My attributes are increasing infinitely Chapter 469: The Maguires are coming

Scarlett gave a nod,

'Are you the one who found the ruin and the pills? Do you have any more? I'll purchase every last one,' she stated, shifting into bargaining stance. 'State your price.'

From her brother's demeanor, she could tell this guy was running the show here.

Ethan grinned. It was a welcoming look, truly sincere. It caused a strange flutter in Scarlett's gut for no clear reason. No smugness showed in it. No avarice. No thrill over potential earnings. That lack of edge disturbed her even more than outright aggression might have.

'Suppose I said I invented that pill, how would you react?' he inquired.

The friendliness fled Scarlett's features the moment she caught those words. Her stare darted to James. When it landed on him, it was frosty cold.

'I figured you'd turned over a new leaf at last. I believed you were set to return home.' Disappointment laced her words now, biting and keen. 'But no, you're messing around with lowlife punks who can't grasp that words carry weight.'

James let out a long breath. 'Just listen to what he has to say, sis.'

'I'm done with this.' Scarlett pivoted toward the exit, her actions sharp and composed. 'I'll inform Father that you pulled a stupid joke on us. You even dragged big brother into it? Are you trying to get yourself killed? Do you want to go down with your bunch of small-time crooks?'

The atmosphere shifted abruptly.

A massive force crashed down upon her like a surging flood, hitting James as well.

James's legs gave way. He hit the ground hard, hands smacking the smooth concrete. His chest wouldn't draw breath. Fear surged as his form fought desperately to endure.

Scarlett held out for just a single beat.

Then she crumpled too.

Her haughty stance broke apart as an enormous wave swept across her very being like a colossal surge.

Ethan advanced.

His palms stayed locked behind him. His face remained steady. Serene. Nearly kind.

Yet his locks floated up, caught in flows of energy from an unseen origin. The space near him twisted faintly, like shimmering air over hot pavement. The presence emanating from him overwhelmed anything Scarlett had ever felt.

Her grandfather held the rank of Level 9 Force Master. When he unleashed his presence, weaker fighters quaked. When he entered a space, talks hushed.

Yet next to this, her grandfather seemed like a tiny spark amid a storm.

Scarlett's mind splintered right away.

It was as if weight had surged a thousand times over. As though standing under falling skies. Every urge yelled for her to yield, to bow her head, to acknowledge her insignificance before something vastly superior.

Ethan halted before her.

His footwear appeared mere inches from her visage.

He gazed downward, his eyes bright and firm.

'You're on Black Bull Gang turf,' he murmured gently. His tone held no effort. No elevation. Still, it reverberated within her mind. 'And you're insulting its leader. That's bad etiquette.'

James wept freely by then.

'Ethan, no, President... mercy...' His brow ground into the floor. 'She's only reckless with her tongue. She has no clue. Spare her, I beg you. Please.'

Scarlett's fingers clawed at the concrete. She strained to raise her chin. But it proved impossible.

For the first time ever, her arrogance yielded nothing.

The force lifted in an instant.

Breath flooded her lungs so fast she gasped and coughed. The quiet that ensued rang loudly in her ears.

Ethan offered her a smile.

To her fear-drenched perceptions, it lost its charm. It appeared stunning yet ruthless all at once.

'You may go now,' he told her. 'Acquire some decent behavior. The Black Bull Gang won't deal with your kin.'

He spun around.

His jacket billowed as he departed, each stride relaxed. The inner hallway door shut with a quiet, final snap.

Scarlett stayed on her knees.

Tears streamed unchecked along her face.

James rose gradually, his limbs still quivering. He scrubbed his cheeks harshly with his arm and dodged her gaze briefly.

'Did he truly craft those pills?' she murmured.

James dipped his head.

'The Maguire clan just squandered a prime chance,' he murmured softly. No taunt colored his words. Just truth.

He straightened completely, grimacing from the residual pain in his limbs.

'Head home safe.'

He departed, abandoning her in the expansive, hushed chamber.

The burden of understanding weighed more than Ethan's presence ever had.

She ran through her earlier speech in her head.

Thug.

Backwater.

Prank.

She had offended a figure who could shatter her grandfather like brittle twigs.

A pill that boosted a Force Master sans years of training. A strength surpassing secret clans. An opening to hoist the Maguire legacy to unprecedented heights.

And she had wrecked it in moments.

All because she presumed dominance.

Because she failed to observe properly.

Her fingers trembled as she fished out her cell.

In the Maguire estate, Arthur Maguire lingered in the contemplation yard. The fish pool mirrored passing vapors. He directed flows of force amid his hands with familiar skill.

His cell buzzed.

Scarlett.

He picked up with a faint grin. 'Did you get there without issue? Have you met your brother?'

'Father...'

Her tone broke.

Arthur straightened at once. The tranquil focus of practice broke. Force pulsed out in jagged bursts, causing close aides to retreat hastily.

'What occurred?' His voice turned keen. 'Are you hurt? Facing danger? Tell me your spot. I'll send guards right away. Where's James?'

'Father, pay close attention.' Scarlett drew in a shaky breath. 'You and Grandfather need to head here now. Without delay. If you hesitate, our house will forfeit a prospect that might vanish forever.'

Arthur's brow creased sharply. 'Clarify. Get James on the line.'

'Father, trust me, please.'

The connection altered.

A different voice emerged.

James had seized her phone abruptly.

Arthur went still.

The manner was alien.

'Old timer,' James declared flatly. 'Follow her advice. The Maguire clan's ego means nothing against the rewards awaiting here. Skip the interrogation. Move.'

Arthur could scarcely credit it. His own boy. Addressing him like dirt.

Sense had fled entirely.

An odd sensation stirred within his breast.

'Blast it,' he grumbled, striding to the central hall. 'Get the plane ready. I'm handling this in person.'

Staff hurried to comply.

Events in that town had shattered his girl's poise and tempered iron in his boy's speech.

He'd witness it firsthand.

…

Beyond, nightfall draped the shantytown area, bathing metal roofs in soft amber prior to yielding to purple twilight. Within the base, rumors circulated in low tones. The leader had unveiled his presence. Sufficient to blanch old hands and make rookies gape at the ground in shaky awe.

James lingered solo on the veranda scanning the storage area. Down there, crew bustled with fresh order, their chuckles muted, their footfalls crisper. Might altered vibes. It honed allegiance into firmer, purer form.

At his back, the panel eased open quietly.

Scarlett emerged.

Her gaze was puffy, yet resolute.

'He's beyond what I imagined,' she uttered softly.

James released a dry sigh. 'We were all unprepared for him.'

High overhead, concealed and remote, a luxury flyer sliced across glooming heavens.

The Maguires approached.