My attributes are increasing infinitely Chapter 468: Scarlett Maguire

The following day,

"Ethan, my brother is arriving today. Would you prefer to meet him here or at a secluded resort?", James inquired.

Ethan glanced at James and grinned.

" What's your opinion?"

"Damn it! Fine, I'll have him come here.", James replied in an irritated voice before departing.

....

Heat waves danced across the tarmac beneath the afternoon sunlight, warping the distant skyline while James waited by himself amid vast expanses of dull concrete. Far off, a private aircraft emblazoned with the Maguire family emblem—a silver griffin gripping a thunderbolt—swooped down from the skies like a beast heading back to its lair. The thunderous hum of its engines reverberated over the landing strip, overpowering the rapid thumps of James’s pulse.

For the twelfth time, he examined his image in the vehicle’s window, fidgeting with his tie using shaky hands and tidying hair that sat impeccably already. His sibling was on the way. Gabriel, the successor, the favored son, the individual who shouldered their clan’s heritage with ease on his sturdy frame. Merely considering him caused James’s torso to constrict with a blend of admiration and self-doubt.

With expert accuracy, the jet landed, its tires brushing the pavement prior to rolling closer. James observed, scarcely inhaling, as the entrance slid open and lowered. A silhouette framed itself in the opening, outlined by the luxurious cabin.

His spirit lifted.

Then crashed.

No. No way, no.

Emerging wasn’t Gabriel’s composed, striking face. It was hers. Scarlett. His little sister. The fiend who had turned his youth into a nightmare woven with shame and meticulously planned mayhem.

At the staircase’s peak, she surveyed the runway with the effortless superiority of a monarch inspecting her territory. Wind whipped her dark locks like a battle standard, and her sly, scheming gaze sharpened upon spotting an object afar.

James traced her stare to a wandering mutt padding beside the boundary fence.

Then she signaled. Vigorously. Using both arms.

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

Moisture stung his eyes. He lifted his arm, responding with the desperate eagerness of an abused hound granted mercy at last.

The atmosphere wavered.

Instantly, Scarlett vanished from the plane. The next second, she loomed right in front of him, near enough to reveal the golden specks in her pupils. Her grin shone brightly, attractively, and completely alarming.

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

James’s limb halted in mid-gesture. The dampness that nearly fell now seared with fresh fury. "You little..." He halted, the phrase fading on his lips. That would spell doom, pure suicide. 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 is our elder brother?"

Scarlett’s face morphed from delight to scorn in mere moments. "Big brother?" She chuckled, the noise keen and belittling. "Do you imagine you've achieved anything significant enough for our brother to show? You've been dabbling in thug life in this forgotten town for, what, two years? Spare me."

She brushed off an imaginary particle from his lapel. "I'm here since Mother needed me gone for a bit. So, why the summons? And if your reason bores me, I'll ditch you here and seek a proper eatery."

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

Scarlett’s eyes tightened. "What is that?"

"Why not ingest it and see?" James’s voice stayed casual, nearly playful. He anticipated the routine. She’d press for details, he’d dodge, they’d spar verbally until he guided her to Ethan. He’d rehearsed this exchange.

Scarlett snatched the pill from his grasp.

And ingested it.

James’s grin vanished. His mouth hung open. "What?" He never expected this sibling to consume an item merely on his suggestion. A tangled look crossed his features.

The impact struck right away. A soothing heat coursed into Scarlett’s form, a soft flow beginning at her center and spreading to her limbs. Her vision widened as waves of feeling coursed along her meridians. Her force, potent at Level 5, swelled. Subtly, yet clearly. Akin to a limb extending freely after prolonged restraint.

She examined her palms, then James, then her palms once more. "What... what exactly was that? Did you discover a ruin holding these pills? That would make the journey worthwhile.", Scarlett questioned, a touch of excitement in her voice.

James’s lips formed a gradual, victorious curve. "Better than any ruin. Come with me."

Without pausing to check her pursuit, he pivoted and headed to the vehicle. Her steps sounded behind—uncertain initially, then resolute.

The ride was a glossy ebony Phantom, its cabin scented with hide and faint aroma from the incense James had ordered to dazzle Gabriel. As urban scenes glided by the shaded glass, Scarlett remained quiet, mulling over the occurrence.

Should James truly uncover a ruin for the clan, he’d surely regain his place among them.

A spark of optimism flared within her before she quelled it.

"James." Her words held a sharpness now. Not taunting, but earnest. "If this turns out to be a ploy..."

"It isn't."

She scrutinized his side view, hunting for deceit. For the initial time ever, it eluded her.

The Black Bull Gang’s base filled a plain structure in the rundown neighborhood, featuring rusted metal and weathered markers hinting at neglect. Yet within, barriers stood fortified, defenses modernized, and shared spaces reshaped into near-corporate polish.

In the assembly chamber, Ethan faced away from the entrance, fingers interlocked at his rear.

Via the pane, he observed James’s auto arrive. A smirk grazed his mouth.

"His brother turns out to be female. Quite entertaining.", he murmured inwardly with humor.

The entry swung wide. James stepped in ahead, his posture easing with obvious ease. Scarlett trailed, and Ethan assessed her swiftly. The haughty stance, the keen stare, the faint strain in her build indicating battle preparedness. A warrior. A noble.

She halted abruptly upon sighting him.

" How could anyone so attractive exist in a slum?"

Ethan recognized that response previously. The brief intake of air, the expanding pupils, the manner folks lost composure before unforeseen allure. He took it in stride, as routine as pull, as trivial as climate.

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

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

Scarlett’s mouth opened slightly. For a dreadful instant, she nearly uttered something airy, something feeble. She recovered, molding her expression to detached poise. "Hello."

"Shall we dive into business?"

"Business?" Scarlett’s bewilderment rang true. She glanced sharply at James. "What sort of business?"

Ethan’s attention moved to James, an arch lifting his brow just a bit. "You haven't clarified?"

James scratched his nape, a sign of sheer mortification. "Had I detailed it, she wouldn't have trusted me. It's preferable for you to demonstrate."

Reasonable. Ethan faced Scarlett again. "Have you taken the pill?"