Kian then took a breath and looked at the final card.
"…Now Talia."
The last card glowed softly.
[Summoning in progress…]
A second figure appeared beside Deathstroke.
A beautiful woman with sharp eyes and a composed expression stepped forward. She wore tactical clothing and moved with confidence.
Talia al Ghul looked at Kian.
"So," she said calmly, "you are the one who called me here."
[Summoned Entity: Talia al Ghul.]
[Loyalty status: Bound to Host. Betrayal impossible.]
Kian stared for a moment, then nodded.
"Yeah," he said.
"I guess I did."
The System spoke again.
[Summoning complete.]
[Host now possesses two summoned allies and one inherited ability.]
Kian leaned back and exhaled.
"…This is going to be interesting."
Both of them looked at Kian, waiting for his next order.
"What were your last moments before I summoned you?" he asked.
They glanced at each other before Deathstroke spoke.
"I was dying when I was asked if I wanted to live," he said calmly. "I was offered a second chance—a new body, free of injuries—if I agreed to serve you."
"Same for me," Talia added.
Kian nodded.
"Alright then. I don't need much from either of you. You can live however you want in this new world," he said.
"Just one thing—I live with my mom, and I need you two to protect her. Talia, you can go and buy the apartment next door. As for you, Deathstroke—go gather funds. For now, we're in Hell's Kitchen, and it's full of illegal activity. Take what you need, but burn the drugs while you're at it."
Both of them nodded calmly.
"Understood," Deathstroke said.
Talia gave a small smile. "It will be done."
"She will go with you," Kian said, snapping his fingers. Isabelle appeared, looking around wondering why Kian suddenly summoned her. When she saw Talia, she went on alert.
"Who is this woman?" she asked, suspiciously.
"Isabelle, meet our two new partners. They will be working with us from now on," Kian explained. "Go with them. They're going to wipe out a criminal syndicate and take their funds and weapons while they're at it."
"As for you," he continued, "take their souls and bring them back to me." Isabelle nodded.
"She is Isabelle, and she has superpowers," Kian added simply. Unless someone saw her in action, Isabelle looked just like a normal human.
Both Deathstroke and Talia nodded at her, then left.
"Also," Kian called after them, "while you're at it, find someone who can make new identities for you. Your identities weren't magically generated when I summoned you."
They nodded in acknowledgment.
They disappeared into the night without another word.
The room fell quiet again.
Kian let out a slow breath and leaned back against the wall.
"So… that's done," he muttered.
The system flickered to life in front of him.
[Active Summons: 2]
[Assigned Mission: Eliminate criminal syndicate – In Progress]
[Estimated Completion: Unknown]
Kian rubbed the back of his neck. "I really just sent two deadly professionals to clean up a crime network like it was a grocery run…"
He shook his head and sat down on the couch.
"Now, with them, I get money, a safe Hell Kicthen if I let them wreck havoc here, and hopefully a new powerful Wraith," he mumbled. He opened his laptop and began watching some fighting videos. Since he now had the Taskmaster mimicry ability, he could fill his mind with every move, every arsenal, and every fighting style. Every fight would fill in gaps in his knowledge, improving his skill and speed.
"Taskmaster… no wonder he was such a powerful mercenary. With this, I can easily replicate what took me years to learn," Kian sighed. He paused, then closed his eyes and began to fight in his mind. Thanks to the perfect mimicry, he could create imaginary enemies and train against them as if he were facing real opponents.
Elsewhere, far across the city—
Deathstroke stood on a rooftop, scanning a heavily guarded warehouse below.
Talia adjusted her gloves. "Drug trafficking, weapons stockpile, and illegal money laundering," she said calmly. "This place checks every box."
Isabelle's eyes glowed faintly. "There are people inside. Armed. Nervous."
Deathstroke loaded his rifle.
"Then let's clean house."
Talia smiled slightly.
"Efficiently."
The lights below flickered.
And then—everything went dark.
"I cut the power, but it also alerted this cartel gang," Isabelle said, nodding.
"It won't take long," Deathstroke said, jumping down and entering the warehouse, while Talia glanced at Isabelle.
"What's your relationship with our new master who calls us partners?" she asked.
"He is kind," Isabelle replied, "but if you try to take advantage of that, the consequences will make you wish you were dead." She glanced around, her senses alert to every movement.
"I have no such intention," Talia said, nodding. "I was just fascinated by his demeanor."
Isabelle's red glowing eyes fixed on her for a moment. "Keep it that way," she said, then vanished from the area.
"I guess she likes Kian very much," Talia murmured, shaking her head as she stood on the rooftop with her rifle, picking off anyone who tried to leave the warehouse.
Meanwhile, Deathstroke moved through the chaos below, eliminating targets efficiently. He was like a wolf among sheep, striking silently and without mercy.
Inside the warehouse, crates of drugs and weapons were scattered everywhere. Guards scrambled in confusion, trying to find the source of the sudden blackout.
Deathstroke moved like a shadow, silently taking out anyone who got too close. A kick to the chest, a precise gunshot, a swipe of his sword—each movement was calculated, leaving no room for mistakes.
Talia stayed on the rooftop, her rifle steady. Every time a guard tried to escape, a single shot rang out, taking them down before they could react. Her movements were fluid, almost elegant, yet deadly.
From the shadows, Isabelle appeared, her red glowing eyes scanning the room. She moved in a blur, phasing in and out to avoid attacks, disarming guards and neutralizing them without leaving a mark.
Within minutes, the gang realized they were hopelessly outmatched. Panic spread as Deathstroke cleared the floor, Talia controlled the perimeter, and Isabelle silently eliminated anyone who posed a threat.