The group of ten moved stealthily towards the threshold, a towering structure that marked the boundary between The Limbo and Havana. The threshold was an imposing gate, fortified with layers of steel and concrete. High barriers flanked it on either side, and atop these barriers were hundreds of guards, their silhouettes stark against the dim early morning light.

From a distance, Max, Samantha, and Sabir watched intently. The sheer number of guards was daunting, but they had no choice but to trust the Triads’ plan.

Cinder stepped forward, her eyes narrowing as she surveyed the threshold. “Anaya, we need an analysis,” she said calmly.

Anaya’s eyes began to glow with an otherworldly light. “I sense almost 500 guards on duty right now,” she said, her voice tinged with a hint of apprehension. “But about 700 more will be on their way soon. And wouldn’t some guilds be called to help?”

Rafael Mendoza chuckled, patting Anaya on the head. “They won’t come because there’s nothing in it for them,” he said confidently. “Not until they realize it’s the Triads, but by then, it will be already too late.”

Miguel, his muscles rippling with barely contained energy, cracked his knuckles. “Can I fight now?” he asked eagerly.

Cinder nodded. “Go ahead, but let’s be strategic. Omar, you take the first move. We don’t want too much attention too fast.”

Omar vanished, his body blending seamlessly into the shadows until he was nothing more than a faint ripple in the air. Miguel grumbled under his breath, “I hate it when he goes invisible.”

Omar moved with the stealth of a predator, his footsteps silent as he approached the walls. His breath steady, he began his ascent, scaling the rough stone with practiced ease. Reaching the top, he paused for a moment, taking in the scene before him. The guards, oblivious to the danger lurking in their midst, continued their patrols.

With a quick, deadly grace, Omar struck. His blade cut through the first guard’s throat after finding its mark. The man crumpled silently to the ground, his lifeblood spilling onto the cold stone. Omar moved on, his invisibility cloaking him like a shroud.

One guard turned just in time to see a shadowy figure before Omar’s knife found his throat, silencing him forever. Omar’s movements were precise and efficient, each kill executed with deadly accuracy. He continued his deadly dance, leaving a trail of bodies in his wake.

From his vantage point below, Miguel watched with a mix of irritation and admiration. Omar’s stealth was impressive, but Miguel preferred the brute force approach. He began stretching, eager for his turn.

Omar dispatched the last guard on the wall, his blade slicing through the air with a deadly whisper. The guard’s eyes widened in shock before he collapsed, joining his fallen comrades. Omar reappeared moments later, standing surrounded by the chaos with a satisfied expression. He gave Miguel a thumbs up, signaling that the path was clear.

Miguel’s eyes lit up with excitement. “Finally,” he muttered, preparing to unleash his own brand of chaos.

Just as Miguel was about to charge the guards on the ground, Yuen stepped forward, his eyes gleaming with mischief. “Let’s make it interesting,” he said with a smirk. “Whoever kills the most guards wins.”

Miguel’s eyes lit up with competitive fire. “You’re on.”

With a roar, Miguel launched himself at the nearest group of guards, his powerful legs propelling him forward like a human battering ram. His first punch connected with a guard’s jaw, sending him flying backward, crashing into two others. The impact was bone-crunching, and the sound of breaking bones was like a symphony to Miguel’s ears. He pivoted on his heel, delivering a roundhouse kick that sent another guard sprawling.

Meanwhile, Yuen remained a few paces behind, his dark eyes narrowing in focus. He extended his hands, and his arsenal of knives floated into the air, glinting menacingly in the light. With a mere thought, he sent them hurtling towards the guards. Each dagger found its mark with unerring precision, striking throats, hearts, and other vital points. The guards barely had time to react before they were cut down, their bodies collapsing in lifeless heaps.

Miguel continued his rampage, his fists a blur of motion. He grabbed a guard by the collar, lifting him off his feet, and slammed him into the ground with such force that the concrete cracked beneath him. He turned, catching another guard’s attempted strike with his bare hand. With a savage grin, Miguel twisted the man’s arm until it snapped, then tossed him aside like a rag doll.

Yuen, not to be outdone, used his telekinesis to create a whirlwind of blades. The knives swirled around him in a deadly dance, cutting down any guard who dared to approach. He glided with a smooth elegance, dodging attacks with ease while directing his knives to slice through armor and flesh. One guard tried to flank him, but Yuen sent a knife spiraling into his chest without even looking.

The ground was soon littered with bodies, blood pooling around the fallen. Miguel and Yuen moved through the carnage like twin reapers, each kill adding to their tally. Miguel’s brute strength and sheer ferocity contrasted with Yuen’s lethal elegance, but both were equally deadly.

A group of guards attempted to mount a coordinated defense, forming a tight phalanx to repel the attackers. Miguel barreled into them headfirst, his massive frame breaking their formation. He grabbed two guards by their heads and smashed them together, the sickening crunch echoing across the battlefield. Another soldier pounced on him with a spear, but Miguel caught the weapon mid-thrust and yanked it from the man’s grasp, snapping it over his knee.

Yuen capitalized on the chaos, his knives darting in and out like vipers. He flicked his fingers, and a dozen blades shot forward, impaling the remaining guards in the phalanx. They dropped their weapons, clutching at their wounds as they fell.

The final guard standing made a desperate charge at Yuen, brandishing a sword. Yuen merely smirked, raising a single hand. The guard’s sword arm was yanked back by an invisible force, and Yuen’s knives converged on him from all sides. The guard let out a choked gasp as the blades pierced his body, then collapsed to the ground.

The guards were defeated, their bodies strewn across the ground. Miguel and Yuen had proven their deadly prowess, each displaying their unique talents in a brutal contest.

Miguel and Yuen stood amidst the carnage, their chests heaving with exertion. They exchanged a glance, each gauging the other’s kill count. Blood and sweat dripped from Miguel’s fists, while Yuen’s knives floated back to his side, their edges gleaming with fresh blood.

“I think I got more,” Miguel said with a cocky grin, wiping a smear of blood from his cheek.

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Yuen raised an eyebrow, his expression smug. “You wish. I’m pretty sure I won this round.”

Before their playful banter could escalate, the scream of more guards cut through the air, commanding their attention. The battle was just beginning.

As the two just began their deadly rampage, Cinder turned to Jai and Nia. “Time for your part.”

Nia touched Jai’s shoulder, and they teleported away. Moments later, Jai reappeared, his expression triumphant. “Nia’s inside.”

Cinder nodded approvingly. “Good job. Anaya, any more imminent dangers?”

Anaya shook her head. “Everything should be fine for now.”

On the battlefield, Miguel and Yuen were neck and neck, each tallying their kills with grim efficiency. As the number of guards dwindled, Yuen suggested with a wicked grin, “If I kill you, I’ll have one more kill.”

Miguel’s eyes narrowed, and they were about to clash when Kofi stepped between them, a camera dangling by his neck. “People are watching,” he said calmly. “We’re not setting a good impression, especially in front of young Anaya.”

The two warriors glanced over at Anaya’s innocent, wide-eyed face and begrudgingly nodded. Kofi then tiptoed around the bloody scene, taking photos. “Smile for the front page,” he said, snapping pictures of Miguel flexing his muscles and Yuen wiping blood off his blades.

Inside the walls, the off-duty guards were rousing, preparing to fight. They scrambled to put on their gear, their faces a mix of determination and fear. Amidst the chaos, one guard reached for the phone to call for backup, his hand shaking with urgency. Just as he was about to dial, another guard stepped up and knocked him out with a swift, precise blow to the head.

The attacker leaned over the unconscious guard, a smirk playing on his lips. “It’s too soon to call for backup,” he whispered, his voice low and seductive. The rest of the guards looked on, confused and wary.

As the guard turned around, his features began to shimmer and change. What had appeared to be a burly, uniformed man slowly transformed, revealing the slender, feminine form of Nia. Her disguise had been flawless, allowing her to blend in seamlessly with the other guards.

Nia straightened up, adjusting her uniform with a casual grace. “We handle this ourselves,” she continued, her voice now unmistakably her own. The guards exchanged uneasy glances, realizing they had been outsmarted. Nia’s infiltration was complete, and the advantage was firmly in the Triads’ hands.

As the rest of the guards poured out, a tide of desperate resolve and flashing weapons, Yuen and Miguel moved with deadly synchronization. Yuen, his eyes focused and intense, unleashed his telekinetic power, sending his twenty knives whirling through the air. Each blade found its mark, piercing throats and hearts with unerring accuracy. He moved with a fluid grace, his knives swirling around him as if forming a deadly halo.

Miguel, meanwhile, was a force of raw power. He charged into the fray, his fists smashing through armor and bone alike. With every punch, a guard fell, their weapons clattering uselessly to the ground. His strikes were brutally efficient, each one delivering maximum impact with minimal effort. Blood spattered his Hawaiian shirt, but he barely noticed, his focus entirely on the fight.

A guard lunged at Yuen from behind, but a knife shot out, embedding itself in the man’s forehead before he could get close. Another guard aimed a rifle at Miguel, but Yuen’s telekinesis yanked the weapon from his hands and sent it flying into the night. Miguel’s fist connected with the guard’s jaw a second later, sending him sprawling.

The ground was littered with the bodies of fallen guards, and still, Yuen and Miguel fought on. Yuen’s knives spun through the air, each one a streak of silver death. Miguel’s fists were a blur, each punch landing with a bone-crushing impact. The guards, despite their numbers, were no match for the combined might of the two Triads.

Finally, the last guard fell, his body crumpling to the ground with a final, defeated groan. Miguel and Yuen stood surrounded by the wreckage they created, their breaths heavy but their eyes filled with the excitement of the fight.

As the dust settled, Rafael Mendoza stepped forward. His presence commanded immediate attention, and the air seemed to still around him. He drew his sword with a fluid motion, the blade gleaming in the dim light. Mendoza approached the threshold gate with a calm, purposeful stride.

With a single powerful stroke, he sliced through the gate. The metal groaned and split, the impact of the blow resonating like a thunderclap. The gate fell in two, crashing to the ground with a resounding finality. The path to Havana lay open, the threshold destroyed completely.

Mendoza sheathed his sword with a satisfied nod, as he walked through. Miguel, Yuen, Omar and Kofi followed closely behind. The Triads had breached the threshold, and nothing stood between them and Havana now.

Jai then teleported Anaya and Cinder to the top of the wall in a blink, the world blurring around them before coming into sharp focus again. “Time to get to safety, little sis,” he said, his voice steady and reassuring as he gave her a comforting smile. With a gentle touch on her shoulder, they vanished once more, leaving Cinder alone atop the wall.

From her vantage point, Cinder could see the chaos and destruction wrought by her comrades below. She took a deep breath, feeling the heat of her power surging within her. With a dramatic flourish, she conjured a massive fireball in her hands, the flames swirling and crackling with fierce intensity. She hurled it into the sky, where it ascended like a comet before exploding in a dazzling display of fire and light. The fiery explosion lit up the night, casting an eerie glow over The Limbo and drawing eyes from miles around.

As the echoes of the explosion faded, Cinder wasn’t done. She turned her gaze to the uppermost part of the wall, her eyes narrowing with determination. Raising her hands, she unleashed a torrent of fire, setting the entire length of the wall ablaze. The flames roared to life, spreading quickly along the structure and creating a wall of fire that illuminated the night. The inferno’s heat was intense, radiating outward and casting a hellish glow on the surrounding area.

With a final glance at the destruction she had wrought, Cinder prepared to leap into Havana. Her eyes scanned the scene below one last time, ensuring everything was in place. The city lay open before her, vulnerable and unaware of the chaos about to descend upon it. She smiled grimly, then jumped from the wall, her body twisting gracefully as she descended into the heart of the city.

Behind her, the wall continued to burn, flames licking hungrily at the sky and casting a beacon for all to see. The Triads had made their mark, and The Threshold to Havana was destroyed.

Inside the wall, Nia’s voice echoed through the corridors, filled with desperation and urgency. “The Triads have come! They’ve killed everyone! Calling anyone, please help!” Her voice crackled over the intercom, a distress call meant to bring them more notoriety. The dead of bodies of guards lay by her feet forgotten.

As the flames spread rapidly through the interior, casting eerie shadows and bathing the walls in a hellish glow, Jai appeared in a flash beside Nia. “Time to go,” he said, his voice calm despite the inferno raging around them.

With a swift, practiced motion, Jai touched Nia’s arm, and they vanished from the burning building. They reappeared a safe distance away, the cool night air a stark contrast to the heat they had just escaped. Nia glanced back at the wall, now fully engulfed in flames, her expression a mix of relief and grim determination.

The fire’s light illuminated the night sky, drawing the attention of everyone in The Limbo. People began to gather, their eyes widening in shock as they realized the threshold had been destroyed. The once-impenetrable barrier lay in ruins, its defenses shattered.

A murmur of disbelief rippled through the crowd, quickly turning into a surge of movement. Residents of The Limbo, sensing their opportunity, began to rush forward. They pushed through the broken gate, their steps fueled by desperation and hope as they poured into Havana, seeking refuge and a new beginning.

Max, Samantha, and Sabir watched the chaos unfold from their vantage point, the flames reflecting in their wide eyes. The destruction of the threshold had turned the night into a scene of pandemonium, with people from The Limbo surging forward in a desperate bid for freedom.

Max glanced at his friends, urgency in his voice. “We should go. This is our chance.”

Samantha’s gaze was fixed on the breach in the wall, her expression determined. She nodded firmly. “We can’t miss this opportunity.”

Sabir inhaled deeply, sensing the gravity of the situation. His resolve hardened as he looked back at the life they were leaving behind. “Let’s do it,” he agreed, his voice steady despite the turmoil around them.

With a shared nod of understanding, they moved as one, joining the throng of people flooding through the shattered gate. The roar of the fire and the cries of those around them filled the air, but their focus remained on the path ahead. They navigated through the chaos, dodging debris and pushing past others in their haste.

This was the beginning of The Triads return and ascension, becoming the greatest fear in the hearts of the nobles, yet now they were a spark of hope for the unheard and the trodden.