The train slowly pulled away from the Magnolia platform, its wheels rolling over the tracks with a crisp "clatter, clatter" sound as it sped forward.
Inside the cramped carriage, the three little ones sat side by side, their bodies brimming with irrepressible excitement.
Riyao was pressed against the window, his small face tight against the glass, his eyes shining like stars. It was his first time riding a speeding train, watching the houses, forests, and fields outside retreat rapidly as unfamiliar scenery rushed toward him; this train in the magical world was actually as fast as the high-speed rail from his previous life.
In contrast, Gray and Cana appeared much more composed. When they had drifted to Magnolia in the past, they had already taken trains and were not at all unfamiliar with this mode of transportation.
Yet the two remained full of enthusiasm, unable to sit still. Their joy didn't come from the train itself, but because this was the first time they were permitted to go out on an official request. Free from the guild's supervision and heading to a distant adventure with their companions, the thought of arriving at the unfamiliar Hargeon and seeing the outside world made their two little hearts leap with joy.
Cana swung her legs while chatting incessantly with Gray about interesting things on the road, while Riyao listened as he stared out the window, his heart full of yearning for this first long journey belonging to the three of them.
The train was clattering through the fields, and the three were huddling together and chattering away when suddenly, a burst of piercing noise and shoving erupted from the carriage ahead, breaking the relaxed atmosphere of the journey.
Driven by curiosity, Riyao, Gray, and Cana immediately poked their heads out in unison, looking toward the aisle.
A group of strange and hideous-looking Mages were arrogantly blocking the way ahead. Their clothes were tattered, Gray bone patterns crawled across their skin, and a cold, ominous magic swirled around them; one could tell at a glance they were up to no good.
These people brandished their magic tools arrogantly and roared harshly, "Nobody move! You've been surrounded by the Ghost Bone Cult! If you know what's good for you, hand over all your valuables!"
The leading man was emaciated, his face as deathly pale as a corpse. He narrowed his murky eyes and slowly licked his cracked lips, his raspy voice dripping with bone-chilling malice: "Behave yourselves and hand over your things, or else... I'll kill every single one of you."
As soon as he finished speaking, he suddenly laughed eerily, his voice becoming shrill and distorted, carrying a cruelty that toyed with people's hearts: "However, I'm just toying with you; even if you listen, I'll kill you all the same."
These bottomless words instantly shattered the psychological defenses of everyone in the carriage.
The passengers immediately fell into a panic; some screamed in terror, some hurriedly curled up to protect their families, and others covered their mouths while trembling, their faces turning pale. The once peaceful train carriage was instantly enveloped in a haze of fear and cold.
Meanwhile, the smiles on the faces of the three little ones by the window vanished instantly.
The innocence in Riyao's eyes faded, replaced by a hint of coldness; the young Gray subconsciously clenched his fists, a faint chill emanating from his body; Cana also put away her playfulness, quietly placing her hand near her cards, her small body blocking the way forward.
A soft golden glow slowly flowed out, and magical patterns wrapped around the bodies of the three—Healing Magic: Life Link was quietly formed.
He lowered his voice, his tone steady and reliable: "Don't be afraid, I'll take all the damage. You focus on attacking; remember, do not accidentally injure the innocent passengers in the carriage."
Before he could finish, the perverse, seemingly split-personality leader of the Ghost Bone Cult had already swung a bone blade, hacking straight toward the passengers huddling in the corner!
At the critical moment, Gray slammed his hands together, an ice-blue magic circle unfolded, and magic power suddenly erupted: "Ice-Make: Ice Spike!"
A cold light flashed, and sharp ice pillars thundered up from the carriage floor, accurately blocking the fatal blow, the biting chill forcing the opponent back instantly.
Cana, on the side, did not hesitate either, her fingertips flying as she threw out several magic cards. The combined elemental power of fire and wind exploded, knocking the few Dark Mages in the front flying back.
"Everyone, get out of here! Run to the rear carriages!"
Riyao was even more direct, rushing into the crowd of Dark Guild members and throwing several passengers into the rear carriage.
"Where did these brats come from? How dare you ruin the Ghost Bone Cult's business! You're looking for death!"
The thugs were furious, their eyes gleaming with murderous intent.
In an instant, the ordinary passengers in this carriage had all evacuated. Gray condensed a thin ice wall to block the aisle, and Cana held her cards on guard, the two of them blocking the carriage connection side by side; Riyao stood at the other end, forming a perfect pincer attack from front and back.
"Gray, Cana, be careful. Just hold that position."
After Riyao finished speaking, he cast "Healing Magic: Hundred Battles," and golden patterns extended from the golden guild emblem on his chest, crawling all over his body.
"Riyao, can you handle it yourself?" Gray clenched his fists, his eyes full of worry.
"Don't ignore us, you damn brats," the Mages of the Ghost Bone Cult said, displeased.
The perverse leader with the suspected split personality had black energy surging from his fingertips, his bones cracking: "Bone-Make: Soul-Devouring Curved Bone Blade!"
He directly reshaped his arm bones into a giant curved blade wrapped in the turbid energy of the dead. The edges of the bone blade were sharp and piercing, and it could extend at will, sometimes hacking like a madman and sometimes thrusting insidiously. Its transformations were irregular, vicious, and difficult to deal with.
The surrounding lackeys also cast spells in unison, and various Bone Make techniques followed one after another:
Someone shouted low, their magic hitting the ground: "Bone-Make: Entwining Corpse Thorn Chain!"
Countless white bone chains with barbs were shaped from the carriage floor and walls, winding and coiling in an attempt to bind and imprison the three, blocking all their movements;
Someone condensed their magic power, shaping it in the void: "Bone-Make: Vicious Fang Bone Puppet!"
Scattered bone fragments pieced together, turning into several hideous small skeleton puppets. Their eyes glowed with black light, and they charged forward fearlessly to crash and bite;
Another person hid in the back for a sneak attack, light condensing at their fingertips: "Bone-Make: Bone-Crushing Rain!"
A sky full of fine, sharp bone shards was rapidly shaped, shooting like a rain of arrows, targeting vital points and making them hard to defend against;
Still another person built a technique for both defense and trapping: "Bone-Make: Desolate Bone Cage!"
Thick white bone pillars instantly surrounded them, attempting to trap everyone inside. The cage was also enveloped in corrosive magic, dissolving the strength of the Mages.
Most of the Ghost Bone Cult members condensed their strongest Bone Make techniques—bone blades, bone tides, and bone cages pressed down together, the dense white bone offensive firmly entangling the buffed Riyao. Seeing this, several cunning Mages avoided the strong to attack the weak, quickly shaping short bone blades and binding bone locks. They bypassed the main battlefield and lunged with sneers toward Gray and Cana, who were defending the passage and looked even younger!