Chapter 35
The Real "Treasure"
Tru's first reaction to Riley's suggestion was that the brat must be crazy...
Putting aside the fact that the two sides, given their differing stances, should have been irreconcilable enemies with no possibility of cooperation whatsoever...
To put yourself on a plane back to New York with a guy who could turn into a green monster at any moment?
Is this kid crazy, or did I damage my brain nerves when that green monster beat me up not long ago, causing me to hallucinate now?
Listen to this! Is this something a human being would say?
Even if we assume, for example, that I agreed...
If this thing suddenly turns back into a green monster at 10,000 meters altitude and dismantles the plane, how could it possibly survive?!
"Alright, Tru, I know what you're worried about, so I'll go with you on the plane back. And on the way, I'll make sure that even if Banner accidentally turns into the Hulk, I can calm him down so he doesn't break the plane to pieces."
Before Tru could even refuse, Riley seemed to have mind-reading abilities and easily saw through Tru's thoughts.
He spoke first, using a seemingly well-intentioned suggestion but actually threatening tone, enunciating each word clearly.
"Of course, don't rush to refuse me. Putting aside the fact that this trouble was most likely caused by you, you should thank us for saving your life... You probably don't want your mother, who has been kept in the dark and is still proud of you, to know that your real job is actually as a thug, doing illegal and dirty work for Valon, right?"
"What?! How did you know...?! Who are you?!"
Clearly, Riley, with his intimate knowledge of the plot, possessed an unimaginable advantage in intelligence. With just a few words, he could easily exploit Tru's weakness.
As a result, Tru, who had never seen Riley remove his mask from beginning to end and was naturally unaware of Riley's... or rather, the true identity of the black "Spider-Man," suddenly felt deeply wary of the masked man whose identity was unknown.
Furthermore, in that subconscious exclamation and question, Riley's words, which suggested she knew Tru inside and out, made Tru suspicious...
Could Riley, who uses outlandish clothing to conceal his appearance, be an elite agent sent by Section 13 who has infiltrated the Mafia, ready to wipe them out at any moment?
In his confusion and disarray, Tru, whose thoughts were completely disrupted, was clearly unaware that...
The boy who was alone with Xiaoyu during the previous pursuit of her has since disappeared without a trace...
Who exactly is this guy in battle armor in front of me? It's really hard to guess!
"Just a Spider-Man passing by, remember that."
Seeing Tru's expression, Riley knew that he had gained the upper hand both mentally and physically.
While further provoking Tru's nerves with his words, Riley also activated the power of the Chicken Talisman, causing Tru's body to float off the ground, proving that he was not seeking Tru's opinion, but merely informing him.
"Now, before I change my mind and decide to send you to District 13 for tea, are you interested in accepting my offer, Mr. Tru?"
Under these circumstances, even though Tru was extremely unwilling and wished he could tear the masked monster in front of him to pieces with his own hands, he had no choice but to agree to Riley's suggestion.
Of course, before leaving, considering that although the Bull Warrior betrayed his own people and played the role of a bad teammate in the later plot, he was not a bad person at heart and did have some real skills - for example, with Paco's encouragement, the Bull Warrior regained his strength and was still the undefeated champion of Mexican wrestling even after losing the power of the Bull Talisman - so Riley did not choose to simply abandon the unconscious Bull Warrior.
Instead, after waking the Bull Warrior and confirming that he was unharmed, he bluntly told him about the existence of the Twelve Talismans and how possessing them would inevitably attract the attention of a demon called the Holy Lord, bringing misfortune and harm to those around him. He then took out the Bull Talisman and presented it to the Bull Warrior, letting him make his own choice.
And this magical talisman, which grants immense power simply by being carried, makes one invincible in the arena and brings countless honors and riches. It would be a lie for the Bull Warrior to say he wouldn't want it.
But what the Bull Warrior knew even more clearly was...
During the match, if it weren't for Tru and Hulk's interference, the Bull Warrior, who only possessed brute strength, would have been defeated by Riley, who also had a talisman.
When facing the Hulk head-on, the Bull Warrior personally experienced what true power is under the Hulk's numerical aesthetics, completely shattering the Bull Warrior's absurd belief that he would be invincible as long as he possessed the Bull Talisman.
Even the Bull Warrior himself, who still had a conscience, knew that using the Bull Talisman to compete was an unfair form of cheating.
Especially when facing Paco, his pure love for wrestling makes the Bull Warrior see in Paco his younger self when he first joined the wrestling industry, a young man who fought on despite repeated defeats, yet remained full of passion, causing the Bull Warrior great inner turmoil.
So, after a brief silence, the Bull Warrior finally let go of his obsession, gently pushed the Bull Talisman back into Riley's arms, and, suppressing his reluctance, entrusted the Bull Talisman to Riley.
But to the Bull Warrior's surprise, all of this was within Riley's calculations.
Furthermore, having calculated that the Bull Warrior would make the right choice, she deliberately asked Jade for help, and led Paco to hide in a corner, where she overheard the entire conversation between the two.
It is said that the peak produces false supporters, while the twilight witnesses true believers.
Therefore, when Riley gave the signal for Jade to bring Paco out from the corner.
Before the bull warrior could even figure out how to face Paco, he felt guilty for having deceived Paco's sincere heart.
Paco, believing that the Bull Warrior had acknowledged his mistakes and corrected them, and that he had resisted the temptation of the Bull Charm, still deserved the title of "hero" in his own eyes. So, he rushed into the Bull Warrior's arms. As always, he begged the Bull Warrior to teach him wrestling techniques.
Those eyes shone brightly, and there was not a trace of fake admiration in them, which not only eased the bull warrior's nervousness and embarrassment.
This also allowed the Bull Warrior's constantly tense, cold disguise used for self-protection to melt away, allowing him to face his true self once again.
Then, with Riley's slight nod and silent encouragement, the bull warrior, having shed his idol image, bent down for the first time and embraced Paco, who had unconditionally trusted and supported him from beginning to end.
Since then, this unlikely pair of friends, who have been traveling together for years, have received a "treasure" even more precious than the Ox Talisman.
They also exchanged contact information to ensure that they could contact each other promptly in case of any emergencies and share information.
Riley then took Banner and followed Tru and the others on the Mafia's private plane, embarking on their journey back to New York.