Marvel: My Own Path

Midnight—The Hand Compound.

In this place's open yard, two figures could be seen, one seemingly young man and a young woman.

Under the light of numerous lamp posts, the two figures clashed against each other, wielding katanas in their hands—swift and agile.

*Clang! Clang! Clang!*

The cold light of blades flashed and flew about as the two weaved and countered each other.

*Ting!*

The young woman of Asian descent spoke as she parried her new master's strike. "Sensei, I've noticed that your mood seemed strange lately. Did anything happen?"

Bakuto looked at his new disciple's eyes and became silent as he deflected her sword and sidestepped, brandishing his katana to slash towards her side.

Seeing this, Colleen instinctively blocked it and spun around, smoothly getting away from her master's range.

Bakuto smiled when he saw this. "You're improving day by day, disciple." as he said this, he switched off of his stance and looked at Colleen. "You are correct about my mood, I've been preoccupied lately, thinking about some things."

"Some things?" asked Colleen as she also dropped her stance.

His expression turning serious, Bakuto nodded his head. "I've only found out a few days ago that two of my 'close friends' were killed in cold blood in their territory."

Colleen gasped when she heard his words. "Your friends? They're also martial artists right? Who could kill them in their area?"

Bakuto's expression now was dead serious as not a shred of his previous smile was on his face. "Indeed, they are masters of arts like me. I also can't think of anyone who could've done that to them and leave unharmed."

"But one thing is for certain," he said. "The killer is an extremely dangerous person."

Colleen was silent as she listened to him, trying to fathom the skill of the culprit who was able to kill two masters of combat.

But at that moment, akin to a ghost, an indifferent voice drifted on the surrounding.

"Dangerous?" the calm voice said. "Oh, you have no idea."

Bakuto and Colleen: "???"

Looking at the surrounding, the two failed to spot anyone else other than themselves in the open yard.

As if he sensed something, Bakuto's head tilted upwards as he gazed at the night sky. Seeing his action, Colleen did the same as she also looked up.

And what they saw was something incomprehensible to them, even for Bakuto who hailed from the mystical land of K'un-Lun.

Standing in the air like it was nothing, a figure in a black overcoat and a silver mask could be seen with his hands behind his back.

As the figure's jet-black hair and overcoat fluttered along with the wind while airborne, Bakuto and Colleen couldn't help but become dumbstruck at his image that went against the world's logic.

Seeing the two's expression, Skye smiled and strode downwards, as if he was walking on stairs in mid-air.

"The Hand's Bakuto, I presume?" laughed Skye as he looked at the man before glancing at the young woman. "Oh? Are you also one of the leaders of the Hand? But there's only five of them and two are now dead, and the remaining three are all men..."

Hearing his words, the two woke up from the magical scene that they were witnessing.

When the unwelcomed guest mentioned the words 'the Hand', Bakuto's eyes narrowed sharply as he pondered on this person's identity.

"Before asking for someone else's name, it is only polite to introduce yourself first," said Bakuto as he tightly clenched the katana in his hand.

Although Skye seemed carefree on the surface, Colleen knew that he was probably here for trouble so she readied herself to strike at once when needed.

Hearing Bakuto's words, Skye only chuckled in response. "You guys were talking about your two 'close friends' earlier, Madame Gao and Alexandra Reid right?"

Madame Gao? Alexandra Reid? When Collen heard Skye's words, she was confused since the two names were foreign to her.

On the other hand, Bakuto tensed up as he deduced the visitor's identity of being the killer of the two leaders of the Hand.

"Apologies but I have no idea what you were talking about." Bakuto denied, his eyes staring dead set on the two holes on Skye's silver mask, which opened up for two eyes that had a hint of gold.

"Oh? You're denying it?" Skye said before sweeping his glance on Colleen who tensed up in response. "Is it because of her? You're trying to hide your real identity from her? So she isn't a member of the Hand yet?"

Skye was surprised when he surmised this as he looked at Colleen up and down.

Meanwhile, Colleen's head was already buzzing due to Skye as she stared at her master. "Sensei, what is he talking about?"

Just as Bakuto was about to say something, he was interrupted by Skye.

"Enough chit-chat," he said, his attention back to this place's 'cult leader'. "I came here to take care of you. Try and resist better than those two 'old women' please."

As soon as he finished his words, Skye controlled his powers to that of [Tier 2] and dashed towards Bakuto.

'Let me see your techniques which you've honed for a thousand years.' Skye thought.

After killing both Alexandra Reid and Madame Gao, Skye who had slightly expected more from the two Hand's 'ancient women', was disappointed after eliminating them in ease.

When he decided to take care of the two, he also wanted to see for himself how good their fighting abilities were. However, he had used too much power and killed both of them in a blink of an eye.

But now, he had another chance.

Although he had repressed his powers to the minimum, a terrifying aura still couldn't help but radiate from Skye as it flooded towards its targeted prey.

Colleen, who was at her master's side, froze and shuddered as she felt the horrible pressure. At this moment, her instincts kicking in and was telling her to run, run for her life!

*Whoosh!*

Once he saw Skye coming for him, Bakuto stepped forward and swiftly slashed his katana from above.

*Clang!*

However, as if meeting an immovable metal, the katana stopped in its track when it made contact with a fist covered in golden flames.

'Chi? Is he from K'un-Lun?' Bakuto thought when he saw the golden flames.

Distracted for a mere fraction of a second, Skye instantly noticed this as he used his other hand and struck the surface of the katana.

*Crack!*

As if made from glass, the katana cracked and fractured as metallic fragments fell to the ground.

Although surprised, Bakuto was after all, extremely trained as he reacted quickly and jumped back a few meters.

Just as Skye was about to go after him, another katana with a silver hilt came stabbing towards his side.

Skye merely glanced at Colleen and clenched the razor-sharp blade before gifting her a roundhouse kick.

*Thump.*

"Ugh." Colleen was sent flying a few meters before landing on one knee, holding her aching left arm which she used to block the kick.

"You're not my target. If you wanna live, stay out of this."

Colleen only heard an indifferent voice before the black-clothed figure dashed towards her master.

"Why are you doing this? Why are you attacking an innocent person?" she uttered while gritting her teeth in rage.

"Innocent? Hahahaha," As if he heard something funny, Skye stopped in his tracks and laughed loudly.

Meanwhile, Bakuto, who had gathered his thoughts, rushed towards Skye as he channeled the Chi in his body.

"Innocent? Him?" Skye laughed while staring at Colleen's unyielding eyes. "Why don't we ask him if like you said so."

"What are y—" Colleen couldn't even finish her words before letting out a shocked gasp the next second.

His mask taken off, Skye revealed his face as the golden Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan appeared in his eyes.

*Boom!*

Skye stomped on the ground and in an instant, appeared before Bakuto who had instinctively reacted and swung a palm knife that was empowered with his Chi.

Skye didn't evade the attack as he met the palm strike with a fist covered in golden Qi.

*Crack!*

Cracking sounds of bones being crushed could be heard from the palm as Bakuto withdrew his hand at once.

However, the pain seemed to be void from his expression as he unleashed a punch with his other hand, ruthlessly aiming at his opponent's temple.

Once again meeting the attack head-on, Skye elbowed the incoming fist as bone-popping sounds resounded from the clash.

But at that moment, as if he had expected it, a terrifying kick followed by a howling wind came rushing at Skye's solar plexus.

'DIE!' shouted Bakuto in his mind as he ignored his injuries, ruthlessness and bloodthirst present in his eyes.

"Child's play," Skye muttered as he let the attack hit him.

As soon as the kick struck its pinpointed target, Bakuto smiled only to freeze at the next second when he saw the young man's nonchalant face and mystical golden eyes.

"Is this it?" Skye asked as he clenched the leg before him and stepped forward.

"...how?" Bakuto couldn't believe it and asked as he tried to use his other leg to do a reverse hook kick.

However, it was as if his energy were drained from his body as he couldn't muster any strength! At that moment, a terrifying feeling rose from his heart when he found out that he couldn't move one bit.

Even his mouth seemed to be locked and so was his eyes as he could only look at the pair of golden eyes that appeared gigantic in his point of view.

*Tap, tap, tap.*

Only footsteps could be heard within the surrounding that had gone quiet.

His hands behind his back, Skye leisurely walked and only stopped when he reached Bakuto's side. Glancing afar, his stare landed on the injured young woman who appeared to be dazed and dumbstruck.

"You said he's innocent right?" Skye said with a smirk as he shifted his eyes on Bakuto. "Why don't we let him tell us the truth instead?"

Grabbing Bakuto's disheveled hair, Skye forced his head to face him as his Sharingan locked on Bakuto's eyes.

At that moment, he used his left eye's ability for the first time.