"Why do you call the person from your mother's side an ancestor?" Steve asked, his confusion clear.
"Because he is the ancestor. He is the progenitor of the family line my mother comes from," Ryan replied, his voice calm and matter-of-fact.
"What kind of family does your mother hail from?" Thor boomed, his curiosity piqued by the mention of ageless beings.
"One of the most prestigious families in the Seven Cities of Heaven."
Tony scoffed. "Haven't heard of them."
"Aren't the Seven Cities of Heaven a myth?" Natasha interjected, her professional skepticism instantly surfacing.
"Tell us what you know, Natasha," Bruce said, leaning forward.
"That's all I know. The rumors have existed for centuries, but even after the Red Room searched the globe twice over, no trace of them was found."
"You're right," Ryan said, looking directly at Steve. "But I was trained there. Ever heard of the 'Iron Fist'?"
"You mean Orson Randall?" Steve asked.
"Orson Randall... I've heard of him before," Carol said, her expression serious.
"He was a war hero during World War I, and there were reports of his clashes with Hydra until he went off-grid one day. According to the SSR, he was presumed dead, but no body was found," Steve explained.
"He was the previous generation of the Iron Fist, and he, too, was trained by my ancestor," Ryan stated.
"How old is your ancestor?" Bruce asked, his scientific mind unable to comprehend the concept.
"I don't know, I didn't get to ask his age, but he's at least a few centuries old based on what I inferred."
"And he trained you? How is he even moving at that age and not under the earth?" Tony asked, his disbelief evident.
"He is ageless, so that's not a problem," Ryan answered simply.
"What do you mean ageless? Is he immortal?" Steve questioned.
"That's a lie, right? Ha ha, good joke," Tony said, trying to diffuse the conversation with his usual humor.
Ryan looked at Bruce. "I am a believer of Lord Shiva, Dr. Banner, and I do not lie unless it is extremely necessary."
"So, immortals are a thing?" Bruce asked.
"No, ageless means he does not age, and his physical functions stay in peak condition. He is not immortal. He can be killed if you shoot him in the heart or cut off his head, but that's not easy with his strength. And yes, immortals exist, though I believe anything that lives can die," Ryan explained.
Carol interjected, her voice firm. "I can confirm immortals exist, but let's leave that topic."
"So you were trained by the same person who trained Orson Randall," Natasha said, her mind now racing with new possibilities.
"And I thought my family background was impressive, but his is more like a superpower than a family background," Tony muttered, a new sense of humility in his tone.
"Then why didn't you go to look for him?" Bruce asked.
"I can't. The place he lives in can only be left once every 10 years, so if I go, I won't be coming back anytime soon, which I cannot allow."
The tension in the room eased as Tony, ever the businessman, decided to switch to a more comfortable topic. "FRIDAY's records show you started buying my company's shares when I was proclaimed missing and the price fell, then you sold when I returned alive. Why?"
Ryan met his gaze, a faint smirk on his lips. "When I got the news that Tony Stark had returned and called for a press meeting, I started selling because I was betting on your character to do something stupid."
Tony's eyes narrowed, a mix of annoyance and grudging respect on his face. "Then why did you buy them back again?"
"My parents said that despite the flaws in your character, you're a genius and very prideful," Ryan explained calmly. "So knowing your charachter I kind of expected a comeback from you and decided to profit off your ego," leaving Tony Stark speechless at this type of stock operation.
'Now I know where the nickname -uncanningly accurate- comes from.'
"By the way, you said Orson was the previous generation of Iron Fist. Does that mean there is a current generation, and what does the title of 'Iron Fist' mean?" Natasha asked, getting back to the real reason he was there.
"There are seven cities of martial artists, secluded from the world, called the Seven Cities of Heaven. They hold a challenge every 20 years, and the one representing them is the chosen champion of the city who holds the unique power belonging to the city and is called the Immortal Weapon. The 'Iron Fist' is the champion and defender of the city of K'un-lun."
"The title of the Iron Fist can be passed down every 20 years, as that is how long the preparation for the powers takes place, and a competition is held in the City where the victor who comes on challenges undergoes to finally challenge the heart of the undying dragon and if he succeeds, obtains the power of Iron Fist, while the failure results mostly in death or loss of forearms. That is all I can tell you, and you should not spread this information, or the people of the Seven Cities will fall into chaos, which can cause very destructive consequences."
"We can agree on that," Carol said, her voice firm.
"So, who is the current generation of 'Iron Fist'?" Steve asked.
"My friend, Daniel Thomas Rand, the current boss of Rand Industries."
"The Rand Industries you're talking about is the shipping mogul residing in New York?" Natasha asked, her professional demeanor returning.
"Yes, that one. His father, Wendell, was also a candidate for the Iron Fist but did not continue the challenge due to some disagreements."
"Okay, that's enough of questioning for today," Steve said ending the interrogation session, the weight of all this new information settling over him.