Chapter 277: Has Daredevil Gone on Vacation?
Nightfall
Peter landed silently in the district shrouded in darkness: Clinton.
"Where should I start looking for Daredevil?" Peter crouched on a rooftop ledge, his black stealth suit allowing him to blend perfectly into the shadows. The mechanical shutters on his eye lenses dilated and contracted, reflecting his focused state of mind.
"Peter, under these circumstances, we can still deploy the Spider-Drones," Gaia suggested.
"I know." Peter tapped the spider emblem on his chest. Dozens of micro-drones detached and flew off in every direction.
He watched them scatter, then sat quietly on the ledge, waiting for data. The miniature drones fanned out through the housing blocks, weaving through every narrow alleyway. Peter reasoned that Daredevil would surely be out tonight fighting thugs, and thugs were most likely to be found in the backstreets.
However, ten minutes passed without a single lead.
"Did I stay away too long? Did they all go on vacation?" Peter muttered, a corner of his mouth twitching.
Paris, France
"Woohoo! Uncle Matthew, this is so much fun!" Jenny shouted happily, sitting on Matthew Murdock's shoulders.
Matthew had a rare smile on his face. This city really was quite nice.
Clinton
Back in New York, Peter had waited for an hour. He had even cleared out a few street thugs while waiting, but there was still no sign of Daredevil. Frustrated, he recalled the drones.
The micro-spiders received the command and flew back, reassembling themselves into the spider pattern on his chest.
"Looks like I won't be seeing him tonight," Peter sighed. He was just about to pack it in and head home.
"Huh?" Peter was poised to leap when he noticed two figures walking on the street below.
One was a man dressed in black, wearing a mask that covered his face but left his eyes and mouth exposed. He wore a golden utility belt with the letters "BD" on the buckle and a black cape. Next to him was a young girl in a purple leather jacket, a beige skirt, and purple hair. She also wore a mask and a cape.
"What is this? Super-hero roleplay? Batman?" Peter scratched his head in confusion. Had Clinton changed this much in the few days he'd been gone?
His curiosity was piqued, especially when he noticed the man had a rifle strapped to his back—a real one. The little girl was no slouch either; a small pouch on her hip clearly held a handgun.
"Gaia, engage Night Raid Stealth Mode," Peter whispered.
The Street Below
"Big Daddy, I feel like someone's following us," Mindy said, looking up at the man beside her.
Damon Macready nodded. He glanced casually around the environment but saw no one. "I don't see anyone. Hit-Girl, what about you?"
Mindy shook her head. "I've lost the target."
"Corner ahead," Damon reminded her.
"Got it." Mindy quickened her pace.
On the roof, Peter stopped. "Did they spot me?" He wondered if his camouflage was that poor.
"Based on the average human's sensory capabilities, the chance of detecting Night Raid Stealth Mode is less than one percent," Gaia analyzed.
"So they didn't see me?" Peter watched their departing backs. He decided not to follow personally. "Take it from here, little spiders."
One leg of the spider emblem on his chest flew off, deconstructing into five microscopic drones that followed the pair.
The Alley
"The feeling of being watched is gone," Mindy noted.
"Mmhmm." Damon felt it was strange, but they had a mission tonight and couldn't afford to be distracted. Little did they know, five drones—each only a millimeter wide—were clinging to their shadows.
The Tibetan Plateau
The Shadow Legion was gliding through the sky over the plateau, tracking the movements of wild yaks. The team captain pulled out the Talisman Indicator. The western dragon eye glowed bright.
"That way!" The captain waved his hand, and the other ninjas sped up to follow.
They soon landed in front of a massive herd of yaks. The indicator pointed directly at the group.
"That's a lot of yaks," one ninja remarked, scratching his head.
"Spread them out," the captain ordered. "I need to identify which specific one holds the power."
The Shadow Ninjas moved in. "Move! Get out of here!" They cracked whips to disperse the herd.
To their surprise, the yaks were provoked. They began to charge the ninjas. One ninja leaped up and landed on the back of a yak. The captain checked the indicator—no match.
The ninja rode the yak away to keep the herd from huddling.
Poof!
Suddenly, one Shadow Ninja was gored by a yak and dissipated into a cloud of black mist.
"This one?" The captain checked the indicator. The dragon eye pointed at that specific yak and flared with light.
"That's it! Everyone, go!" the captain shouted.
The ninjas pulled out enchanted lassos and looped them around the yak's neck.
"Hmph!" The yak snorted a cloud of white steam, clearly enraged. It began a mad gallop. Eight Shadow Ninjas held the ropes with all their might, their feet digging into the earth, but the creature's strength was immense. Soon, the eight ninjas were being dragged through the air like kites.
"Captain, what do we do?" a ninja yelled.
"Request backup..." The captain realized they couldn't hold it. "This is the Talisman Squad. Requesting heavy support from HQ!"
BOOM!
A ten-meter-tall Shadow Eater materialized on the plateau. The sight of the behemoth caused the rest of the herd to stampede in terror.
The Eater ignored the others. Its gaze was fixed on the yak carrying the Talisman power.
"ROAR!" The Eater stood in the yak's path, let out a thunderous roar, and flexed its muscles.
The yak, far from being intimidated, was further enraged. It lowered its head and charged straight at the giant, dragging the eight ninjas behind it!
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