I'm working on Marvel's Spider-Man in American comics.

Chapter 651 The Shadow of the Hand

Nighttime is Daredevil's territory. The demon that strikes fear into the heart of Hell's Kitchen only appears in the darkness, intimidating everyone there.

Because Matt Murdoch has to go to work during the day.

He used a very violent style to knock out the gang members he was fighting with, then the second, then the third. After a series of intense close combat, Matt had knocked all the gang thugs to the ground, and then looked helplessly out the window—even though he couldn't actually see.

"You're just going to watch me fight from the outside, and you're not going to lift a finger in the end?"

"I saw that you were fighting quite easily, so I didn't plan to disturb you."

Peter, of course, was hanging upside down outside. He flipped over and landed inside the room, glancing briefly at the guys who had been beaten to a pulp: "Almost all of them have broken bones. You handled the situation quite well."

"I have to maintain a constant level of intensity, ensuring they get a good lesson while also making sure I don't kill anyone."

After glancing at the group, Matt suggested, "I'll take what I want, and then we can talk on the rooftop?"

"What about these people? Shouldn't we call the police?"

"This is Hell's Kitchen. Believe me, this beating will be more effective than any police officer, and the police in Hell's Kitchen won't be responding to calls at this hour."

After Matt explained the truth about Hell's Kitchen, he leaped out of the window, then shot one end of the long stick upwards, pulled on the wire, and flew away. Peter glanced at the poor folks, covered them with a layer of spider web to bind them, then jumped out of the window, turned around, and shot spider webs with his back to the wall. He then used his arms to "launch" himself onto the rooftop.

Matt, who had just been through a battle, sat down to rest on the edge of the exhaust fan and asked Peter why he had come: "What brings an Avenger here? Has something big happened in New York?"

"Maybe yes, maybe no. I heard the name Hand when I was dealing with some gangs, and then I learned a little about them from Logan. Finally, I found out that a gang in Harlem was killed by some immortal ninjas, so I came to you to ask for some information."

Peter could clearly sense Matt's breathing quicken after hearing the word "Hand," followed by Matt's question: "How much do you know about the Hand?"

"What I just told you is basically what I know. I also know that they worship something called a beast. Oh, and they may be cooperating with Hydra."

After a moment of silence, and confirming that Peter wasn't lying, Matt shook his head: "I don't know much about them... It's a long story. Would you like to hear the more detailed version or the simpler one?"

"Please be more specific, I have plenty of time."

Matt sighed deeply and began to tell his story.

Matt Murdoch is the son of a boxer. Born into poverty, his mother abandoned him and his father early on. His father, Jack, supported the family through underground boxing matches. In an accident, while rescuing an elderly man from being hit by a car, Matt's eyes were burned by radioactive material spilled in the vehicle, causing him to lose his sight. However, his hearing became exceptionally sharp. It was with this talent that he became an apprentice of a blind martial artist. "All my skills were learned from that old man. Anyway, let's skip some other irrelevant details and get to the Hand. Stick comes from an ancient organization, the Holy Order, which was founded almost simultaneously with the Hand, only a few decades apart."

The Hand was originally founded in Kyushu by Yoshioka Kagenobu, a blind ninja. This ninja organization, born during Japan's Sengoku period, initially had a very peculiar and simple purpose: to deal with Western missionaries and their followers, thus gaining the trust of the Kyushu daimyo. Subsequently, the entire organization rapidly expanded throughout Japan, specifically targeting the assassination of missionaries. However, as its power grew, the Hand's control over its subordinates weakened.

With the passing of its first founder, the entire organization began to rapidly decay. A ninja faction called "Snake Root" seized a dominant position within the Hand, leading everyone to worship a mysterious being called the Beast, and becoming completely embroiled in the chaos of the Warring States period. The Hand transformed into an organization that sold ninja skills and conducted assassination work, while continuously expanding its power and followers.

Furthermore, the Hand acquired terrifying black magic rituals, enabling them to brainwash people using their darker side, turning them into obedient assassins. They could also turn ninjas into immortal ninjas and control them after killing them. After discovering that the entire Hand was becoming increasingly bizarre and spreading beyond the Japanese mainland, one of the Hand's elders, the ninja master Ezo, was so frightened that he crossed the sea overnight to the other side of the strait and found local martial arts masters to inform them about the Hand.

And so, in a mysterious ancient country in the East, an organization that opposed the Hand, the Holy Order, was born.

"Wait, so you're saying the so-called Hand has an evil god, brainwashing rituals, and immortal ninjas behind it, but the Holy Order across the sea is actually... uh, a martial arts organization?"

Matt nodded: "Although it does sound like a huge disparity in strength, that's how it is."

"Didn't the Iron Fist of Kunlun come to help?"

"Some martial artists have gone to Kunlun to cultivate, but none of them have obtained the power of the Iron Fist; they are all ordinary people."

Alright, since the Holy Order and the Hand have been fighting each other for hundreds of years, I'm sure the heroes have come up with a way to deal with it, and they're not afraid of those immortal ninjas at all.

“I should have joined the Holy Order, but I didn’t pass the test. Or rather, they asked me to kill evil people, which I refused. I would prefer these people to be brought to justice. If the courts and the law fail, then other means should be used to bring them to justice. Obviously, I am not in compliance.”

Matt shrugged after speaking, then paused for a moment before adding another sentence.

“I’ve fought them a few times, Spider-Man. Their influence in New York is constantly expanding. We took down a lot of gang leaders last year, but that only allowed these guys to expand without any restraint. And…”

Peter looked at Matt, wanting to ask him something, but Matt shook his head. He wanted to talk about something personal, so he didn't say it.

That is, his college classmate and first love, Erica, had been brainwashed by the Hand and become one of them.

But Peter already knew that.

(End of this chapter)