Lance fell silent for a moment, then looked at Vivi thoughtfully. After a few seconds, he extended his hand and took Vivi's hand. "Not now, but maybe someday."
Vivi blinked. "Didn't you once say that I have no talent for magic? That I would never be able to learn it?"
Lance smiled faintly. "The world of magic is just a small part of the mysterious side of this world. But now..."
He lifted the White Lantern Ring in his hand and gently placed it on Vivi's finger. "I will give you a magical tool. Train diligently. When your power reaches a certain level one day, you will enter the mysterious side of this world on your own."
As the ring encircled Vivi's finger, a soft white light emanated from its surface. In an instant, the ring changed shape, perfectly conforming to Vivi's finger.
Vivi gazed at the ring in awe. The White Lantern Ring now glowed softly on her finger, as if responding to its new owner.
Even though Vivi was a ruthless and ambitious head of spies—someone who was the opposite of the teachings of the White Lantern Ring—Lance still granted her that power. After all, the Lantern Beast that was the core of the ring was Lance himself, so he wasn't worried that the ring would reject Vivi.
As soon as she wore the ring, Vivi felt energy flowing into her body, vibrating every fiber of her muscles and bones. Her gaze instantly sharpened, filled with curiosity and wonder. She looked at Lance, trying to understand the man who always had secrets.
"What is this?" Vivi asked in astonishment.
Lance leaned back casually, allowing Vivi to feel the power before answering, "This is the White Lantern Ring."
He then explained how the ring worked, how the power of the White Lantern came from the light of life, and how the energy given by others—especially gratitude—could strengthen the user.
At the end of his explanation, Lance added in a reminding tone, "So... you know what you need to do."
The White Lantern Messenger could indeed borrow power from the White Lantern Ring, similar to how a sorcerer might borrow power from a demon. However, Lance did not want that power to be given away without limits. He planned to implement a tiered system, where each White Lantern Messenger would have to develop gradually according to their achievements.
For someone like Christine, who had just become a White Lantern Messenger and had no accomplishments yet, Lance would only grant her power equivalent to an ordinary student at Shin'ō Academy—basic Kaidō healing abilities, plus some low-level Kido.
However, Vivi was different.
Lance decided to give Vivi power equivalent to a low-ranking officer, focusing on low-level Bakudō and Hadō techniques, as well as recovery abilities. That would be enough to face most threats Vivi would encounter in her missions. By gradually increasing Vivi's power, Lance hoped to change her overly cruel and fierce temperament.
Vivi fell silent for a moment, contemplating Lance's words. She stared at the ring on her finger, the soft white light still shimmering on its surface. "So that's how it is..." Vivi murmured, thinking about how she could maximize this power.
But before Vivi could ask further—
DRRTT. DRRTT.
The sound of a vibrating phone broke the silence.
Lance glanced at the screen. Ethan's name appeared there.
Lance raised an eyebrow. It seemed the prey had been found.
...
...
...
The moon hung in the night sky, casting a pale glow and dominating the scattered stars above.
A black Escalade glided slowly through the city streets adorned with colorful neon lights. The red light from the traffic signal reflected the silhouette of the vehicle on the wet asphalt. The car came to a stop at the intersection, waiting for the green signal to continue its journey.
Mitat Yilmaz glanced cautiously at the rearview mirror. His boss, Wolf, sat in the back seat with a grim expression, his face cold like a hitman who had just completed his job. Beside Wolf, another man sat quietly. The man's face appeared peaceful, even graceful, as if he were indifferent to the world around him. However, every time Mitat looked at the man, an inexplicable sense of unease enveloped his chest, as if something were pressing down on his lungs, making it hard for him to breathe.
The longer Mitat stared at the man, the more his fear grew. There was something wrong, something that sent chills down Mitat's spine.
Mitat swallowed, feeling a tightness in his chest. He loosened his tie slightly to give himself some breathing room and took a deep breath.
Suddenly, Mitat's cellphone vibrated, interrupting his thoughts.
When he saw the name on the screen, Mitat's heart seemed to stop for a moment. With slightly trembling hands, he pressed the answer button and brought the phone to his ear.
"Hello?" Mitat's voice sounded stiff, almost a whisper.
"Are you watching me?" Ethan's voice came through the phone, making Mitat's heart race.
If Wolf knew that Mitat was the traitor who had handed over Albino, not only would Mitat's life be in danger—his family would also be dragged down to the bottom of the Hudson River.
However, on the other hand, Mitat couldn't offend the FBI either.
Mitat felt cold sweat trickling down his temples. This was a dilemma with no way out. Both sides were terrifying, and either could end Mitat's life in an instant.
If only Mitat weren't afraid of something happening to his wife and two daughters, he might have already turned himself in and hidden behind bars for a while.
Trying to hide his anxiety, Mitat replied in a low voice, "Only a blind person can't see you!"
Ethan remained calm on the other end, his voice sounding like a cold warning, "Don't do anything stupid, Mitat. Your wife and daughters are waiting for you to come home."
Mitat bit his lip, his eyes staring straight ahead, not daring to glance at the rearview mirror again. He didn't respond, only ending the call with slightly trembling hands.
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