everything—what technology they're hiding, what weapons they've developed, and any exceptional individuals in their ranks."
Essex had been hunting and experimenting on mutants for years. Nathan knew that meant deep resources and dangerous assets.
"Don't get sloppy," Nathan warned. "We're not making a move yet. I want them dissected on paper before we take them apart in reality."
The electric man grinned wickedly.
"You'll have everything, Boss."
In the blink of an eye, he dissolved into a surge of current and vanished.
---
Nathan exhaled slowly.
"Still some time before the materials arrive… enough to deal with another matter."
He walked into Heikong's containment lab.
The black symbiote host glared at him silently, her eyes hard, lips pressed tight.
Nathan only snapped his fingers.
From the symbol on her chest, a small, cartoon-like Spider-Man head popped out, blinking at Nathan with bright curiosity.
"Huh? (What's up?)"
Nathan shook his head.
"Not you."
The little spider slumped.
"Woo… (Alright…)"
A blur of blue shot forward—Sapphire, the sleek, feminine symbiote, landing lightly before Nathan.
He pointed to Heikong.
"Go."
Sapphire leapt onto Heikong, her form melding with the host.
The effect was immediate—Heikong's body surged with power, her voice shocked.
"This… this strength… it's incredible!"
But just as abruptly as it came—Nathan snapped his fingers.
Sapphire peeled away, leaving Heikong gasping as her borrowed strength drained away like the receding tide.
Bound tightly to the table, she strained against the chains until her face flushed red, but nothing gave way. Despair flickered in her eyes.
Nathan turned without a word, Sapphire following close behind.
Heikong stared after them, bewildered. What was the point of that? Just to taunt her?
Inside her, the beast's voice raged.
"What game is this kid playing? Power for a moment, then gone? I don't like this… I don't like him one bit."
For the first time, the beast's unshakable arrogance wavered. If Nathan could grow stronger at this pace, he might outmatch even it.
A tear slid down Heikong's cheek. Her future had never looked darker.
---
Elsewhere, Nathan merged with his own symbiote, shadows crawling over his body.
"Did you get the memories?" he asked.
Sapphire's voice echoed in his mind.
"(No. But we're getting close…)"
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