Read Novel Full Chapter 1299 Hit Squads
Chapter 1299 Hit Squads
Quinlan emerged from the portal in a rush of cold air.
Snow crunched under his boots.
The world around him settled into focus. These were Silverwind's outskirts, in the western ranges of the Iskaris Continent, where the Fujimori clan had ruled over their duchy. Pines lined the slopes in dense rows. Their needles were dusted white, bending under the weight of the last snowfall. Long sheets of untouched snow stretched across hills, glimmering under the morning sun. A mist drifted low to the ground, twirling between tree trunks akin to lazy ghosts.
The air tasted clean. Cold enough to sting the lungs. Calm enough that even breaths felt louder than usual.
This was pure winter scenery in its greatest beauty, highlighted by the early hours, in a place largely untouched by humanity. Quinlan let the sight settle in, feeling his heart stir with faint emotions.
This was a rare moment of quiet, letting his mind wander for a moment. He pictured Aurora flopping face-first into the snow and declaring herself defeated by nature.
Blossom running around excitedly, flying forward by the sheer wagging of her happy tail movements.
Ayame trying to pretend she wasn't enjoying herself while destroying everyone in a snowball fight.
Jasmine packing snow with suspicious precision, as if she was trying to find the optimal snowball density for winning the next snowball fight.
Vex building a perfectly symmetrical snowman version of him, then Kitsara taking part by putting a comically large rod down there. He did not doubt the foxkin woman would go that far. He could also imagine Kaelira building a snowman dwarf before kicking it with utmost disgust visible on her face.
Then there was Seraphiel, sipping hot chocolate with serene, satisfied cheeks and steam rising off her mug, sexy long ears twitching under a fur-lined hood as she commented on the girls' creations. She would look so damn irresistible like that.
Black Fang in the sauna, joined by Serika. The tatted baddie and the tanned beauty, sweating it out together while observing through the glass door.
And there was so much more… His imagination had run wild in a mere moment's time.
Of course, there would also be the afterward…
A warm room.
Dim lights.
A tangle of limbs and breath.
But not today.
The winter escapade had to wait.
He had work to do.
Quinlan had teleported out of Greenvale not for relaxation, but because the duchy's walls had become a cage. This was grinding territory.
And he was in grinding mode.
Quinlan set off toward the estate with his boots sinking into the fresh snow. The wind brushed against his coat, who was of course Synchra, not yet in battle armor mode. Ahead lay the Frostglaive Manor, a count serving under the Fujimori clan.
The Fujimori were the clan who ruled over the Silverwind Duchy. This, however, did not mean that their duchy was modeled after their oriental theme; instead, it was the other way around.
Silverwind was largely similar to the other parts of the kingdom, be it their culture, naming sense, and the like. It was the Ducal Clan, the Fujimori, who were the ones standing out as unique, not the other way around.
They came to the continent from outside many, many years ago, integrating slowly into the kingdom over the generations. Once the original Silverwind family fell, the Fujimori were given the reins, replacing the lord they served until then.
As for the Frostglaive Manor…
It was a long structure of pale stone and dark timber, built on a slope that overlooked frozen lakes and quiet valleys. Its rooflines were steep, weighed down by snow, and thin wisps of smoke curled from one tower chimney. It looked peaceful, almost scenic.
He knew better.
He lifted a hand and tore open a portal.
A wide oval rip of polarized mana spread from his palm before stabilizing.
Orianna strode through first. Behind her came Vex, who kissed Quinlan goodbye while also pouting cutely. Raika followed with quick steps that left small prints, and finally, the rest of Kaelira's squad.
Shallan walked out and stretched once, rolling her neck. Her eyes had a spark that said she was eager to contribute, even if the actual shot calling sat firmly in Orianna's hands when they formed such a brutal strike team.
Vex was pouting because Quinlan had asked the woman to go with Raika and Orianna, knowing they would make a killer trio considering how long they've fought together.
He loved to fight alongside his women; that much was absolutely certain. But this time, efficiency reigned supreme. If they went one by one through all their targets, it'd take far too long. Splitting up was needed, and in his opinion, the three ladies were too good together to separate.
As simple as that.
Quinlan snapped the portal shut and opened another.
Black Fang walked through in silence, her steps soundless despite the snow. Perched on her shoulder sat a small fox with three tails curled around its body. Kitsara lifted a paw in greeting, then settled back against her partner's neck, eyes half-lidded.
The two of them had already teamed up once when Kitsara helped the woman get the jump on Kaede, and when Quinlan proposed they team up again, Black Fang offered no arguments, signaling that she was happy with the foxie's performance.
Three strike forces, set and ready.
His own team, most numerous and well-balanced.
Orianna's coordination unit, led by three tatted baddies.
Black Fang's one-woman army had a sole supporter, but that one woman brought immense utility with her.
He would've loved to create more squads, but he did not wish to underestimate Silverwind and its nobles. Quinlan didn't think it'd be as seamless as his time barging in on Greenvale nobles was.
His gaze drifted to the horizon. Frostglaive Manor sat still in the distance. He wondered what Kaede would do if he struck here.
Would she panic and force a portal open?
Could she even reach this far, considering she was a whole duchy away?
If she couldn't… would she abandon her station to protect her home?
Would she ask the king for the same protection he gave Greenvale?
Would Alexios agree, or would he hesitate?
Too many questions.
He wanted the answers laid bare, to see if Kaede valued the competition for new land or her homeland more.
The snow around him shifted.
Silverwind's cold welcomed him.
Frostglaive Manor waited.
Count Arcturin Frostglaive sat in his study with a steaming cup of coffee and a folded copy of the Silverwind Herald. Morning sunlight filtered through the tall frost-rimmed windows, casting gentle lines across shelves of ledgers and a rack of blades he hadn't touched in many years, once the mid-life crisis hit and he realized he was not going to become a knight in shining armor. It was best to just focus on governance.
His wife was in the adjacent room helping their twins draw shapes on parchment.
It was peaceful, and the atmosphere hit just right as the warm coffee rushed down his throat.
*Bang!*
Then every ward in the manor screamed.
The windows vibrated. The chandelier rattled. A deep pulse rolled through the estate.
The count froze.
"This is… Wait, what?!"
What was triggered just now were not the first-layer wards, not even the second.
"The third?!"