Upstairs, inside the cluttered, junk-strewn storefront, Ash had just sealed the hidden iron door behind him after emerging from the underground chamber.
Clang—Clang!
The shop's rusted brass bell screeched sharply as the front door creaked open.
A tall figure draped in red stepped through, a wild fragrance trailing behind her like the breath of a jungle storm.
She wore a tight crimson suit that hugged every curve of her lithe, powerful body. Her features were razor-sharp, sculpted with the elegance of ancient Greece. Her bronzed skin shimmered with a feral gleam, like a panther ready to pounce. Long black hair flowed behind her in soft waves. Wherever she went, time slowed. Heads turned.
In her left hand, she carried a three-foot-long leather-wrapped parcel. Her footsteps echoed decisively with a soft swoosh, each stride filled with controlled purpose. Her eyes, cool, calculating, radiated a chilling blade-like aura.
She was none other than the red-clad kunoichi who had led the ambush against Luke Cage the previous night, an agent of the Hand.
Ash grinned wide. "God must love me. Elektra! It's been what, a few days? You've gotten even more devastating."
He strode forward, arms wide open, enthusiasm pouring off him like heat.
Five steps away from her, he stopped dead.
A sharp chill sliced through the air.
The smile on Elektra's face didn't change, but her hand was no longer empty. A polished steel sai was leveled at his throat, seemingly pulled from nowhere. Her expression was calm, but her stance screamed danger.
Ash didn't move.
As a trained ninja, she didn't allow anyone to get close, ever. Her reflexes were pure instinct. Had Ash taken one more step, that blade would've lunged out like a striking viper, silent, fast, and deadly.
"Come on, Elektra," Ash muttered with a pained smile. "That hurts. Tell me, you didn't like the Smoke of Deceit I sold you?"
He took two careful steps back, hands raised in mock surrender. His face exaggerated heartbreak like he'd been personally betrayed.
She didn't answer. Her stark black-and-white eyes bored into his, unreadable. Two seconds passed. Then three. Her brow slowly relaxed.
"…It worked well," she said stiffly.
Her voice was strange, clipped like someone unused to ordinary conversation.
Ash chuckled. "No doubt, it did. Every item in my shop is top-tier."
He knew she had doubts. He was one of the few people who could've known about the ambush. But if he was bold enough to sell to the Hand, he'd made sure to cover his tracks. His expression stayed hurt, but not a hint of guilt slipped through.
"You've gotten stronger, Ash," Elektra said flatly. The sai vanished from her hand.
Her instincts as a ninja told her something had changed. Ash radiated a faint, different pressure, something she hadn't sensed before. Like a wild wolf, newly awakened.
"Sharp as always," Ash grinned. "After some workout, I had a breakthrough last night. Painful, but… deserved the shot."
He wasn't lying, but he also wasn't telling the whole truth. Power growth didn't happen overnight. That implication served its purpose: suggesting he'd stayed in his shop all night. No suspicious activities. No stolen goods.
Elektra's eyes twitched, lips twitching into an awkward smile. Then she licked them slowly, a subtle flash of hunger in her expression.
"I almost want to fight you," she murmured.
Ash's smile cracked. He waved his hands in alarm. "Easy dear. You know me, violence isn't my style. Gold and gorgeous women like you? That's all I want in life."
Then he leaned in, eyes glinting. "Speaking of gold… Elektra, you didn't drop by just to make my day, did you?"
His gaze flicked between her body and the leather parcel in her arms.
He knew her well. She never visited without a reason.
She wasn't just a beautiful killer, she was a marvel legend. One of the Hand's top assassins. Younger than most, but far more dangerous than nearly anyone on the streets of New York.
And to Ash? She was a walking treasure chest with legs.
After testing the Smoke of Deceit firsthand last night, it was no surprise she'd show up so quickly.
Elektra walked up to the counter and placed the leather bag down without a word.
"The item from last time, 'Smoke of Deceit,' as you call it, I want ten more. Payment's inside."
Ash swiftly unwrapped the package.
Inside was a long, dark red box, its hue like dried blood. The moment his fingers touched it, a cold, sinister chill shot up his arm. He shivered instinctively.
Now that's something valuable, he thought.
He cracked it open.
Inside lay a katana ancient and deadly.
The three-foot blade shimmered with fine cloud-patterned steelwork. The tip glowed with an eerie blue-green hue. But a long, fine crack ran through the center—subtle, but enough to ruin the symmetry.
Ash's eyes lit up. He traced the blade with one finger.
Cold. Razor-sharp.
He gripped the hilt and gave a casual flick of the wrist.
Fwish!
A silver flash burst through the air, and a brass clock in the corner was silently split in two.
System, appraise it, Ash said inwardly.
[Item Identified!]
[Ancient cursed blade imbued with demonic power.
Condition: Damaged.
Value: 1200 gold coins.
Status: Repairable.
Repair requirements: Rare metals. Weapon specialist.]
The voice was emotionless as always.
1200 coins for a broken sword? That meant something, he taught.
He noted the key words, "damaged" and "repairable." If this was its broken value, then restored, it could be worth twice as much. Maybe even more.
Real value? At least 5000 gold, he guessed.
He frowned slightly, masking his excitement with a thoughtful scowl.
Elektra flushed slightly, nervous at his silence. "It's called Onimaru, a legendary blade. A little damage, but worth millions."
Her tone lacked confidence. She knew it had flaws.
Onimaru, handed down through generations of the Hand's inner circle. But the sword had long since been damaged, its demonic aura faded, the spirit inside slowly dying. At this rate, it would soon be nothing more than decorative scrap.
Ash narrowed his eyes.
"Elektra, you're no merchant. This sword's in bad shape. That slashes the price down hard… Still, it's rare. I'll give you five portions of Smoke of Deceit. No more."
"Ten," she snapped, eyes fierce.
Like a jungle predator locked on prey, she radiated power and defiance.
Ash groaned. Internally he was overjoyed, but he didn't show it. He ran a hand slowly across the cold blade, drawing out the moment.
After nearly a full minute, he finally grinned.
"You really are persistent."
He tapped his lips with a finger. "How about ten… if you throw in a kiss."
Elektra's cheeks flushed. She'd spent her life with blades, not banter. Social cues weren't her strong suit. But her body still reacted.
In a blink, twin sais gleamed in her hands, tips hovering an inch from Ash's throat and chest.
Ash froze.
"…Alright, alright!" he laughed. "Seven! Final offer!"
Elektra studied him for a moment, then gave a silent nod.
Seven portions for a sword worth five thousand? He was robbing her blind.
Ash stifled his glee, exhaling dramatically. "You're asking a lot. I'll need time to prepare them."
Elektra nodded again.
Mentally, Ash opened his system.
His gold count: 361 coins.
He instantly dropped down the amount, exchanging 300 gold for three portions of [Smoke of Deceit] and assigning them to his courier.
He whistled.
From the shadows, metal scraped and feathers rustled. His black hawk swept in, claws clutching two smoke-filled glass vials. The strange gray-black mist inside swirled like living fog.
The hawk landed on the table between them.
"Three now. Four more in five days," Ash said, stroking the bird.
"Five days. No more," Elektra snapped, her softness vanished. She was ice again.
Ash raised a brow.
Why the rush? That much Smoke of Deceit... something big is about to happen.
Kingpin and the Hand must be planning something major…
But outwardly, he played dumb, frowning, sighing, and finally nodding like he had no choice.
"Fine. Five days. Same time. Be here."
The deal was sealed.
Elektra nodded once, then turned and left.
Clang!Clang!
The brass bell echoed as the door shut behind her.
Ash's expression immediately turned serious.
He stroked the hawk's back in silence, lost in thought.
Four more portions. That meant at least 400 gold coins in five days. In this tanking black market, even that took effort.
He needed more gold as soon as possible.
Then a name popped into his mind.
A huge brute. Built like a bear.
Ash grinned coldly.
He pulled a grimy notebook and a stained rotary phone from the mess on his desk, quickly finding the number and dialing.
The voice that answered was gruff, angry.
"ASH!"
The shout still echoed.
Ash smiled brightly.
"Hey, Vladimir! My friend! Heard business isn't going so well lately. Need a hand?"