The next night, I remained in a meditative state, during which the system rewarded me with another book on Jedi philosophy and mental techniques. I spent a good part of my afternoon studying and practicing from it. I didn't need to focus much on schoolwork, and with plans for the evening, I decided to dedicate myself to training and honing my mind.
Right on schedule, I received an invitation message on my phone:
"Brother Adrian, I'm waiting at the location. From here, we'll take a small plane to go help Colleen. I'm with a police officer, so it might be better if you come in disguise."
After reading his message, I armed myself as usual, used Kai Kai, and appeared near the indicated area. Flying a few meters, I spotted the location—a small hangar with an airstrip. There, I saw a woman with a weapon, clearly a police officer by her demeanor, and a handsome blonde man with a small hood, standing in a pensive, almost meditative pose, seemingly trying to stay calm.
With a gust of wind, I landed, sending a slight breeze that caught their attention.
"Alright, Danny, I came as you asked."
Hearing my voice, he approached and gave me a big hug, which I returned.
"So, what's going on?"
"A group of ninjas—former enemies of Kun-Lun—captured Colleen and issued an honor challenge. I'm supposed to bring one or two fighters with me to help free her."
Danny had told me long ago about the mysterious land of Kun-Lun, a special dimension isolated from the world, where ancient warriors trained in martial arts to protect the sacred power of the dragon, the essence needed for a true Iron Fist.
"I see. Alright, I'll help." I agreed without hesitation—The Hand was already my enemy, so eliminating them was a natural decision.
"Ahem." We heard a cough nearby; the woman next to us seemed to be hinting at the need for an introduction.
"Ah, let me introduce you. This is Misty, and this is Adrian—Immortal, a vigilante."
I smiled and shook her hand.
"A pleasure."
"Likewise. Honestly, I don't much like your style of vigilante justice that goes outside the law, but I won't comment on it tonight since this is for my friend."
"It's an honor to meet an officer, and I look forward to your cooperation as well."
After introductions, we boarded the plane. Misty piloted the small aircraft, and after a few hours, we arrived at our destination—a secluded spot in the U.S., though in a different state, with only a few old houses and warehouses scattered around. The plane landed slowly in a small, clear area.
As we disembarked, I sent my bees ahead to scout each area, observing our surroundings as we moved toward the designated location. We soon noticed some people watching us. My Haki and the bees' feedback confirmed they were trained combatants. To keep them at bay, I used my ancient power of dominance, instilling a sense of fear to ensure they didn't get too close.
We finally arrived in front of a small warehouse guarded by four men armed with pistols and katanas.
"Guardian of Kun-Lun and his companions, please enter."
The four guards escorted us inside, and I received a system notification.
**
---
**Side Mission: The Hand Must Be Stopped**
Objective:
- Learn more about The Hand alongside Iron Fist.
- Defeat a significant number of ninjas in this area (challenge the location).
- Ensure the survival of all team members.
Reward: Paths of the Dryads and Fairies (Omega Summoner) [For the base]
---
**Base Upgrade: Paths of the Dryads and Fairies World: Omega Summoner**
Effect:
- Creates a flower path from the base that allows travel through the laws of the world, with up to six entry points.
- Only individuals linked to specific magic circles can access the paths; for others, the plants at entry and exit points appear as ordinary flora.
- No activation needed—just give the command to use the paths.
---
Seeing the reward made me quite pleased—it was substantial and would be incredibly useful, even if not directly for me.
These paths, imbued with the magic of Faekins (Dryads and fairies), would make it easier for allies to enter and exit the base from different locations. This reward was foundational for me, enhancing the safety of my allies. Even my family was registered in the base, and I planned to introduce them to these paths as a precaution.
The sound of dripping water snapped me back, and I found myself in front of the "boss"—an elderly Asian woman holding a wooden staff, appearing frail. However, I sensed a subtle aura of danger within her. While she wasn't overwhelmingly powerful, she was clearly the most dangerous among the four individuals by her side. I could feel traces of potent mental energy and an extended vitality from her, and even noted that her soul felt ancient. I couldn't see souls fully yet, but my sensitivity detected an air of antiquity.
"It's a pleasure to see you again, Iron Fist, and your fighters. I see one rather strange and unusual warrior among you," she said, her gaze fixed on me.
Lightly, and a bit playfully, I raised my hand toward her, making her brow furrow.
"Madame Gao, where is Colleen?" Danny was clearly impatient, asking directly. Madame Gao turned her gaze to him.
"Patience is essential, Iron Fist. Someone charged with protecting the ancient village of Kun-Lun, who defeated Shou-Lao, should not be easily swayed by emotions and matters of the mortal world. These are your flaws."
I stayed silent, recognizing her words as the discourse of martial artists and monks, reminiscent of the Jedi texts I'd been reading. I understood the perspective, but I didn't fully agree, nor did I follow these ideas strictly.
"Very well, to ease your impatience, I'll oblige. Young Colleen will face her own challenge, where she will confront a chosen opponent. As for you and your fighters, you must each select a challenger from those before you."
With that, I took a step forward.
"Madame Gao, in the spirit of fairness, I ask to fight all the remaining challengers and any other individuals in your group simultaneously."
Everyone frowned, including Danny, but I sent him a telepathic message asking him to let me handle this, as I had other plans.
Madame Gao appeared calm but intrigued. I wasn't concerned and pressed her for five seconds with my ancient power—strengthened by my vast, dense mental energy, powerful enough to stand up to the pressure of gods and others.
Feeling the intense, oppressive energy around her and catching a glimpse of a faint crown above my head, she finally agreed.
"I accept, but please try not to kill them all."
I simply smiled and nodded. I wouldn't promise anything, but I'd make an effort. My focus would be on utilizing my martial arts skills and senses, refraining from using powers, items, inner energy, or magic. Even so, it seemed she had already concluded that I would win. Once she and I reached an agreement, and I shared my message with the impulsive Danny, there were no further comments.
"Choose your opponent, Iron Fist," she said, waiting.
Danny scanned each fighter: one wielded a large hammer, another held butterfly knives in both hands, another had a scythe with a chain attached, and the last wore a judo uniform, radiating power, fury, and strength from every muscle.
All were clearly formidable, even to me. Apart from my father and Danny, they gave off the most potent presence of seasoned fighters, exuding a sense of danger born from rigorous training rather than brute force, like mutants.
Against everyone's expectations, Danny pointed to Madame Gao. I wanted to challenge his choice but held back. She was undoubtedly the most dangerous, but it was his decision, and I allowed him to face his own challenges and obstacles. Unlike me, he didn't have a system, which meant he wasn't constantly tasked with such missions.
After our division, Misty selected the opponent with the scythe and chain, and we each moved to our respective areas. I set up an observation with one of my bees trailing each individual, including scouting Colleen's battle site, and stationed Shady close to Misty, as I'd noticed she was more vulnerable than the others. My battleground was an abandoned section.
The three opponents stood before me. With my hands resting behind my back, I took a deep breath. Jedi mental techniques resonated within, bringing me into harmony with the universe.
Every fiber of my being became attuned to martial arts, ninja tactics, the discipline of a skilled swordsman, the precision of a marksman, and the lethal prowess of an assassin. These latent talents usually went unnoticed, subdued by my mental power, physical strength, inner energy, magic, and soul. But here, they surfaced in full, undeniable force.
The fighters in front of me, and others hidden nearby who had received new orders, sensed this and became more cautious. The first to strike was the martial artist. His moves were powerful, quick, and sliced through the air with precision. He was well-trained, but my Haki and eyes read every motion, mapping both strengths and weaknesses.
Dodging his attacks with practiced ease, I grabbed his right hand, redirecting his momentum to the side. With my left hand, I landed a powerful punch to his chin, tilting my head just in time to dodge a butterfly knife and sidestepping a shuriken thrown from another direction.
I followed up with a taijutsu move, throwing the martial artist across the room. Then, as my Haki sensed a large weapon swinging at me from behind, I leaped, landing atop it, then backflipping with a spinning sidekick to the wielder's neck. My kick drove him to his knees, his scream echoing in pain. I didn't stop, delivering an elbow strike to finish him off.
More knives flew toward me; I deftly caught two between my fingers and tossed them, colliding with two others mid-flight. At that moment, three more fighters charged in with varying weapons.
I stepped into the rhythm of a distinctive technique, Rhythm Echo, enhanced with traces of Goku's Afterimage, creating an illusion of clones that confused my enemies. In this dance, I struck two down with powerful neck blows as I glided by, deflecting and counterattacking with precise, rhythmic motions.
One enemy slashed at me; I twisted his wrist, disarming him and smashing the sword's hilt against his neck. Three more, wielding swords, ran toward me. With smooth, deliberate movements, I parried their blades, landing cuts or deep strikes as I moved past each one. My agility carried me forward, and I flung the sword into another attacker, catching two more swords with my feet and flinging them forward with a swift hand strike.
A calm smile graced my face. My nails elongated, sharp as blades, blocking a pair of flying butterfly knives. My right hand struck the man who had thrown them. As our eyes met, I could see his fear—my gaze, coupled with the natural intimidation from my lineage, summoned the spectral figure of a serpent, embodying the essence of an ancient assassin.
He recoiled in fear, but I gave him no chance to escape. My hands moved swiftly like razor-sharp knives. He managed to block three strikes, but I circled to his right, scratching his neck gently with my fingers. I appeared behind him, my fingers barely stained, but behind me, a trail of red dripped from his body, his eyes glazed and lifeless.
"Let's move forward."
The battle raged for a while longer, until I held the last man by his throat, slowly suffocating him. Around me, the space was littered with bodies—some lifeless, others unconscious with varying degrees of injuries. My clothes bore red stains and dirt. Tossing the final opponent aside, I summoned my cleaning slime, which promptly cleansed me of all traces of grime, leaving a pleasant scent and spotless attire.
"Thanks, little buddy." I patted the slime's head affectionately, then stored it away.
"Now..shall we take a look."