Phaga casually took a seat, ignoring the drowsy Ellen slumped beside him.
"How far to the Hollow's exit?"
"Um... let me check..."
Ruby glanced at the map and answered, "Two spatial rifts away. If we go full throttle without letting up, about ten minutes."
"But what's with Ellen? She was fine just a moment ago..."
As she spoke, Ruby's attention drifted toward Ellen.
Her eyelids had been drooping ever since she boarded. Now, even when Ruby waved a hand in front of her face, Ellen didn't react.
Before long, soft breathing escaped her lips.
Swoosh!
Her head tilted forward, about to fall against Phaga's shoulder.
But Phaga's reflexes were faster—he pressed a single finger against her forehead, stopping her before she could slump onto him.
Ellen stirred faintly in her sleep, frowning as she shifted her neck in search of a more comfortable position.
"Sigh."
To Ruby's wide-eyed surprise, Phaga suddenly let out a soft sigh. He eased past Ellen, slipped into the aisle, and hooked his arms under her legs to lift her up. Carefully, he shifted her into the inner seat.
He even tugged the headrest off Ruby's driver's seat and set it against the window as a makeshift pillow so Ellen's head wouldn't bump against the glass.
As he worked, Phaga's eyes flickered slightly. Once finished, he sank into his own seat, closed his eyes, and said, "She's got a fiery temper, and being a Thiren, she burns through energy for no reason. That's why she's out cold."
"Mm, yeah, I know."
As Ellen's friend, Ruby was well aware of this. She also knew it explained Ellen's sweet tooth.
But Ruby's expression quickly shifted to a teasing smirk. She covered her mouth with her hand, her mischievous eyes flicking between Phaga and Ellen.
"I just didn't think Phaga would be so thoughtful. If it were me, I wouldn't bother finding a pillow for Ellen. I'd just..."
Her gaze lingered on his shoulder with a knowing look. But Phaga, eyes closed, didn't notice.
Instead, he answered evenly, "I worked part-time as a tutor. I've dealt with all kinds of kids, so looking after them comes naturally."
"Uh... so you're treating Ellen like a child?"
"Yeah. She flies into a rage over something as trivial as morning grouchiness. That's exactly what a child would do."
"So Phaga's the type of adult who never gets angry, no matter what?"
"Of course. Age is just a number. Staying calm is the real mark of adulthood."
Ruby was instantly speechless. Her playful mood evaporated, and she slumped back into the driver's seat, turning the key to start the engine.
But then, out of the corner of her eye, she spotted something. Her face went pale, and she screamed, "Phaga!!!"
At the sound, Phaga snapped awake, his eyes flashing open with a faint crimson glow.
In less than a second, he gripped the parasol at his side, glanced out the window, and nearly cursed at what he saw.
He lunged forward, yanked the still-shaken Ruby aside, and leapt out the driver's window. Braving the harsh afternoon sun, Phaga drew his blade.
Everyone in the bus held their breath, watching intently. Phaga's left thumb slid the blade free, its cold gleam alone enough to chill their spines.
What none of them noticed was how his head tilted back slightly, his eyes reddening to a deep, bloodshot crimson-black as they locked onto three goblins that had appeared from nowhere.
(Goblins: Ethereal found in the final layer of the Infinite Abyss, often paired with Flash Guy)
Phaga clenched his teeth, his face twisting into a savage grimace. His eyes blazed with fury as his voice erupted like fire, teeth grinding as he spat out his rage.
"Damn it! What the hell are you, making me fight under this blazing sun?!"
With that roar, Phaga drew his blade in full. Flames erupted along its length, blazing white light reflecting off every face inside the bus. That solitary, unyielding figure seared itself into their memories.
Bang!
Before anyone could react, Phaga launched forward like an arrow, closing the distance to the three goblins in a flash.
"Roar!"
One goblin bellowed, swinging its massive hammer down. The whistling force alone carried crushing weight.
But Phaga's movements were sharper than ever. Instead of blocking, he pressed in close.
He slipped past the hammer and drove his flaming blade straight into the goblin's Ethereal core. Fire roared to life, and the goblin howled.
Phaga disliked hearing screams. His grip tightened, and he wrenched the blade downward, cleaving through the core without mercy.
A flash of steel split the goblin's body in two. Flames burst outward from the corpse, heat surging into the faces of the other two.
Through the warped air, they glimpsed a pair of burning red eyes.
Another strike cleaved out from the blaze, arcing toward a stunned goblin.
At the brink of death, the goblin reacted at last, swinging its hammer in defense.
But a half-hearted block could never match the peak force of Phaga's strike.
Clang!
The massive hammer was knocked aside, forcing the goblin to stumble back.
Phaga seized the moment. With a sharp kick, he sent the other goblin flying. Using the momentum, he vaulted high into the air. His blade, wreathed entirely in flames, rose overhead.
Whoosh!
The strike came down like a falling star, splitting the goblin clean in two.
Phaga rose from his crouch, ignoring the dissolving ash, his eyes sliding toward the last goblin.
"Roar? Roar!"
The creature faltered, but forced itself forward, raising both hammers as it lunged.
But it struck nothing.
What it hit was only a wall of fire. Before the flames erupted, its eyes had caught a flicker—a figure flashing past and vanishing from sight.
A sudden, dreadful realization made it look down. Its body was already crisscrossed with over a dozen fresh slashes.
I... I was cut a dozen times?
The thought barely formed before its torso slid apart.
Thud!
The goblin's upper body toppled to the ground.
In its final instant, it saw a man with a weapon shaped like an umbrella walking back toward the bus.
Suddenly, the man turned.
The goblin felt a strange surge of respect, thinking, Is he looking at me?
But Phaga wasn't. His crimson gaze swept the shadows lining the street. His nose twitched slightly, as if catching a scent.
"The smell of Ether... More Ethereal are closing in."
Phaga's brow furrowed. He broke into a run, leapt high, and landed on the bus tire, vaulting onto the roof. Leaning down, he tapped the window.
"Ruby, drive!"
Ruby protested, "Can you even stay steady up there?"
"Just drive!" Phaga barked back.
"Tsk!"
Ruby twisted the key. The engine roared, gears clattering into place.
From the shadows on both sides of the street, countless Ethereal emerged. Ruby knew hesitation would doom them.
She slammed her foot down on the accelerator.
Roar!
The bus launched forward!