3rd POV
A silent night in a secret dimension.
In an oriental-style house, a few individuals moved through the darkness, walking silently. They did not seem to belong to the same faction but rather to three different ones.
In total, there were six men. Each of them used distinct martial arts styles—two moved with elegance and lightning-fast speed, another two were discreet, almost intangible, and the last pair, a man and a woman, exuded charm, seduction, and allure in every part of their bodies, making them appear both dangerous and manipulative.
This group entered the room where the Iron Fist was located.
They positioned themselves in the center of the room, exchanging glances. There were two beds—one where their primary target, the Iron Fist, was resting, and the other, presumably, occupied by his guest.
In silence yet with impressive speed, they split up—four heading toward the Iron Fist and the other two moving toward the last enemy.
However, before they could even open the door, their bodies mysteriously froze. One individual from each team suddenly turned against their own ally, piercing them directly with their weapons and eliminating them without hesitation. Their movements seemed uncontrolled and slightly disjointed.
Following this, they cut small portions of their own legs and arms. Finally, in a bizarre action, they reached into their own mouths and extracted something.
What came out was a small pouch containing poison or some sort of toxin.
After removing it, they placed it at the center of the table and stood still. Their eyes met, filled with confusion and fear.
Everything had happened so fast that they struggled to comprehend it. Only now did they finally speak.
"What is this... I can't control my body..."
"I don't know. I feel like every muscle, nerve, and bone in my body is being controlled by someone else—even my mind seems influenced somehow..."
"Ack... I feel something on my neck..."
One of them spoke, and a green Chi energy emerged from his body, moving toward his neck. Unfortunately for him, whatever was there was not broken. On the contrary, a ghostly gray energy swiftly destroyed his Chi and took even greater control over his body and mind.
This caused him to scream in agony.
"Ack!!"
The other two stood frozen in terror until two voices echoed through the room.
"So there really were intruders and assassins."
"As expected of the Immortal. He knew."
They managed to move their eyes and saw Iron Fist and his sword-wielding companion emerging from inside the room.
"So it was you!! I never knew the Iron Fist resorted to such heinous and despicable methods! So dishonorable for a group of martial artists known for their skill, pride, and honor—like those of K'un-Lun!"
"Oh, please. Assassins sneaking into a room and trying to kill someone in their sleep? Spare me." Iron Fist spoke with a cold voice.
The assassins wanted to argue. However, their bodies moved on their own, and their weapons pointed at their own necks. The terrifying realization that they might be forced to end their own lives sent a wave of dread through them.
"Just to be clear, this wasn't my doing," Danny affirmed.
A voice from the ceiling followed, startling everyone.
"I've been revealed like this, huh?"
The assassins' bodies shifted, allowing them to see the source of the voice.
Sitting seemingly in midair was a man—one hand extended toward them, the other casually holding a cup of coffee. His body was enveloped in mist.
He descended, stepping on what appeared to be thin air. However, in truth, his feet were supported by nearly invisible threads, so fine that they were difficult to detect.
The sight was terrifying. He smiled and spoke.
"Let's find out where you're from and take a peek at some of your memories, shall we?"
....
MC POV
Just as I suspected, these assassins were sent here.
I used Doflamingo's string ability to control their bodies—each of them had a thin thread attached to the back of their necks. To enhance it, I infused the thread with my Soul Energy and the power of my Black Lotus bloodline from the Phantom Clan.
The thread became even harder to perceive, and its invasive properties grew stronger. Its ghostly power affected not just their bodies but even their minds. Not to mention, its durability and resistance increased significantly—making Doflamingo's already terrifying ability even more formidable.
I landed in front of them, placing my hands on their heads without hesitation. My eyes locked onto theirs.
My blue eye glowed even colder, while a pink psychic symbol manifested—a sign of Saiki's mind-reading abilities. Additionally, my Phantom Clan power allowed me to invade their minds with even greater precision and control.
Soon, the information I needed surfaced in my thoughts.
With that accomplished, I moved my right hand.
White threads wrapped around their necks, and with a simple flick—heads flew into the air.
I sat down on a chair and snapped my fingers. Divine flames appeared in my palm, splitting into seven small flames.
Six of them ensured the bodies were reduced to nothing but particles finer than ashes. The seventh flame eradicated every trace of blood.
To make sure everything was clean and sanitized, I released my cleaning slime, which used its disinfection abilities to purify the area.
My companions stared in silence for several seconds.
I let them process what had just happened while forming a hand sign with my right hand. With my left, I sent out a pulse of energy.
The protective and restrictive barriers of this space had been inactive—otherwise, these people wouldn't have been able to enter.
After all, with over 150 seals, numerous enchantments, and magical barriers set up by powerful sorcerers, the room should have been impenetrable without immense magical power, highly specialized abilities, or sheer brute force.
Even if any of those methods were used, my enchantments would have alerted me immediately.
Now that they were activated, I spoke.
"The assassins came from three different cities—the Nymph City, the Nameless City, and K'un-Zi. Their objective was to test our strength and, if possible, eliminate us."
"If they failed, they were ordered not to let their identities be discovered—and, if necessary, to die rather than be taken alive."
I paused before continuing.
"Of course, they didn't expect that I'd be able to read their memories and prevent them from taking their own lives in time."
"This also means we need to be extra cautious—at least when leaving this room."
The two nodded in agreement. I noticed Danny looking even more concerned for his girlfriend, but I didn't comment on it.
I had already decided that I would ensure they both survived—but they would also need to fight their own battles.
The Arena
The arena was stunning.
Despite the vast spectator area, it wasn't too crowded. Members of different factions from the Seven Immortal Cities were present, along with various inhabitants of this dimension.
I sat beside Iron Fist and Colleen, near the Elders and members of K'un-Lun.
Strangely, I sensed Davos nearby. His body was covered by a cloak and mask, but my Haki detected him immediately.
As I scanned the others, I observed powerful Elders and champions. They were undoubtedly as strong as Iron Fist, possessing unique energy signatures.
Each of them radiated distinct power, different from Danny Rand's.
As we waited, strong energy fluctuations filled the arena's center.
A group of individuals, dressed in black and white, entered the area, seemingly representing Yin and Yang.
One elder stood out the most.
When he stepped forward, my eyes locked onto him.
He did not emanate the overwhelming danger and divine power of certain sorcerers or gods I had fought before. However, his synchronization with nature and the universe was remarkable—almost like a supremely enlightened guru.
His eyes met mine, and he smiled softly. Then, he turned back to the center.
"Greetings to all members of the Seven Immortal Cities. In these challenges, various confrontations will take place between the members. At the end of each day, there will be a battle between two champions, for a total of four days. It is worth noting that the winner from last year will be directed to the battles of the fifth day.""On the fifth day, there will be a semifinal between four champions, as well as other confrontations to determine the positions of each. On the sixth day, the final will take place, along with continuous battles to decide the positions of the others. On the seventh day, the event will conclude, and the rights to the winning city will be awarded, along with other prizes.""If no one has any questions, we will begin!"
He spoke with a powerful voice that seemed to resonate throughout the entire space. With a strong clap, a wave of Chi energy enveloped the environment, dense, powerful, and in black-and-white hues.
I observed carefully. It was very similar to the internal energy method I use, though there were differences. However, it was a much more fascinating application than anything I had seen used so far.
Regardless, after his speech, members from the Seven Cities entered the arena, and various confrontations began to take place.It seemed that the members of each champion would be chosen closer to the end of the battle.
As for me, it was quite interesting to observe the fighting styles of the Immortal Cities' members. Each followed a unique battle method and martial art style. Among the members of each city, there were certain similarities, proving the martial school each city adhered to—similar to the Kame style in Dragon Ball or the Taijutsu of a Hidden Village in Naruto.
Hours passed... at least we were provided with snacks and meals throughout the day.