In this form, Alex became untouchable to the average foe.
His physical body was shielded—hidden—enclosed within Cypher's shadow carapace. A living armor of darkness, ever-shifting, ever-watchful. Unless someone wielded a power strong enough to shatter high-level soulbound barriers, Alex remained untouchable.
Even then, very few techniques could breach it.
Perhaps a strike infused with focused chi, like the one Colleen used during their duel, could push through the defense—but only under the right conditions. Only if Cypher allowed the attack to land directly on Alex's body, instead of parrying or absorbing it with its claws.
And Cypher rarely let anything through.
That's what made him terrifying—not just the strength, but the precision. The instinctive, loyal brutality of a shadow entity fused with its master.
And of course, it was not a fusion of him and Cypher, as that was still locked at this point. It was just him, taking advantage of the misty form and shadow from of Cypher, and wrapping him around his body like a cloak.
The steps creaked slightly under Alex's boots as he descended, Cypher gliding behind him in absolute silence. But as they passed the last step, the air changed.
It was clean.
The dim grime and bloodstained filth of the upper world faded behind him, replaced by a hidden sanctum—a space untouched by chaos. The basement wasn't a dungeon.
It was a vase-like hollow carved into the earth, round and serene, its walls polished like stone swept smooth by centuries. In the center of it all stood a single, vibrant tree, its pale leaves glowing faintly under the soft white lanterns suspended from the ceiling beams.
It shouldn't have survived here—yet it thrived.
At the base of the tree, seated on a low cushion and sipping from a porcelain cup, was Madam Gao.
Dressed in a deep violet robe with golden embroidery, her posture was composed, her eyes already open—watching Alex long before he arrived. Her presence felt like an old, sharp blade hidden in silk.
"Alex," she said softly, setting the cup down without looking up. "I was wondering when you'd come."
Cypher lingered at Alex's side like a black flame curled in waiting, but Alex raised a hand lightly—not yet.
He stepped forward with careful calm.
"I wasn't expecting tea," he said, eyes narrowing. "I was expecting blood."
Madam Gao smiled faintly. "One often leads to the other… but not always."
"Leave the poetic talk," Alex said flatly. "Just tell me where Sue is, and we're done."
He glanced around.
The room was shaped like a perfect circle—its edge lined with silent figures dressed in black, motionless like statues. The same kind of ninjas he'd already torn through at the Black Lotus. Yet here, they were still. Waiting. Watching.
Madam Gao smiled gently, her fingers curled around her teacup.
"Why do you even care about her?" she asked. "From what I've gathered, you two barely know each other."
Alex didn't flinch. He dropped into the chair across from her, lounging without a hint of urgency. "Just a time pass, maybe," he said with a shrug.
She raised an eyebrow, the faintest glint of amusement flickering in her eyes. "Do you know what the true aim of the Hand is?"
Alex tilted his head. "Enlighten me."
"Back in K'un-Lun, while others focused on chi to heal or defend, we pursued something greater. We sought the path to extend our lives… to bend fate."
"We wanted immortality," she said plainly. "The task sounds like a foolish dream, doesn't it? But one truth remains—nothing is impossible. Everyone dies, yes, but that is just one of nature's laws… and laws can be rewritten."
Alex leaned forward slightly, his eyes narrowing. "You sound pretty certain."
"Myths and legends exist for a reason," Madam Gao said, sipping her tea slowly. "Chi itself was once considered a myth—until we discovered it, until we bent it to our will."
She set the cup down with a soft clink.
"You might not know this, but magic exists too. There's a hidden order called Kamar-Taj, where sorcerers manipulate reality."
Alex raised an eyebrow but didn't interrupt.
"Then there's the living immortal—the Lord of the Ten Rings. A man who's lived for centuries, still young, still thriving. You've heard of him, I'm sure."
She leaned in slightly.
"So, do you still think immortality is unreachable?" she asked, her voice calm and deliberate.
Alex didn't blink. "Not interested. Now, where's Sue?"
Madam Gao gave him a small, sly smile. "Ah, young one… always so impatient."
She stood up gracefully, her body flickering like smoke for a moment as if reality itself wavered around her.
"She's not here," Madam Gao said softly. "But you won't leave disappointed. At least… not alive."
As she vanished into the shadows at the far end of the room, nine masked figures stepped forward from the circular formation—each one drawing a blade in unison.
"Kill him," her voice echoed as if from everywhere at once.
Alex stayed seated for a beat longer, cracking his knuckles.
'She used a moving projection, huh… Must be the version of Gao from the comics,' he muttered, standing up just as the first ninja rushed him.
Cypher emerged in full from the shadows behind him, massive claws gleaming under the dim lights—his form coiling protectively around Alex as the air in the room dropped several degrees.
"Let's dance," Alex whispered.
The ninjas' blades glowed a deep, sickly red—dark chi pulsing like veins of molten energy across their edges. This wasn't ordinary skill. It was twisted, corrupted. They had infused their weapons and bodies with a distorted version of life force—something tainted and volatile.
Alex narrowed his eyes.
"So… Hand Chi, huh?" he muttered. "Figures."
The first two ninjas leapt forward in a synchronized pincer move, blades slashing through the air.
CLANG!
Cypher's claws intercepted both strikes, its curved shadowy limbs locking their blades in place. The creature twisted mid-air, flinging one attacker across the room like a ragdoll, his back hitting a pillar with a loud crack. The second tried to backflip away—but didn't make it far. Cypher's claw snapped forward, slicing through his shoulder with brutal precision.
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