CHAPTER 279: SCOUT FIRST, SLASH LATER

Far from the Hero Association’s tall towers, the land changed.

Smoke rose from black rocks. The ground cracked with heat. Magma boiled deep under the crust.

This was one of the volcanic zones at the edge of the A-Zone.

Ashblade and the other four stood on a sharp cliff, overlooking the fiery land below.

Ashblade stepped forward. His eyes scanned the distance.

"Intel says Flame God Cult moved here. Stay alert."

He looked at the others.

"I caught Izzo. That makes me leader now. We move how I say."

Ember Striker grinned. "Heh, fine by me. Just don’t slow us down."

Volt Stride crossed her arms. "Orders?"

Ashblade pointed to the right slope.

"You and Ember. Scout that side. Check for signs of cult members. Hidden paths. Secret doors."

Volt nodded and turned. Ember cracked his knuckles. "Time to sweat."

The two ran down the slope.

Volt dashed like lightning, Ember spinning once into a [Scorchwheel Dash] that lit a trail behind him.

Ashblade turned to Sightpiercer.

"Stay here. Use your scope. Watch everything."

Sightpiercer nodded once and climbed a nearby rock outcrop.

He opened his visor, letting the reticle inside scan the far valleys.

Ashblade turned to Whisperlash.

"You go alone. Same as me. Spread out."

Whisperlash smiled. "Thought you’d never ask."

She flicked her whip once and vanished behind the heat shimmer.

Ashblade walked the opposite way.

The ground hissed under his boots. Small vents puffed steam. He moved quietly.

A few minutes passed.

Ember Striker and Volt Stride moved fast across blackened ground.

They stopped near a jagged ridge, where a large stone formation sat.

The stones looked normal at first.

Just rough slabs stacked in a strange box shape.

But on the side, faint red symbols glowed in a swirl pattern.

Ember ran a hand across one. "This ain’t just a pile of rocks."

Volt knelt and looked closer.

"Some kind of entry. A seal, maybe. Could be a door."

She pressed her glove to one of the symbols.

It pulsed faintly but didn’t open.

Ember tapped his comm.

"Found something weird. Looks like a sealed stone gate. Might be how they get underground."

Volt added, "Could be the base entrance."

Ashblade’s voice came through. "Any movement nearby?"

Ember asked, "Sightpiercer, see anything?"

There was a pause before Sightpiercer replied.

"Three targets. Hooded. Moving toward your location."

"Got it," Volt said. She pulled Ember behind a boulder. "Hide. Quiet."

The two crouched low.

The soft crunch of footsteps came closer.

Three robed figures approached the stone gate.

One stepped forward and traced a hand over the symbols.

The seal lit up.

Ember whispered, "That’s our cue."

Volt nodded. The moment the stone slid open with a soft hiss, both moved in.

Volt blinked forward with [Volt Blink], appearing behind the last cultist and slamming a chop into his neck.

The man dropped instantly.

Ember dashed in with [Scorchwheel Dash], spinning low.

Fire flicked up as his leg swept the second cultist off his feet.

Before the man hit the ground, Ember caught him by the collar and slammed him into the wall.

The third turned, starting to shout—but Volt struck first.

A fast jab to the chest silenced him.

The stone gate stayed open.

Ember panted slightly. "Not bad."

Volt adjusted her gloves. "Clean."

They both looked at the dark tunnel ahead. Red light pulsed from within.

"Time to enter," Ember said.

Volt just nodded. "Let’s finish the mission."

They stepped inside, one after the other, without another word.

---

Ashblade stood still near the edge of a rocky slope.

He heard the signal from Volt.

"We’re in. Tunnel opened. Three guards down."

Ashblade blinked once. "Fast," he muttered.

He tapped his comm. "Good. But don’t go too deep. This is a scout mission. Not a full strike."

Volt answered right away. "Understood."

Ember’s voice followed. "Yeah, yeah. I’m not punching anyone unless they ask for it."

Ashblade gave no reply.

He turned and kept walking along a narrow path.

The ground cracked under his steps.

After a few minutes, he found something—another set of stone blocks, similar to what Volt had found.

They formed a square wall with strange glowing marks on one side.

Ashblade crouched beside it and watched.

Two robed cult members approached from the far trail.

They didn’t notice him.

They touched the glowing marks and began to open the door.

Ashblade moved.

He vanished with [Phantom Step], appearing behind the first one.

His blade flicked out—quick, clean.

The second turned. Too late.

[Silent Divide] sliced across the man’s chest.

He staggered, then dropped as the delayed slash opened fully.

Ashblade looked around. No alarm.

He stepped through the stone door.

Inside was a narrow tunnel with molten lines running through the walls.

It was hot. Very hot.

He walked quietly, careful not to make noise.

"Let’s see," he whispered, "if Savra and Zelia are really part of this cult."

He stepped through the stone gate.

The air inside was dry and heavy.

Orange light glowed faintly from cracks in the walls.

The place smelled like ash and iron.

He kept to the shadows.

Multiple halls split off in different directions.

Some led down, others curved.

He moved low, avoiding the center paths. His steps were light. Silent.

After a minute, he paused. Voices echoed from a side corridor.

Ashblade backed into a narrow space between two broken walls.

He waited.

Two cultists walked past, both in dark robes with red fire sigils on the back. One carried a metal case.

"You think this batch is stable?" one said.

"It better be. Last one melted through the floor," the other answered.

Ashblade narrowed his eyes.

They kept talking.

"We’re behind schedule. The higher-ups want full Flame God Serum distribution ready soon."

"We only have two working strains. The others... too wild."

"That doesn’t matter. They said power comes first. If the body breaks, so be it."

The two turned a corner and walked out of range.

Ashblade waited three more seconds, then stepped out.

"Flame God Serum," he whispered.

He followed the hallway the cultists came from.

A few more turns revealed a sealed door marked with red glass tubes on each side.

Behind it, a faint hum. Machinery.

Ashblade touched the hilt of his blade.

"...Let’s go take a look."

He vanished again, his next move quiet and sharp.