The night was thick with tension as Team Unknown neared the heart of Black Lotus's operations, where their target—Odren—was finally in sight.

The stronghold was surrounded by scattered sentries, and deeper within, faint movements of heavily armed guards confirmed Odren's paranoia. Ember, now operating as Lux, knelt down behind a screen of foliage, his purple flames dimmed to a faint glow, barely illuminating the grim smile on his face.

The rest of the team crouched nearby, awaiting orders. Ember's voice was a low whisper over the Mind Link, each word precise and commanding.

Frost, Terra. We're going full cover. Silence at all costs.

Fon—Terra—didn't hesitate. He pressed his hands into the ground, channeling his energy. The earth shivered beneath him, responding to his command. An immense wall of rock began to rise, extending into a dome-like formation that swallowed the stronghold. With measured control, Fon expanded the structure, surrounding the entirety of the enemy's territory within its thick, dense walls. The guards inside were oblivious, their attention fixed on their routine patrols as the wall grew.

Bo followed immediately, laying his hands against the freshly raised earth. The air turned icy, and a second wall of solid ice crystallized over the earth, adding a thick, frozen layer. Frost strengthened the dome's silence, the frozen structure muffling sound with lethal efficiency.

Structure's complete, Bo whispered. No one outside will hear a thing.

Ember gave a silent nod.

Perfect. Terra, take the outer left. Frost, secure the right. We're keeping them cornered. Umbra, you're with me.

In HQ Command, the tech team watched the unfolding scene through Team Unknown's live feeds, and the tension in the room was palpable. Dr. Lewis stood behind them, eyes narrowed as he watched the smooth precision of their maneuver. The camera feeds showed Bo and Fon stationed in their positions, expressions tense but focused, eyes sharp as they scanned for any threats within the newly created icy barrier.

Another feed cut to Riggs perched high in a tree, his gaze sweeping across the stronghold's interior. His eyes gleamed as he spotted a pair of Black Lotus guards moving toward the dome's edge, perhaps sensing something was amiss.

Two targets, south perimeter, Riggs muttered. They're curious about the walls.

Silence them, Ember replied flatly.

Riggs moved like a whisper, leaping down from his perch and landing with barely a sound. His movements were swift, merciless. In seconds, his wind aura coiled around the guards' necks, their shocked faces visible for only a moment before their eyes dulled, lifeless. Riggs left their bodies slumped in the shadows, his own form vanishing as quickly as he'd appeared.

At HQ, a soft murmur went through the ranks as the tech team observed the lethal efficiency on the ground.

"Goddamn," one of the techs muttered under their breath, unable to tear their eyes away.

Dr. Lewis didn't look away from the screens. "You're watching professionals. Remember that."

Meanwhile, stationed outside the dome, the Aurum rank team was on high alert, waiting for any signals of movement from Black Lotus's reinforcements. Their vigil was interrupted by a cold, sudden message that rang through their comms.

"From Team Unknown," Val's voice broke through, low and commanding. "Keep the perimeter secure. Any reinforcements or survivors, kill on sight. No warnings. Is that understood?"

The Aurum ranks exchanged nervous glances, a few swallowing hard before answering in sync, "Understood, sir."

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One of them muttered to another, "These guys don't mess around."

The other gave a grim nod. "If this is what they call a covert op, I'd hate to see them going all out."

Sweat beaded on a few brows as the Aurum ranks repositioned, reinforcing their line around the dome and keeping a tight watch for any Black Lotus personnel that might attempt an escape. They understood now that Team Unknown's ruthless efficiency wasn't for show—and tonight, they'd need to keep up.

Back inside the dome, Ember and Val moved forward, homing in on Odren's location at the core of the stronghold. They slipped through the shadows, barely visible as they closed in on the guarded central chamber.

Through their HUDs, they tracked each guard's movement, pinpointing weak points and identifying moments of vulnerability.

When they were close enough to see Odren himself—a tall, wiry figure with a calculating gaze and cold, steely demeanor—Ember's voice was a low command.

Distract the bastard. I'll handle the guards.

Val nodded, his presence shifting, shadows seeming to ripple and distort around him as he approached Odren's position. In the blink of an eye, Val appeared directly before Odren, his purple flames licking at his fingertips as he blocked the man's view.

Odren, unprepared, narrowed his eyes. "Who the hell—"

But before he could finish, Ember went into motion. His flames erupted, purple fire that burned with a bone-chilling intensity as he swept through the guards. They fell in silence, each one barely aware of the threat before the flames devoured them, leaving nothing but ashen remnants in Ember's wake. He moved with brutal precision, each step erasing another life, each flicker of flame a testament to the cold lethality he wielded.

Odren's face twisted into a snarl as he realized he was cornered. He lunged at Val, a knife flashing in his hand, but Val evaded with ease, the shadows shifting around him as he slipped just out of reach.

"Nice try," Val sneered. "But you're outmatched."

Odren's composure cracked, and his gaze darted toward the exit, only to see Ember standing there, his figure backlit by the glow of the fire still smoldering behind him. Odren's face paled, his jaw clenched, but his defiance was short-lived.

"Going somewhere?" Ember's voice was low, almost mocking.

Odren's hand wavered, his grip on his weapon slackening as he realized he was surrounded. With a growl, he charged at Ember, but the purple flames flared, blocking his path. Odren stumbled back, only to see Val standing behind him, his void-black flames shimmering ominously.

Ember raised a hand, the flames intensifying as he stared down at his prey. "Time's up, Odren."

Without another word, Ember released a wave of fire, the purple flames engulfing Odren completely, devouring him with a silent, deadly precision. When the flames dissipated, there was nothing left but charred remains.

Outside, the Aurum ranks continued their patrol, eyes trained on the surrounding woods. Suddenly, movement to their left caught one Aurum member's attention. A handful of Black Lotus reinforcements appeared, moving cautiously, alerted by some faint disturbance.

The Aurum member's hand tightened on his weapon, hearing Val's words echo in his mind—kill on sight, no warnings.

Without hesitation, the Aurum team unleashed a silent barrage, striking down each Black Lotus operative with brutal efficiency. A few staggered, trying to call for help, but no sound escaped the perimeter as they were picked off, one by one, until the last body hit the ground.

One Aurum ranker stared at the aftermath, his breathing heavy. "Holy hell... They didn't lie about Team Unknown. That 'training' we went through was nothing compared to this."

Another nodded, a dark realization in his eyes. "They trained us like it was life or death. But for them, it's more than that—it's their damn art."

Back inside the dome, the last of the guards lay dead, and Ember lowered his hand, surveying the smoldering remnants of Odren. His purple flames flickered and died, leaving only the dark silence behind.

Val stood beside him, his gaze cold as he observed the scorched ground. HQ, this is Umbra. Target eliminated.

In HQ Command, Dr. Lewis allowed himself a satisfied nod, his voice calm as he acknowledged the message. "Acknowledged, Umbra. Prepare for extraction."

Ember scanned the surrounding area, taking in the silent aftermath, the lifeless bodies strewn around the perimeter. His voice came across the Mind Link, sharp as steel.

Team Unknown, regroup at extraction point. Mission complete.

Bo, Fon, and Riggs appeared from the shadows, their expressions steady, their steps quiet and precise. As they gathered, Bo gave a low chuckle, his gaze flicking over the carnage. "Think Odren got the message?"

Fon grunted, his eyes cold. "If he didn't, well... too bad for him."

Riggs smirked, stretching his shoulders. "Can't say I'll miss him."

The team moved in silence, the faintest glimmers of satisfaction in their eyes as they left the stronghold, slipping through the night with the same lethal precision that had defined their approach.

And as the Aurum ranks watched from the perimeter, each of them felt a lingering sense of awe—and a trace of fear—as they realized they had only witnessed the barest glimpse of what Team Unknown was truly capable of.

The two-day demonstration had been brutal, but this? This was the real deal. And they were all too aware that they had barely scratched the surface of what the team could do.