"Therefore, citizens of New York, we should unite. Our city doesn't need those so-called 'vigilantes'; our city should be protected by ourselves!"
No, we need superheroes.
Peter Parker watched Kingpin's impassioned speech on the television and couldn't help but silently refute him in his heart.
To be honest, he didn't like this new mayor of New York City, not from the very beginning.
Unfortunately, he was currently only a high school student and didn't even have basic voting rights.
"Peter, I thought you were supposed to be in your room by now, not downstairs..."
In the living room, just as Peter was feeling dissatisfied with the mayor's speech on the television, Aunt May's voice suddenly called out from the kitchen.
"I know, Aunt May, just a little more time, that's all."
"That's not what you promised me, Peter."
Hearing Aunt May's words, Peter reluctantly got up from the sofa, saying,
"I'm going up now, Aunt May. Good night."
"Good night."
Leaning out from the kitchen, Aunt May looked at the television still on in the living room and couldn't help but shake her head.
She picked up the remote control from the sofa, glanced at the footage of the News Building explosion playing on the television screen, and then pressed the power button.
"...Osborn, you messed everything up because of your stupidity..."
New York, Rikers Island Prison.
Norman Osborn remained silent in his cell when a familiar voice suddenly echoed in his mind.
"Shut up!"
Hearing the sharp voice, Norman Osborn's facial muscles immediately contorted, and he cried out, his expression pained.
"Shut up! Why? Don't forget, Osborn, we are one. I am you, you are me. How could you possibly silence yourself? Hahahaha..."
"No, I'm not. You're just a side effect of the 'Enhancement Formula.'"
"A side effect? How sad, Osborn. We're so intimately intertwined, yet you describe my existence merely as a side effect."
Inside the prison cell, Osborn twisted his head, emitting two distinct voices from his mouth, at times laughing maniacally, at times protesting in pain.
However, despite Norman Osborn's behavior, none of the criminals in the nearby cells dared to complain; all of them fell silent, not daring to make the slightest move.
What they feared was not only the madness Osborn displayed but also the terrifying power that lay beneath his insanity.
"How long has he been in this condition?"
Standing outside the cell, watching Osborn talking to himself on the bed, Brock Rumlow couldn't help but ask the prison guard next to him.
"He's been like this ever since he came in."
Facing Crossbones' inquiry, the prison guard answered truthfully.
"In fact, if it weren't for the extreme danger the inmate himself poses, the place he should really be right now is a mental hospital."
Hearing the prison guard's reply, Crossbones turned his head to glance at Osborn in the cell again, feeling an inexplicable sense of agreement.
Indeed, Osborn's current appearance made him seem more like a patient than a criminal.
Especially his behavior of talking to himself in the cell made Crossbones subconsciously think of another equally dangerous member of the Thunderbolts — Bullseye.
"Alright, leave the rest to me."
Rolling his neck, Crossbones instructed the prison guard beside him.
"Osborn, hands behind your back..."
Hearing the command from outside the cell,
...
Osborn, who had been engrossed in his argument, suddenly stopped.
He slowly turned his head to look at the prison guard and Crossbones outside the cell, his voice hoarse as he said, "Who are you?"
"Me?"
Facing Osborn's question, Crossbones stepped up to the cell window, revealing the skull mask on his face.
"The one who's taking you out of here."
"Norman Osborn..."
Late at night, in the brightly lit New York mayor's office.
Kingpin stood by the window, leaning on his cane, overlooking the view outside the office.
"I like dealing with smart people. Smart people know what to ask and what not to say," Kingpin said slowly, turning to look at Osborn standing in the office. "So, Mr. Osborn, can you tell me, are you a smart man or..."
"An idiot! He's a complete and utter idiot!"
Ignoring the taunts in his mind, Osborn looked at Kingpin's massive figure. "So, what do you want me to do?"
"Very good. It seems you are a smart man, Mr. Osborn."
Nodding, Kingpin stepped in front of Osborn, his massive body casting a huge shadow that completely enveloped Osborn's form. "I can help you with your prison troubles, but as a condition, you must serve me."
"You want me to kill people for you?"
"Kill people? No."
Shaking his head, Kingpin denied Osborn's guess.
He pointed to the mayor's plaque on the desk behind him. "It seems Mr. Osborn has a slight misunderstanding about my current objective. As the mayor of New York City, how could I possibly do something so clearly against the law?"
"In fact, my objective is those civilian 'vigilantes' in New York City who claim to be 'superheroes' but refuse to accept regulation under the Superhuman Registration Act. They are the targets I oppose."
"Presumably, Mr. Osborn should be no stranger to these superheroes."
As he spoke, Kingpin's gaze fell upon Osborn.
The latter's expression visibly twisted after hearing the name 'superhero' from Kingpin.
However, Osborn quickly controlled his expression and looked at Kingpin. "But, as far as I know, even superheroes who oppose the Superhuman Registration Act are simply not protected by federal government policy and lack true law enforcement authority. This point is essentially negligible for those anti-Superhuman Registration Act superheroes."
"No, they will soon learn how naive and foolish their ideas are."
"However, before that, there's something that needs to be returned to its rightful owner."
As he spoke, Kingpin pulled a grotesque green mask from his pocket.
"I believe you'll need this, Mr. Osborn."
Looking at the Green Goblin mask in Kingpin's hand, Osborn's expression began to contort.
"No, I don't need..."
He first shook his head, trying to escape it all, but the next instant, he suddenly reached out and snatched the mask from Kingpin's hand. Immediately, his formerly calm voice became sharp and grating.
"Thank you, I was looking all over for it, ah hahahahaha..."
(end of chapter)