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For the past several days, Nolan had locked himself in the lab, running continuous experiments. And during those days, Danny Rand and Black Sky had endured levels of pain neither had ever known.
Black Sky was manageable she was just a vessel. The Beast couldn't feel pain the same way. But Danny? He was human. Every shock, every incision he felt all of it. He had even tried to summon his Iron Fist multiple times…
But not even that could break the vibranium cuffs restraining him.
Meanwhile, Dr. Curt Connors was calibrating the lab's scanning equipment, using every known light frequency to analyze the samples taken from both subjects.
Then—it happened.
"Boss, I've got something!" Connors called out.
He had discovered that beta radiation, specifically high-frequency electron streams, could illuminate a previously undetectable substance inside both Danny and Black Sky's cellular structures. What was once unseen had become visible under the right conditions.
Nolan leaned in. "If it's observable, it's not from another dimension it's just been hidden by our limitations. Good. Begin the full analysis."
He was fascinated. If this energy could be extracted or, better yet, replicated, it could become another tool in his arsenal.
After all, The Beast could mutate ordinary humans through sheer presence. And Danny's Chi, the so-called "Shou-Lao energy," could amplify his body to supernatural levels of strength, speed, and durability.
That meant these two powers likely operated on similar physical pathways.
But Chi had even more potential. It could heal, numb pain, sync minds, and even project consciousness. It wasn't just power it was a multidimensional influence. And that's why Nolan had risked provoking K'un-Lun to capture the Iron Fist.
Danny hadn't yet mastered his connection to Shou-Lao. If he had, not even Max Dillon could've held him.
Nolan remembered stories: in peak form, the Iron Fist could stop a bullet train with a single punch.
Shou-Lao…
He briefly considered dissecting the ancient dragon itself just to see what secrets lay beneath its scales. But no, not yet. One step at a time.
"Apply targeted electric stimulation to his cerebral cortex," Nolan ordered.
Connors placed a custom-designed neural helmet on Danny's head. It delivered controlled shocks to specific brain regions. It was a cruel tool but effective for reluctant test subjects.
Nolan already had Danny's neural response map. He knew how to trigger the Chi surge.
A jolt of electricity to the right spot, plus a dose of adrenaline, and Danny's fists would ignite, glowing like molten steel, overflowing with raw power.
"AAAGH! Who the hell are you people?!" Danny roared, his body surging against the restraints.
All his years of martial discipline, his training to endure pain it meant nothing in the face of this kind of violation.
He was Iron Fist. K'un-Lun's Immortal Weapon. The chosen of Shou-Lao.
'Why?! Why am I still this weak?'
'I am Iron Fist. I am the defender of K'un-Lun! I am power incarnate!'
Suddenly, the dragon tattoo on his chest began to glow faintly its wings spread wide.
It wasn't just for the show.
A flood of Chi surged from deep within, answering his desperation. Danny welcomed it with open arms, channeling it instinctively to reinforce his limbs.
Connors' monitors spiked. "His energy output is climbing. Fast!"
"Begin beta-ray tracing," Nolan instructed. "Track the energy flow through his nervous system."
He wasn't worried. Not yet.
"Max," Nolan called.
A surge of static formed into a humanoid figure Max Dillon stepped forward, composed entirely of living electricity.
"Boss."
"If he tries anything, hit him with everything you've got. Don't worry about killing him."
"Understood."
Danny thrashed against the table, but it was too late. His body was acting on its own. He hadn't fully mastered the teachings in the Book of the Iron Fist otherwise, he could've used Chi to block the oncoming surge.
But right now? He was vulnerable.
"Confirmed," Connors said. "The dragon tattoo is acting like a battery channeling Chi across his entire system. Under beta radiation, the energy presents a red bioluminescent signature."
Nolan ignored Danny's struggle. He focused on the cellular slides, on the muscle tissue, and on the animated nervous system model glowing across the digital display.
A red pathway emerged as a Chi circuit.
"So it's like flipping a switch," Nolan murmured. "Instead of manually controlling every cell, the user just activates a circuit like a fuse box. That's K'un-Lun's method…"
But only those with the right traits—combat prowess, spiritual focus, and Chi compatibility could complete the circuit.
No wonder the Iron Fist mantle was so rare.
'What a waste.'
The truth was, Nolan wasn't interested in being Iron Fist.
He was more interested in what made Shou-Lao's power tick and how to extract it.
"Redirect the Chi to my body," he said. "That's the next step. I want to see if I can absorb it."
Shou-Lao itself was still too dangerous to engage. But the power? That he could take.
"Stun him. I need his systems suppressed."
"Yes, sir."
Max placed his hands on Danny's restrained arms. His entire electrical charge flowed into Danny's body thousands of volts.
The Chi-enhanced skin withstood the first few seconds… but then the energy overwhelmed it.
The current ripped through Danny's organs, scorching every nerve it touched.
The lab was filled with the smell of ozone and singed flesh. Nearby metal instruments began vibrating, drawn toward the energy vortex forming around the experiment table.
Danny let out a final scream and then everything went dark.
His body collapsed. Unconscious.
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