Angel hurried to the driver's seat, her pulse still hammering in her chest. Lyra climbed into the back, refusing to take her eyes off Xavier as he slid into the passenger seat, the mahogany box balanced on his lap. The faint hum of the car filled the silence for a few seconds before Angel finally spoke, "What the hell happened in there? That noise… it sounded like a damn warzone."

Xavier didn't answer right away. He brushed some dust from his jacket, eyes distant, before finally saying, "Victor wasn't going to be much of use to me anymore." He glanced out the window as the car started moving. "So I disposed of him."

Angel's grip on the wheel tightened. "Disposed of him?"

He looked at her, calm, almost casual. "Yeah. He made his choice when he pointed a gun at me." His tone carried no regret, only that cold steadiness that came whenever he decided something was final. "I got what I came for."

Lyra's hands trembled on her knees, her voice cracking slightly. "And… the shooting?"

"I bought Victor's people," he said, leaning back in his seat. "And I doubt they'll be a problem anymore." He rested a hand on the box, almost absentmindedly. "This is what matters now."

The glow from the dashboard lights reflected faintly on his face, outlining the faint smirk that appeared for just a second.

Angel stayed silent, though the tension in her shoulders didn't fade. She had expected chaos—but not the sound of a hundred guns. Not that eerie calm on his face afterward.

"What's next?" she finally asked, voice quieter this time.

Xavier's eyes flicked toward the city skyline in the distance, where the spire of the Nexus Tower cut through the clouds like a blade. "Drop me and Lyra home."

After a quiet ride, the car stopped at the Nexus tower.

Xavier stepped out first, still holding the box under his arm, and Lyra followed close behind—her steps uneven, her hand brushing against his sleeve like she was afraid to let go.

After taking the elevator to the 55th floor and unlocking the door, when they entered the apartment, the place wasn't empty.

Lilia was in the living room, sitting quietly under the dim light of a floor lamp. The faint glow wrapped around her like a halo, but her eyes told a different story. She stood up as soon as she saw them, her expression freezing somewhere between shock and disbelief.

Her gaze fell on Lyra—disheveled, clinging to Xavier, cheeks flushed with feverish color—and she didn't speak.

Lilia showed all kinds of emotions and expressions on her face but she didn't say anything. Not a single word. But her silence was louder than any question could've been.

He set the box down on the counter, turned toward her, and said in a calm, even voice, "Lilia, come here for a second."

She hesitated but obeyed, walking up slowly. Xavier glanced back at Lyra, who was swaying slightly, her breathing uneven. "She isn't feeling well," he said quietly. "I need you to take care of her for now."

Lilia blinked, her voice almost whispering, "What happened to her?"

"She's burning up," Lilia murmured again as she reached out, steadying Lyra's arm. The heat radiating from her skin made her flinch.

Xavier didn't sugarcoat it. "She's going through a mating phase," he said flatly. "It's messing with her body and her behavior."

Lilia's eyes widened a little, though she didn't respond right away. The air between them went still, heavy with things unsaid.

After a few moments, she exhaled softly. "And… what do you plan to do about it?"

Xavier's gaze lingered on Lyra—her flushed face, the way she tried to stay composed but couldn't quite hide the trembling in her legs. His jaw tightened slightly. "It's getting worse," he admitted. "I'll have to do something eventually. But for now, let her rest, eat, drink—whatever she needs. Order anything. Keep her comfortable."

Lilia gave a small nod. There wasn't much else she could say.

Xavier turned to head down the hall, pausing only once at the doorway. "I'll be in my room for a while," he said. "Don't disturb me unless it's urgent."

He disappeared behind the door, closing it gently but leaving it unlocked. Just in case.

In the living room, Lilia helped Lyra sink onto the couch. The mercenary girl leaned her head against the armrest, sweat glistening along her collarbone, her breaths shallow. Lilia fetched her a cold towel, her mind quietly spinning with worry—and confusion.

"I want a thick shake… manga flavored…"

Inside his room, Xavier placed the mahogany box on the desk and flipped it open. The fragment inside pulsed faintly—a dull crimson glow that flickered like a dying ember.

He exhaled slowly and placed it in front of the goddess's altar on the table. The moment the fragment touched the faint light from the projection, the air shimmered with divine static.

A familiar voice rippled through the space, clear and melodic. "Already? You found another one this soon?" The goddess's tone held surprise, almost amusement.

"Yeah," Xavier replied, leaning back in his chair. "Didn't expect to get one from a damn auction, but here we are." He looked at the rock again, brows narrowing. "The thing is, it's not reacting. Not to me, not to anything. The power fragment at least tried to reach out, but this one's quiet. Like it's dead."

"It's not dead," she said. "Just… dormant. It hasn't awakened yet. Some awaken centuries, others wait—eons, even—for a wielder who fits their resonance."

He drummed his fingers on the desk. "So it's a sleeping rock that may or may not like me. Great."

Her laughter echoed faintly, light but layered with something ethereal. "That also means it isn't bound to anyone else. No prophet, no master. You found an unclaimed fragment."

Xavier's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "So no one I have to kill this time."

"Correct," the goddess confirmed, her voice lowering into something almost approving. "You're free to awaken it yourself when you're ready."

He nodded, the faint edge of a smirk ghosting across his face. "That's one less body to worry about. But it's also a problem."

The goddess tilted her head again, curious. "How so?"

"I still don't have a new system," Xavier muttered. "Power fragment, dimension store, all that—it's great, but I'm not seeing any new functionality. No new system architecture, no expansion, nothing." He ran a hand through his hair, his tone turning more analytical. "It's like the fragment's energy is locked behind something. Either it's waiting for the right time… or it needs something from me to wake up."

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