VROOM!!!
The engine roared through the streets at blistering speed. If the road had been sand, there was no doubt a storm would have risen behind them—a thick smoke screen sculpted entirely from dust. But credit to the city planners; the tarred road held firm beneath the tires.
The passage stretched straight ahead, with barely any bends, making it easy for Magnum to maneuver at such velocity. With every mile they devoured, the column of dark smoke grew closer in Kairo's line of sight.
The scenery shifted gradually—from the dense, bustling market to a quieter district marked by taller buildings and scattered skyscrapers.
What would the Hydrogens' HQ look like?
Kairo wondered, but he brushed the curiosity aside. Right now, something far more serious was unfolding.
Within seconds, they reached the source of the black smoke. It lingered near the entrance of a strangely designed institution.
The car slowed as Magnum steered into a wide opening in a brick fence.
It was a stylish structure—solid blocks forming the foundation, and midway up, metal bars arranged with deliberate spacing so outsiders could see inside… or even slip a hand through.
So much for security.
But then again, what did they need protection from? Inside this compound stood the headquarters of the most powerful force on earth. The fence wasn't to protect them.
It was to protect the outside world from them.
Magnum stopped the car swiftly and stepped out. Kairo followed.
"It's okay if you don't wear a mask," Magnum said as he shut the door.
Hesitantly, Kairo tied it around his right hand instead—a stylish choice that, admittedly, made him look cooler.
The black smoke sprawled wide across the compound, yet there was no visible fire fueling it. It almost looked… summoned. As if someone had drawn it there.
It polluted the air around the premises, but strangely, to Kairo it felt fresh—like the crisp air of an early vacation morning.
On the far side of the smoke, two withered figures stood facing each other in tense stillness, like duelists waiting to see who would blink first.
"Stay here."
Magnum walked straight into the smoke, posture rigid, expression deadly serious.
The moment he reached the other side, a shout erupted.
"Why are you two fighting again?!"
Magnum grabbed both of them by the ears, lifting slightly as if disciplining unruly children.
"She started it!"
"No, she started it!"
The two figures pointed accusing fingers at each other, completely unfazed by Magnum's grip on their ears.
Their voices were tiny—shockingly tiny.
If their voices are this small… even smaller than ayanda is
… then how old are these girls?
The question lingered as Magnum dragged them through the smoke toward Kairo.
"I thought we agreed—no more fighting."
They emerged fully into view.
Two girls.
And surprisingly, they looked older than Ayanda. Maybe even older than Kairo himself.
But that wasn't what caught his attention.
They were twins.
Identical. Same face. Same height. Same outfit—pink skirts and blouses, ribbons tied neatly into their braided dark hair.
"It's her fault, Magnum! We agreed I'd take the next demon-rank mission on the board. Now she's denying it because a juicy one just appeared!"
The girl on the right accused the other.
"Is that true, Thando?"
"Yeah—but she can't finish it alone. We need to go together."
Kairo stood awkwardly, like an audience member watching a stage performance unfold.
Fighting over who gets to go on a mission.
The most ironic argument he had ever witnessed.
The rational conversation would be about running from missions—not competing for them.
"First of all, fighting solves nothing. Second, an agreement is an agreement. Luthando can go on a mission alone. She's insisting because the captain told her to train her ability so she won't rely on your explosions every time you go out together."
Magnum's tone softened as the twins gradually calmed.
"The solution is simple. Luthando takes the mission. If she realizes she can't handle it, she calls thando for backup. Deal?"
He raised his fist.
They hesitated for a few seconds but they agreed.
"Deal."
They bumped fists in unison.
"Good. You're free."
The cocky smile that had disappeared from Magnum's face returned instantly as the twins vanished back into the smoke. It was as if someone had flipped a switch.
"You're good with kids," Kairo remarked.
"You think so? I just try my best."
"The way they listen and respect you is crazy."
"They respect me, sure. But listen? You're wrong there. They're kids—they're not supposed to listen. Thando's going to secretly follow luthando on that mission. We've played this game before."
Magnum stretched his neck—a neck that clearly needed a massage after a long mission.
Magnetism. Explosions. Whatever that black smoke was.
These Oxides were experienced. Powerful.
Two things kairo lacked.
I have to train. I have to become powerful—fast—if I ever want to find Ayanda.
His eyes hardened with resolve.
Suddenly—
"Cell disintegration. One hundred percent."
In an instant, blue energy enveloped the smoke. The dark mass began to unravel, its molecules pulling apart as if repelled by invisible hands. It thinned, weakened… and vanished midair.
One second it existed.
The next—it was gone.
A chilling male voice drifted from the right side of the compound.
"Pathetic. You're a cheap excuse for a vice captain, Magnum."
...
Kairo turned sharply toward the voice, eyes widening at the sight before him.
Three figures stood there—two men and one woman.
The woman stood slightly ahead of the others. She had a slender frame with defined hips and carried a gothic aura. Black skinny trousers clung to her legs, paired with large spiked shoes. Her long, gelled dark hair looked slick and deliberate, complementing the dark makeup lining her lips and eyes. Over her black blouse, she wore a black denim jacket—custom-designed like Magnum's—with a white lock symbol emblazoned across the back.
To her right stood a muscular man wearing thin spectacles—the type often worn by butlers. His hair and beard were perfectly groomed. He wore formal trousers and polished leather shoes, like someone attending an interview. Over his outfit rested a white coat resembling a doctor's robe, though it carried the same authentic customization as Magnum's, marked with a rock symbol on the back.
To her left stood the owner of the chilling voice—the one who neutralized the smoke instantly.
He was light-skinned. A large white snake coiled loosely around his neck. He wore a baggy white sweater similar to Magnum's but customized with unique detailing, paired with loose blue trousers that completed his relaxed yet imposing look.
Each of them radiated distinct personalities and eccentricities.
No wonder Magnum was strange too.
"Hey,Blue," Magnum greeted the owner of the voice with a carefree smile, unbothered.
"Wait—you're the vice captain?" Kairo asked, stunned.
"Yes. I didn't tell you?"
"Not even once."
They spoke as if the trio weren't even present on purpose, a technique that was working on blue effectively.
His eyes narrowed with anger looking at kairo as if he was apiece of trash.
"It's not wise to speak to your vice captain like that,especially when his new recruit Is right here" the doctor-like man said, placing a firm hand on Blue's shoulder—a silent caution from experience.
"Don't waste your time, Blue. He's an idiot. Your words don't phase him in the slightest."
The gothic woman—Eva—joined in smoothly.
"Now my girlfriend is badmouthing me too," Magnum whined like a child falsely accused of stealing candy.
The word girlfriend instantly triggered Eva. Wrinkles formed on her forehead.
"I told you—I'm not your girlfriend!"
She whined back in the same exaggerated tone.
Ever since Eva joined the Hydrogens, Magnum had carried an obvious crush. He asked her out countless times. She always refused.
So Magnum resorted to the final tactic in his book.
Annoy her until she said yes.
Stshtstststsh—!!!!
The speakers mounted outside the HQ crackled to life, sharp waves of frequency rippling across the compound.
"Are you going to stay out there, or do you plan on coming in, Rastamans?"
The voice boomed through the premises, thick with a heavy Jamaican accent, each word carrying weight and authority.
There was no doubt about it.
This had to be Rasmouse—the very man Magnum had spoken of.
The atmosphere shifted instantly.
Tension spiked to its peak as every gaze locked onto another, rigid and unmoving—like a Texas showdown frozen at high noon.
For a breathless moment, no one moved.
Then—
"Hahaha!"
Magnum burst into laughter. The doctor followed, both of them bending slightly as laughter shook their frames, tears threatening to spill from their eyes.
Kairo stood frozen, utterly stunned by the sudden shift.
What confused him even more was that Blue and Eva showed no surprise whatsoever. They stood calmly, almost bored—like this was routine.
"Keep the seats warm," Magnum called out casually, waving a hand toward the building. "We're coming in."