Chương 65: Kingpin and The Hand

'This guy?' Not only was Kingpin stunned, but Bullseye's face also was filled with disbelief.

"We killed you!" Bullseye shouted, his eyes locked on Shin, his voice full of shock and confusion. He couldn't comprehend what was happening.

"Death?" Shin scoffed, shaking his head.

"There's no such thing." Clang! With a swift motion, Shin drew his long sword and gestured toward Kingpin.

"Attack!" At Shin's command, the ninjas behind him surged forward, gripping their swords tightly as they charged at Kingpin. Rat-tat-tat! Rat-tat-tat! Kingpin's loyal men were no pushovers and quickly armed themselves to counterattack. Chaos erupted in the luxurious space as gunfire and blades clashed violently.

"Kingpin, go! Leave this to us!" Bullseye commanded without wasting any words. He grabbed whatever sharp objects he could find—knives, forks from the dining table—and began hurling them at the oncoming ninjas. The ninjas responded by swinging their swords, blocking the projectiles with a series of clang sounds as steel met steel.

"Vanessa, this way!" Kingpin urged, wasting no time as he shielded Vanessa and led her toward the exit. Crash! But before they could escape, the sound of shattering glass echoed through the room. Another figure, dressed in a trench coat and armed with a sword, leaped in through the window. Rolling on the floor, he quickly stood, blocking Kingpin's path. This man was none other than Murakami, one of The Hand's Five Fingers and Shin's master. He grinned coldly, standing firm with his sword.

"Iron Fist, where do you think you're going?" This time, the enemy had come prepared, catching Kingpin completely off guard. His men outside had yet to arrive as backup, clearly either taken out or tied down. Inside, his small force was being decimated by Shin's warriors, leaving him alone and vulnerable. Kingpin realized he was now alone, with little chance of escape.

"You came for me. Let Vanessa go," Kingpin knew escaping with Vanessa was no longer an option. He stared down the man blocking his way and spoke in a deep voice.

"Do we look like the kind of people who spare anyone, let alone women?" Murakami sneered. In the eyes of The Hand, there was no distinction between men and women. Everyone was a mere insect beneath their feet, equal in their insignificance. For centuries, The Hand had caused earthquakes and unleashed plagues in cities, toppling entire civilizations in their relentless pursuit of the mystical Dragon Bones. Compassion was not in their vocabulary. Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road.

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"Show me your fists, Iron Fist!" Murakami taunted, raising his sword.

"If you want your woman to live, it's simple—kill us. Kill everyone here!" Murakami swung his sword with a chilling smile.

"Vanessa, stay behind me," Kingpin said firmly, knowing there was no other option. He removed his coat and placed it on Vanessa's shoulders before facing the enemy. Vanessa, calm and composed even in this dire situation, reassured him, "Fisk, this is your city. No one can defeat you."

"You're right, Vanessa. No one can defeat me!" Kingpin nodded resolutely. Vanessa quickly retreated to a corner, crouching down and pressing her back against the wall behind Kingpin. Kingpin raised his fists slowly, heating them up until they glowed red-hot. Murakami's expression shifted to one of concern.

'This Iron Fist could summon his chi and ignite his fists with remarkable speed—a clear sign he had mastered much of his power.'

'But how long could his chi last?' Murakami's eyes gleamed with a dangerous light as he gripped his sword tighter. Without another word, he lunged at Kingpin. Kingpin swung his fiery fists, meeting Murakami head-on. The two clashed fiercely, each blow resonating with tremendous force. Murakami, a centuries-old warrior and one of the top leaders of The Hand, was a formidable opponent.

But Kingpin, already a master of hand-to-hand combat, now fought with the added power of the Steel-Steel Fruit, making him an even deadlier force. The battle raged, each fighter gaining and losing ground in turn. Both were evenly matched, their skills and strength pushing each other to the limit. In the heat of the fight, Murakami made a nimble maneuver, flipping to Kingpin's side. Seeing an opening, he thrust his sword toward Kingpin's unguarded spot. The blade struck Kingpin's body.

'I've got him!' Murakami thought, a flicker of triumph crossing his face. Clang! But to his astonishment, the sound of metal hitting metal echoed through the room, and Murakami's smile froze. His sword had hit Kingpin's body but didn't penetrate, as if it had struck solid steel.

'What's going on?' Murakami's eyes widened in shock. Kingpin wasted no time. His superheated fist gripped Murakami's sword, and before the stunned warrior could react, the blade began to melt in Kingpin's grasp!

"What the hell?! Since when could the Iron Fist do this?" Murakami's mind raced. Murakami reflected on the intense heat he had been feeling from Kingpin's fists throughout their battle. Something was definitely off with this Iron Fist—this wasn't what he knew from Kunlun. They knew about the Iron Fist, as The Hand were traitors to K'un-Lun. The Iron Fist was supposed to channel chi to ignite his fist, but nothing like this extreme heat. Whoosh!

As Murakami's thoughts raced, Kingpin tossed the molten remnants of the sword aside and delivered a powerful punch. Murakami, caught off guard by the sudden move, had no time to dodge. He hastily raised the broken hilt of his sword in defense, but it was too late. Boom! Kingpin's fist slammed into the half-sword and then into Murakami's chest, sending the warrior flying across the room like a cannonball.

"Cough, cough!" Struggling to get back on his feet, Murakami glanced at the broken sword, now warped and glowing red-hot from Kingpin's strike. He couldn't help but shudder at the thought. That punch would have crushed him entirely if not for the sword absorbing some of the blow. ⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘ Next Chapter: A Dire Situation Next Next Chapter: Reversal and Counterattack Next Next Next Chapter: The Hand's Dilemma Visit my P@tr3on or K0‑fi ''Isopuff'' page and unlock +20 extra chapters and daily updates!