Chương 445: Chapter : 445

Ken listened to their tactical analysis. He let out a loud, dramatic yawn. He stretched his arms high above his head.

"You guys are absolute geniuses," Ken praised them lazily. He shoved his hands back into his pockets.

"You broke their invisible magic using pure, overwhelming intimidation. I am very glad I am on your team. I feel incredibly safe standing back here and doing absolutely nothing." The elite girls felt a massive surge of confidence. They truly believed their own magical auras were breaking the enemy's stealth. They felt totally unstoppable. They had cracked the code. The four remaining invisible Ashura operatives were totally terrified. They saw two of their best fighters get easily exposed and brutally defeated.

They realized the 13th Unit was far too dangerous. The stealth camouflage was no longer a guaranteed advantage. The operatives decided to retreat. They stopped firing their dark purple blasts. They turned around and ran away silently down the mountain path. They vanished completely into the rocky terrain. They totally abandoned the ambush. The mountain pass went entirely quiet. The dust settled on the dirt road. The magical bombardment stopped completely. Sayma lowered her hands.

The glowing golden honeycomb barrier dissolved into thin air. She took a deep breath. She pushed her cracked glasses up her nose.

"The magical signatures are fading. The remaining operatives are retreating. The area is clear." Princess Iris sheathed her silver rapier. Her violet eyes shone with pride. She looked at her vanguard.

"Excellent work, everyone. You adapted perfectly. You exposed their weaknesses and drove them away. You protected the convoy flawlessly." Naomi spun her daggers and slid them into her belt. She wiped a smudge of dirt from her cheek. She smiled a bright, confident smile.

"They thought they could beat us with cheap tricks. They learned a very painful lesson today." Laxmi slapped Zinia on the back.

"That was so fun! We totally crushed them! I am the best fire mage ever!" Luna shuffled out of the carriage. The sleepy lightning user rubbed her eyes. She let out a massive yawn.

"Is the loud noise over? Can I go back to sleep now? My blanket is getting cold." Ira stepped forward. Her pale face remained totally flat.

"Statistically speaking, our defensive response rate was highly optimal. The threat has been completely neutralized." Risa peeked out from the carriage door. She hugged her teddy bear tightly. She smiled her sweet, innocent smile.

"You guys are so brave! You saved us from the invisible bad guys!" Ken Eliot walked casually out from behind Naomi. He slouched his shoulders. His shirt was still untucked. His tie was totally crooked. He finished the last potato chip in his bag. He crumpled the empty bag and tossed it into the carriage. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. He looked at the two unconscious Ashura operatives lying in the dirt. He offered a goofy, lazy grin.

"We are an amazing team," Ken announced cheerfully. He patted his stomach.

"You guys did all the running and punching. I did all the hiding and snacking. It is a flawless division of labor. Now, can we please fix the carriage? My stomach is ready for a real meal. I am officially requesting a massive sandwich when we reach the border camp." Naomi laughed a warm, genuine laugh. She walked over and lightly bumped his shoulder.

"You will get your sandwich, slacker. Just help us move these rocks out of the way first."

"Moving rocks sounds like a lot of work," Ken complained loudly. He dragged his feet on the dirt.

"I am supervising the rock moving. I have a very good eye for round stones." The 13th Unit gathered around the carriage. They felt incredibly proud of their own tactical brilliance. They truly believed their skills had won the battle. They completely celebrated their flawless victory. They had absolutely no idea that the lazy, complaining boy standing with them had orchestrated the entire success. They did not know his tiny cyan bullets had shattered the enemy's camouflage. Ken's secret remained completely safe.

The goofy slacker smiled happily, totally content to let his friends take all the glory while he avoided doing any actual cardio.

Ken Eliot sat in the corner of the moving carriage. He slouched his shoulders. He leaned his back against the wooden wall. His navy blue suit looked incredibly wrinkled. His white shirt hung entirely untucked over his belt. He did not wear a tie today. He crossed his legs and stretched them out. He held a large bag of potato chips in his lap. He reached his hand into the bag. He pulled out a salty chip. He tossed the chip into the air. He opened his mouth. He caught the chip perfectly on his tongue.

He chewed loudly. Crunch. Crunch. Crunch. He let out a long, dramatic yawn.

"This carriage ride is taking a very long time," Ken complained. His voice was lazy and relaxed.

"My legs are falling asleep. My back feels very stiff. I think we need to install a soft couch inside this carriage. A couch would make travel much better." Naomi sat on the bench right across from him. She did not yell at him. She did not cross her arms in anger. She just smiled. It was a very warm, friendly smile. She leaned forward and playfully nudged his knee with her combat boot.

"Stop whining, Ken," Naomi teased gently. Her green eyes sparkled with amusement.

"You have been sitting for two hours. You are not tired. You just want an excuse to take a nap." Ken gave her a big, goofy grin.

"Naps are a vital part of my daily routine, Naomi. If I do not nap, my brain stops working. I am just trying to stay healthy. You should appreciate my dedication to wellness." Naomi chuckled softly. She treated him exactly like a fun, entertaining friend. She knew he always complained about physical effort. She also knew he would always stand by her side when things became dangerous. She liked having him around.

"You can take a nap when we reach the city of Mira," Naomi promised. She leaned back against her seat.

"We still have a long way to go. Just eat your chips and relax." Laxmi sat next to Naomi. The fire user bounced her leg up and down. She tossed a tiny orange spark of fire between her fingers. She looked incredibly bored.

"I wish we could run alongside the carriage," Laxmi stated. She grabbed an apple from a small basket. She took a huge bite.

"Sitting still is the absolute worst. I want to move. I want to find some rogue monsters and punch them." Zinia laughed a deep, booming laugh. The strong earth mage sat near the carriage door.

"Save your energy, Laxmi. We are heading into a strategic location. We might need all your fire when we get there. You cannot fight if you are totally exhausted." Sayma sat next to Princess Iris. The intelligent Vice-Captain held a glowing magical communication mirror in her lap. She pushed her thick glasses up the bridge of her nose. She stared at the smooth glass surface. She tracked the movements of the other Royal teams.