The dawn was slow to rise over Blackflame City, its skyline hazy with the drifting fumes of spirit incense and forge smoke. Crimson Fang headquarters, nestled discreetly in the shadow of the eastern cliff, was already alive with quiet motion. Ash Lockwood stood at the edge of the compound's upper terrace, flanked by twin stone braziers that glowed with fire qi. The flames pulsed softly in rhythm with his breath—stronger, steadier now than even a few days ago.
Behind him, footsteps approached. Marla's presence was unmistakable—refined, confident, and sharp as a scalpel. She wore a dark cloak today, its trim lined with the sigil of her merchant house.
"You're up early," she said, coming to stand beside him.
"Too many moving pieces," Ash replied. "Hard to sleep when you're planning a mission."
Marla offered a small nod. "I've brought the supplies you requested."
From her satchel, she withdrew a slim case of dark jade. Within were several vials, scrolls, and two intricate formation disruptor tokens.
"Stealth elixirs to mask your flame signature, a locator seal that works even in forbidden zones, and a lens stone that sees through minor illusions. All off the books."
Ash examined the contents briefly, then closed the case. "Thanks. This will help."
She hesitated. "There's also news. Nathan Yin has begun increasing patrols near the western merchant routes. I think he suspects something."
Ash turned to the map laid out on the war table. "Then we act fast. I'll have Mira and Jalen handle initial recon. They're disciplined."
Marla arched a brow. "You trust them already?"
"I don't trust easily," Ash said flatly. "But I believe in training and structure."
There was a pause. Then her gaze flicked to the faint red mist curling around his left wrist. "That flame... it follows you like a shadow."
Ash didn't answer at first. Then, with practiced neutrality, he said, "It's a guide of sorts. Don't ask more."
Marla, sensing the boundary, stepped back. "Fair enough. You command your secrets well."
---
Later that afternoon, Ash made a quiet visit to the lower markets. While many elite clans avoided mingling with the slave pens and beast traders, Ash strode through with deliberate calm. A few familiar mercenaries from his past missions watched with wary respect.
He stopped before a rugged old slave merchant whose wares were lined in neat rows: dull-eyed humans, beastkin, and even one chained lizardfolk. The serpent, manifesting as a coiled band of red mist around Ash's wrist, hissed softly.
"These three," it whispered. "The boy with gray eyes, the silent girl with the scar, and the older man in chains. They carry sleeping sparks. Potential buried deep."
Ash tilted his head. They looked like nothing special. But he trusted the serpent's instincts. He bought them all under forged identity, adding three more bodies to the Crimson Fang.
As he walked away, Ash frowned thoughtfully. "We can't expect to find too many promising seeds in a single backwater city. We take what we can and make the most of them. When we move beyond Blackflame, we'll cast the net wider."
---
That night, Ash stood before his assembled force. Fifteen members now. Fighters, scouts, former slaves, ex-bandits, and loyalists he'd earned along the way. He saw their eyes—some bright with hunger, others dimmed by trauma. But all looked to him with a strange, growing loyalty.
He took a deep breath.
"In the world I come from," he said slowly, "we had something called special operations—small teams trained for the impossible. Guerrilla warfare, sabotage, precision strikes. Not armies. Weapons."
He stepped forward, flame pulsing at his fingertips.
"From today, we will operate like such a unit. We aren't here to challenge empires. We're here to cut the throat of the corrupt, one strike at a time. We will become the Crimson Fang—silent, deadly, and feared."
Murmurs ran through the ranks. Kato grinned. Mira nodded with a flicker of excitement.
The serpent coiled overhead, his voice deep and grim. "A soldier's madness. I like it."
Ash smiled slightly. The flames around his hand danced brighter.
"Then let's get to work. Nathan Yin dies soon. And when he does, the whole Yin Clan will know their time is running out."
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End of Chapter 15