CHAPTER 315: ARRIVAL

The convoy ground to a halt in a vast clearing at the foot of the majestic Ayzion Mountain Range.

Under Gunner’s watchful eye, the heavy trucks, laden with equipment, formed a wide semi-circle.

Their engines rumbled ominously for a moment before falling silent, leaving only the haunting sound of wind howling through the jagged peaks.

As if painted by a master artist, the Ayzion Range dominated the horizon.

Its ridges twisted upward into colossal shapes,some peaks stubbornly clung to their snowy caps while others bled molten rock from deep fissures.

Storm clouds loomed ominously above, with flashes of lightning flickering in the distance, yet patches of sunlight bathed other sections in warmth.

This mountain range was a paradox, breathtaking yet hostile, alive with contradictions that stirred both awe and fear.

Arthur stepped down from the truck, his boots thudding against the dirt like an echo of authority.His trench coat floated lightly in the wind h

Even Arthur as cold as always was momentarily stunned as he take in the chaotic splendor of Ayzion. For just an instant, something flickered behind his icy gaze.

"Look at this place!" Ethan exclaimed suddenly, breaking the silence with an easy grin.

"Mountains with mood swings! Makes me wonder if the gods had too much to drink when they built it."

He turned to Clara, an archaeologist’s assistant beside him, and winked playfully.

"Hey Clara! If we get lost in here, promise you’ll be my tour guide?"

Before Clara could respond with her usual wit, Mireille grabbed Ethan by his ear and yanked it hard.

"Ouch! Ouch! Ow! Hey! That’s attached!" Ethan yelped as he squirmed closer to her.

"Stop running your mouth," Mireille said flatly but couldn’t hide a hint of amusement dancing in her eyes.

The soldiers chuckled quietly; even Clara hid her smile behind her hand.

This brief moment of levity cracked through their tension like sunlight breaking through storm clouds.

Arthur’s gaze snapped back from the mountains as he commanded attention once more: "Gunner."

"Yes, Boss," Gunner replied instantly, stepping forward with military precision.

"Select a detachment to guard our trucks; everyone else will accompany us into the range. The seven Commanders and Ethan are with us."

"Understood!".

Gunner pivoted sharply, his voice slicing through the air as he barked crisp orders to the men.

A truck hissed ominously as its side panels swung open, unveiling a treasure trove of gear within.

Rows of sleek black bodysuits shimmered under the pale light, each emblazoned with the Aegis-7 insignia on the chest plate,armor crafted for agility, protection, and a fleeting defense against the Ayzion magnetic fields.

The soldiers inhaled sharply at this sight.

"Listen up!" Gunner’s voice rang out like a clarion call.

"These suits can withstand three hours in the field. Activate their systems only when you’re in combat,standby mode is your friend! Disobey this order, and you risk frying alive."

His warning sent a shiver down even the boldest spines.

Beneath the suits lay an arsenal,rifles, handguns, blades, and specialized munitions tailored for unpredictable terrains.

"Gear up," Gunner commanded.

With practiced efficiency, soldiers sprang into action.

The armor hissed as seals locked into place; helmets snapped on securely. Ammunition was loaded with precision, blades strapped to thighs, rifles shouldered with purpose.

Ethan let out a low whistle as he halfway donned his suit. "Now this is more like it! I thought we’d be scaling mountains in regular fatigues,can you imagine the chafing?"

"Shut up and put your helmet on," Mireille shot back playfully while securing his chest plate.

Meanwhile, Arthur moved with deliberate precision. Ignoring the racks of bodysuits entirely, he headed straight for weapons.

He holstered two matte-black pistols at his sides and clipped extra magazines onto his belt with meticulous care before strapping short daggers,gleaming with a faint red sheen,for close combat at his waist.

Once armed, an eerie silence enveloped their formation.

Five minutes later, they stood ready, shadows forged from steel clad in black suits that absorbed all light.

Arthur nodded once,a signal understood by all.

Without hesitation, the remaining trucks roared to life, transporting archaeologists and bulky equipment forward. The convoy began its advance into Ayzion’s depths.

---

As they crossed beneath the looming shadows of the mountains, reality itself seemed to warp around them.

Electrical systems flickered erratically; lights dimmed then flared back to life. Modified engines sputtered before roaring back into action while radios crackled with static interference.

Even their advanced shielding groaned under an invisible weight pressing down upon them.

Arthur’s eyes narrowed, a primal instinct tingling in his bones.

He felt it,not through machines, but through an electric charge in the air that seemed to warp reality itself.

Clara clutched her notepad like a lifeline, her face drained of color.

"The readings are... impossible," she stammered. "This level of field distortion shouldn’t even exist naturally!"

Professor Adrian frowned deeply, jotting down notes as the truck jolted beneath him.

"Impossible or not, it’s here," he replied firmly. "Record everything. This isn’t just geology,we’re entering a fortress."

Leading the convoy was Arthur and Gunner.

"Perimeter vigilance," Arthur commanded without glancing back.

"Already on it," Gunner shot back, signaling the flank trucks where soldiers pressed their helmets against slits, weapons poised and ready.

At the rear of the convoy, Ethan stretched his limbs casually as he kept pace with the Seven Commanders.

"Anyone else feel like we’re marching into the belly of a beast?" he quipped.

Mireille shot him a glare that could freeze fire. "Do you ever stop talking?"

"Sure," Ethan replied with a grin. "Usually when I’m asleep! Want me to demonstrate?"

She rolled her eyes but chose silence over further banter.

The others remained stoic, each scanning their surroundings with sharpened focus and calculated movements.

They were no ordinary officers; they were Arthur’s elite,a chosen cadre ready for anything.

As they ventured deeper into unknown territory, the trucks creaked under an unnatural weight pressing down upon them.

The convoy snaked through jagged passes where cliffs loomed overhead like giant jaws ready to snap shut.

Snow flurries danced in one direction while rain poured in sheets just a hundred meters away,nature itself seemed torn between extremes.

Sunlight bathed distant ridges in golden hues while soldiers’ helmets flickered erratically with scrambled readings and error codes.

With every step forward, tension thickened like fog.

Arthur stood there in silence, every sense heightened,his coat billowed behind him like the shadow of a predator stalking its prey.

Though his expression remained unchanged, those following felt the weight of his unwavering vigilance pressing down on them.

"Eyes up!" Gunner barked sharply. "If anything moves out there, you call it!"

"Yes sir!" came the chorus of voices behind him,an echo of determination and readiness.

Ethan leaned toward Holt with a mischievous smirk. "Bet you 50 Million we get ambushed before nightfall."

Holt rolled his eyes at him and merely tightened his grip on his rifle without responding,a silent testament to their shared understanding of danger lurking nearby.

Clara’s heart raced as she peered through the windows of the armored truck they were in.

The armed men in their sleek black suits, weapons at the ready, and Arthur’s icy demeanor,it was a far cry from the cozy lecture halls of her university.

She leaned closer to Professor Adrain, her voice barely above a whisper. "Do we really need this much protection? It feels like we’ve stepped into a warzone!"

Professor Adrian didn’t meet her gaze; his focus was on the surroundings as he looked outside of the windows , tense and unyielding.

"When Arthur brings this kind of firepower, Clara," he replied gravely, "it’s wise to assume he knows something we don’t."

The weight of his words settled heavily in her chest, like a stone dropped into still water, sending ripples of unease through her mind. What secrets lay beneath this veneer of security?