They looked at each other, yet neither spoke for a long time, as if they were waiting for someone.
Suddenly, a short man walked in.
Unlike the two who sat on the floor, he wore a suit and leather shoes, looking like a member of high society.
The moment they saw him, the expressions of the two tea drinkers finally changed. They gave slight bows to show respect.
"Kameda-kun, Ida-kun, I'm terribly sorry I'm late!" the suited man said. His usual dignified bearing was completely gone in front of these two; now he acted overly humble.
The two showed no displeasure at his apology, because they both knew very well that this seemingly unremarkable man was the current ruler of the island nation.
In any country, no matter how strong an individual is, one must show respect to those in power.
"Your Excellency is busy with state affairs. It is only right that we wait," Ida said, smoothing back his long hair that fell to his shoulders. His eyebrows were sharp, like two drawn swords.
Across from him sat Kameda, with short white hair. He had not spoken a single word.
The man removed his suit jacket and sat down cross-legged.
"You two seniors are highly respected. I should be the one apologizing," he said again.
This time, Ida did not decline the courtesy. He silently took a sip of tea and waited for the man to continue.
"To be direct, I invited you both here to discuss cooperation."
"What kind of cooperation?" Ida asked.
Within the island nation, there was hardly anything that required those in power to personally discuss cooperation. A simple order would normally suffice.
Since he had come in person, this matter was certainly not simple.
If it were ordinary, the soldiers under his command would have been enough.
The man placed his hands flat on the table, his expression gentle. "I need the two of you to help me assassinate someone."
Assassination.
That was a word from decades ago — from their younger days, when every faction cultivated its own executioners.
But what era was this now?
They had washed their hands of blood twenty years ago.
And yet, those in power now asked them to kill again?
"If it involves killing, I don't think Kameda-kun or I are interested," Ida said.
However, the man seemed certain of himself. Even after the refusal, his expression did not change.
"I recall that eleven years ago, Kameda-kun and Ida-kun wiped out an entire martial arts school. Of course, no evidence was left. Even now, the culprits are still 'at large.'"
"Are you threatening us?"
"I wouldn't dare."
Ida looked at Kameda. Finally, he nodded helplessly.
"You must guarantee this is the only time. Who is the target?"
The man smiled with satisfaction.
"I guarantee it will only be this once. As for the target… you two won't be unfamiliar. In fact, no one in the world is."
Ida thought for a moment.
"You mean… Iron Man?"
"Not quite." The man shook his head.
"Xu Dan?"
The man grinned and nodded eagerly.
"Yes. That's the one."
"Why do you want us to assassinate him?" Ida asked.
Without boasting, either of them alone was capable of assassinating a U.S. president. And now they were to work together to kill a businessman with some special abilities?
The man smiled gently.
"You may not have heard of Antarctic Military Industries. In your era, they would have been considered a top-tier executioner organization. Now, they have ties with countries all over the world — except our great island nation. Can you imagine the danger? What if they cut us off like an executioner's blade in the middle of the night?"
Ida and Kameda exchanged another look. The metaphor was fitting, and it made them understand the gravity of the situation.
"Fine. We agree."
The two stood up slowly. Though they were nearing old age, their bodies were still strong.
At the doorway, Kameda, who had not spoken until now, turned his head and gave the man a meaningful look.
"I hope you don't betray us."
His voice was heavy, like a corpse soaked in shadow.
The pressure in that moment nearly suffocated the man.
"Rest assured, seniors!"
Flying from the island nation to New York, the two masters changed into proper suits.
The moment they stepped out of the airport, they were struck by the scene before them.
Traveling from the island nation to New York felt like moving from countryside to metropolis.
To the two reclusive masters, the island's cities already seemed prosperous, filled with high-rises and endless pedestrians.
But compared to New York, those buildings now looked like crude towers.
In just half a year, New York had undergone a technological leap. In fact, it wasn't only New York — the entire world had changed.
Beginning from the site of the New York War, ninety percent of the reconstruction used advanced technology Xu Dan had obtained from the Chitauri intelligence core, transforming the district into something resembling the planet Xandar.
Of course, it came at a cost.
Maglev cars sped along mid-air tracks like swallows darting through the sky.
In the crowd, many gossiping women gathered and pointed in their direction.
It wasn't their first time in this noisy city. It was precisely because they were tired of such noise that the two frowned.
They almost wished everyone would disappear.
But that was only a thought.
To assassinate Xu Dan, the two wore modern black-tech equipment for the first time. An auxiliary support team followed behind, guiding them remotely.
Following the voices in their earpieces, they headed straight toward Xu Dan's villa.
Night deepened — the perfect time for killers.
Under the dim moonlight, Ida slowly lifted his taidao. This blade had followed him for many years, having drunk the blood of thousands. The killing intent it carried was like a feral beast.
-----------------------
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