My attributes are increasing infinitely Chapter 468: Scarlett Maguire

The following morning,

"Ethan, my brother is arriving today. Would you like to encounter him here or at a secluded retreat?" James inquired.

Ethan glanced at James and grinned.

"What do you think?"

"Damn it! Fine, I’ll tell him to come here." James replied in an annoyed voice before departing.

....

Afternoon sunlight made the tarmac gleam, with heat mirages warping the skyline while James waited by himself amid vast expanses of dull pavement. Far off, a private aircraft adorned with the Maguire emblem—a silver griffin gripping a lightning bolt—swooped down from the sky like a beast heading home. The thunderous engines boomed over the airstrip, overpowering the rapid thumps of James’s pulse.

For the twelfth time, he inspected his image in the vehicle’s glass, fidgeting with his necktie using shaky hands and tidying hair that sat flawlessly already. His sibling was arriving. Gabriel, the successor, the favored son, the one shouldering their lineage’s burden with ease. Merely considering him caused James’s torso to constrict with awe and self-doubt.

The plane landed smoothly, tires barely brushing the surface before rolling closer. James observed, scarcely inhaling, as the entrance sighed and lowered. A silhouette framed itself in the opening against the luxurious cabin.

His spirit lifted.

Then crashed.

No. No way, no.

The person stepping out wasn’t Gabriel’s composed, attractive face. It was her. Scarlett. His little sister. The troublemaker who turned his youth into a canvas of shame and planned pandemonium.

Atop the steps, she surveyed the landing area with the nonchalant superiority of royalty claiming territory. Wind whipped her dark locks like a battle flag, and her sly, scheming gaze tightened upon spotting something afar.

James traced her stare to a wandering pup near the boundary barrier.

Then she gestured. Vigorously. Using both arms.

In a brief, foolish instant, James’s resolve fractured. Could this mean it? Had she longed for him? Had time away dulled her barbs, tempered the clever jabs that wounded him repeatedly?

Moisture stung his eyes. He lifted his arm, responding with the desperate eagerness of an abused stray receiving mercy.

The atmosphere wavered.

Instantly, Scarlett vanished from the aircraft. Suddenly, she loomed right in front of him, near enough to reveal golden specks in her pupils. Her grin shone brightly, attractively, and completely daunting.

"I was signaling that dog," she stated, her tone sweet yet poisonous. "Did you really believe I meant you?"

James’s limb halted in motion. The dampness that nearly fell now scorched with fresh feeling. "You little..." He halted, the phrase fading unspoken. That would spell doom, pure ruin. She held Level 5 Force Master status.

He twisted his features into a grin. It resembled pulling taut fresh flesh. "Sister. Such a shock. Where’s our elder brother?"

Scarlett’s look morphed from delight to scorn in a flash. "Elder brother?" She chuckled, the noise keen and belittling. "You suppose your exploits merit his attention? You’ve toyed with mob life in this forgotten town for, say, two years? Spare me."

She brushed a nonexistent mote off his lapel. "I came because Mother needed me gone briefly. Now, what prompted your summons? If it bores me, I’ll abandon you here and seek a proper eatery."

From his pocket, he drew a tiny, golden tablet. Sunlight made it sparkle like trapped resin.

Scarlett’s stare sharpened. "What’s this?"

"Why not ingest it and discover?" James’s voice stayed casual, nearly playful. He anticipated the routine. She’d press for details, he’d dodge, they’d spar verbally until guiding her to Ethan. He’d scripted it out.

Scarlett snatched the tablet from his grasp.

And consumed it.

James’s grin vanished. His mouth hung open. "What?" He never imagined this kin would take an item solely on his suggestion. A mixed look crossed his features.

The response struck swiftly. A cozy flow surged into Scarlett’s form, a soft stream originating deep inside and spreading to her limbs. Her eyes widened as waves of feeling coursed along her pathways. Her power, potent at Level 5, swelled. Subtly, yet clearly. Akin to a limb loosening after prolonged restraint.

She examined her palms, then James, then her palms again. "What... what did that do? Did you uncover a site holding these tablets? That would justify the journey," Scarlett questioned, tinged with thrill.

James’s lips formed a gradual, victorious curve. "Better than any site. Come along."

He pivoted and headed to the vehicle, not checking her pursuit. Trailing, her steps sounded unsure initially, then resolute.

The ride was a glossy dark Phantom, its cabin scented with hide and faint aroma from the incense James demanded for Gabriel’s sake. As urban views blurred beyond shaded panes, Scarlett remained quiet, mulling the occurrence.

Should James truly locate a site for their clan, his return home would be assured.

A spark of optimism flared within her, quickly doused.

"James." Her words held a bite, earnest rather than taunting. "If this turns out a ruse..."

"It isn’t."

She scrutinized his side view, hunting deceit. For the first occasion ever, none appeared.

The Black Bull Gang’s base filled a plain structure in the impoverished zone, featuring rusty metal and worn markers hinting at neglect. Yet within, barriers strengthened, defenses modernized, and shared spaces polished to near-corporate standards.

Ethan positioned himself in the assembly chamber, facing away from the entrance, fingers interlocked at his rear.

Via the glass, he observed James’s ride arrive. A smirk grazed his mouth.

"His sibling turns out female. Quite entertaining," he murmured inwardly.

The entrance swung wide. James strode in ahead, tension easing from his posture in clear respite. Scarlett trailed, and Ethan assessed her quickly. The haughty stance, piercing sight, the faint strain indicating battle preparedness. A warrior. A noble.

She halted abruptly upon viewing him.

"How does such striking beauty exist in a rundown area?"

Ethan recognized that response previously. The brief intake of air, the eye expansion, the lapse in composure before unexpected allure. He took it stoically, like any constant, as unchangeable as pull, as trivial as climate.

James advanced, indicating each. "Ethan, this is my sister, Scarlett. She stands for the Maguire family now."

Ethan nodded faintly. Barely a tilt. "Hello."

Scarlett’s mouth opened slightly. Briefly, alarmingly, she neared uttering something airy, frail. She recovered, composing her face to detached poise. "Hello."

"Shall we proceed to matters at hand?"

"Matters?" Scarlett’s bewilderment rang true. She glared at James. "What matters?"

Ethan’s eyes moved to James, a single brow arching mildly. "You skipped the details?"

James scratched his nape, a sign of sheer mortification. "Had I detailed it, she’d dismiss it. Best you demonstrate."

Reasonable. Ethan faced Scarlett anew. "You took the tablet?"