Prologue

"Sir, we can handle this. I assure you, he won't be able to disrupt our operations," a young man confidently declared, positioned directly in front of Frederick Blackwood, the notorious and ruthless mayor infamous in the underground world for his involvement in countless illicit schemes. Blackwood, now plotting his grandest venture yet, sought not only one distraction—the arrival of the vigilante known as The Shadow. The Shadow was a figure of fear to his enemies, but to those he aided, he was hailed as The Vigilante, a champion who plundered the corrupt and bestowed their ill-gotten wealth upon the deserving.

Lost in thought, Blackwood gently caressed his chin while approaching the young man in front of him, he swiveled right beside him and headed towards a towering door that opened into an expansive conference room with walls adorned with glass transparent windows offering a breathtaking view of New York City at night. Inside, his trusted accomplices were already seated around a grand round table. As Blackwood calmly took his designated seat, his business associates promptly stood up, but they settled back down at his request.

Blackwood spoke, his voice carrying an air of both control and curiosity, "Where's the Plutonium?" His hand gently stroked the surface of the whitebeard that adorned his chin, a subtle nervous tic he had developed over the years.

As the tension-filled silence hung in the air, the Asian boss sat stoically at the head of the table, his eyes locked onto Blackwood. With a slight nod, he discreetly signaled one of his trusted accomplices, a sharp-eyed man dressed in a tailored suit, to step forward.

The accomplice, with a demeanor as composed as his boss, rose gracefully from his seat and made his way around the table, carrying a dark briefcase in his gloved hands. The room fell almost completely silent, the only sound being the soft echoes of his footsteps.

Approaching Blackwood, the accomplice carefully placed the briefcase on the table, positioning it right in front of him. The weighty thud it made upon landing reverberated through the room, adding to the atmosphere of anticipation. A subtle smile tugged at the corner of the Asian boss's lips, knowing that the stakes were high, and this exchange could dictate the course of their underworld dealings.

Blackwood exhaled audibly, his gaze shifting from the briefcase to the Asian boss, and then back to the briefcase. His eyes meticulously scanned the exterior, searching for any signs of tampering or deception, while the Asian boss observed closely, confident in the security of his precious cargo.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Blackwood's gaze returned to meet the eyes of the Asian boss, a silent question lingering in the air. It was a tense moment, a standoff between two formidable forces, each calculating their next move in this high-stakes game of shadows and intrigue.

With a hint of tension in his voice, Blackwood inquired, "Is it the right stuff?" His words held a mixture of skepticism and caution.

"Yes, five grams of plutonium!" affirmed the Asian boss, his gaze locked onto Fredrick Blackwood.

A smile slowly spread across Blackwood's face. He now held the ultimate weapon to implement his plan. He pushed his hand away from his chin, anticipation building within him. However, before he could open the briefcase, the air was suddenly filled with the unmistakable sound of helicopter rotors. They reverberated through the room, causing everyone to turn their attention towards the glass walls, revealing a breathtaking view of the New York metropolis at Night.

A collective sense of shock and bewilderment washed over the room as a helicopter materialized in front of the building. The Asian boss swiftly rose from his seat, followed suit by his bodyguards and accomplice, all brandishing their guns and fixing their gaze on Blackwood.

"I know you, Blackwood. I know you're planning to betray me in this deal!" the Asian boss exclaimed, his pistol steady and aimed directly at Blackwood.

While the sudden appearance of the helicopter would have startled anyone, Blackwood remained composed, though inwardly astonished by the Asian boss's audacity in pointing a loaded weapon at him.

Suddenly, the room was invaded by a group of nearly ten heavily armed Blackwood men, their rifles menacingly pointed at the Asian boss and his accomplice. The tension in the air grew palpable as they took control of the situation.

"Give me back the plutonium, and I will be on my way," the Asian boss pleaded, desperately seeking a way to defuse the rapidly escalating confrontation.

However, before anyone could respond or take any further action, the sound of shattering glass shattered the silence. A figure leaped from inside the helicopter stationed just outside the conference room, deftly landing on his hand and agilely springing onto his feet. Clad in a sleek, black camo suit that hugged his form, the mysterious newcomer exuded an aura of a seasoned ninja assassin. His jet-brown hair was adorned with a black bandana, and he sported a pair of dark aviator glasses with a dark camo nose cover covering the lower part of his face.

With lightning speed, the enigmatic figure swiftly retrieved two SMG shotguns from the compact backpack slung across his back. In a matter of seconds, he unleashed a hail of bullets, obliterating almost half of the armed men in the room before they could even react.

The remaining men, caught off guard by the sudden assault, scrambled to aim their weapons at the intruder. A tense silence enveloped the room as the adversaries locked eyes, the Asian boss and his accomplice momentarily forgotten in the chaos.

As soon as Blackwood laid eyes on the intruder, he immediately recognized him as The Shadow—the relentless figure who had been relentlessly tracking down all the illicit dealings in the city, causing havoc among the rival underground factions. The media had been abuzz with reports of his exploits, dubbing him "The Vigilante." Blackwood had been determined to prevent such interference, but as he caught sight of The Shadow, he was rendered speechless.

Reacting swiftly, Blackwood instinctively snatched the briefcase containing Plutonium from the table before him, knowing its value and potential danger. He made a beeline for the exit of the conference room, driven by a desperate need to escape The Shadow's reach.

In the blink of an eye, Blackwood's henchmen opened fire, hoping to neutralize the intruder. However, The Shadow effortlessly dodged the hail of bullets, his movements an agile dance of evasion. With uncanny grace, he swung across the room, deftly landing on every table placed in the corner, each step accompanied by a precise shot that felled Blackwood's men.

Within seconds, the last of Blackwood's henchmen lay lifeless on the floor, and The Shadow wasted no time in pursuing his primary target—Blackwood himself. With adrenaline coursing through his veins, Blackwood raced towards the elevator, desperate to make his escape. However, just as he reached the elevator doors, The Shadow caught up to him, swiftly wedging his legs between the closing doors to prevent their sealing shut.

Blackwood stood frozen, his mind racing to find a solution to this dire situation. In a panic, he reached for his pistol, intending to put an end to The Shadow once and for all. But before he could even raise his weapon, The Shadow disarmed him with lightning speed, knocking the pistol from his grasp. In one swift, powerful blow to the stomach, Blackwood was left winded and vulnerable, causing the plutonium-laden briefcase to slip from his weakened grip.

Seizing the opportunity, The Shadow swiftly picked up the fallen briefcase, fully intending to abscond with it. Blackwood fell to the ground and let out a painful groan. He managed to muster the strength to ask, "Who are you?"

Turning back with the briefcase in hand, The Shadow slowly raised the black aviator glass and pulled down the black camo nose cover, revealing his true identity. To Blackwood's astonishment, standing before him was none other than Damien Malone, a young malnourished orphan boy he had once taught in elementary school twenty five years ago.

"It can't be!" Blackwood muttered, his words unclear. Just yesterday, he had been at the bar with Damien Malone, reminiscing about the good old days and enjoying a drink together.

With a mysterious smile, Damien, now known as The Shadow, replied, "Your crimes will catch up with you." He turned to leave, removing the black bandana from his head and gently stroking his short brown hair. Walking away from the elevator, he held the briefcase of plutonium firmly in his other hand.

Unbeknownst to the world, Damien Malone, a seemingly indifferent Trillionaire in daylight, was also a vigilante who hunted down criminals and dismantled high-ranking mafia organizations under the cover of darkness. His past as an orphan, being cheated on by his girlfriend with his best friend and rejected by the rest of the world had fueled his desire for justice and vengeance, driving him to become The Enigmatic Shadow.