He came to a stop, standing still in the silence that followed the chaos, and simply waited.

  Nova had been at the Voss family for 11 minutes and 46 seconds.

  He stood still, gazing up at the sky. The sun shone brightly, casting warmth over the nd, and for the first time in what felt a long while, he simply existed—no battles, no bloodshed, no burdens weighing on his shoulders. Just a moment of stillness. It had been far too long to his liking since he allowed himself even that.

  The silence stretched on, each second feeling like a small eternity. An hour passed before a distant figure appeared on the horizon—Cassidy. She was sprinting toward him, her breath ragged, her movements frantic. Sweat streamed down her face, darkening patches of her clothes. He could tell she had pushed herself to the limit, desperate not to miss whatever had unfolded here.

  As she finally reached him, she doubled over, hands on her knees, gasping for air. She tried to speak, but what came out was a garbled mess.

  “H…d…i…g…?”

  Nova raised an eyebrow before calmly saying, "Slow down. Catch your breath, then talk."

  Cassidy nodded faintly, still too winded to respond properly. She stood there, inhaling deeply, trying to regain control over her breathing. It took nearly fifteen minutes before she could stand upright and speak normally again.

  As she looked at Nova, her gaze lingered on his clothes—stained bck, the fabric stiff with something that carried a sharp, metallic tang. The scent was overwhelming, but unfamiliar to her. She assumed it was just sweat, much like her own, though she couldn’t help but wonder why it was so strong.

  Brushing aside her curiosity, she finally asked, “Did you wait for me?”

  Nova shook his head, a casual smile pying on his lips. "No. You were too slow. I’ve already settled everything."

  Cassidy froze. Her breath caught in her throat as she processed his words. “You… already killed some of the Voss family’s higher-ups?” she asked, almost in disbelief.

  Nova sighed internally. ‘This girl is too na?ve sometimes.’

  "Yeah. Just a couple," he admitted nonchantly before tilting his head slightly. "Want to go home?"

  He had no intention of letting Cassidy see what remained of the Voss family estate. Some things were better left unseen.

  Cassidy shook her head. “Before we go home, what’s the situation at the Voss estate? Are they looking for you?”

  Nova nearly burst out ughing. ‘Oh, they’re definitely looking for me.’ But instead, he replied smoothly, “The situation is calm.”

  She gave him a skeptical look. “They’re not coming after you? Even after you killed some of them?”

  Nova’s expression remained neutral. “No. Apparently, the ones I killed were considered corrupt, so they actually thanked me for ‘cleaning house.’ Just a matter of luck.” His voice was steady, almost too serious, as if daring her to believe it.

  Cassidy studied him for a moment before nodding. “I see. How many did you kill?”

  “Just a couple, like you wanted.” Nova kept his face unreadable, though inwardly he mused about how well he was selling the act.

  Cassidy exhaled, her grip tightening on the fabric of her clothes. “That’s good… I just wanted them to pay for what they did, but I didn’t want my family dragged into it.” Her voice wavered slightly, unshed tears glistening in her eyes.

  Nova didn’t press for details. He didn’t need to. The weight in her words, the flicker of pain behind her gaze—it told him enough. ‘Did they kill someone she cared about? Or was it something else? Who knows…’

  He stood there, waiting, as her emotions surged unpredictably. One moment, her lips trembled with suppressed tears. The next, a soft chuckle escaped her, only to be repced by a flicker of anger moments ter. And then the cycle repeated.

  Nova remained silent, patient.

  Some wounds took time to settle.

  Nova had lost track of time, too absorbed in his own thoughts to notice the minutes slipping by. When he gnced at Cassidy again, she had already calmed down, but something about her had changed. There was a new edge to her demeanor—a trace of resolve that hadn’t been there before.

  She looked…ruthless.

  Nova raised an eyebrow. He hadn’t expected this. It was already surprising when she asked him to kill someone, but now? He had the distinct feeling that, if given the chance, she could carry it out herself.

  Shaking his head, he broke the silence. “Want to head back home? I’m starving.”

  Cassidy snapped out of her thoughts and nodded. “Yeah. I’ll treat you to dinner.” Her gaze drifted upward, watching as the setting sun painted the sky in deep hues of red, orange, and gold.

  Nova smirked and started walking. “Let’s go. It’s been a long day.”

  “Mhm.” She followed without hesitation.

  When they reached the Vale estate, Cassidy received the usual greeting from the guards, but this time, she didn’t acknowledge them. She was too lost in thought.

  The moment they stepped inside, she made a beeline for the kitchen, ordering the chefs to prepare a vish dinner for everyone. Meanwhile, Nova wandered through the mansion as if it were his own.

  Every room he passed was massive—each one rger than his entire apartment. He could only shake his head at the sheer luxury of it all.

  ‘Wait… I forgot to ask Cassidy where the Voss family kept their money. I’ll bring it up during dinner.’

  Lost in thought, he continued exploring until he found himself in a gym.

  And not just any gym.

  The pce was outfitted with state-of-the-art equipment, a sprawling space designed for peak physical training. One side was filled with machines and weights, while another area remained completely empty—clearly reserved for practicing martial arts forms.

  His gaze drifted to the center of that open space, where a lone figure was moving with precise, lethal grace.

  A spear cut through the air in fluid, controlled arcs.

  Nova stepped closer, recognizing the man instantly.

  Victor Vale.

  Cassidy’s father.

  Hearing footsteps, Victor halted his movements and turned, his sharp gaze locking onto Nova’s bck robe. His eyes lingered on the fabric, immediately recognizing what it was drenched in. The scent was unmistakable.

  He met Nova’s gaze and, with a calm expression, asked, “How many did you kill?”

  Nova didn’t hesitate. “Not sure. Several hundred, maybe.” His voice was ft, indifferent, as if the number held no weight. His eyes briefly flicked to the spear in Victor’s hands before returning to him.

  Victor’s grip on his weapon tightened slightly. He hadn’t expected such a casual response. A young man—likely no older than his own daughter—had wiped out an army’s worth of people, and yet, he stood there unfazed. ‘A monster…’ The thought crossed his mind, but he quickly buried it. There was no use being shaken by something that was already reality.

  Just as he was processing this, Nova’s next question caught him off guard.

  “Have you increased your Stats?”

  The bluntness of it made Victor pause. He debated whether or not to answer. In most circles, that was not something people openly discussed.

  With a sigh, he shook his head. “Don’t you know it’s considered bad manners to ask that?”

  Nova simply shrugged. “Maybe, but it’s the fastest way to gauge someone’s strength without having to fight them.” His tone was matter-of-fact, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

  Victor was taken aback. The logic was undeniable. He repyed Nova’s words in his mind and realized something—Nova hadn’t asked for specific numbers, just whether or not he had increased them. ‘I jumped to conclusions too quickly. I’m still treating him like a normal young man, like my daughter… and that’s a mistake.’

  Exhaling slowly, Victor nodded. “Yes, I did.”

  Nova nodded before raising his spear. “Care for a quick spar?”

  It was only then that Victor truly noticed the weapon in Nova’s hands. Despite the thick yer of dried blood staining its surface, he could tell it was an exceptional piece. ‘A shame… it would look far more impressive if it weren’t soaked in death.’

  He met Nova’s gaze and replied, “We can, but let’s keep it brief. Dinner will be ready soon.”

  Nova nodded again and moved into position, standing a dozen meters away. At such a distance, a single step was all he needed to close the gap. With both hands gripping his spear, he steadied himself in a battle-ready stance, waiting for Victor’s signal.

  Victor mirrored him, lowering his stance and adjusting his grip. Seeing Nova ready, he spoke. “Start whenever you want. I’m ready.”

  The words had barely left his lips when Nova vanished.

  A blur of motion—then a sweeping strike came from his side.

  Victor’s pupils shrank. ‘Fast!’ He barely had time to react. Evading was impossible, the attack was already within range. ‘No choice.’

  In a split-second adjustment, he shifted his stance and parried. His spear met Nova’s in a sharp collision, redirecting the force just enough to send the attack off course. The sheer weight behind the strike numbed his arms, but he remained steady.

  Nova raised an eyebrow. ‘I’m overwhelming him with raw power, but his technique is superior. His spear control is precise, his counters instinctive. I need to refine my form… maybe I can ask him for pointers.’

  Realizing he had already learned what he needed from the exchange, Nova took a step back, lowering his spear. “That’s enough.”

  Victor straightened, eyeing him with curiosity. “Done already?”

  Nova smirked. “Yeah. I got what I needed.”

  Victor let out a quiet chuckle, shaking his head. ‘What an unusual young man…’

  As he rexed his stance, he subtly wiped the sweat from his brow, only now noticing the faint tremor in his arms. Repying the brief csh in his mind, his expression darkened.

  ‘Just deflecting a single sweep left my arms numb… What kind of Stats does he have? What an anomaly.’

  His gaze lingered on Nova, his thoughts darkening. ‘If the Federation found out about someone like him…what would they do?’

  But instead of fear, a calm smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

  Shaking his head, he exhaled and turned to Nova. “Well, let’s stop here and get something to eat.”

  He took a few steps before pausing mid-stride, suddenly remembering something. Turning back, he gave Nova a once-over and frowned. “Go clean up first. Get a change of clothes and take a shower—I can’t have you sitting at my dinner table like that.”

  It was only then that Nova fully registered the state he was in—dried blood caked on his robes, the scent of iron clinging to his skin. He nodded without a word.

  As they stepped outside the gym, a maid was already waiting nearby, standing at attention in case she was needed.

  Victor gestured toward Nova. “Get him some fresh clothes and show him to a bathroom.” Without waiting for a response, he turned and made his way toward the dining hall.

  The maid bowed respectfully before turning to Nova. “Please follow me.”

  Nova said nothing and simply followed.

  Before long, they arrived at a spacious bathroom. The maid handed him a neatly folded set of clean clothes before departing, leaving him in silence.

  Nova let out a tired sigh. “What a long day…” he muttered to himself.

  Stripping off his bloodstained armor, he stepped into the bath, sinking into the hot water. A deep exhale left his lips as the soothing heat seeped into his skin, loosening his muscles. His exhaustion finally caught up to him, his eyelids growing heavy.

  For the first time in hours, his mind quieted.

  Meanwhile, in the dining hall...

  Victor, Cassidy, Rachel, Thomas, and Samuel had been waiting for over an hour and a half, sitting around the table. Initially, the wait hadn’t been so bad, but the past thirty minutes had been a different story. Cassidy and Rachel, now growing impatient, had started to cmor for food, hardly caring whether Nova was there or not.

  Victor could only sigh, helpless in the face of his daughter’s and her friend’s persistent compints. He called out, half-amused, “Cassie.”

  Cassidy paused mid-compint, turning to look at her father. “Yes, Dad?”

  “Go check on Nova. See what he’s doing.” Victor instructed, his tone calm as he closed his eyes, needing a moment of peace.

  Cassidy nodded obediently and got up to find Nova, leaving Rachel and Thomas to whisper to each other across the table.

  Rachel leaned closer to Thomas, her voice barely above a whisper. “What do you think happened between Nova and Cassie? Something’s different with her.”

  Thomas, always eager to gossip, picked up on it instantly and nodded enthusiastically. “Yeah, I noticed that too. They were gone for hours. Maybe Nova broke Cassie’s heart?”

  Samuel, who had overheard the conversation, couldn’t help but shake his head in amusement. ‘These two are way too caught up in gossip,’ he thought. ‘They should just get together already.’

  Victor had overheard everything, but his mind was now focused on a different train of thought. ‘I highly doubt Nova broke Cassie’s heart, especially with all that blood on him. No... I think I know exactly what happened. I wonder what she promised him.’ A sly smile curved on Victor’s lips as he mulled over the possibilities.

  Meanwhile, the dining hall was alive with gossip, save for Samuel, who remained the only voice of reason. As for Cassidy, she had just arrived at the bathroom where Nova was still soaking in the bath.

  She knocked on the door, her voice carrying clearly. “Nova, it’s time for dinner. Come out.”

  When no response came, Cassidy’s brow furrowed. She quickly pieced it together. ‘Did he fall asleep in the bath?’ The thought lingered for a moment before she decided not to disturb him. ‘If he’s asleep, I’ll let him rest. I’ll have the chefs set aside something for him when he wakes up.’

  With that decision made, Cassidy turned and left, heading back to the dining room to inform the others of the situation.

  Upon hearing that Nova was most likely asleep, the rest of the group cheered up instantly, eager to finally enjoy the meal they had been waiting for. It didn’t take long before they were ughing, chatting, and savoring what was undoubtedly the finest dinner they had ever had.

  Meanwhile, in the quiet of his dreams, Nova was lost in a familiar yet unsettling vision.