"Alright, enough talking. Let’s get to the point. How are we rging the teams? I’m sure you’ve got a plan. Just lay it out, I’m listening..."
Magnus looked at ease, tone flat but firm.
Ray let out a chuckle. "Good! I like people who get to the point. Then I won’t waste ti either..."
His eyes swept across the won in the RV’s lounge. "Simple enough - have your girls co with us. Once all our folks are on your caravan, I’ll personally bring them back. What do you say, Captain?"
"No need for all that trouble. I’ll go with you myself," Magnus replied casually, smiling at Ray as if they were just discussing the weather. "They stay and wait for the handover."
"You’re coming with us?" Ray blinked, clearly not expecting that answer - it threw off their plan.
"What? Afraid of ? You’ve got over a thousand n. I go alone, I’ll even ditch my gear." He reached down, pulled the sidearm from his thigh holster, and tossed it to Emily.
She caught it, hesitated, then stepped forward. "Magnus... going alone, are you sure?" She looked at him, sothing fierce and worried in her eyes. Emily knew him too well - this was no simple compromise.
"I’ll be fine." Magnus tapped her arm gently. "You just make sure the handover with Ray’s squad goes smooth. I’ll be back before long. After that, it’s business as usual - but with so extra muscle."
Ray grinned, the last of his doubts fading away as he saw how the won reacted to Magnus. "Then it’s settled. You take us five back. Once you’re in our camp, we’ll finalize the rge. By night, we’re one team!"
The young won watched as Magnus stepped down with Ray’s squad. They said nothing. Instead, silently, they followed behind, eyes locked on their captain. Once the group drove off in the SUV, Charlotte and Emily spoke in unison: "Notify everyone. Get ready for a fight."
Magnus was protected by the tal Crystal; they weren’t too worried for him. What had them on edge were Ray’s mortars and those damn tanks.
Ray’s group rolled up in an Audi Q7, a rugged SUV. Ray got behind the wheel. Another sat up front. In the back, Magnus was squeezed into the middle, flanked by three of Ray’s n.
Ray threw a glance over his shoulder, grinning. "Sorry about the backseat, Captain. You should’ve had the front. But my buddy here," he patted the guy by his side, "gets carsick. Hope you don’t mind."
Magnus smirked coldly, voice calm. "I’m good. Just not a fan of your boys copping a feel. Not into that kind of welco."
The three guys in the back finished patting Magnus down. They didn’t find the tal Crystal. One of them gave Ray a subtle nod. Ray burst out laughing.
"Captain, you misunderstood! They were just curious. Young man like you running such a big convoy? We were wondering if you got three heads and six arms, ha! Thought maybe you were so kind of mythic fighter. Had to check if you’re really Nezha or sothing, ha ha!"
Magnus didn’t even crack a smile. He looked annoyed. "Enough. Cut the crap. Drive. Let’s get to your base. I’m curious what my new teammates look like."
"You got it! Hahaha!" Ray laughed like he’d already taken over the Ice Regint. The other four laughed right along with him.
Yeah, go ahead and laugh, bastards. Let’s see how long that fake joy lasts.
Magnus sat back, hands behind him casually. His right thumb pressed lightly against the black ring tattoo on his left middle finger. The tal Crystal quietly activated...
The Audi Q7 crawled past the Ice Regint vehicles, moved up another 200 ters. Just like Grace had said, two tanks were stationed ahead, ready to roll. There were three infantry transports and light-armored vehicles too, each one topped with a machine gun that looked like a mini-Gatling.
As they got closer to the tank unit, Magnus stayed perfectly still. He guessed Ray would stop the car once they reached there. Made sense - either to report in or to get clearance from the guards just in case they were bringing hostages.
Sure enough, the Q7 ca to a slow halt near the tanks. Around fifty n were stationed there. Magnus studied their gear - standard single-person combat loadouts. No doubt, these were Ray’s people, the so-called "Rioters."
But the five guys in the car? They didn’t move or look like real military. No way they were running that unit. And yet they’d claid they’d be deputy commanders when they got back. Obviously lying. Magnus realized then - they’d probably planned to take him out during the handoff.
At that thought, a small wooden cylinder appeared in Magnus’ left hand. It started growing before their eyes.
The three guys beside him noticed. One shouted, "What the hell is that?!"
"Ray! Sothing’s wrong back here!"
Before their words finished, Magnus’ right hand snapped the lighter - fla t wood. It was still growing fast, now spewing blue fire. As soon as the fla reached the three n, they scread in agony. The fire roared up their bodies instantly.
In the front seat, Ray saw what was happening and panicked, yanking the door open to escape. But the now-blazing wood had already touched both car doors - blue flas licked through the Q7, catching him too.
BOOM!
The gas tank exploded. Magnus was flung skyward, but mid-air he twisted smoothly and flipped. Landing on the tank’s top, he swung the burning wood like a weapon. The tank was instantly set ablaze.
Not stopping for even a breath, he leapt from the burning tank, single foot hitting tal as he vaulted to the next vehicle - swinging the wood again. Blue fire raged.
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