Facing Diablo's movement, Cul was completely crushed by fear. He didn't even attempt to dodge, watching helplessly as Diablo's hand touched his skull.
How could Cul, the God of Fear—who was merely a pathetic wretch afraid of everything—defeat Diablo, the incarnation of Terror?
Cul, long devoured by fear, was nothing. He could only become a skin for Diablo!
"I am! DIABLO!"
Diablo laughed as he drained Cul's power, his entire body turning into a black mist that rushed into Cul's body.
Cul stared blankly ahead, his eyes turning pitch black in an instant. The aura around him retracted rapidly until he stood there looking like a harmless little sheep.
"The Worthy? An interesting plan."
Diablo's voice came from Cul's mouth, laced with anger and a trace of fear!
The source of Terror could also feel fear!
Diablo's fear came from that fearless, berserk, savage figure!
Bul-Kathos!
Watching himself be defeated, his head chopped off... That experience made even Diablo feel dread. Right now, flashes of his last decapitation played constantly in his mind.
And that low murmur filled with infinite regret...
"Leah?"
Diablo, wearing Cul's appearance, revealed a cruel smile.
"That girl died the moment she became my vessel! However, I have an interesting idea."
Diablo muttered softly.
The soul of a young girl appeared before him. It was the daughter of Aidan and the witch Adria, and also the daughter of him, Diablo, and Adria!
But the girl's soul had its eyes tightly closed, seemingly in a deep sleep!
Family meant nothing to Diablo; the Prime Evils held such emotions in contempt. However, under the influence of some existence at the time, Diablo hadn't obliterated Leah's soul. He had merely plunged her into eternal terror.
But now, this girl's soul seemed useful.
"Bul-Kathos, you are a hero, which means you will always have a weakness!"
Diablo laughed softly, a sound eerie and cold.
"Since you chose to split your own cowardly soul to defeat me, I will make you remember your cowardice! The connection between souls is far more complex than you imagine!"
Diablo stretched Cul's aging body, muttering incessantly like a nagging old man.
"So, welcome the Hammer Wielders—The Worthy! When you stand before me, I will make your cowardly and kind soul tremble once more! Let your kindness become the root of your terror! Let you, bearing the name of a hero, kneel before Fear!"
By the end, Diablo's voice was indistinguishable from Cul's own.
Thanks to Cul!
The aura of the God of Fear was not much different from Diablo's own. This disguise was perfect. Even if Imperius were standing right here, he wouldn't be able to recognize that Cul was Diablo!
Diablo waved his arm. A total of eight hammers were thrown high into the air, flying toward various parts of the world.
The first person to touch a hammer would become one of The Worthy, fighting for him, Diablo!
Spread fear, bring power!
Then, use the chaos and negative emotions to awaken the other Prime Evils.
This time, the Prime Evils would not be dealt with as they were before.
Gods might have no weaknesses, but heroes cannot necessarily uphold the title of hero until death.
To the Prime Evils, Barbarians were just a bunch of brainless brutes. Even if they were righteous, they were not incorruptible!
Diablo wanted to see Bul-Kathos become a demon's thrall, facing Malthael's threat on behalf of the Prime Evils. If he could seize Bul-Kathos's body, Diablo was confident he could secure his safety against that mad angel, Malthael.
After all, that was Nephalem blood, possessing the power of both angels and demons!
Rathma could force Malthael to retreat temporarily; if he controlled Bul-Kathos, he would possess equivalent power!
Just as Diablo was envisioning the future, Leah's soul trembled slightly.
Leah, possessing the blood of the Lord of Terror, had a bizarre connection with the seven Great Evils. She could connect with any Prime Evil via her soul. This was also why her soul had fallen into endless fear.
"The first of The Worthy... it is you."
Diablo spoke with a twisted smile.
One of the eight heavenly hammers had found its target. The thick sin and fear upon this target made Diablo extremely satisfied!
Next was the start of a brand new game. Diablo was filled with anticipation.
If everything went smoothly, he would gain benefits beyond imagination. He even hoped to absorb the power of his brothers and sisters!
Diablo, who had once been the Prime Evil, was still full of ideas about absolute power.
"Mr. Fisk, do you have anything you'd like to say to everyone regarding your attendance at this meeting?"
At the entrance of a high-end venue in New York, just as Wilson Fisk stepped out of his car with his massive frame, an amateurish reporter shouted at him from a distance.
"I hope that in this world, the phrase 'I can't go on living' will never be heard again. I am working hard toward that," Kingpin said, putting on his bureaucratic tone.
Kingpin had been distressed lately. Since the disaster in London, his life had been difficult. In the last few days, more than one group had come to warn him.
Ever since Bullseye was gone, Kingpin's criminal empire had become somewhat feeble. Losing a top-tier assassin seemed to make many people restless. Even fools who dared to offend him directly were increasing in number.
S.H.I.E.L.D. and the military had sent people directly to his door, shouting orders at him. Yet, he had to swallow his pride in front of them.
He was the top dog of the underworld, but that was just a gang leader. Although he was a wealthy man, in the eyes of those disgusting politicians, he was just a wallet to be accessed at any time.
He couldn't afford to provoke the military. He couldn't afford to provoke S.H.I.E.L.D. Even some freaks had popped up, daring to stroke the tiger's whiskers.
"Mr. Fisk, what do you have to say about the allegations accusing you of illegal activities?"
A young reporter wearing glasses asked loudly.
As he asked this, the people around him scattered like they were avoiding the plague. A no-man's-land instantly formed around the young reporter.
"Which paper are you from?" Kingpin asked calmly.
" The Daily Bugle, sir."
The young reporter's body trembled slightly under Kingpin's questioning. The hairs on his arm stood straight up.
"Then please write in your paper that the Fisk Corporation will take legal action against these groundless accusations."
Kingpin gave the small reporter a deep look, then turned and walked into the building. Today was a charity gala, and Kingpin did not intend to be absent. As for that small paper and small reporter, someone would handle them for him.
Just as everyone was focused on Kingpin, a meteor with a long tail of flame smashed down from the horizon toward the top of the building.
If nothing interfered, the entire building would turn into rubble the instant the meteor hit.
And that meteor seemed locked onto a target—pointing directly at Kingpin, who was preparing to enter the building!
"What is that!"
A reporter pointed high at the meteor in the sky, eyes filled with disbelief! His other hand, however, rapidly raised his camera, snapping shutter shots endlessly toward the meteor.
If nothing went wrong, tomorrow's headline was set.
Wealthy Merchants Perish Under Meteor, Suspected Divine Punishment.
Using this opportunity, the newspaper behind him could lead with a highly controversial article. A "deep, content-rich," and "real" exposé on the issues between the rich and poor.
Click, click!
Shutter sounds erupted outside the building. Meanwhile, the small reporter who had questioned Kingpin earlier disappeared from the crowd in a few steps.
"Run!"
Finally, someone shouted, realizing the threat.
This shout finally activated these people whose heads were filled with big news. The crowd boiled over like a pot of water. Everyone began to flee toward wherever they thought was safe.
"Boss, leave quickly. There seems to be something wrong with that meteor."
"I know."
Kingpin replied snappishly to his subordinate, then turned and ran in the opposite direction. His heavy body crashed through everything blocking his way like a tank, fleeing with a speed that defied his size.
However, the meteor finally descended to a height where the heat endangered the crowd.
But then, the meteor turned, like an auto-guided missile, heading straight for Kingpin.
Although the angle wasn't large, that slight turn made Kingpin furious.
Just then, two white strands of spider silk shot out, sticking to Kingpin's body. With the appearance of a figure in a red and blue bodysuit, Kingpin's massive body was yanked directly away from the danger zone.
"Spider-Man!?"
Gasps erupted from the crowd watching the situation. But they were immediately replaced by other cries.
"Look! That meteor is a hammer!"
"Damn it, it's those super-powered freaks again! How long are they going to plague this world!"
Then, while everyone was screaming, the hammer adjusted its direction again, smashing heavily down toward Kingpin!
This time, even the dullest person could see the hammer was being controlled. Everyone looked in the direction the hammer turned, and the most prominent figure there was none other than New York's Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man!
"I knew superheroes were a huge trouble!"
The crowd began to take cover, issuing various complaints against Spider-Man.
People are like this; when facing misfortune, they always find reasons to make themselves feel better. Before superheroes appeared in large numbers, the reason was usually God. Now, the reason had become superheroes.
"Why? I don't recall provoking such a powerful guy!"
Spider-Man yelled loudly, holding Kingpin's massive body.
But Kingpin exploded with tremendous strength in an instant, shoving Spider-Man away and running in a different direction.
He thought much like the ordinary people, assuming this was some super-powered criminal taking revenge on Spider-Man. Although Spider-Man hadn't been active in New York for long, he was already somewhat famous. Especially to Kingpin, Spider-Man's fame had long surpassed that Daredevil guy. He was even catching up to the Punisher.
Daredevil, Matt Murdock, hadn't been active much lately, always running between his law firm and Mount Arreat. He barely did any vigilante work.
The Punisher had also quieted down recently; at least Kingpin hadn't heard those two names in a long time.
Only this Spider-Man, who had popped up recently, left a deep impression on him. Many of his business deals had been ruined by this tight-wearing freak.
So at this moment, Kingpin was wishing Spider-Man well from the bottom of his heart.
"Die, you bastard!"
However, just as Kingpin thought this, the giant hammer turned again in mid-air, flying directly toward him!
"Damn it!" x2
Spider-Man and Kingpin exclaimed at the same time.
Then the giant hammer crashed directly onto Kingpin, and thick smoke rose instantly.
Spider-Man looked in Kingpin's direction, gritted his teeth, and prepared to go help the unlucky villain.
Having operated in New York for a while, he knew exactly what kind of guy Kingpin was. "Big baddie" wasn't enough to describe him. But Spider-Man wouldn't watch a life slip away before his eyes. Even if it was the life of a great villain, he wouldn't sit idly by!
"Damn it!"
Spider-Man shouted as if complaining, charging forward.
But in the next instant, he was stopped in his tracks by his keen Spider-Sense.
If I go up there... I will definitely die!
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