Isshin knew he couldn't stay hidden anymore.
He dropped down between them and the egg, landing quietly.
Both of them froze, then immediately shifted into fighting stances.
"Who are you?" the boy asked.
"The wyvern left this egg under my protection," Isshin said. "You're not taking it."
The boy scoffed. "Didn't expect someone else to get here first. What sect are you from?"
Isshin didn't hesitate. "Wudang."
They both paused for a moment.
"And you?" Isshin asked.
"Divine Sword Sect," the boy replied.
The system activated quietly.
Names appeared above them.
Not what they claimed.
"What are your names?" Isshin asked.
"I'm Feng. She's Xun."
Isshin already knew they were lying.
"You don't decide what happens to that egg," the boy said, stepping forward.
That was enough.
Isshin's sword moved.
A thin line of blood appeared on the boy's neck.
His eyes widened.
"Step back, Soren," Isshin said calmly.
The moment he said it, both of them understood.
Selene reacted first.
She threw a qi-infused kunai straight at him.
Isshin moved without thinking.
One motion.
The sword cut cleanly.
Soren dropped.
Isshin turned, deflecting the kunai in the same movement. Then he disappeared with flash step and reappeared beside Selene, striking her with a thunder-charged kick.
She hit the ground hard.
Tried to get up.
Couldn't.
Fear showed on her face.
"He—"
Isshin pointed his sword at her throat. "Don't."
She screamed anyway.
Isshin knocked her out.
He stepped back, taking a breath.
Two down.
But the real problem was coming.
He couldn't fight the whole group.
And leaving this as it was would expose him.
"Raijin," he said quietly. "Show me a Wudang technique."
A moment later, the system displayed it.
Form. Movement. Qi flow.
Isshin copied it.
Not perfect.
But enough.
He finished Selene with a clean strike that matched the style.
Then he moved quickly.
Soren's body was dragged into the nest, hidden under debris.
Selene was left where she fell.
Different methods.
Different conclusions.
Then Isshin disappeared into the trees.
He didn't wait long.
The group arrived quickly.
They found Selene first.
Voices rose.
Anger.
Orders were given immediately.
That was his opening.
Isshin ran out from the trees, breathing heavily, stumbling slightly as if he had barely escaped.
He dropped to his knees in front of them.
"Who are you?" the elder asked.
"I… I'm Neil," Isshin said, forcing his voice to shake. "Wudang members attacked me. I ran… then a wyvern showed up…"
The elder frowned. "Wudang…?"
"They've lost their minds," someone muttered.
It was working.
But not completely.
"Why were they chasing you?" another disciple asked.
Isshin didn't pause. "They weren't. Not at first. They killed someone wearing your uniform… then they saw me."
The group went quiet.
They looked at each other.
Their suspicion shifted.
Not gone.
But redirected.
"You're coming with us," the elder said. "Try anything, and you die."
Isshin nodded.
He kept his breathing uneven, his posture weak.
But his mind was already moving.
Staying with them was just as dangerous as fighting them.