"You're sure about going to Hong Kong? Not New York or London?", The Ancient One asked as she pushed my palm strike to the side, slipping in and delivering a sharp punch to my side.
I grunted as I blocked it before pushing her leg to the side, throwing a snap kick that she dodged with ease despite the fact that I added a bit of superspeed to it.
"Why do I feel like you want me to pick one of the other two?"
"Because I have this feeling that you picked Hong Kong for the excitement," She answered as she swung a knife chop at my head, making me parry it before I turned my shin to block her low kick.
"In my defence, your definition of excitement is meditation, astral projection and occasionally bullying me late at night, the last one which I do not mind."
"An older woman dominating you? That sounds just like something you would enjoy," She teased with a smirk as she casually caught my wrist, twisting my arm and forcing me to flip with it before letting go when I aimed a low kick at her thigh.
"Of course it is, but having that over and over can make the flavour dull. I need a little something new."
"New could mean a lot of things with you. Where exactly would you expect to find this new…flavour?", she asked, ducking under my spinning backhand with a soft chuckle that made it look as if she was amused by my counter.
"You know, go relic hunting, see a few black market auctions, catch criminal sorcerers or demonic entities. Honestly, I'd just do whatever comes first."
"And how should I explain that to Wanda if you get yourself killed?", She asked, to which I shrugged before ducking under a roundhouse and rolling back from her hook kick.
"Don't worry. I won't over-extend my reach."
"So, you plan to rob illegal auctions, outrun demonic spirits and go relic hunting…just because it's more exciting than New York and London?"
"That and it's Hong Kong, a place with dragons and triads and demonic entities and assassins. It's literally a fun house for a speedster."
"…Very well, but if you do end up fighting against the Ten Rings, do not engage with them."
"Ten Rings?", I asked, acting clueless while hopping over the leg sweep she tried.
"An ancient mercenary/ assassin group. They've been operating in the underworld for centuries, being a group of skilled and versatile assassins that are capable in every aspect of the world."
"Huh, sounds like a harsh lesson just waiting to happen. Don't worry, I'll be careful about making enemies of a group of assassins."
"Good, because if something were to happen to you, I'm very sure Wanda will try and kill us all in retaliation," She answered, to which I smirked as she sidestepped my spin kick and tapped me lightly on the shoulder with an elbow.
Stumbling a bit and catching myself, she gave a soft chuckle as I readied myself again before moving in, throwing a throat chop before swinging another chop at her legs that she quickly stopped.
Grabbing low onto my wrist, she swung a shoulder bump into mine only to blink as I phased my body, moving through her before unphasing as I grabbed her from behind in a chokehold.
"Gotcha."
"You do, indeed," She spoke with a smirk, but I just gave her a flat stare as I looked down, the woman following my gaze with an amused look as we stared at the Tao Mandala held to my groin.
"Really?"
"It is an effective and fatal area. You won't die, but the pain will be extreme."
"Of course. In any case, I also want to go because I want to see if I can't find a way to get any other type of magic."
"Oh, you mean chi?", She asked as I let her go, making me blink as she just looked exasperated at my look.
"You weren't even thinking about it, were you?"
"In my defence-"
"You like saying that a lot."
"Hey, it works. Anyway, in my defence, I've been too focused on the concept of magic itself to focus on the other mystical forces that exist."
"Still, I would ask that you see if you can learn it because it may help you weaken the bond between your mind, body and soul."
"Because you believe that would lead to me finally connecting to the many dimensions and learning magic?", I asked, humming as she nodded before I gave a slow nod and a smile.
"Yeah, if there is a chance of that working, I'm definitely going to give it a try."
"Good. Now, again. You aren't leaving here until you can at least hit me once."
"Is that with or without you using that little stone of yours?", I asked, to which she smirked before gesturing for me to begin.
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"Hmm, so you have chosen Hong Kong's Sanctum? A good choice."
"Well, it was either this one or be in the midst of vigilantes and criminals fighting each other all day long, something that I don't feel like doing," I answered, to which Master Tina just smiled amusedly before bowing her head slightly.
"To the outside world, I am Tina Minoru, but to everyone here, I am the guardian of the Hong Kong Sanctum and wielder of the Staff of One. It it a pleasure to formally meet you."
"Pietro Maximoff, speedster, unofficial student of Kamar-Taj and also unofficial stress relief dummy for the Ancient One."
"Ah, I have heard rumours of the latter. I must admit that there are some added additions to said story that did make me wonder if they were true."
"Don't worry, I'm not in a relationship with her, though I would not mind it. She is an attractive woman. Unfortunately, she does not see it that way so here I am, out and about to enjoy life as I desire."
"Is that so? Good to know," She murmured as she turned and walked away, to which I smirked as I followed after her. As we walked through the hallways, I did note a few non-Asian students mixed amongst the others, but soon forgot about them as we stopped in what looked to be an office.
"My personal office, which is where you come to should there be anything wrong."
"Got it."
"Yes, have you seen the news?"
"What news are we referring to here?", I asked, to which she simply hummed before picking up a newspaper on the desk and handing it over.
Opening it fully, I frowned and let out a soft sigh at the front page.
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SECRET HYDRA AGENTS STILL AT LARGE!
Pietro and Wanda Maximoff, both secret agents of the terrorist group HYDRA and the masterminds behind the Sokovia Civil War, are still at large after destroying the HYDRA base near the city of Novi Grad.
No information has been given, but various international agencies consider the siblings highly dangerous and potentially hostile to global security
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"HYDRA?"
"That appears to be the case. They seem to have used the destruction left by your escape as a way to shift the blame to you two. That also means that both the group and several governments are now looking for you and your sister."
"I guess I know what I got to do, then. Prove that my sister and I are wrong," I murmured, closing the newspaper and handing it back as she smirked.
"Do not worry as the Masters of the Mystic Arts do not out their people that easily. However, I suspect that HYDRA will be sending agents, mercenaries or worse."
"The Ten Rings that the Ancient One told me about," I spoke out loud, to which she frowned and nodded.
"I won't tell you not to face them given how fast you are, but if possible, run away and do not give them the opportunity to catch you. It may be by fluke, but if they catch you, they will not let you go."
"Don't worry, I've already assured the Ancient One that I'll do my best to stay away. Although, with this, I guess I now really have to keep myself hidden lest I want the assassins to target us with our pants down."
"That is a good idea. Hong Kong is ancient and crowded a place to easily disappear into just as easy as it is to be hunted. The Sanctum can be considered as your safehouse, but not a shield to the mystical enemies that will plague you."
"That sounds like a poetic warning," I spoke and she giggled as she shrugged.
"Depends on how you look at it. Now, did you have anything planned while you are here?"
"Yeah, I also wanted to see if I could find any way to actually learn a Way of getting rid of the things that stop me from learning magic."
"You mean the shackles that are currently fusing your mind, body and soul as one, correct? I do not know if we would have knowledge of such records if the Ancient One could not find them, but you are more than welcome to do some research. Now, have you been told of what you are to do here?"
"Relax for the most part while keeping my skills up and then helping you patrol around the city from time to time?"
"And guess what I need to do tonight?", She asked with a smirk, chuckling at my own smile as I adjusted the strap of my backpack and nodded.
"Give me a few minutes and I'll be ready."
"I'll be waiting at the front entrance and before you go, Mr. Maximoff, allow me to be the first to officially welcome you to Hong Kong."
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"So, what is our first objective for the night?"
"A group of mystical demons known as the Black Wind Calamity have broken out from their seal and are currently terrorizing Tsing Yi Village, the area of Sai Tso Wan to be more specific. The number of casualties have reached double digits and the number of injured are in the triple digits, but unlike before, they appear to be targeting both men and women instead of just women."
"So, is there a pattern to their movement?", I asked, hearing the background in the headset communicator before she spoke.
"Yes, it appears that they start in Nam Wan Kok near the Helipad at the shore and then move inwards, passing through Sai Tso Wan before disappearing when they reach Shek Wan. Therefore…"
"You have me and you stationed at the Sai Tso Wan and Kam Chuk Kok respectively because you want to take them out before they get to Shek Wan," I finished her sentence, to which she let out a giggle before speaking.
"Exactly. You being the closest means that you can run around their group and then help me prepare ahead of time before they can reach Shek Wan and vanish. However, you will still need to be careful as you cannot hurt them due to you not being able to use any spells."
"Wait, a punch won't work?"
"No, these are spirits, Pietro. Pure ethereal beings that can become incorporeal just as easily as they can become corporeal."
'So, if I can't hit them physically, I can contain them.'
"I think I understand my role, then."
"Good, because I just felt the seal crack open again," The second she said that, I narrowed my eyes as I felt an otherworldly presence that made my skin crawl.
Looking in the direction of where I felt it, I narrowed my eyes at the wind that howled, an ethereal black mist clinging to the winds while shrieking laughter echoed inside of it.
Squinting my eyes, I caught sight of the feminine figures hidden inside of the winds, their long dress torn and their fingers ending in claws while their mouths were stretched wide open with the skin tearing at the edges.
"That…damn, they look like malevolent spirits. Hey, Master Tina."
"Tina is more than fine, Pietro."
"Got it. Do you want me to keep them occupied here or lure them towards you?"
"It would be better to lure them to me and then keep them occupied here while I rewrite the seal."
"Got it. See you in a few seconds. Hey, you! Yeah, you fugly pieces of shit!", I shouted, watching as the spirits ceased their laughter to let out angered shrieks.
"Oh, right! I'm supposed to be scared of a bunch of wailing goofballs who think that's supposed to scare people! I've seen mice that are scarier than you!", I exclaimed and was surprised when their shrieks halted, as if I had just insulted their entire lineage.
The next moment, their heads snapped to the side as roaring winds exploded outwards, a smirk on my face as I watched a chaotic swarm of black mist and clawed arms rushing towards me.
"Okay, then. Let's dance," With a grin, I was gone, running down the building and down the street with a roaring cyclone racing after me.
The world around us were a blur as I ducked into an alleyway, hopping from wall to wall before stopping abruptly and leaping back over the wind with a flip and giving them the bird with both fingers.
"Come on~ My grandma moves faster than that and she's dead!", I spoke with a cackle as I landed and zigzagged around in the street, rushing over to Tina's location.
Stopping in the middle of the highway with a taunting smile as I watched the spirits howling at me, I turned and made my way towards the mountainous area in between Shek Wan and Kam Chuk Kok.
"Tina, almost there! Time to fire up the mystical bug zapper!"
"It is a barrier!"
"What's the difference?!", I asked before ducking down with a slide as a tree missed me, phasing through it while hopping to my feet with a spin.
As I did, I found myself face to face with a wailing spirit, immediately picking up speed and diving to the side. Running down the side of the mountain and phasing through the rubble they threw at me, I narrowed my eyes as I felt Tina's mystical energy.
Hopping over a temple wall, my eyes widened at the mystical energy rippling across the landscape, but I grimaced as I saw the spirits beginning to notice it as well.
"Now, Pietro! Keep them in that spot!", Sliding to a stop, I rushed to the side and around the spirit, going back to the front as I began to run in a circle around the group.
The ground under me began to tremble as I pushed myself to my top speed and unaware of it, blue and silver sparks of lightning rippled from my body, the spirits shrieking the second they came into contact with it.
"TINA!"
"黑風鎮!" (Black wind, be still!)", The next moment, ethereal orange chains burst out from the centre of my tornado, swirling within the winds and wrapping around them.
I watched in awe as the chains wrapped around each spirit and pulled them into the gaping, burning void on the ground, silence soon returning to the world as the last spirit was pulled through and the void closed up.
Sliding to a stop, I slowed down to a jog while panting softly, a smirk on my face as Tina hopped down with a staff in hand that had a hollow circle at its tip.
"That's a neat weapon. When did you take that out?"
"When we came here. It's the Staff of One that I told you about."
'Staff of One? Wait, is that supposed to be like the Staff of the Living Tribunal like Mordo has? Does that mean it's stronger? Is it weaker? I have so many questions,' I thought before giving a sheepish smile as she gave me a knowing look.
"I know what you're thinking and we have the research notes back at our base if you wish to learn more."
"Wonderful. I'll just-", I stopped talking as I felt a vibration not too far from us, but I frowned when I felt dozens of others swiftly following after it.
"I'll be back in a bit," I spoke before rushing off, taking only a few seconds to reach the strange vibration and find myself staring at a young Asian boy with a mop of black hair running away from what looked like…
'Wait, are those…ninja?', I thought with a frown as I stopped beside the boy, who looked surprised as I placed a hand on his shoulder while the ninja that were following him stopped in their tracks.
"I don't think the kid did something that bad that dozens of ninja would be needed to get him."
"This has nothing to do with you," One of them spoke, but I frowned as I could also hear the voices echoing from beside me, above my head and behind me.
"That's a pretty cool trick. Think you can teach me it?", I asked, smirking as I saw the ninja that had spoken narrowing his eyes before I cracked my neck.
The world slowed down around me as I rushed in, delivering a swift barrage of strikes to each one before stopping in front of the teenager, who looked shocked as the ninja behind us all fell over.
"Now, then. I'm Pietro. May I know your name?", I asked, but I was not surprised when the boy just looked wary while holding a bloody dagger in his hands.
'Wait, China, Hong Kong, ninja, bloody dagger, young boy…there's no way, right?'
"Your name…it wouldn't be Xu Shang Chi, would it?", I asked and let out a sigh when I saw his eyes widening for a moment before he glared and shifted into some fighting stance.
Because of course, my first day in Hong Kong couldn't have been easy, could it?
A/N: I apologize vehemently for the late upload. Is that even how one would use vehemently? Eh, it is now.
Like I was saying, I'm very sorry for the late upload, but for the first time in a long time, I overslept, something that has very rarely happened to me.
Also, I just got a new laptop and I thought I had uploaded this chapter last night, but then I looked at and saw I didn't so I'm writing this while loading up the new laptop and doing my work.
Anyway, enough about my life. Pietro is now in Hong Kong, but he won't stay there for long as we will now be doing our own little side quests.
What they are? Find out later.
Like always, you can go to my Pat-reon-.-com-/-KingCrimsonNova to read ahead on this as well as many other stories & even some that haven't been released out to this site yet. If you want to, you are free to, but if you don't want, all's good as I will still be uploading here. This is just me trying to get some extra cash.
As always, read, enjoy, review and until next week...
Ba-Bye~!