A Midair Volley

As Luca was still wondering what the people upstairs were planning by staying hidden, he suddenly noticed two figures on the third floor pulling their arms sharply back, like baseball pitchers winding up to throw.

Although he couldn't make out what they were holding through Heat Vision, he immediately realized they were throwing grenades—and that one was aimed at him and the other at Dun Shan.

In the split second before impact, Luca shouted a warning, signaling the others to take cover.

But he didn't dodge. Instead, he stepped back half a pace and yelled, "Baymax, hand!"

Luca took two quick strides toward Baymax, then leaped onto the hand Baymax had stretched out.

He gathered his strength beneath him.

Arcs of electricity flickered across his red-and-white sneakers. Then he sprang upward, soaring six or seven meters into the air.

At that moment, the two grenades burst through the windows, one on either side.

One of them followed an arc that brought it right in front of Luca.

Suspended in midair, Luca didn't hesitate.

He threw his waist and legs into the motion, his body like an eagle spreading its wings.

He volleyed the grenade in midair.

"Bang!"

The instant Luca's instep struck it, the grenade spun faster and changed direction.

It shot back through the very window it had been thrown from.

Then, right before Luca's eyes, the grenade slammed into the ceiling on the third floor.

With a sharp clang, it ricocheted at a fierce angle and bounced into the room.

"Ah! A grenade!"

"Watch out!"

"Get down!"

Several terrified shouts rang out from inside.

But it was too late.

The spinning grenade hit the floor.

Then—

"Boom!"

Two deafening explosions sounded almost as one.

The grenades inside and outside the building detonated simultaneously.

The blast from the grenade upstairs shattered every window on the third floor, and screams rang out from inside one after another.

As for the grenade that exploded on the ground floor, the three members of Inverted-A Squad had taken cover in time after Luca's warning, so none of them were hurt.

Even Luca, who was falling through the air, was far enough away to feel only a faint wave of heat rush past him.

Through his thermal vision, Luca watched the blast of heat from his kick. Adrenaline surged through him, his pupils gleaming with excitement as the corners of his mouth curled up.

"Damn, that felt good!"

Just then, a pair of large hands caught Luca securely as he fell.

Confusion filled Baymax's big, round, black eyes.

(●-●)

"Your actions could easily cause an ankle strain. Although they seem to have increased your neurotransmitter activity, I don't recommend doing this again."

Baymax held him in his arms, his armor digging painfully into Luca's back. Luca's excited expression dimmed a little as he thought with some regret, Damn, I got carried away again. Every time something like this happens... I'm not some kind of war fanatic!

Silently reminding himself to be more careful next time, Luca quickly turned and slipped out of Baymax's arms, landing back on the ground.

By then, the members of Inverted-A Squad, who had witnessed the whole thing from their hiding places, had rushed out.

Shamira, who was the first to reach him, had completely forgotten about their mission.

She shouted anxiously before she even got close. "Young master! That was way too dangerous! How could you—?! Ahhh!"

Shamira was so frantic she seemed ready to explode. Once she reached Luca, she wanted to angrily scold him, but couldn't bring herself to do it. In the end, all she could manage was a meaningless scream of frustration.

Luca felt even more awkward and could only offer a quiet apology. "Sorry. I won't do it again."

As he spoke, he kept glancing away.

In both his past and present life, Luca had always hated compulsive gamblers most of all.

But when he thought about it, whenever he faced danger or had to make an important decision, he told himself he was being bold and adventurous. Looked at closely, though, wasn't he just a reckless gambler?

Of the three others present, Dun Shan looked a little surprised, but his expression otherwise didn't change.

Thresh seemed about to say something, but after a few hesitant words, he turned his head away.

Only Ryokugyu, standing at the back, grinned broadly and secretly gave Luca a thumbs-up.

But that only made Luca feel even more awkward.

At last, Dun Shan, the squad leader, broke the strange silence and asked, "Young master Luca, did the target on the third floor survive the grenade?"

At Dun Shan's question, Luca immediately put on a serious expression and reached for his Recon Goggles.

But when he switched back to thermal imaging, all he saw through the lenses was a field of red.

Even when he turned his gaze toward the third floor, the red and orange glow was speckled with small patches of white.

Luca knew that the thermal camera was overexposed by the massive amount of infrared radiation in the air.

In these conditions, he couldn't confirm the results, and using thermal imaging would even interfere with his own vision.

But still—

I'd already got this sci-fi tech that lets me see through walls. Why the hell does it have to obey the laws of science here?!

Now even more regretful about his impulsive stunt, Luca switched off thermal imaging and shook his head helplessly at Dun Shan.

"I can't see what's going on in there."

Dun Shan wasn't particularly surprised. He simply nodded calmly.

He knew the limitations of thermal imaging. He'd only asked because Luca's "tech" had been so impressive earlier, and he still had a faint hope it might work.

"Looks like we'll have to go in and check the results!"

"Wrench, Longbow! Keep watch on the perimeter for any enemy reinforcements!"

"Copy!" came the two replies.

In fact, they'd already been keeping an eye out. Dun Shan merely reminded them before continuing.

"Wolf Spider, Ryokugyu! Come with me. We'll check on the target!"

Then he turned to Thresh.

"How much ammunition do we have left?"

"One last box of magazines," the bald, burly man mumbled.

"Two hundred rounds? Thresh, go back to the vehicle and restock. Cover Wrench, too. If enemy reinforcements show up, open fire!"

"Understood, Captain." Thresh didn't waste time. He grabbed his light machine gun and jogged back toward the news van.

Finally, Dun Shan looked at Luca.

But before he could speak, Luca said quickly, "I'm coming with you. Let Baymax lead the way."

Dun Shan didn't refuse. He simply nodded and strode into the building.