I sat in the velvet lined carriage, the gentle sway of its movement rocking me into a state of focused calm. The interior smelled of aged wood and lemon oil, with the faintest trace of gunpowder lingering in the folds of Rufino’s coat hung nearby. Outside, snowflakes lazily drifted through the open mountain air, melting as they touched the warm exterior of the black steel coach. I raised a porcelain cup to my lips and took a slow sip of the black tea Lu had steeped earlier. Floral, smoky, with a sharp bite near the end. Refreshing.

  "We're nearing Hasfra, sir. The gates are in the distance." Kai said from the driver’s perch, his voice muffled slightly by the thick walls but still clear through the front-facing opening.

  Lu, seated across from me with perfect posture and a folded cloth napkin on his lap, followed up, "How's your tea, sir?"

  I placed the delicate cup down onto the carriage’s small circular table with a soft clink, savoring the lingering warmth it left on my tongue. "Amazing. It's good stuff."

  The rhythmic clop of hooves against stone broke pace as Rufino, riding beside us on horseback, leaned toward the carriage window and knocked twice on the glass pane. His face was tight with urgency, though still composed.

  He said, "Sir, there's archers."

  I glanced outside and gave a curt nod. I'll handle this.

  The carriage slowed to a halt with the hiss of brakes and the creak of weather-worn wheels. I reached for the brass handle and stepped out into the fading golden light of Hasfra’s perimeter. Snow swirled around my boots as the cold northern wind howled faintly in the distance.

  Lined in front of the carriage stood our men. My division, a wall of trained bodies that I train personally, each armed only their fists. It's their strongest asset. They were positioned to intercept ambushes, standing firm and disciplined. But now, they were only in the way.

  I raised my hand with a slow wave, my fingers slightly curled, commanding them without a shout. "Move, men."

  They obeyed instantly, parting like the sea, stepping to either side with practiced synchronicity. Between their ranks, I caught sight of movement atop the outer wall of Hasfra, bows drawn, strings taut. The archers eyed us warily, their silhouettes twitching like anxious prey. Weaklings with darksteel think they're special.

  My gaze drifted lower, to a slumped body near the edge of the gates. Blonde hair tousled, chest rising faintly. That's Ewan. Looks like the trio took care of business.

  I stepped forward into the open, boots crunching on gravel. My fingers curled, and I slowly lifted my palm in front of me. Wind began to gather around it—soft at first, then violent. The air bent unnaturally, swirling with invisible force. My knuckles cracked like distant thunder. "Echo."

  I punched the air wildly. A controlled, forward-directed strike toward the city gate a full mile away. My arm dropped to my side afterward, motionless.

  For a few seconds, it seemed nothing happened. Then, a low boom trembled across the valley, followed by a scream of tearing wind. The gate ahead erupted. Wood, stone, and metal blasted outward in all directions, sheared clean by invisible force. Dust and pressure flattened everything nearby. The archers were hurled backwards, helmets flying, limbs slack, unconscious before they even hit the ground. Not one stone touched Ewan. I wanted him alive, for now.

  From behind, I heard boots shift on gravel as the soldiers stared, stunned. Some shielded their eyes. Rufino, now beside me again, gave a quiet chuckle. "Even now, after seeing it many times, I'm still amazed. It's definitely the most unique martial arts style I've seen."

  I ran a hand through my hair, gathering it at the crown. Strands whipped in the lingering breeze, slick with sweat from the exertion. "I have the longest range out of any martial artist."

  With practiced ease, I tied it into a tight manbun. "It's kind of disappointing, in a sense. I've taken down many a great men in an instant. I wish they had the chance to die in a better way."

  Lu stepped down from the carriage, his boots tapping lightly against the ground as he joined our side. His brow furrowed as he scanned the horizon beyond the ruined gate.

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  He brought up the elephant in the room, "Where are they? It's nearing sundown. They should be ready for pickup."

  I spotted something moving in the distance. The gate hid a large concrete straightaway. At the end of the straightaway was something green. It had a circle shape. A human doesn't look like that. I saw other movement behind it. Don't tell me...

  The ‘something’ approaching through the dust and haze began to take shape. A silhouette moving faster than most eyes could comfortably follow. As it neared, the details sharpened. Vellin, his figure unsteady, his movements mechanical. He was carrying both Finn and Caleb slung over his shoulders. The sight alone made my breath hitch.

  I stared at his eyes.

  They were blank—wide open, yet absent of life. Empty of consciousness. It’s Unconscious God. That means something went wrong. Terribly wrong. And yet... they were all still alive. Bruised, battered, near collapse, but breathing. For now.

  Behind them were shadows. A storm of footsteps. They were being chased. Lu immediately sensed it, his instincts as sharp as any blade. He yelled, "Men, gather your weapons!" The call echoed over the field, boots scrambled into formation, and fists rose.

  I tightened my fist, bone pressing against skin, energy crackling just beneath the surface. "This travelling has been boring. It's about time."

  The men following Vellin were perfect prey. A disorganized, panicked pursuit group, still high on the thrill of hunting. But they had no idea what they were walking into.

  I stepped forward and launched a left straight. Vellin leapt at that moment, as if he knew, his body arching high into the air, exposing the horde behind him. Dozens. No. There were more.

  The punch connected with the air, but the air itself detonated. The area ahead exploded in a cone of violent force, a burst of wind pressure that cracked stone and sent the first wave of pursuers flying. They slammed into the ground, unconscious or dead. Silence followed, save for the wind and the groans of those still conscious enough to feel pain.

  Vellin reached the gate in a single, strained motion. He used one of the arches as a launching point, pushing off and increasing his speed midair, the momentum hurling him toward. He touched down with a grunt and collapsed, actually unconscious this time. His body hit the stone roadway.

  The men chasing him slowed, then stopped a few hundred feet away, hesitating now. I scanned the horizon quickly, calculating with practiced efficiency.

  There’s hundreds.

  Was this entire mission a failure from the start? So many details were still missing.

  We’d have to ask what happened later. Right now, the threat ahead still stood.

  Kai, ever ready, asked, "Do you want us to engage, sir?"

  I shook my head, eyes still fixed on the army ahead. "No. My style is tailored for things like this." I cracked my neck to the side. Tension rolled off my shoulders like a cloak. "We're leaving with those three. Does anyone have any objections?"

  A figure stepped forward from the opposing crowd, his movement slow, confident, deliberate. Someone I recognized.

  It was Mason. He held his hands behind his back, like a man at parade rest, relaxed but not passive. "First time seeing you in person."

  I asked, "Who hired you?"

  Mason looked genuinely astonished that I’d even bother asking. "Toda, of course. Just because I participated in the Burnout Tournament doesn't mean I'm all buddy buddy with you."

  I let out my bloodlust. Not a roar, not a scream, just presence. It blanketed the field in a crushing stillness. Men behind Mason froze, their instincts screaming to run. "You object to our leaving?"

  Mason glanced back. The mercenaries behind him, hardened killers, were visibly shaken, although that was no surprise. One man even took a step backward, bumping into the one behind him. The chain of fear was spreading.

  Mason said, "Kaiguro, just listen. We were all hired to take out the Piercing Serpent, the Demon Buddha, and the Maniac. My career rides on this."

  I stared him down, unmoving. "You know what else rides on this? Your life."

  Mason was deciding right then and there. I saw it in the flicker of his gaze. He was weighing odds, risk versus reward, fame versus survival. If he chose to fight here, none of us were walking away clean. And I didn’t have the numbers to guarantee my win. Just then, a smaller man—frail compared to the others—rushed through the crowd, urgency etched into every movement. He whispered something quickly into Mason’s ear.

  Mason’s entire demeanor shifted. His shoulders loosened. His eyes dimmed.

  He turned around, slowly walking away with the grace of someone who just dodged death. "Looks like my employer died. He only paid for my equipment. I'll return it and leave things here. But don't think Obsidian is out of the running. Toda's successor will be furious."

  Toda’s dead?!

  I looked over at the three fallen, Vellin, Finn, Caleb. The situation had just become dire. Why was Toda here in the first place? If the theory that this was a trap holds true, then even all three could have fallen to him. And that’s not even accounting for the other Minerals that were nearby.

  When word reaches Ebon... when the rest of Obsidian mobilizes for one all-out assault...

  The crowd of mercenaries began to disperse, slowly and nervously, retreating back into Hasfra.

  I turned around and faced my men. The weight of what just happened was still settling on my shoulders. "We’re heading back home. If all the Flames are not mobilized, even Leo won't be able to handle it."

  Lu grasped Vellin and hoisted him over his shoulder, "All of Obsidian will attack Grand Sasebella at once?"

  I nodded, "Tektite is that type of man. He's certainly realized the error in these small skirmishes. He'll want to finish it decisively. Sure, some of the Minerals are gone, some resources, and even Toda... but Tektite has something Toda doesn't."

  I opened the carriage's door, "Perfection."