Although Jaxcalibur-01 kept an eye on Ignis, the Salamander had already used his power armor's automated systems to breach their comms channel.
"Prepare to breach the warehouse interior. Be cautious of the 'cargo'—do not damage it. Jax-03, maintain overwatch."
"Copy that, boss." Jax-03's voice crackled through the channel, rambling as usual. "Hey, what's the deal with that big guy? I saw him lugging that autocannon, rat-tat-tat, his aim was so—"
"Shut up and do your job, Jax-03." Jaxcalibur-01 cut the channel without hesitation. "Deploy the recon drones…"
"I don't think that's necessary." Ignis had been listening in. "Wait a moment—I'll handle it."
Silence filled the comms. They might have kept radio silence for secrecy, but not having even a temporary team channel during combat was pushing it.
"Our target is stored in a specially made vault—resistant to most weapon impacts."
"Understood."
Ignis wasn't about to enter through the front gate; that place was definitely rigged with traps or fortified defenses. Circling around the warehouse, he randomly picked a spot, activated the power field on his Flamestorm Gauntlets, and punched two holes through the wall.
"Hello there!" The audio system boomed. With the wall bursting into debris, Ignis stormed into the warehouse interior.
On the second floor, stacked cargo containers and elevated platforms were already manned by defenders. Their equipment looked crude, but every one of them wore ballistic vests and moved with trained precision. In an instant, muzzles turned, pouring fire at the intruding Salamander.
They weren't alone—automated turrets hung from the ceiling, while spider-like drones skittered out from cover, spewing fire and lead at Ignis with their flamethrowers and machine guns.
"Open fire! Open fire!"
Grenades arced through the air, exploding in smoke and flame around the armored giant.
"Did we get him?"
"With that kind of firepower, even a heavy combat mech would be toast."
"Is that guy even one of ours?"
"Doubt it. Probably some poor fool hired to die."
When the smoke cleared, Ignis stood unscathed. A shimmering energy shield glowed before him, and from the back of his colossal armor, a golden, spiked halo radiated blinding light.
Even without the Iron Halo active, their rounds couldn't harm him—but being hit repeatedly wasn't exactly pleasant. Spent bullets clinked and fell at his feet, the kinetic force absorbed by the barrier.
"Keep firing! Pin him down! Don't let him move!"
A smart order—but useless. Their weapons lacked the punch.
"Quick, alert the outer perimeter! Tell them 'the bait's been taken!'"
So, that was it. Their real goal wasn't to steal the cargo—they were after the Jaxcalibur Squad all along.
Not that Ignis cared. He was here to settle a debt. Whatever their mission was had nothing to do with him.
He almost admired them—for having the guts to face a Primaris Space Marine specialized in close-quarters and heavy fire support inside a confined warehouse.
When the flamethrowers roared to life, blinding waves of fire swept across the room. The screams that followed were horrifying. The secondary ether-converted fuel provided by Marcos burned with such terrifying efficiency that even metal containers began to melt rapidly. The spider drones' chassis didn't last either; mere seconds of contact left them crippled, melting into slag before their power cells exploded.
If that was what happened to metal, the flesh-and-blood men fared far worse. Most barely had time to scream before the flames consumed them—throats seared shut, skin stripped away, tissue charred. The gruesome sight shattered their morale, especially when the armored giant hurled a massive frag grenade. A storm of steel ball bearings, driven by five kilograms of high-yield ether explosive, tore through what little remained. Their vests might as well have been paper.
Bodies were shredded into pulp; bloody fragments embedded themselves into the warehouse walls. Those farther away left corpses intact; those close enough were torn apart, left as unrecognizable remains.
Even the ceiling turrets were obliterated, crashing into the inferno below in showers of sparks and molten metal.
All around burned an infernal blaze—the air itself searing enough to scorch the lungs of any ordinary man.
The few survivors were frozen in terror. The giant stood amidst the flames, as if admiring his own handiwork. They couldn't comprehend how this being had wiped out two platoons with nothing but a few bursts of fire and a single grenade.
"Quick! Move the high-value target to the fireproof vault!" someone shouted.
Ignis heard it and grew curious—what could possibly be so valuable that they'd risk death just to protect it?
Following the HUD marker, he smashed through rows of cargo crates with his gauntlets.
They were people—young women, beautiful, human and near-human alike, each tagged with numbered metal labels pierced through their ears like livestock.
Human trafficking? Rage flared in the Salamander's chest. He swore those men would pay.
Armed thugs herded the terrified women into a sealed fireproof chamber. Some fired at Ignis or threw grenades—pointless.
He wanted to burn them alive, but that would also kill the captives. For now, he watched them lock the women in. At least that vault would block some of the heat—enough to keep them alive.
"Captain, I intercepted a call," Jax-05 reported. "Local residents phoned the Public Security Bureau. ETA—one hour before police and firefighters arrive."
"Copy that. Keep surveillance. Big guy, what's your status?"
"Blazing hot, sweetheart." Ignis allowed himself a rare joke.
He charged forward, the Flamestorm Gauntlets crackling with power. The soldiers didn't expect the armored giant to move that fast; they tried to retreat, but it was useless—unless they could outrun an APC.
Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang.
Each sound marked another body pulverized into red mist. Ignis knew it was an extravagant use of energy, but he preferred not to risk anyone standing back up with Ethereal corruption. No corpses left meant no second chances.
With the last resistance gone, he turned and shoved aside nearby containers, clearing a path to the vault. He had to get those women out. Whether the fireproof chamber could withstand molten heat was uncertain, but the Iron Halo's shield could.
He began clearing a route for evacuation.
"Jaxcalibur-01, I found a group of women—kidnapped or trafficked. Warehouse secure. I'll exit through the rear—avoid friendly fire."
"Copy that. Hand them over to Public Security when they arrive. Squad Two, lower your weapons."
"Appreciated."
Ignis replied, driving his fist through another section of wall.
With a burst of flame and pressure, he saw Jaxcalibur's second squad waiting outside.
"I'll escort the women out shortly."
"With that blaze going? How?" Jaxcalibur-01 sounded bewildered. "Did you find our target cargo?"
"No—but I'll get them out."
Turning back, the Salamander charged once more into the inferno.
Flammable materials fed the blaze; temperatures soared. Steel pillars warped and bent.
Ignis activated the Iron Halo barrier at the vault entrance. With a shriek of deforming metal, he tore the fireproof door apart by sheer strength.
The women stared blankly at the giant. Thankfully, the chamber had respirators, sparing them from suffocating or burning their lungs.
"Ladies, don't be afraid. I'm here to rescue you." Ignis admitted, half-regretful. "Should've thought twice before setting the place ablaze. Stay close—the shield will block the fire. We need to move, now."
They exchanged hesitant glances, but the raging inferno left them no other choice. Supporting one another, they gathered around the armored giant. Ignis rerouted most of his power pack's output into the Iron Halo, though that weakened the muscle-fiber servos. The heavy Mark X Gravis Power Armor now weighed almost entirely on his own strength.
Fortunately, the Salamander was strong enough. Even in low-power mode, the electromagnetic fibers still offered some assistance.
"Don't be afraid—the flames won't harm you." Ignis urged them. "Be brave, move quickly—we have to get out."
Their steps were slow but resolute. The radiant halo blazed at full power, its shield pushing aside the inferno, carving a safe path through the burning ruin.
Death had never felt so near. Even several meters away, the heat reddened their skin, making it sting painfully.
Yet the giant beside them—his body, his machine—opened a path through fire itself, leading them toward survival.
Amid that hellish scene, he seemed like an angel from an ancient myth—wingless, but divine—an apostle walking among mortals, extending salvation at their darkest hour.
"Jaxcalibur-01, I see the exit. Hold your fire." Ignis called out through the channel.
"Ladies, hurry! The exit's ahead!"
Only he knew that Iron Halo was nearing overload, its energy absorption limit almost reached.
When the hole he'd blasted through appeared in sight, the women gasped in relief. They sprinted forward, desperate for escape.
"I see them," Jaxcalibur-01 responded. "Jax-04, get them to safety."
As the last woman cleared the building, Ignis immediately deactivated the Iron Halo. It was seconds from burnout. The air was molten hot, reminding him of the magma rivers of Nocturne—though he had never set foot there himself.
Most support beams had melted; the warehouse roof sagged, walls leaning inward.
Power surged back into his servo muscles, lightening the armor's burden. Turning, Ignis smashed through another wall.
Seconds after he escaped, the warehouse collapsed completely into a roaring inferno.
"Whoa, what a sight." Jax-03 reported. "Bad news, though—eight armored vehicles inbound, and three gunships in the air."