In a region east of the Cascade Range, reality seemed to distort, and in the next instant, four figures appeared out of nowhere. Since the location was in a rural area, the setting was deserted, except for a few small animals that fled in a startle.
For Daniel, a being in a state of transcendence, breathing was not a vital necessity; however, he inhaled deeply the pure air while observing the surrounding vegetation. It was spring in Washington, and nature's vigor was a visual delight.
Jéssica, William, and Estela remained speechless. Their perplexity was so great that it took a few seconds before they could articulate any words.
— "Estela, pinch me," Jéssica asked, convinced she was in the middle of a dream.
— "Ouch!" she shouted immediately after. "I was joking, you didn't have to overdo it!"
Jéssica cast an indignant look at her friend's smug expression.
— "I also wanted to be sure it wasn't a delusion... if it hurt, then it must be true!" Estela justified with a tone of false innocence.
— "It hurt me, you brat!"
Jéssica prepared for a comeback but was restrained by William.
— "Guys, the master is present... show some respect!"
William felt helpless. Previously, when fear dominated them, both were silent; however, after signing the contract with the master, they seemed to have left the fear behind. Despite the bickering, the trio couldn't hide the fascination in their eyes. Moments ago, they were on an observation satellite, and now, in the blink of an eye, they were standing on American soil. It was surreal.
— "Could this be the famous quantum teleportation that only exists in theory?" William murmured, marvelling.
Ignoring the girls' bickering, Daniel turned to his pupil.
— "We merely moved through the intermediate fabric of space."
William blinked, failing to grasp the technical distinction.
— "It's not exactly teleportation; it's a shortcut, a 'cutting of the path.' For actual teleportation, precise coordinates are necessary, at the risk of materializing inside the ground or fused into objects..."
Realizing the three remained confused, Daniel decided to end the technical explanation and get straight to the point. He fixed his gaze on the young women.
— "First, you two!"
— "Yes!" they answered in unison, straightening up immediately.
Daniel's stare for a few seconds made them break into a cold sweat.
— "Do not forget that I am watching both of you. I hope that in the future, I do not regret granting you this opportunity."
Jéssica and Estela shuddered. Only now did the weight of their handsome boss's feats truly sink in: he was someone who navigated the vacuum of the cosmos with ease and crossed interplanetary distances like someone crossing the street.
— "We... we understand. We will give our best so that the Chief doesn't regret it!" Jéssica exclaimed.
— "Yes... yes, Chief! We will do our utmost!" Estela agreed.
Daniel nurtured no great hopes for them. If it weren't for the fact that the families and the girls themselves reminded him of his former disciples, he wouldn't waste his time. Still, he decided to give them their first directives.
— "I know you have satellite communication devices and can manage on your own from here, correct?"
They nodded promptly.
— "How much does each of you possess in financial resources?"
Their eyes gleamed. They might lack self-confidence in other areas, but in terms of finance, they felt secure.
— "I have seventy-five million dollars," Jéssica revealed.
— "As for me, I have a bit over fifty million. If the Chief needs anything, just say the word!" Estela said.
— "It's little, but it serves for the start. First, organize a meeting place that is unknown to the world."
Pulling out notebooks, the two began to record everything. Daniel appreciated the gesture and continued:
— "Look for an uninhabited island and buy it. There, you will build a base for yourselves and for William. Next, erect dormitories to accommodate hundreds of thousands of children."
Thud!
Jéssica's notebook fell to the ground. She could almost see her money growing wings and flying away forever.
— "Er... Chief... that's going to cost a fortune. What is the intent?"
Estela also trembled, frightened. They were not philanthropists, and seeing their net worth vanish like that caused them physical pain.
— "Do not worry about the capital," Daniel declared seriously. "In a few weeks, I will provide a constant source of income for the costs. Just obey. As I said, I am testing your capability."
Swallowing their doubts, they consented in silence. They had already witnessed enough of the boss's supernatural power to doubt his word now. If he promised a source of income, he would fulfill it, regardless of the "how."
Seeing them submissive, Daniel pointed his right index finger, and a line of blue energy, intertwined with black threads, penetrated both their minds. They entered a trance for an instant but soon woke up perplexed. Countless pieces of information emerged in their thoughts, bringing smiles to their faces.
— "I have granted you martial manuals suitable to your profiles. Since you are in the Ki Refining stage, I know you will know how to utilize them."
— "Yes, we understand!" they exclaimed, excited.
They were ecstatic. They had only seen martial artists capable of destroying mountains in movies; they never imagined they would become part of that world.
— "For you, Jéssica: Tang Clan techniques, involving poisons and hidden weapons, as well as mastery with daggers. Earth's poisons are rudimentary, but sufficient for your cultivation until the Ki Core Formation."
Looking at Estela, he narrowed his eyes. The path she would tread did not please him, given that both possessed malicious minds, but Daniel only sighed. His concern came from the fact that these were the same arts used by his disciples Sindy and Lúcia; he knew how lethal they were in the wrong hands. However, for them to dominate their respective families, such power was necessary.
Daniel did not intend to rule by tyranny. That would work in the short term but would be a disaster in the future. He needed the inhabitants of Earth — the future Azure — to be strong enough for the coming battles. Furthermore, he needed to resolve the System's pending issues before fully activating it.
— "Estela... these are the arts of the Red Lotus Clan, focused on seduction and mental control. They also use specific poisons for cultivation and the same set of daggers."
Their eyes sparked. If they had doubts before about how to take control of their clans, they now had absolute certainty.
— "Jesse, with these techniques... it won't take long for us to reap the fruits," Estela murmured.
— "For sure!" Jéssica smiled, anxious. Becoming immune to poisons and glimpsing so many possibilities left her in ecstasy.
Daniel ignored the whispering and concluded:
— "You can learn from each other to fill your gaps. Since you are bound to me by the contract, you only need to wish to speak with me, and I will know."
William observed everything in silence, though his face betrayed his shock. He decided to keep his doubts to himself; his master had already proven capable of impossible feats, and his own evolution was living proof of it.
Daniel looked at William:
— "I will depart with you now to resolve your pending matters. Afterwards, get in touch with them to decide where you and your family will settle."
— "Understood, master!" William replied, determination written all over his face.
With the confirmation, the space around them distorted again in invisible spirals, and in a fraction of a second, the two vanished, leaving only the trail of flattened grass behind.
Daniel had already spoken with William about his family members before leaving the satellite; the pupil wished to seek out his wife, parents, and in-laws.
Jéssica and Estela, two heiresses of the Walton and Rothschild empires, remained absorbed. It felt like a dream; a short while ago, they were in the vacuum of space fleeing from their families.
— "Who would have thought, Estela, that we would find a 'support' as firm and seductive as our Chief... I feel our future will be brilliant!" Jéssica expressed with a radiant smile, while the spring breeze blew through her black hair.
Whoever saw her at that moment wouldn't imagine how dangerous that woman would become. With an equally charming smile, the redhead Estela tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
— "Indeed... a very firm and gallant support!" she commented in a subtle tone.
The two looked at each other and laughed, sharing the hidden meaning of their words. Deep down, both wondered if they would have the chance to warm the bed of that handsome, powerful, and terrifying man.
Pulling out their cell phones, they made a few calls. Minutes later, the rhythmic noise of blades cutting through the air was heard. Two helicopters landed, and each boarded her respective aircraft.
Before departing, they cast one last look at the spot where Daniel had been, engraving in their minds the image of that supernatural presence.