Marvel: Familia System

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Flying away from Tony, Nero felt a familiar shift in the air as a screen materialized in front of him. Maria's face appeared, her Mist Flame Illusions allowing them to communicate as if they were standing face to face, creating real-time communication without any need for satellites or wire, despite the miles between them. One of the upgrades they'd added for situations like this. Her bright smile greeted him.

"How did it go?" Maria asked, the amusement in her tone obvious.

Nero returned her smile, Maria could see his face clearly through the illusion. "It was fine. Reed played dumb, trying to lure me into a false sense of confidence. He was all emotion, leaving tempting openings, practically begging me to strike. Classic trap."

Maria raised an eyebrow. "And you didn't take the bait?"

"Please." Nero rolled his eyes. "Reed doesn't get to mess with me that easily. He's sharp, but predictable. Played the part of the curious scientist perfectly. Asked all the usual questions."

"He does like to poke around where he shouldn't," Maria noted, her voice laced with knowing humor. "Think he'll back off?"

"Not a chance," Nero replied, the faint glow of his flames lighting his path as he flew. "Reed's too obsessed with solving puzzles. I just made myself the latest one he can't resist. But I gave him enough to chew on for a while. He'll be busy connecting dots."

Maria leaned back, her expression relaxed but focused as she listened to Nero. "What if Reed connects the dots? Finds out more than we want him to?"

Nero smirked, adjusting his flight path as he kept his eyes on the city below. "He won't. L's already ahead of him. Science might be Reed's game, but when it comes to solving puzzles and connecting dots, L's better. He'll only find what we let him."

Maria nodded, the tension in her shoulders easing slightly. "Alright, I'll trust L to handle it. But what about Donald and Anthony? Weren't they compromised when they met Danny, Luke, and Matt? That could draw unwanted attention."

Nero waved off her concern with a casual gesture. "Not really. They blended in fine. Danny only saw Anthony as some big guy, and Donald? Just a doctor Sakura called in for consultation. No one's piecing that together."

Before Maria could respond, Nero's phone beeped, and he tapped a button to add L into the conversation. "How's the Hand operation looking, L?" Nero asked.

L's voice crackled through the line, as calm and unbothered as always. "Smooth. SHIELD's been completely sidetracked. They've got their hands full securing what they think is the main cargo—Dragon Bones. Fury's team is setting up a perimeter around it now."

Nero adjusted his flight, banking left over the darkened city. "And the actual cargo?"

"Secured," L replied with casual confidence. "It's in our possession. SHIELD hasn't even come close to finding it."

Maria, still watching through the Mist Flame Illusion, raised an eyebrow. "And SHIELD has no idea?"

"No clue," L confirmed. "They're too busy dealing with the Dragon Bones. It's all going according to plan. And they're not going to figure it out anytime soon," L added, sounding almost bored. "SHIELD's playing by their own rules, which makes them predictable. They've already diverted half their resources to protect the wrong target."

Maria glanced at Nero, amusement clear on her face. "And they still think they're running the show."

"They always do," Nero said with a shrug. "Let them. As long as we've got the real cargo, Fury's none the wiser. What about the Hand? They still on your tail?"

"Not anymore," L replied, his tone cool. "We cut their communications before they could call for backup. They're scrambling now, but they're chasing shadows."

Nero's eyes gleamed, "It's time to strike," Nero said, his tone smooth, but with a hint of finality. "Wipe them out where it hurts. I don't need the Hand gone forever—that's impossible. But I don't want to hear their name anywhere near us for the next few decades."

L's calm voice responded, "Understood. I'll lead SHIELD right to them. They'll take care of the heavy lifting, thinking they've uncovered something major."

Maria chuckled through the Mist Flame Illusion, shaking her head slightly. "You're really going to let Fury do all the work for you?"

Nero gave a slight shrug, his voice amused. "It's what he's best at—doing other people's dirty work without knowing it. SHIELD loves playing the hero."

Nero hovered high above Hell's Kitchen, his form barely visible against the night sky. The air was cool, and the lights of the city stretched out below like a glittering map. His senses extended far beyond his physical sight, Aura-type Observation Haki weaving through the buildings, streets, and hidden alleys. With each pulse, he felt the presence of every living thing, every movement, every tremor beneath the surface. His eyes, strengthened by Sky Flames, pierced through the darkness, cutting through the walls and seeing the Hand's agents scrambling in the shadows. They were desperate, uncoordinated, like rats trying to escape a sinking ship.

Far below, explosions rocked the city, sending plumes of smoke and debris into the air. SHIELD had descended like a hammer, hitting every location L had fed them. Teams of agents swarmed through the streets, their coordinated strikes driving the Hand's operatives further into disarray. Nero watched it all unfold from above, as if conducting a symphony of destruction.

He could see Fury's men storming the warehouses, clearing out the facilities, and confiscating crates of heroin. They were relentless, following the precise trail Nero had laid out for them. SHIELD thought they were dismantling the Hand's entire operation, but in reality, they were cleaning up the pieces Nero had already discarded. The real prize had been taken hours ago—quietly, efficiently, and without a single trace left behind.

Nero smirked beneath his mask. He didn't need to fight every battle. Sometimes, letting someone else do the dirty work was far more satisfying.

As he floated there, Maria's presence flickered into view beside him, her Mist Flames weaving through the air like soft ribbons. She drifted closer, and Nero instinctively wrapped an arm around her, pulling her gently against him. Together, they watched the city burn, the chaos below a testament to the plan they had orchestrated.

"SHIELD's doing a hell of a job down there," Maria said, her voice light, mixing with the distant sounds of explosions, sirens and shouts of thousands of people. 

Nero rested his chin on Maria's shoulder, his eyes fixed on the chaos below as SHIELD's forces tore through the city. His arm still wrapped loosely around her, the scene played out like a stage performance—one he had carefully orchestrated.

"Fury's going to have a headache," Maria muttered, her voice carrying a hint of amusement. "Clearing out the Hand's main operations is one thing, but he'll soon realize he's pissed off a lot of powerful people."

Nero smirked, his breath warm against her skin. "Yeah, Fisk was filling the pockets of half the World Council. Once they figure out their cash cow's gone, they'll start grilling Fury."

"He'll handle it," Maria shrugged lightly, leaning into him. "That man's stubborn as hell. But they'll still tie him in knots with bureaucracy."

"Let them," Nero said, eyes fixed on the wreckage below. "Keeps the pressure off us. As long as SHIELD's busy cleaning up this mess, we can focus on what's next."

Maria turned her head slightly, her eyes catching the distant flames. "You think this'll keep the Hand quiet for a while?"

Nero didn't answer immediately, his gaze trailing over the burning buildings. SHIELD was thorough, and tonight they'd gutted the Hand's operations across the city. But he knew better than to think they were done. "They'll crawl back eventually," he said, his voice low. "But it'll take time. And when they do, they won't have the same reach."

"Or the same power," Maria added, the corners of her lips curving up in a faint smile. 

Nero stretched lazily, still holding Maria in his arms as the chaos below unfolded in Hell's Kitchen. Fires, explosions, and SHIELD agents swarming like ants—everything was going exactly according to plan. With a smirk hidden under his mask, he reached for his phone and made a quick call.

"Sorella, show me my achievements," he said casually, his tone light.

The soft, almost melodic voice of Sorella, his system AI, responded in her usual cheerful manner. "Yes, Big Brother."

Immediately, a translucent screen appeared before Nero's eyes, displaying the full extent of their recent operations. The numbers and data scrolled down in quick succession, highlighting every successful move since the discovery of the Dragon Bone-tainted heroin that had kickstarted this entire series of events.

[SYSTEM REPORT: Achievement Overview]

1. Dragon Bone-Heroin Discovery:

Located initial batch of drug supply.

Investigated source through Hell's Kitchen informants.

Established contact with key players (Danny, Matt, Luke) without exposure.

2. Hand Operations Unveiled:

Infiltrated Hand's distribution network.

Tracked shipments across Harlem and Hell's Kitchen.

Sabotaged multiple operations to cripple the Hand's flow of resources.

3. Neogenes Liberation:

Coordinated with Kira and Mystique to ensure mutants' safe extraction.

Diverted X-Men and Brotherhood attention to limit conflict.

Successfully rescued 53 mutants without casualties.

4. Dismantling Fisk and the Hand:

Undermined Kingpin's control over the drug trade in Harlem.

Neutralized several Hand strongholds.

Delivered vital intelligence to SHIELD, ensuring long-term damage to Fisk's power structure.

5. SHIELD's Involvement:

Orchestrated SHIELD's intervention, leading them to mop up remaining Hand agents.

Avoided direct exposure of Nero's Familia.

Maintained operational control while using SHIELD to do the heavy lifting.

6. Local Heroes Added:

Integrated Spider-Man, Daredevil, Luke Cage, and Danny Rand into operations.

Enhanced collaboration without compromising the Familia's secrecy.

Maria glanced at the screen, nodding approvingly. "Not bad. Looks like we've dealt quite the blow."

Nero tapped his chin thoughtfully, scrolling through the system's final tally. "I'd say it's more than a blow. The Hand's going to have a hard time crawling out of this one."

Sorella chimed back in, her tone warm and chipper. [Calculating rewards based on achievements... Congratulations! 

2x D++ Class Character Cards

2x C-- Class Character Card

1x C++ Tier Character Card

3x D Class Item Cards

1x C-- Class Item Card

2x C++ Class Item Cards

4x D++ Class Ability Cards

1x C-- Class Ability Card

2x C+ Class Ability Cards]

Sorella's cheerful voice broke through the air. [Would you like to condense the cards, Big Brother?]

Nero hovered silently, deep in thought. He knew Sorella's question wasn't just about leveling up—condensing cards wasn't a simple decision. It meant fewer, but stronger individuals, and their current setup had them spread across enough organizations that one more operative wouldn't hurt, but two or three extra might draw attention.

He glanced over at Maria, her arms crossed as she considered the question. She met his gaze, and after a moment, nodded. "Fresh blood might not be necessary. We've got sleepers in most of the organizations we need—there's not much room for extra faces without tipping our hand."

Nero rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "True. But we could use someone stronger, someone who can handle things without needing constant oversight. Our ops are getting bigger, and eventually, the right people will start sniffing around. When they do, we need someone that can hold the line."

Maria considered that for a beat, her expression thoughtful. "Okay. Condense them. We don't need more bodies, but we do need more power."

Nero gave a brief nod, signaling to Sorella. "Condense them all."

The translucent screen flickered in front of him as Sorella processed the request. [Condensing the cards, Big Brother!] Her tone was bright and energetic, but the underlying magic in the air as the cards merged was anything but light. The screen blurred momentarily as the system worked, combining all the power, personalities, and potential from the collection of D++ and C-- Class cards they had accumulated. Finally, the data solidified.

[You now have: 1x B-- Class Character Card, 1x B-- Class Ability Card, and 1x B-- Class Item Card. Congratulations!] Sorella's voice held a note of pride, as if she had personally done something impressive.

Maria raised an eyebrow, impressed but not surprised. "B--? That's better than I thought."

Sorella's voice chimed in again, this time with a slight apologetic tone. [As I mentioned earlier, Big Sis, the cards don't have numeric values, and sometimes not all of the energy is fully utilized when merging. The unused energy from previous merges has accumulated and just barely pushed this one to B-- rank. However, despite being B--, the power level is at the lower end, so the possibilities for the summoned characters, items, and abilities will be at the lowest of the rank.]

Nero and Maria exchanged glances, both nodding, having expected as much.

"Draw them, Sorella," Nero ordered casually, his gaze still fixed on the screen, where SHIELD agents were moving through Hell's Kitchen, completely unaware they were being used as pawns.

[Right away, Big Brother!] Sorella replied cheerfully. The screen flickered for a moment, and then three cards materialized, floating mid-air before Nero and Maria. The first, outlined in a faint blue glow, was the character card; the second, a soft violet, was the ability card; and the third, with a metallic sheen, represented the item card.

Maria peered at the glowing cards. "Well, let's see what we've got. Could be something interesting."

Nero reached for the first card, the character card, and with a simple flick of his wrist, it flipped over, revealing a name and a brief description.

Nero picked up the first card, the character card, and flipped it over. His eyes scanned the text, and for a brief second, he paused, recognizing the name. "Zed," he muttered to himself, the masked figure of the League of Legends universe's Master of Shadows. The corner of his mouth twitched under his mask. Zed—an assassin with mastery over shadow manipulation—was not someone to take lightly, even in the context of the Familia's already formidable abilities.

Maria raised an eyebrow at Nero's reaction. "Zed?" she repeated, her tone laced with curiosity. "I take it he's not just some random guy?"

"Not even close," Nero replied, showing the card to her. "He's a ninja, a shadow manipulator. Fast, lethal, and very good at being where you don't want him to be."

Maria tilted her head, studying the description but not quite grasping the full weight of it. "Sounds useful, but shadow manipulation?" She waved her hand dismissively. "We've got plenty of operatives who can blend into the dark."

"Not like this," Nero clarified, smirking behind his mask. "Zed isn't just about stealth. He's... an expert at turning shadows into weapons, not just cover. Think of him like a walking shadow that can stab you in the back while standing in front of you."

Maria gave a slight nod, acknowledging the explanation. "Alright, fine. If you say so. Sounds like he could be an asset."

"Definitely," Nero said, moving to the next card—the item card. The Spear of Bitter Mercy. His eyebrow raised slightly as he recognized the name from the memories of the Prince, a powerful artifact from the Elder Scrolls universe. It was known for its destructive power and its ability to summon Daedric creatures to fight for its wielder.

"Now this," Nero muttered, "is something else." He held up the card, showing Maria the details.

She scanned the description quickly. "A spear? You're not a spear guy, Nero. You're more... fiery explosions and bullets," she remarked with a grin.

"It's not just a spear," Nero replied, shaking his head. "This thing can summon creatures from... well, let's just say it's like having an army in your pocket."

Maria's eyes lit up, finally catching on. "Ah, now that's more like it. So, what? You stab someone, and suddenly there's a horde of creatures tearing them apart?"

"Something like that," Nero confirmed. "Except the creatures aren't exactly friendly to anyone else, so we'd have to be careful how we use it."

"Sounds messy," Maria commented, leaning back slightly. "But I can see the potential. Maybe keep it in reserve for when things go sideways."

Nero placed the spear card down and moved on to the last one—the ability card. Dimensional Storage. This one made him pause again, the Prince's memories flashing through his mind. It was an ability pulled from the Breath of the Wild, allowing its wielder to store items in an alternate dimension and access them whenever needed. Essentially, an infinite storage space that was completely undetectable.

Maria glanced at the card, then back at Nero. "What's that one?"

"Dimensional Storage," Nero answered, a grin pulling at his lips. "It's like having a backpack that never runs out of room. We can stash weapons, supplies, or even entire vehicles in it and pull them out whenever we need them."

Maria looked impressed. "Now that's useful. We wouldn't have to lug around half the gear we normally do. And no one would even know we had it."

"Exactly," Nero said, pocketing the card. "It's going to make operations a lot smoother, especially when we need to travel light."

Maria chuckled. "I'm liking this haul more and more."

Nero leaned back, satisfied with the cards they had drawn. "Yeah, it's a good mix. Zed will be a solid addition for stealth ops, the spear gives us raw power, and this Dimensional Storage... well, let's just say logistics just got a whole lot easier."

Before they could dwell on their new acquisitions, Sofia's voice crackled through the comms. "Nero, we've got movement."

Nero and Maria exchanged a glance before Nero responded. "Go ahead, Sofia."

"The Hand's remnants are scrambling. They've picked up on SHIELD's movements and are trying to regroup. Looks like they're planning a counterstrike."

"Let them try," Nero said, his tone cool and confident. "They'll burn themselves out before they get close to us."

Maria tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Still, we should be prepared. SHIELD might be doing the heavy lifting, but if the Hand gets desperate, they could lash out."

Nero nodded, agreeing with her. "We'll keep an eye on it. Have the Neogenes stay in the shadows for now—no need to expose them unless it's absolutely necessary."

Sofia's voice came back over the comms. "Already on it. They're in position but staying out of sight."

"Good," Nero replied. "Keep me updated."

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