At a glance
- Guardian of the Young Mistress. Alongside Jade Dancer he shields Mu Xiaokui and instructs her in martial arts, and the pair fight in tandem.
- A protector's fist. He believes fists are for shielding the weak, which separates him from Iron Fever, the junior who became his rival and who simply enjoys battle.
- Iron gauntlet fighter. Heavy and unadorned, his style never wavers under pressure, and he holds his ground.
- A pair of side tales. He is your training opponent for Use It Against Them and the giver of Heart of the Fist, and both quests are located on Crimson Forest's Sha-Chi Tower, sixth floor.
- Bonus phase. The Village of Lu fight against Mu Xiaokui gains a third phase featuring him and Jade Dancer, but only when the Young Mistress tale was finished beforehand.
Overview
The Order's Young Mistress, Mu Xiaokui, is guarded by Iron Fiend, a guardian who wields gauntlets.
Iron Fiend fights with two iron gauntlets, a massive, cold-faced and immovable figure. Two jobs fall to him in the Order: he shields Mu Xiaokui and assists in teaching her combat, tasks he shares with Jade Dancer. Together his heavy hands and her fast legs are portrayed as a hard-and-soft duo moving in unison.
Soul's first clash with him is a boss duel at the Village of Lu. Later, two side tales in Crimson Forest have him returning as a sparring opponent and quest source. The Iron Fist Sect also links to him, through the younger fellow disciple Iron Fever, who is fought in that same snowy woodland.
Relationships
- Mu XiaokuiProtector and pupilMu XiaokuiProtector and pupil
Over time his loyalty has grown, thanks to her kind heart and her capacity for leadership, as he guards and instructs the Young Mistress.
View more - Jade DancerFellow guardianJade DancerFellow guardian
The two divide the job of guarding and coaching Mu Xiaokui, Iron Fiend contributing firm hands and Jade Dancer fast legs.
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- Iron FeverJunior brotherIron FeverJunior brother
Fighting for the sake of fighting is what Iron Fever loves, along with a wish to continue their master's art, whereas Iron Fiend believes that a fist should defend the weak.
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- SoulRival and training partnerSoulRival and training partner
Soul fights him first as a Village of Lu boss; in Crimson Forest he later becomes an instructor who hands out quests.
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Background
Departing the Iron Fist Sect
As the older of the two, Iron Fiend studied beneath the same master as Iron Fever. The sect's ancient grudges had been resolved by then, yet the Wulin remained unsettled, and he intended to withdraw from everything.
An invitation from the Order, together with the rules it maintained, changed his mind. Wanting somewhere that still followed a rule, he signed on.
Role in the Story
Protecting the Young Mistress
Iron Fiend became the guardian beside Mu Xiaokui upon joining the Order. His existing creed of defending the weak and lifting his fists against the strong suited the role perfectly, and as time passed he saw in her a clear, kind heart and the ability to lead others. In his eyes she deserves to be protected even at the cost of his life.
Turmoil grips the Order after the old Shadow Sovereign passes away and Soul switches sides. Iron Fiend grieves but blames neither party. Whatever the Young Mistress decides, he takes as his own choice.
Sparring Arena and the Master's Tomb
Toward the end of the plot, Soul returns to icy Crimson Forest, where Iron Fiend and Jade Dancer stand on the sixth floor of the Sha-Chi Tower. Jade Dancer proposes a spar, whereas Iron Fiend sends Soul off on Heart of the Fist, an errand finishing at the grave marker of the Iron Fist Master.
Taking the Young Mistress's place
At the Village of Lu's last fight, a third phase adds Iron Fiend and Jade Dancer alongside Mu Xiaokui, provided the Young Mistress tale was completed beforehand. He fights Soul once more afterwards, in a rematch with Iron Fever on the route through the Mandate Encampment.
Temperament & Drives
Reliable, direct and loyal, Iron Fiend favours order over chaos, and that is why the Order won him back after he had wished to leave the Wulin behind. He is protective in a practical way, shielding those who cannot yet defend themselves and then helping them become stronger.
He can be thoughtful too. His dialogue mentions avenging his master, having nothing left for Wulin fights, and a master who looked like another person in his last days. Though he says his fists are for killing, he still asks whether the one standing opposite truly wants to learn.
Missions Featured
| Appearance | Type | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Use It Against Them | Side tale | Spar in Crimson Forest, up on the Sha-Chi Tower's sixth floor. Soul takes on Jade Dancer and Iron Fiend equipped only with Fiend Saws and the Iron Gauntlets Phantom Edge. |
| Heart of the Fist | Side tale | The tale begins with Iron Fiend on that very floor. It ends at the Iron Fist Master's gravestone close to the Burial Grounds bell, and the reward is Fist Fragment: Shell. |
| Mu Xiaokui, Young Mistress of the Order | Boss fight | Last fight in the Village of Lu. Only if you earlier completed the Young Mistress tale do he and Jade Dancer appear in an added third phase. |
| Iron Fiend, Young Mistress's Guardian | Boss fight | He gets a solo boss encounter in the Village of Lu, with 8,000 base HP, and then a second battle on the Mandate Encampment route where Iron Fever fights beside him. |
Gameplay
Facing Soul as a boss, Iron Fiend has 8,000 base HP and 1,200 Sha-Chi, without elemental weaknesses or resistances. Higher difficulties and subsequent playthroughs increase these figures. Brute strength defines his combat: his blows are heavy and unadorned, and being hit hard never knocks him off balance.
Gear and Transport
A pair of iron gauntlets belongs to him personally, separate from the Iron Gauntlets Phantom Edge available to Soul, which happens to be the mandatory weapon for the spar in Use It Against Them.
Quotes
About his master and his fists
“I've avenged our master.”
A voiced line from Iron Fiend.
“My fists are meant to kill.”
A voiced line from Iron Fiend.
“Even so... you still wish to learn?”
A voiced line from Iron Fiend.
Frequently asked questions
How does Heart of the Fist begin?
Once the story takes you back to Crimson Forest's icy woods, go to the Sha-Chi Tower, sixth floor, where Iron Fiend gives you the task. Then warp to the bell at the Burial Grounds and walk toward the southwest, crossing the Mirrorwood until the large gravestone appears.
What is the method for beating Iron Fiend in Use It Against Them?
Speak with Jade Dancer on the sixth floor of the Sha-Chi Tower, set Fiend Saws as the main weapon and Iron Gauntlets as the Phantom Edge, then defeat both guardians with those weapons alone. A Heel Reinforcement Part is the reward.
What brings Iron Fiend and Jade Dancer into the Mu Xiaokui fight?
Her Village of Lu fight gains a third phase with them only when the Young Mistress tale was finished first, a tale that also has you gather her five hidden ribbons.
Are Iron Fiend and Iron Fever kin?
Iron Fever's senior brother is him; the two studied under one master.