Mission: Criminal organization and martial arts
Type: Long-term and divided
Objective I: Investigate Luke Cage and Bushmaster
Objective II: ??
Overall Objective: Diminish or eliminate the Hand's influence in New York
Reward: Advanced sword art/technique/skill pack
Description: A special mission that may take on new objectives as it progresses, though it appears to offer only a single reward.
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What sets this mission apart is its lack of clearly defined objectives and apparent end, suggesting it may take considerable time to complete. However, the reward piqued my interest: an advanced sword skill is definitely something I want to acquire. Swordsmanship offers a huge defensive and especially offensive potential and is quite enjoyable to wield.
Additionally, I know that at a certain level, swordsmanship allows the development of a skill related to Soul Energy, which not only taps into soul energy as a primary form of suppression but also incorporates other principles. According to the introductory book, this aura appears across many worlds: it's known as "aura" in magic and fantasy worlds, "sword intent" or "soul sword" in cultivation worlds, and simply "sword energy" in series like *One Piece*, where characters could create extraordinarily powerful energy blasts. And there are others, too.
Intrigued by the challenge and the reward, I accepted the mission. Plus, as part of a league, we generally help one another as long as everyone agrees.
"Alright, I'll help. I want to weaken or completely eliminate the Hand's organization too." We shook hands and began making a plan, sharing information as we strategized.
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**Harlem, New York**
It was late, and I wore a dark jacket with an embedded sword design and blue pants. My face was altered by transformation jutsu to look like an average person's face. Light rain fell as I walked through the drops, my footsteps silent and my presence cloaked, unnoticed by nearly everyone.
I entered a bar and jazz lounge. In the center of the room, a group of musicians played calm, pleasant jazz. People around the tables laughed and enjoyed the music. Though my outfit was out of place, my stealth skills and the use of zetsu allowed me to blend in. I took a seat, called a waiter over, and ordered a soda. As I subtly turned my hand, a swarm of bees emerged, gathering in silence. My eyes shone with a cold, icy hue as I looked through walls and everything around me.
From my vantage point, I spotted Luke Cage on one side of the room. He looked tense and was wearing a hood. His posture suggested he was restless, as if waiting to make a move. I also saw a tall, muscular man deeper in the room. His presence held a dangerous aura, though not particularly intimidating to me. I tapped lightly on the table, enjoying the refreshing taste of my cold soda while my bees carefully spread out. Minutes later, Luke stood up, heading toward the area where this "criminal" waited.
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**Luke's POV**
I couldn't resist the urge to meet Bushmaster. Tension simmered inside me, but I couldn't ignore the growing harm in Harlem—innocent youth drawn into crime and drugs, and now my friend Claire was in his crosshairs. Moreover, he seemed to have connections with the man who hurt Jessica and the institution tied to her powers.
I sat at the bar, gathering myself, and finally rose, heading toward the back. Pulling my hood low, I walked to the door of the private area. Two armed guards stepped forward.
"Hey, bro. Stop right there. This area's restricted," one warned.
"Keep going, and we'll put a bullet in your face," added the other.
Ignoring their threats, I replied, "I need to talk to your boss." They exchanged glances and dismissed my words.
"Off-limits. Back off." But I kept walking, saying, "Sorry, but that's not happening."
As they raised their guns, I kept my pace. Their bullets bounced off my body, ricocheting as if hitting solid iron. Shocked, they hesitated, and I grabbed their guns, crushing them with my hands before throwing the guards aside. With a heavy kick, I burst through the door.
Inside, Bushmaster stood with two women by his side and three large men nearby. At my entrance, he raised an eyebrow briefly. Ignoring the crowd, I lowered my hood.
"So, the famous Luke Cage finally shows up." He flashed a wide grin. "What can I do for you?"
"I need you to stop harassing Claire and to pull your criminal influence out of my community," I replied, my voice firm.
"Well, I can consider leaving Ms. Claire alone; I've already gained what I needed from her. But you must understand, Mr. Cage, I'm a businessman. I never intended to harm Harlem. I grew up here—my family roots are here. Why would I hurt my own community? Let's make a deal: I'll work to reduce the crime and even help the neighborhood, as long as you do a few favors for me."
Though I was wary, I asked for details. Bushmaster explained his operations were aimed at taking down other criminal groups threatening the community. While there was something off about his words, I decided to accept—for now. He promised to provide specifics about the "tasks" later.
Meanwhile, something I didn't know at the time and would only discover later was that several bees were around us, entirely undetectable, transmitting all the information, voices, and conversations to a certain young man at the bar.
...
MC POV
A small bee was on my left finger, and my senses were focused at a distance as I observed Luke's conversation, noting how he had apparently conceded to Bushmaster's words. He seemed to have decided to help him take down certain places to keep the criminal from targeting Claire and to reduce overall crime in Harlem.
I chose not to act for the moment, leaving my bees to track Cage. I then went to the bathroom, where a green glow enveloped my hand as I softly spoke, "Air Door." With the very air opening like a doorway, I stepped through and made my way to Bushmaster's location. More specifically, I stood behind him, still within the dimension.
When he became distracted, I opened a small door in the air, gently placing my hand behind his head. I didn't allow him to react; my mental ocean generated a few waves, invading his mind. I left him in a slightly lethargic state, hoping he wouldn't sense anything strange afterward, as I began reading his memories.
It's not a skill I enjoy using, but I decided to use it to gather certain information. After obtaining what I needed, I returned to the dimension.
…
In the dark of night, I was cloaked in mist, my black attire blending with the shadows, my elegant Majin mask on my face, a green watch on my left wrist, and a noticeable new accessory: a small leather sheath made from Fire Drake leather, holding a sleek and beautiful dagger.
I stood atop a building as my eyes and Haki observed a scene within what appeared to be a club—though, in reality, it was a front for drug and weapon trafficking. Inside, Luke Cage was essentially beating everyone and destroying everything, still sporting his hoodie, though now with some kind of metal item on his fingers.
I didn't interfere, even though he seemed to be taking down a few individuals, simply observing. Though it's good to see crime being cleared out, I've already figured out that Bushmaster was targeting some of his competitors, aiming to take over their territory. Something interesting also caught my attention—some places he'd "asked" Luke to eliminate were connected to the Hand, which likely suggests some internal conflict.
I continued tracking him through the night and early morning. He went to two more places after the initial ones; his body now showed signs of fatigue, though he wasn't really injured—at most, a few small red marks.
Finally, when he stopped and leaned against a wall, I decided to descend in front of him. The wind gathered beneath my feet as I landed before him. He seemed to feel the wind hit his face, making him raise his eyes to see me.
Upon seeing a dark figure cloaked in mist, he was visibly startled and took a defensive stance, moving his body back.
"Who are you?"