Morning sunlight filtered through the curtains, filling the hotel room with a warm glow. Ethan slowly opened his eyes, his mind still lingering on the familiar computer before reality fully settled back in. The endless void was gone, replaced by the quiet creak of the old wooden floorboards, the occasional car passing outside, and the faint murmur of people walking along the street below.
He stared at the ceiling for a moment, running through what he'd gained overnight. Hellfire Manipulation had reached High rank, and both Penance Stare and Chain Mastery had advanced as well. Not bad. His gaze drifted to the corner of the room, where the leather suitcase sat exactly where he'd left it. Satisfied, he pushed himself upright.
The movement drew Asia's attention. She'd been sitting in the chair beside the bed for what looked like a while. "Good morning."
"Morning."
The woman they'd rescued from the church was awake too. She still looked pale, but most of the fear that had filled her face the day before had faded. The moment Ethan glanced over, she lowered her head. "Thank you... for saving me."
Ethan scratched the back of his head. "Well... you really shouldn't be thanking me. You only got caught up in all this because of me."
The woman gently shook her head. "I'm still grateful," she said softly. "I never imagined devils actually existed... let alone that they'd have the audacity to attack a church." Her hands tightened around the cup she was holding. "If you hadn't been there..." She lowered her gaze, unable to finish the sentence.
Ethan simply waved a hand. "What's done is done. The important thing is that you're alright."
Asia looked relieved to see her awake and asked how she was feeling. The woman admitted her head still ached a little, but Asia had healed most of the damage already. A quiet settled over the room for a few moments before Ethan stretched and announced he was starving, which broke the mood almost instantly — Asia laughed softly and agreed they probably all were.
Not long after, the three of them left the hotel together. The streets had already come alive: students in uniform hurrying toward school, office workers filling the sidewalks, the smell of fresh bread drifting out from a nearby bakery. To everyone around them it looked like just another peaceful morning, and no one passing by would have guessed that less than a day earlier a battle involving devils had nearly torn apart a church only a few streets away.
They found a small family restaurant and settled into a quiet corner. Asia spent most of the meal talking with the rescued woman, checking whether she still felt dizzy or sore, while Ethan focused almost entirely on his breakfast — after everything that had happened the day before, he wasn't about to waste food.
Eventually the woman set down her chopsticks and said she should probably head home. Asia told her gently not to push herself too hard, and she promised she wouldn't. Turning to Ethan, she thanked him again, and he waved it off. "If you really want to thank me, come back after the church is repaired." She said she would, then bowed to both of them and slipped off into the morning crowd.
Neither of them spoke for a while after she disappeared into the crowd. Ethan watched her blend into the sea of pedestrians before turning his attention back to Asia, who had been quietly studying him the entire time.
"What are you going to do now?" she asked.
Ethan glanced out through the restaurant window. "I've still got something to finish."
Asia nodded slowly. She already knew he wasn't talking about ordinary errands — after everything that had happened yesterday, she could make a fairly good guess where he intended to go. Even so, she couldn't hide the concern in her eyes.
"Will you be alright?"
Ethan looked at her for a moment before letting out a quiet chuckle. "You know, that's the second time you've asked me that. I think I should be the one asking." His gaze drifted toward the direction of the church. "The place doesn't even have a roof anymore. Even if the bedrooms survived, I doubt they're going to be particularly comfortable."
An embarrassed smile spread across Asia's face. "The bedrooms are mostly intact, and there are still plenty of rooms that need cleaning. I can start with those while we figure out what to do about the rest."
Ethan shook his head, amused. "I guess there really isn't anyone more qualified to clean a church than a nun."
Asia laughed softly. "I'll take that as a compliment."
"Good." Ethan grinned. "Maybe I'll go beat up a Demon King and help myself to his treasury. That should solve the church's money problems."
Asia just smiled, clearly taking it as another one of his jokes.
After paying for breakfast, Ethan and Asia returned to the hotel together. Without the other woman, the place was noticeably quieter than before. Ethan closed the door behind them and walked over to the old leather suitcase resting in the corner. It looked no different from any other piece of luggage, its worn surface giving no hint of what lay inside. He checked the clasps one last time before lifting it from the floor and resting it beside his leg.
"I'll be heading out for a while," he said.
Asia looked up from where she was standing. She already knew there was little point in trying to stop him, but that didn't stop the concern from showing on her face. "Please... be careful."
A faint smile crossed Ethan's face as he shook his head. "You know, you've told me that three times already."
"I know," Asia admitted, a little embarrassed. "But I still can't help worrying."
"I'll be fine," Ethan replied, adjusting his grip on the suitcase. "You should worry more about yourself than me. Try to get some rest while you still have the chance."
Asia gave a small nod. "I will."
Satisfied, Ethan left the room and made his way downstairs before stepping out into the cool morning air. He secured the suitcase to the back of his scooter, tightening the straps carefully so it wouldn't shift during the ride, checking them twice before putting on his helmet. For a brief moment he simply stood there, watching people walk past the hotel entrance — office workers hurrying to their jobs, students chatting on their way to school, shopkeepers raising the shutters of their stores as though yesterday had been nothing more than an ordinary day.
His eyes drifted briefly to the suitcase strapped behind him. "Guess it's my turn to make a move," he muttered, climbing onto the scooter.
The engine rumbled to life beneath him, and moments later he merged into the morning traffic, disappearing into the steady stream of vehicles moving through the streets.
---
Several hundred kilometers away, Azazel stared at his phone for a long moment before letting out a weary sigh. Whatever Ethan was planning, it wasn't going to end quietly. After a brief hesitation, he scrolled through his contacts and placed another call.
"Sirzechs speaking."
"We have a problem," Azazel said, his usual easygoing tone nowhere to be heard. "Yesterday, four Phoenix retainers attacked Ethan at the church. He survived, and now he's asking me where the Phoenix family is."
Sirzechs stayed silent for several moments, weighing the report before speaking. "I hope you didn't tell him."
"Of course not." Azazel leaned against the wall with a tired sigh. "Handing him their location would make me responsible for whatever happens next."
Sirzechs gave a slow nod. "The right decision. I still don't know whether Riser ordered the attack or whether someone acted without his knowledge. Until that's clear, letting Ethan near the Phoenix family would only create a bigger conflict."
"That's exactly what worries me," Azazel admitted. "He didn't sound like someone willing to let this go. Knowing him, he's probably already working out another way to get what he wants."
The line went quiet again. Sirzechs understood exactly what Azazel meant. He didn't know much about Ethan himself, but if Azazel was calling him over this, it was clear enough the man was trouble.
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