The next day, the park was filled with the quiet rhythm of morning activity. Joggers passed along winding paths, elderly couples strolled beneath the trees, and scattered groups practiced exercises in the open grass. Among them stood a curly-haired blond man whose movements immediately stood out from the crowd.
He moved slowly yet fluidly, his posture precise and balanced as he practiced Tai Chi with surprising skill. Every motion flowed naturally into the next, his hands tracing arcs through the air as if he were guiding invisible currents.
On a bench not far away, Ethan Voss sat beside Frank while watching the performance.
Ethan spoke casually, as though giving a lecture. "See that curly-haired blond guy over there? He trained in the mountains of Kunlun and learned a technique people call the 'glowing fist.' It's a martial art that channels energy into devastating strikes."
Frank followed his gaze toward the practicing man but said nothing at first. Ethan continued talking, his tone carrying a hint of amusement.
"The guy's childhood wasn't exactly warm or supportive, so he grew up reckless and impulsive. He also has the classic set of superhero flaws. He refuses to kill villains, he constantly drags innocent people into danger, and he gets injured in fights more often than anyone with that much power should."
Ethan leaned back against the bench and added dryly, "But whenever things look hopeless, he always manages a dramatic last-minute burst of strength. Just don't try to learn life lessons from him."
Frank turned slowly to look at Ethan, his expression blank and his voice low.
"Why are you telling me all this?"
In this life, Frank had not suffered the catastrophic tragedy that once destroyed his family. Without that trauma shaping his character, he remained serious but far less hardened than the man he might have become.
Ethan answered without hesitation.
"Because I want you to help him."
Frank frowned slightly. "Help him?"
Ethan nodded calmly.
"The enemy of my enemy is my friend. His enemies are the Hand and the Society, and coincidentally those same groups are some of my biggest obstacles in Hell's Kitchen. Helping him is essentially helping myself."
He glanced toward the practicing martial artist again while continuing.
"If I move alongside him, locating the right people will become much easier."
At that moment, Ethan's eyes suddenly brightened.
Across the path, a young woman in a red dress was walking by while handing out flyers to pedestrians. Without another word, Ethan stood up quickly.
"Go help Iron Fist," he said to Frank. "I've got something else to handle."
Before Frank could respond, Ethan had already stepped away from the bench and headed toward the girl in red.
He straightened the collar of his sharp suit while approaching her and offered a friendly smile.
"Hi. I'm Ethan Voss. Nice to meet you."
The woman looked up at him in surprise. The tall man standing before her had an effortless confidence and a handsome face that made people pause for a moment.
"Y-hello," she said after a brief hesitation. "My name is Colleen."
Ethan's gaze shifted briefly toward the flyer she was holding.
"What's this?"
"I'm a martial arts instructor," Colleen explained with a polite smile as she glanced down at the paper. "These are recruitment flyers for my dojo."
"A martial arts instructor?" Ethan said with exaggerated surprise. "I never would have guessed."
He tilted his head slightly and added in a teasing tone.
"I wonder if you offer any special private lessons."
As he spoke, Ethan casually began guiding her toward another part of the park, subtly gesturing behind his back toward Frank.
On the other side of the clearing, Danny Rand—better known as Iron Fist—had just finished his movements. As he watched the unfamiliar red-haired woman walk away with the well-dressed stranger, a sudden uncomfortable feeling rose in his chest.
For some reason, it felt as though something that originally belonged to him had been taken away.
Before he could fully process that strange sensation, a large face suddenly appeared directly in front of him.
"Hi," Frank said awkwardly while forcing a polite smile. "I'm Frank. Nice to meet you."
Danny stared at the rough-looking man for a moment, feeling an inexplicable sense of confusion.
Somehow he felt like he had lost something, yet at the same time gained something else.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the park, Colleen looked at Ethan with obvious confusion.
"You want to hire me?"
Ethan opened the door of his car and gestured politely.
"Yes," he said with a relaxed smile. "How about we grab a coffee and discuss the details?"
Several dozen minutes later, they were sitting at a small coffee shop across the street from an old apartment building.
Colleen remained puzzled by the situation. She could not understand why this wealthy stranger had driven her all the way to such a remote location just to talk.
Why this specific place?
Ethan lifted a finger and gestured toward the apartment building across the street.
"There's a girl living in that building who possesses superhuman strength," he explained calmly. "I'd like to offer her a job."
Colleen blinked in confusion.
"Then why did you bring me here?"
"Because if both of you accept my offer," Ethan said casually, "you'll become colleagues."
She stared at him, clearly unsure how to react.
Ethan studied the young woman in front of him carefully.
Colleen Wing had once been trained by the Hand and was connected to powerful martial traditions. Even without supernatural abilities, her combat skills were exceptional. Combined with her sharp instincts and disciplined personality, she had enormous potential.
She was also quite attractive.
Ethan smiled slightly.
"Are you interested in becoming my private combat coach?" he asked. "The kind that teaches grappling and ground techniques."
Colleen immediately rolled her eyes, stood up, and prepared to leave.
"Wait," Ethan said quickly, raising a hand. "That was a joke."
After a moment, she reluctantly sat down again.
"In reality," Ethan continued, "I own a security company. In the near future I plan to build a professional combat team, and I'm looking for instructors to train them."
He met her gaze seriously.
"I'd like to hire you as one of those instructors."
Colleen lowered her eyes and thought quietly for a moment.
"Why me?" she asked finally. "We just met."
Ethan shrugged lightly.
"This may be our first meeting, but that doesn't mean I know nothing about you. I believe you're capable of handling the job."
Colleen frowned slightly, clearly preparing to question him further.
Before she could speak, Ethan suddenly pointed toward the apartment building.
"Look," he said. "That's the girl I mentioned."
Colleen turned her head.
A small, slender young woman had just arrived at the building's entrance. She looked thin enough that a strong breeze might knock her over.
Yet according to Ethan, this was the woman with superhuman strength.
Just as Jessica Jones reached the door to her apartment, a voice suddenly called out behind her.
"Hi. I'm Ethan Voss. Nice to meet you."
Jessica turned around cautiously. The man standing there wore an expensive suit and carried himself with an unsettling calm.
Her eyes immediately showed a hint of suspicion.
"Would you like to talk?" Ethan asked politely. "I might have a job offer for you."
Jessica said nothing and instinctively shifted into a defensive posture.
Ethan sighed helplessly and decided to use the simplest way for superpowered individuals to greet one another.
He raised a finger.
The flyer in Colleen's hand suddenly lifted into the air and began circling around him as if carried by an invisible wind.
"See?" Ethan said with a relaxed smile. "We're the same kind of people."
A short while later, the three of them were sitting inside Jessica's apartment.
"My name is Ethan Voss," he began calmly. "You may not know much about me, but I'm a billionaire who owns pharmaceutical companies, technology firms, and security businesses."
He spoke casually, as though listing ordinary facts.
"My companies have worked with the White House, the military, and the New York city government. Recently I accepted a project that has the potential to change the world."
He leaned forward slightly.
"I'd like to invite you to join it. Of course, participation is completely voluntary."
Jessica studied him carefully before speaking.
"How did you know about me?"
"Superpowers," Ethan replied.
Jessica tilted her head slightly.
"Superpowers," she said slowly, "or money?"
Ethan shrugged.
"Both."
She crossed her arms.
"So what exactly are your abilities?"
Ethan sighed softly.
Apparently demonstrating power was necessary before gaining approval.
He flicked his finger lightly.
The water glass on the table suddenly rose into the air. It trembled briefly, then exploded with a sharp crack.
The glass shattered into fine powder.
At the same time, the water remained suspended in midair, swirling gently according to Ethan's will while the sparkling glass dust shimmered like tiny crystals in the sunlight.
Colleen and Jessica exchanged stunned looks.
Both of them swallowed hard.
Jessica hesitated before asking carefully, "What happens if I decide not to join you?"
Ethan shrugged casually.
"I won't force you. Everyone has the right to make their own choice."
At the moment, Jessica was only beginning to step into adult life. She had not yet encountered the terrifying villain known as Purple Man who would eventually destroy her world.
A little arrogance was normal.
But Ethan had no intention of indulging it.
In truth, he was far more interested in Purple Man himself than in Jessica.
After all, there were plenty of women in the world.
Without wasting further words, Ethan stood up.
"If you change your mind," he said calmly, "you can contact me anytime. Typhon Tower, Manhattan."
As they stepped out of the apartment building, Colleen—who had followed him outside—finally asked the question that had been bothering her.
"What exactly is this job you're talking about? The one that changes the world?"
Ethan answered without hesitation.
"Fighting evil. Upholding justice. Saving the world. Healing the wounded and protecting the innocent."
Colleen stared at him as if she had just seen a ghost.
Ethan simply smiled faintly.
"You'll understand soon enough."
He glanced at her again.
"So, how about it? Private combat coach or security instructor?"
Colleen hesitated. She didn't fully trust this stranger she had just met.
But her martial arts dojo was struggling, and she could barely afford the rent anymore.
Money solved many problems.
"Security instructor," she said reluctantly.
Ethan nodded with satisfaction.
"Excellent. During your internship period, you'll serve as my personal bodyguard."
Colleen stared at him speechlessly.
Seeing her stunned expression, Ethan chuckled quietly and decided to tease her a little more.
She was clearly a good woman.
How someone like her had ended up with Iron Fist was honestly a mystery to him.
Most street-level heroes were stubborn and inflexible. Admiring them from afar was one thing, but getting too close often meant being dragged into endless danger.
In a way, Ethan thought, breaking them apart might actually be doing her a favor.
.....
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