When Dragon Balls Descend Upon Marvel

Smith Doyle looked at the box on his desk containing three Dragon Balls.

Originally, John Wick had intended to leave all four Dragon Balls in his custody, but Smith decided John should take one with him—this would help Smith keep an eye on his movements.

Regarding the location of the remaining three Dragon Balls, Smith Doyle was somewhat surprised to learn that Ivan Vanko had found one by luck. However, considering Vanko's poverty, it shouldn't be hard for John to acquire it with money.

As for Xu Xialing, the situation was more complicated. Being the sister of Xu Shang-Chi and the owner of an underground fight club in Hong Kong, she had a fair amount of influence. Obtaining the Dragon Ball from her would take effort.

Surprisingly, the one at the Osaka Continental Hotel was the simplest. It was in the hands of the hotel manager—one of John Wick's few trusted friends.

The reason for rushing the collection of the Dragon Balls was due to Smith Doyle's realization: although Yamcha, newly introduced, was strong, he couldn't absolutely dominate the battlefield. While ordinary handguns and assault rifles couldn't harm him, grenades, sniper rifles, and more powerful weapons might.

He didn't have a vibranium shield to draw fire away. And Smith had a decent understanding of the power Marvel tech could bring.

To survive the coming storm, he needed more power—raising his combat strength past 50 was a good way to establish a foothold in the early Marvel Universe.

······

Meanwhile—

Pool arrived in front of John Wick holding three files.

"John, Young Master asked me to hand these to you and to accompany you from now on."

John accepted the files and quickly read through them, now clear on what to do next.

"Pool, how am I supposed to keep you around without drawing attention?"

In response, Pool transformed into a blue helium balloon shaped like a cartoon cat and said:

"Just take me along like this."

John nodded—simple enough.

He left the Textile Factory with Pool, setting his first destination: Osaka Continental Hotel.

······

Nightfall.

Osaka Continental Hotel.

Shima walked through his domain with his subordinates, greeting guests along the way.

A Black assassin known by the codename Hunter, accompanied by a strong German Shepherd, entered the hotel.

Akira stepped forward and said:

"Welcome to the Osaka Continental. How can I help you?"

Hunter slid a hotel coin across the counter and said:

"I need a room."

Akira accepted the coin and leaned forward, noticing the dog.

"Apologies, animals aren't allowed in the hotel."

Hunter replied:

"Emotional support animal."

Akira raised an eyebrow: "It's your emotional support animal?"

Hunter looked down at the German Shepherd:

"Actually, I'm its emotional support. Right, buddy?"

He knelt and patted the dog's head.

Akira suppressed a smile and handed over a key card.

"Then it must stay in your room."

Hunter took the card and walked away.

Akira called out, "Enjoy your stay, sir."

Watching him leave, she shook her head with a grin.

Hunter sat on a couch in the lobby and checked his phone. Open bounty contract: John Wick—$22 million.

"Nice."

He flipped through his notebook filled with past bounties, all marked completed. He stopped at a page with John Wick's sketch and placed a mark.

Shima soon entered the lobby and spotted the dog.

"There's a dog in my hotel lobby," he said to the approaching Akira.

Akira sighed: "It's an emotional support animal."

Shima scoffed: "Yeah, right."

Akira shifted the conversation: "About your schedule for tomorrow..."

After hearing the rundown, Shima asked:

"Anything planned for 8 PM?"

"Dinner with your daughter," Akira replied.

"She's worried you're overworking."

Shima chuckled:

"I must've done a lot of good in a past life to have such a caring little girl."

Akira smiled: "Good karma rewards the kind."

Shima nodded: "That's true."

He glanced around and asked:

"How are our guests?"

"Some of the Gold Club members seem anxious."

Shima agreed: "The world's been unstable."

Akira added: "There was an incident at the New York Continental yesterday. The manager was beheaded."

Shima showed no expression: "What about my concierge?"

"She's a little worried."

Akira held the same position as Charon in New York, but she had another secret—she was Shima's biological daughter.

Shima joked:

"Maybe I should get you an emotional support animal."

Akira didn't respond. As they walked deeper into the hotel, she warned:

"One wrong move in a meeting with John Wick could lead to disaster."

Shima replied:

"We've never offended the High Table."

Akira pushed back:

"Everyone knows your ties to John Wick. The High Table will come."

She clearly didn't know John had joined the Assassin Alliance and assumed he would come seeking her father's aid.

Shima answered:

"Then we'll treat him with courtesy."

Akira insisted:

"Where John Wick walks, nothing grows."

Shima turned to his daughter:

"I knew him before you were born."

Akira quietly apologized:

"Forgive me, father."

She then turned and walked away.

Shima sighed:

"Akira, tell my daughter I'm looking forward to dinner."

A soft smile appeared on Akira's face.

Because of the High Table's control tactics—using family and children as leverage—Shima never acknowledged Akira as his daughter publicly. Officially, she remained his concierge, nothing more.

······

(End of Chapter)

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