Marvel: Playing Iron Man, Falling In and Out of Love with Jinx

Bilgewater Port.

Lucian stood at the docks, his cold, chiseled face showing no emotion as he pulled his hood back. He didn't even glance at the pouch of coins on the ground. His lips parted slightly, and he said with steely detachment, "It was the right thing to do."

Duke smiled faintly. "Even so, it doesn't feel right to let a good deed go unrewarded."

He bent down, picked up the coin pouch, and stuffed it into Lucian's hand. For someone who looked so cool and composed, Lucian was actually dead broke. Aside from his twin relic pistols, he probably owned nothing but a pendant with Senna's photo, a few ceremonial nails, and a sewing kit.

That's all he had left, Lucian had given up everything in his quest for revenge.

As for Duke?

He was so poor… he only had money left.

Backed by the legacy of the Ferros family, which had stood tall since the founding of Piltover, Duke possessed unimaginable wealth. Two centuries of accumulated fortune didn't just make them rich, they were titans in their own right.

Forcing the pouch into Lucian's hand, Duke gave a rare, sincere smile. "Maybe we'll meet again someday."

Lucian gave him a long look, silently weighing the pouch before finally pocketing it. The journey from Demacia to Bilgewater had drained him of every coin, and he'd relied on help from fellow Sentinels just to get here.

Helping perform the Rite of Rest for the slain crew of the Swordfish wasn't just compassion, it was a way to lessen the number of souls that might be corrupted during the upcoming Harrowing Night.

"…Consider it a loan, then," Lucian said quietly.

"This is just my way of saying thank you," Duke replied.

Lucian didn't linger. Pulling his hood back over his head, he turned and disappeared without another word. Duke watched him go, his gaze lingering briefly on the twin pistols at Lucian's waist.

"I wish I could study those," Duke muttered. "But now's not the time. For a few spare coins, I've bought a connection with Lucian. That's more than worth it."

He looked down at the body bags containing the crew. "Besides… I owe him."

With the Swordfish sunk, Duke's path back to Piltover was gone. Even if he started building a new ship today, it wouldn't be ready until just before Harrowing Night, far too late and far too risky.

That meant only one thing: they had to survive Harrowing Night in Bilgewater.

Thanks to Lucian, the fallen crew had been properly consecrated. Their souls would return home in peace.

More importantly, establishing a connection with Lucian, one of the strongest shadow-hunters alive, was a strategic win. The man wasn't just armed with extraordinary weapons. His combat prowess alone made him worth the investment.

Duke clenched his fist. Three days. He would take down Gangplank within three days.

Forget the stolen cargo. Forget negotiations. Gangplank had crossed the line.

But the moment Gangplank fell, Bilgewater's strongest line of defense against the Harrowing would crumble. For years, Gangplank had led the charge against the black mist.

If he died now, the entire city would fracture. Sarah Fortune hadn't yet taken over his empire, and the remaining factions would tear each other apart trying to claim his territory.

Even as the Harrowing loomed, they'd still be fighting.

When that night came, Bilgewater would be nothing but meat on the chopping block.

Duke couldn't let that happen.

Short-term revenge couldn't come at the cost of long-term survival.

"Sir, we've finished gathering the remains," said Captain List, his voice hoarse and eyes red.

Duke didn't turn around. "Gangplank is mine. I'll crush him in three days. I'll get justice for the Swordfish and our fallen brothers."

He turned his back on the waterlogged Swordfish banner and looked toward the fog-covered alleys surrounding the dock. "But first, let's deal with these bottom-feeders."

List followed his gaze. His expression darkened instantly as he reached for his pistol.

"Those scumbags dare come after us?!"

Through Edith's lenses, Duke's glasses displayed several bounty posters. His face stared back from the paper, along with a reward of 1,000 Sea Serpents, for any part of his body.

A finger. A leg. Even a scrap of flesh would be worth gold.

And Duke's head? That fetched 5,000.

The others were listed too: Jayce, Captain List, the remaining crew, all marked.

It was Gangplank's plan.

Sink the ship, then issue the bounty.

Cut off their escape, then flood the city with mercenaries, forcing them into a corner.

Gangplank thought Duke had no way out, except surrender.

To crawl to him, hand over riches, and beg for mercy.

But he had miscalculated.

Duke was no ordinary man. Compared to him, these mortals were like ants beneath his boots.

"Easy, Captain," Duke said, patting List on the shoulder. He walked slowly toward the surrounding thugs, who watched him like vultures, weapons drawn, hungry eyes scanning his every move.

"You gentlemen… picked the worst time to show up," Duke said calmly, hands tucked in his coat pockets.

As he glanced around, Edith locked onto every enemy face.

"My mood today is… not ideal." He pointed at his chest. "There's a fire here. And it's looking for something to burn."

Suddenly, Hive-class drones descended from above, releasing their sub-units. In the blink of an eye, the entire dock was surrounded.

"Cut the crap!" one thug yelled. "You ain't walking outta here!"

He raised his curved blade and charged.

Duke casually raised his hand, extending just his thumb and forefinger like a gun.

"Then die."

Crack!

A clean hole punched through the man's forehead. He collapsed instantly.

Gasps echoed.

"He didn't even move!"

"He's a damned sorcerer!"

"A cursed warlock! He just points and people die!"

Someone in the crowd shouted, "Don't be scared! He's alone! Everyone charge!"

Crack!

That man dropped dead before he could take a step.

They were already within the drone's kill zone.

Each sub-drone was equipped with a compact SMG. The ammo was limited, but with this many drones, it didn't matter.

Chaos erupted. People screamed about curses and black magic.

Duke simply turned his back to them.

"Clean them up, Edith."

"Yes, boss."

Gunfire lit the dock like a storm of death.

Captain List stood frozen, eyes wide, throat dry.

He had no idea how Duke had done it. No wonder someone so young had risen to be one of the Ferros family's top three powerholders.

This was power beyond imagination.

"Let's go, Captain. Time to return to the hotel."

"Yes, sir."

Duke and his people walked away, stepping over the dead. Behind them, dockside scavenger rats surged forward to feast on the corpses.

Aboard the Dreadnought...

"Captain! All the men we sent are dead!"

A trembling sailor burst into Gangplank's cabin. "All one hundred and sixteen… gone!"

Gangplank grunted. He set down his weapon and slowly let black powder trickle from his palm like sand.

"Bilgewater's full of fools who'll sell their lives for a coin. Raise the bounty. Send more."

He turned to glare. "Tell Okau and the others: I want those Piltover bastards dead before sunrise."

"Yes, Captain!"

Aboard the Siren...

"Captain, urgent news!"

Raven burst into Sarah Fortune's quarters. She paused mid-assembly on a bullet casing and looked up.

"What is it?"

"It's about Duke."

"That kid? Wasn't he wanted by Gangplank?"

"Yes… but Captain, he just killed everyone who came to collect the bounty. One hundred and sixteen people. All gone."

Sarah blinked. "How many?"

"One hundred and sixteen."

"That kid… does he even realize what he's doing?"

She stood abruptly, pacing in deep thought.

"Put someone on him. If he needs help, we give it."

"Captain… are we really getting involved in this mess?"

"He's a Master Artificer. That title alone makes him worth protecting. If that wasn't enough, he's also the inventor of Piltover's exoskeleton tech. That's more than enough reason to back him."

"Yes, Captain. Right away!"

End of chapter...

To be continued...

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