Later ....
The room was dim, lit only by the soft glow of the city lights bleeding through the curtains. The hum of distant traffic was a low, constant murmur beneath the silence.
Shigen smiled.
Then, without a word, he reached out and wrapped his arms around Shinomiya, pulling her gently into his chest. His towel slipped off, forgotten, but he didn't care. Neither did she.
His warmth enveloped her like a hearth in winter.
He leaned down, brushing his lips against her neck, then her cheek. "When did you get so soft?" he whispered.
She blushed furiously, fists lightly pressing against his chest. "Idiot… pervert… flame-brained moron…"
But she didn't move.
Didn't pull away.
Instead, her breath hitched.
And then she cried—quietly, her face buried in his shoulder.
"I didn't just come for the meeting," she said, voice trembling. "I came for your reevaluation."
Shigen blinked.
She pulled back just enough to look into his eyes, her own shimmering with unshed tears.
"You're officially an S-rank Fire Cultivator now," she said. "You've caught up to me."
He tilted his head. "That's good, isn't it?"
She shook her head. "No. It's terrifying. Because I know you'll surpass me. And when you do… I'm scared you'll start seeing me as a liability."
Shigen stared at her for a long moment.
Then he laughed.
A real laugh.
Deep. Warm. Alive.
"You've always been a liability," he said, grinning.
She blinked, stunned. "Excuse me?"
"But," he continued, "I'd rather be dead—or cut into pieces and stuffed in a box for eternity—than leave behind what's mine."
Her breath caught.
He leaned in again, his voice low and teasing. "Do you remember my promise?"
She narrowed her eyes. "Which one?"
"To kill the Demon Lord…"
He paused.
"…and have babies with you."
Her face went crimson.
Smack.
She slapped his chest—soft, barely a tap. "You absolute idiot."
"Mm," he hummed, unfazed. "You didn't say no."
She buried her face in his chest again, arms wrapping tightly around his waist.
"Shut up," she whispered. "Just… shut up and hold me."
He did.
And for the first time in a long time, the fire and the frost simply… rested.
The morning sun filtered through the curtains, casting golden lines across the hotel room. The world outside was already moving—cars honking, birds chirping, the city humming with life.
But inside, time had slowed.
Shinomiya was still wrapped around Shigen, her arms looped around his torso, her cheek pressed against his chest. She hadn't moved all night. Not once.
Shigen blinked awake, his body already warm and alert. He shifted slightly, but her grip only tightened.
"You're awake," he said softly.
She didn't respond.
Just nuzzled closer.
He chuckled, brushing a hand through her silver hair. "I need to make breakfast."
Still no answer.
So he stood up.
With her still clinging to him.
He moved through the room with ease, her body weight nothing to him. He brewed tea, cracked eggs, flipped pancakes—all with Shinomiya latched to his back like a sleepy koala.
He didn't complain.
Not once.
Because it wasn't every day she let herself be this close. This soft. This unguarded.
Not since the day he met her—when she was still a cold, sharp-edged lieutenant with ice in her veins and a wall around her heart.
And he'd melted it.
---
Breakfast for Two
Eventually, he sat on the couch, a tray of food balanced on his lap. Shinomiya had finally shifted—barely—enough to sit beside him, her head resting on his shoulder.
She didn't lift a finger.
Didn't even blink.
So he fed her.
Gently.
One bite at a time.
He brought a piece of pancake to her lips, and she opened her mouth just enough to take it. He leaned in, brushing his lips against hers as he did.
A kiss.
Then another bite.
Then another kiss.
She chewed slowly, eyes half-lidded, cheeks faintly pink.
"You're ridiculous," she murmured.
"You're lazy," he replied.
"You're warm."
"You're clingy."
She smiled. "Deal with it."
He did.
Gladly.
And as the morning sun rose higher, the two of them sat there—wrapped in silence, in warmth, in something neither of them dared name just yet.
But it was real.
And it was theirs.
The door creaked open.
Shoto stepped in first, his face half-red—not from embarrassment, but from a very visible handprint still glowing on his cheek.
Behind him, Azael strutted in with her usual elegance, arms crossed, eyes gleaming with smug satisfaction.
Shigen raised an eyebrow from the couch, sipping tea. "You lose a duel or your dignity?"
Shoto grumbled. "She slapped me."
Azael smirked. "He groped me."
Shoto pointed a finger. "I was asleep. You climbed into my bed."
"You snored like a dying beast. I had to silence you."
"With violence?"
"With style."
Shigen chuckled, setting his cup down. "You're lucky she didn't rip your arm off."
Azael turned to him, her expression softening. "You're laughing again."
He nodded. "Guess I am."
She smiled. "Your emotions are finally back."
He didn't deny it.
---
Shinomiya, now dressed in her uniform again, stepped out from the bedroom, her presence instantly shifting the room's energy.
"Alright," she said, voice crisp. "Listen up."
The trio turned to her.
"This week is rest and sightseeing. No fights. No missions. No provocations. This is not our city, and we're guests."
Azael raised a brow. "Even if someone insults my hair?"
"Especially then."
Shoto groaned. "So we're just supposed to play tourist?"
Shinomiya nodded. "Exactly."
Shigen leaned back, arms behind his head. "Sounds peaceful."
Shoto muttered, "Sounds boring."
Azael grinned. "Sounds like a chance to wear something scandalous."
Shinomiya sighed. "I regret everything."
Shigen smiled again.
And this time, it wasn't fake.
The streets of Shibuya buzzed with life—neon signs flickering, crowds weaving through storefronts, laughter spilling from cafés and arcades. It was a rare kind of peace for the four of them.
Shigen, dressed in a simple black shirt and jeans, walked ahead with his usual calm. His immortal glow was impossible to hide—his skin radiant, his posture regal, his eyes quietly piercing.
And the world noticed.
Women turned as he passed. Some gasped. Others whispered. A few walked straight up to him.
"Excuse me," one said, cheeks flushed. "Are you a model?"
"No," Shigen replied calmly. "I'm a Hunter."
"Can I have your number?"
"Hunters aren't allowed to date civilians."
She pouted. "Why would someone with that face be a fighter?"
Another chimed in. "You look like a prince."
A third: "You should be illegal."
Shigen offered a polite nod and kept walking.
Behind him, Azael grinned proudly. "My human is divine, isn't he?"
Shoto, arms crossed, muttered, "As much as I hate to admit it… yeah. He's stupidly beautiful. And built like a damn statue."
Shinomiya said nothing.
She walked quietly beside them, her eyes fixed ahead.
But in her mind, one thought echoed with smug satisfaction:
"Wait till you see him naked."
---
The Theater
They arrived at the cinema just before sunset. The marquee glowed with titles—action, romance, fantasy. Shigen bought the tickets. Shinomiya picked the seats. Azael picked the snacks. Shoto complained about everything.
They settled into the plush chairs, the lights dimming, the screen flickering to life.
Shigen sat between Shinomiya and Azael.
Shoto sat on the far end, arms folded, grumbling about overpriced popcorn.
Azael leaned into Shigen's shoulder.
Shinomiya leaned into his other.
He didn't move.
Didn't speak.
Just smiled softly.
And for the first time in a long time, they watched something that didn't involve blood, fire, or fate.
Just a story.
Just a moment.
Just peace.
The movie had just reached its climax—explosions on screen, the audience gasping, popcorn flying.
Then—
Boom.
A deafening crack split the air.
The screen shattered into shards of light.
A swirling crimson portal tore open in the center of the theater, warping space like a bleeding wound in reality.
Time froze.
The popcorn halted mid-air.
The crowd turned to statues—mouths open, eyes wide, frozen in fear or awe.
Only three moved.
Shigen.
Shinomiya.
Azael.
The rest—including Shoto—were locked in place, suspended in a moment that no longer belonged to them.
From the portal stepped seven figures—each cloaked in shadow and sin, their auras so dense they bent the air around them.
They spread out, forming a semicircle.
One stepped forward, tall and lean, with eyes like twin voids and a grin that split his face too wide.
"I am Pride," he said, voice echoing like a choir of whispers. "And we are the Seven Deadly Sins."
Another, cloaked in crimson flame, bowed mockingly. "Wrath."
A woman with serpentine eyes and a forked tongue hissed, "Lust."
"Gluttony," rumbled a bloated figure, licking his lips.
"Greed."
"Envy."
"Sloth."
Each name fell like a curse.
Then Pride spoke again.
"We come on behalf of Keziah."
He pointed at Shigen.
"She wants you back."
His grin widened.
"And she said to kill anyone who tries to stop us."
---
The Choice
Shigen's eyes lit with fire. His fists clenched. His aura flared.
He was ready.
He wanted this.
But then—
He looked to his left.
Shinomiya stood frozen in place, her eyes wide with terror. Her breath was shallow, her lips trembling.
To his right, Azael was shaking—her pupils dilated, her claws twitching. She wasn't afraid of battle.
She was afraid of them.
Of who they served.
Of what they meant.
Shigen's fire dimmed.
He exhaled.
"…Damn it."
He stepped forward.
"I'll go."
Pride raised an eyebrow. "Willingly?"
Shigen nodded. "Just don't touch them."
The demons exchanged glances.
Then stepped aside.
The portal pulsed.
Shigen turned to Shinomiya, his voice soft. "Tell Shoto not to do anything stupid."
He looked at Azael. "Stay with her."
Azael opened her mouth. "Shigen—"
He smiled. "I'll be fine."
Then he stepped through the portal.
And vanished.
---
The Aftermath
The moment the portal closed, time snapped back.
The theater erupted.
Screams. Shattering. Chaos.
But it was already too late.
The moment time resumed, the shockwave hit.
Every frozen civilian—every bystander—exploded into ash.
Gone in an instant.
Only three remained standing.
Shinomiya, her eyes wide with horror.
Azael, on her knees, trembling.
And Shoto, who had just blinked back into motion, fists clenched, staring at the empty space where Shigen had stood.
The world had changed.
And the fire was gone.
[End of Chapter 10]