Everything was going very well; some of the "Devils" were gradually starting to break into the politics of various countries, aiming to change the system from within.
It was only the beginning of the journey, but everything was going so smoothly that Ray began to think that the gods, if they existed, had decided to give him a break. But he soon realized how wrong he was. A late-night phone call became another blow from fate, one that nearly knocked the titan off his feet.
Answering the call and hearing the news, Ray barely stayed on his feet. After ending the call, he immediately phoned Sergei.
"Tony and Michelle died in a plane crash. Make sure their children end up in one of our shelters, let them go through the standard test."
"I understand, boss. Should I send someone to be with you?"
"No, this will be tough, but I'll manage. Everyone has their own work."
"I understand, but just don't do anything stupid, okay?"
"I promise I won't do anything irreversible. But I can't promise I won't do anything stupid."
After hanging up, Ray woke Yuno. Seeing his expression, the little girl asked anxiously:
"Daddy, what's wrong?"
"I wish I could say everything's fine, but it's not. Tony and Michelle are gone. I'll be gone for a week, maybe two. You're in charge, look after the others, okay?"
"I'll do as you say, but promise me you won't do anything stupid anymore."
Hearing this, Ray gently stroked the girl's hair and said:
"Don't worry, death is too easy for me, so I'm not planning on dying."
Then he gently kissed her forehead and left the house. For Ray, Yuno was the only one he could leave Deya with. Despite her age, he was sure this girl understood him like no one else.
"Are you ever going to tell me where my brother is?" Deya asked again a few days later.
"No. All I can say is that he's okay, and you don't need to worry," Yuno said softly.
That same evening, Miku asked anxiously:
"Hey, is big guy really okay?"
"Not really. His best friend and his wife died. I don't know how to tell Deya, because they were very close."
"Where is Ray now?" Miku asked, worried.
"At one of our houses. In the years I've known him, he's only been drunk three times. This is one of those times when he needs to drink, and he doesn't want any of us to see him like that," Yuno said anxiously.
Thinking for a moment, she added:
"Honestly, I'm worried about him, and I wanted to ask you to go and look after him. Don't worry—no matter what state he's in, he won't hurt you. I'm just afraid he might do something stupid."
"What kind of stupid are we talking about?" asked Miku, who seemed to have caught some of her anxiety.
"He might get into a fight, but I'm not worried about him—I'm worried about the poor guy unlucky enough to be on the receiving end of his rage."
"I know this might be a lot to ask, but please keep an eye on him."
Hearing Yuno's sincere request, Miku thought seriously. But remembering how much Ray had helped her, and that not so long ago he had found a label willing to work with her despite pressure from her father, Miku simply couldn't refuse. So she said:
"Give me the address."
Arriving at the address and opening the door with the key, Miku entered the house. In the living room, she saw Ray watching a recording of Lily's death. He seemed not to notice her arrival. The girl was shocked by what she saw, but she decided to watch the video to the end. It seemed like the only way she could even begin to understand this man. But at some point, the girl sobbed, giving away her presence.
Ray, completely immersed in a session of self-flagellation, heard the sound and returned to reality, turning to Miku. The always warm look in his green eyes now seemed empty.
For a second, Miku thought he would get angry and throw her out, but the man only changed the tape and, returning to his spot, said:
"Sorry you had to see that. But since you're here, keep me company for the evening?"
Sitting beside him, Miku hesitantly asked:
"How often do you watch this recording?"
"Whenever I feel very bad or very good. When I feel bad, I watch it to remind myself that death is too easy for me. It's a path I don't deserve."
"And when I feel very good, I watch it to remind myself of what I lost."
"This might sound strange, but I'm glad you're here. I try to be strong and not show weakness, but Yuno knows that in moments like this, I'm very afraid of being alone."
"That's terrible. I can't imagine what it's like to go through something like that, and honestly, I hope I never have to. But you have people who care about you. You don't have to carry that burden alone."
Unexpectedly, the girl addressed him more formally. Only now did she realize how different they were.
"You know, I had a traumatic brain injury I sustained before I was born. I've always known I could die at any second."
"I wanted to die doing something good, and in my attempts to live a decent life, even if it was very short, I didn't even notice when good people gathered around me."
"At some point, I won the heart of a beautiful woman. Every time I watch that video, I wonder if she regretted meeting me."
"I have to admit, I've read your story. From what I know, I think she was very happy with you. And that last smile—it was an attempt to comfort you, to tell you that despite everything, she still loved you," Miku said sincerely.
"Maybe you're right, but the truth is, I've changed a lot since then. Now everyone I care about has bodyguards. But no matter what I do, everyone I care about will leave sooner or later. Time, accident, or illness—something will eventually take them from me," the man said, smiling bitterly.
"My mother once told me that life is too short, and I should live it with those who make me happy and those I want to make happy."
"Deya and Yuno love you very much, and I'm sure besides them, there are others who love you too."
"Little one, stop being so formal. You've seen my weak side, but that doesn't mean I'm going to eat you," the man said with a chuckle.
"But your mother was right: life is too short, and every moment of it should be spent with those who matter to you. But my fear of losing them has robbed Yuno and Deya of a normal childhood. I'm sure that one day, Deya will hate me."
"Old man, don't be so upset. I'm sure you'll find a way. Besides, I don't know what it would take for either of them to hate you."
"Don't you dare call me old man, young lady. I'm a strong man in the prime of my life."
"I'll forgive your insults if you play for me," and with that, Ray handed her the guitar hanging on the wall.
Even though both had continued drinking during their conversation, Miku's playing was as perfect as ever. She was living proof that you can't drink away talent. Miku's playing, combined with her beautiful voice, allowed Ray to escape the sad reality. The man treasured every second of such moments.
After Miku finished playing, they started watching a movie with Lily.
Miku became completely absorbed in the film's story. There were no professional actors on screen, but Miku could clearly see that everyone who had worked on the film had given their all.
She noticed that Ray sometimes smiled tenderly, and sometimes tears seemed to glisten in his eyes.
Unexpectedly for both of them, Miku placed Ray's head on her lap and began gently stroking his gray hair. It was her attempt to comfort the man. When she thought he had fallen asleep, the loud sounds of several cars disrupted the peaceful atmosphere of the house.
Quickly shaking off the remnants of sleep, Ray went outside. A worried Miku followed him. She had a guess about what it might be, and if she was right, these guys had shown up at a very bad time.
Four cars stopped near the house, and a group of men got out. Their appearance made it obvious they were bodyguards.
One of them, who seemed to be the leader, stepped forward and addressed Miku:
"Young lady, your father wants you to come home. Let's not make this difficult."
Biting her lip, Miku stepped forward.
Gently grabbing her arm, Ray asked:
"Is that really what you want?"
Though Miku didn't answer him, her hesitation was enough for Ray to get his answer, so he said firmly:
"Go inside, and I'll have a little chat with the guys."
"Go and don't worry about anything. This is exactly what I need."
Hesitantly, Miku entered the house.
As soon as the girl disappeared inside, Ray looked over the uninvited guests and said:
"Boys, I hope you have insurance."
With those words, Ray fearlessly charged into the crowd. One punch was enough to send the unfortunate soul to a dark room.
Despite his size, Ray was quite agile at dodging any dangerous blows. Those that couldn't really hurt him, he simply ignored. If anyone knowledgeable in martial arts had been there, they would have recognized that Ray's foundation was Krav Maga, skillfully combined with elements from other styles.
The fear and brutality with which Ray took them down made the bodyguards pull out knives.
But the appearance of sharp objects didn't frighten this madman. If anything, he seemed to increase his pressure.
They thought Ray was hitting brutally, and he was, but of those who had come, no one died, which showed that even in his rage, the man was still holding back.
Ray's body was covered in minor cuts and blood, but it didn't stop him. Seeing the insane smile on the bloody psycho's face, one of the bodyguards drew a gun. He was clearly scared, because the barrel of the gun in his hands was visibly trembling.
Though somehow no one had died in this brawl, the cries of the wounded weighed on the man.
"Stop, you bastard! Give us the girl, and we'll just leave," the man said in a trembling voice.
"Boy, no one's holding the girl here. But if you want to take her, you'll have to put a bullet in my head. But after that, everyone you care about will follow me. You don't have to worry, though—no one will touch you," Ray said, grinning predatorily.
Throwing a knife, Ray moved out of the line of fire. The bullet only grazed his shoulder.
Looking at the fallen guy, Ray, as if not noticing his own wound, said calmly:
"Your friend is still alive, but I suggest you hurry, because that might change soon. I don't mind dancing with you a little longer, but if we continue this dance, your friend will definitely die. And tell your boss: if he wants his daughter back, let him come and talk to her. Also, any attempt to harm my loved ones will lead to very unfortunate consequences."
Quickly gathering their companions, the group of bodyguards who were still relatively capable rushed to the hospital.
Ray, despite his appearance, seemed renewed. It seemed a good fight was all this guy needed. But seeing his state, Miku became very alarmed and, running up to him, said anxiously:
"Are you okay? Wait, I'll call an ambulance."
From the girl's sky-blue eyes, Ray understood she was on the verge of tears. Women's tears were his Achilles' heel; he barely stopped himself from hugging this little one.
"Don't worry, I've been through worse. I need to shower and treat my wounds a bit, and I'll be fine."
Miku bit her lip. But although Ray looked battered, the fact that he moved as briskly as before, combined with the absence of any pain on his face and the fact that his bright green eyes had regained their life—all told Miku that this strange man was indeed okay.
Even though his unusual methods of blowing off steam scared her, she managed to relax a little.