Tony grinned. "Doctor, your skills are truly superb. It's an honor to meet you today."
He clasped Soren's hand enthusiastically. "I'll make sure to visit you personally when I get the chance!"
As one of the United States' most prominent military partners, Tony had heard of Soren's reputation long before their meeting. Thanks to J.A.R.V.I.S., he was well aware of the incident at Everlife Medical Center, the tense exchange between Soren and Ross, and most notably, Soren's terrifying combat abilities.
"I'll be looking forward to it." Soren returned the smile.
With a slight flick of his hand, a business card materialized in midair and floated toward Tony, slowly rotating as if defying gravity.
Tony raised an eyebrow. "Neat trick."
"Mr. Stark, this is my business card." He watched Tony's amused yet curious expression. "It has a small function… if you ever need me, crush it. You'll be instantly transported to my hospital."
Tony's eyes flashed with intrigue. He had seen plenty of technology, but this was… alien. Suspicious but intrigued, he carefully took the card and slipped it into his pocket. After a few more pleasantries, they parted ways.
While the banquet continued, Soren refrained from mingling much. His primary objective, establishing contact with Tony Stark, was complete.
Before the night ended, he exchanged a glance with Osborn, acknowledged the unspoken understanding between them, and left first.
The city had quieted as night deepened. Soren strolled alone down a near-empty street, the cool breeze brushing against him. It was a rare, tranquil moment.
That is, until he stepped past a dimly lit alley.
"Stop right there!"
The sudden shout startled him. Before he could fully react, several large men emerged from the shadows, surrounding him.
Cold steel glinted under the flickering streetlights, daggers in their hands.
"Hand over everything valuable!" Growled the apparent leader, the towering man sneered.
Soren blinked, almost amused. A robbery? Really? He glanced down at his attire.. casual but expensive. They must have targeted him based on that alone.
"I don't have any money." He sighed.
The leader scoffed. "Yeah, right. Dressed like that and broke? You must think we're stupid."
Another thug sneered, brandishing his knife. "Don't play games, man. You don't cooperate, you're not walking out of here."
They stepped closer, daggers twirling.
Soren shook his head. They had no idea who they were messing with.
He was about to deal with them when~
A sudden gust of wind tore through the alley.
From above, a shadowed figure leaped off the high wall, moving with the grace of a predator. With a slight push off the bricks, he landed between Soren and the robbers.
He wore an unusual, almost bizarre, a deep crimson red with jagged edges and an asymmetrical cut that screamed chaos.
His mind raced, trying to pinpoint why the dress seemed so... familiar. Then, like a spark igniting a fuse, it hit him. The red, the unyielding sense of defiance.
Matt Murdock, Daredevil.
Soren stood motionless as the scene unfolded before him. Daredevil, with fluid precision, dismantled the group of robbers in less than a minute.
The thugs barely had time to react before they were sprawled on the cold pavement, groaning in pain.
Daredevil turned to leave, but his sharp senses told him that Soren hadn't moved an inch.
He hesitated, then asked, "Why are you still standing there? You should get out of here."
"I was just about to thank you for the assistance." Soren smiled.
Daredevil narrowed his eyes behind the mask. Most people in this situation would be shaken, maybe even running for their lives. But him? He looked perfectly calm, amused. It was… odd.
"No need. Just be careful, wandering around alone at night isn't the safest choice." Daredevil turned his head slightly. The distant wail of police sirens reached his ears.
"The cops are on their way. You should leave."
Soren, however, had something else on his mind. "Is there something wrong with your eyes? I'm a doctor, I can help."
Daredevil froze. For a brief moment, Soren sensed hesitation.
The masked vigilante had come to terms with his blindness long ago, but it was still a permanent reminder that had changed his life.
After a beat, Daredevil sighed. "I appreciate the offer, but my eyes are permanently damaged. There's no fixing them."
Before Soren could respond, Daredevil leapt onto the nearest wall, scaled it with ease, and disappeared into the night.
Soren exhaled, shaking his head. "Superheroes… always dramatic."
His gaze drifted to the robbers still writhing on the ground. The police sirens were getting louder. Not wanting to get involved in unnecessary questioning, he flicked his wrist, and in an instant, he vanished from the alley, teleporting straight back to his hospital.
The groaning robbers, witnessing the impossible, were left dumbfounded.
So much so that when the police stormed into the alley moments later, they barely reacted, still trying to process what had just happened.
The incident was soon forgotten, and Soren's routine returned to normal. But something was bothering him.
Despite treating numerous patients daily, his mission score had stalled at [270/300]
No matter how many people came through his doors, the number refused to budge.
Frustrated but resigned, Soren leaned back on his sofa at the end of a long day, flipping through TV channels. He barely paid attention until a certain news broadcast caught his eye.
"A mysterious vigilante continues his crusade in the streets of New York! Working alongside the police, Daredevil has helped take down multiple criminal gang strongholds."
The screen showed grainy footage of Daredevil in action, flipping, striking, and moving like a demon through the city's underworld.
George Stacy appeared next, addressing the press. "Daredevil has been instrumental in assisting the police force. His actions, while unconventional, have undoubtedly made the streets safer."
"Well, looks like the cops are finally warming up to masked heroes."
Soren stretched lazily, pondering. Maybe next time, Daredevil wouldn't be so quick to dismiss his offer.
꧁𓊈𒆜༺⚜༻𒆜𓊉꧂
Fellow Phantoms and aspiring Phantoms to be, if you seek to access advanced parts of this story procced to my shadowy realm of p@treon.
PhantomDream