"Lower your head."
Ryan said this as he pressed Pardofelis small head against the wall and concealed all of his energy readings.
A white-haired man in a mask walked out of the asylum. The gang members guarding the door immediately noticed him, but before they could react, they were sent flying, along with their vehicle, by a single slap that threw them several dozen meters away.
It was direct, brutal, and accompanied by a loud explosion. Pardofelis immediately dropped to the ground, as if encountering a predator, terrified out of her wits.
'That's really Kalpas style. Is he going to wipe out Sundown Alley?' Ryan lips twitched. Ninety-nine percent of the people on Sundown Alley deserved to die, and he wouldn't show any mercy. But the plan required balance.
He needed to get Kalpas to step out and attract attention, but he couldn't let him die. After all, the Fire Moth now had the capability to kill him. Those high-ranking fusion warriors might not be weaker than Sakura, and there were quite a few of them.
The good news was that after the slap cleared the crowd, no other sounds of fighting followed. This meant that Kalpas wasn't looking for anyone to settle scores.
"Did he leave?" Pardofelis, lying next to the wall, cautiously poked her head out, looking scared to the point of making people laugh.
"Yes. Why are you hiding? Even if you were discovered, he wouldn't be able to defeat me."
"I don't believe it. You can't slap people and cars that far."
Naive. What's the difference between this and a child trying to compete in who can pee the farthest?
Ryan didn't bother to explain, crouching behind the wall for a few minutes before standing up. Kalpas seemed to have walked away, but Ryan didn't know where he had gone. If he used his power to scan, there was a high chance of being detected.
Once detected, Sundown Alley would be over. He'd either have to kill Kalpas or be killed by him.
'The most troublesome part is this. I've fought him once before. It's not hatred, but at least it's neutral.'
Dealing with Kalpas wasn't particularly hard or easy. For instance, if he defeated him, they could talk. The problem was, this wasn't just a grudge between Ryan and Kalpas. There were two groups observing them.
"At least we know it's him. Should we stage a 'hero saving hero' play? No, Kalpas is violent but not stupid, and the two high-ranking fusion warriors sent by Fire Moth might not be his match."
Ryan mumbled to himself quietly. Getting Kalpas to expose himself had its benefits. It would make the hidden parties aware of the severity of the situation.
A pseudo-Herrscher who chose option two-five, and an unknown powerful entity—the connection between the two was bound to make headlines.
High-ranking fusion warriors were limited. Unless more advanced combatants arrived!
"Wait, he actually left." Pardofelis, unaware of Ryan musings, said reflexively, "Looks like he's heading towards the docks. Weird, he shouldn't be leaving."
"How do you know he doesn't usually leave?"
"If such a scary guy walks down the street, I would've noticed him, and he'd be recorded on my 'absolutely avoid' list," Pardofelis patted her chest, looking nervous.
Hearing that, Ryan got the hint, looking at the quiet asylum, thinking for a moment, then decided to take a risk.
"Stay here. I'll go inside for a bit."
"Hey, aren't you afraid he's fishing for you?"
"That's why it's a gamble. Sometimes you have to go with your instincts."
Time was pressing, and Ryan didn't say much more. As Pardofelis watched with concern, he jumped off the roof without any disguise and walked along the main road toward the asylum.
In fact, it was the perfect opportunity. Kalpas was gone, and the people watching hadn't scattered completely. The already remote asylum was empty, with no one in sight.
Ryan stepped through the gate and saw a neatly trimmed garden with many unknown flowers blooming. Beautiful butterflies flitted around.
Children played on the grass, the elderly sat peacefully on benches enjoying the sunlight, and several young people were polishing the sculpture in the center of the garden. It was a statue of a nun with her hands clasped in prayer, her face kind and serene.
It was a scene of early autumn tranquility. However, Ryan furrowed his brow, sensing something was off amidst the peacefulness.
It was too odd. These people were like deaf-mutes; they hadn't heard the gunshots and explosions.
He even saw bullet holes on the statue, yet they acted as though the earlier battle had nothing to do with them.
Ryan felt like he was watching a movie, separated from both the outside and the inside worlds. His muscles instinctively tensed.
"Are you here seeking refuge as well?"
A soft, warm, yet soul-stirring voice came from behind. Ryan paused, feeling as if the voice had grabbed his sleeve.
He slowly relaxed his fist and turned around, seeing a nun who appeared both sacred and interesting.
Her figure could rank first among all the people Ryan knew. The modified nun attire seemed to cover everything, yet at the same time, it seemed to cover nothing at all. Her plump thighs and the peaks of her chest, combined with her pure blue eyes, made one think of a famous saying.
"Bare skin is seductive, but when covered by a thin veil, it only enhances the allure. With purity added, it becomes an even more alluring combination."
This nun was walking on the edge, amplifying temptation with a haze.
Ryan took a deep breath, thinking to himself, 'The angel and the devil have merged into one.' But he controlled his expression well.
"Aponia, was this your doing?"
The nun's deep blue pupils slightly contracted, not expecting her secret to be exposed. But after a brief surprise, she responded calmly.
"Looks like sending Kalpas out was the right choice. Can you tell me why you're here, unknown young lady?"
For a moment, Ryan felt a strange sensation, something indescribable and intangible. His red pupils sharpened.
It felt like mental control, but not just that. Was this her "Commandment" ability? No, Aponia hadn't become a fusion warrior yet; her abilities hadn't been enhanced. But even with this much, it was already impressive.
"Is this an innate talent of yours?"
"Hmm, I can easily convince others, but I don't always succeed," Aponia replied calmly, with no hesitation in revealing her secret.
It seemed like the "Commandment" was in its nascent form.
Ryan relaxed slightly. He had never come to Sundown Alley because he was wary of Aponia ability, even though she was very kind.
"So, were they all convinced by you?"
"Yes, even if there's any turmoil, they won't be able to do anything. Their lives were already nearing their end, so why should they be afraid? It's better to choose to ignore it and live out the rest of their lives quietly." The nun showed a compassionate expression.
Ryan stared at her, sighed after a long moment, and said, "Aponia, I have two things to tell you."
"Please, go ahead."
"First, I'm a man. Second—" Ryan glanced at the harmonious scene in the garden, but instead of feeling warm, he felt a chill.
"I know you did this with good intentions, but kindness isn't always good. Overthinking for others doesn't always lead to good outcomes."
"Why would kindness be wrong?" Aponia didn't get angry, only showing a look of curiosity.
"Because too much good can lead to too much harm," Ryan said, stopping his words and turning to walk into the park, sitting on a bench.
Too much kindness brings too much harm?
Aponia, like the statue, stood quietly in the garden, lost in thought for a long time. The words hadn't entered her heart, but they did catch her attention. The newcomer was so special.
He felt like a moving fog, with no clear destiny. This was a feeling she had never experienced before. It was so unusual that it had to be taken seriously.
The autumn breeze lifted her veil and hair. She gently straightened it and quietly sat on the bench.
The two, who should have been discussing a transaction, didn't speak. Instead, they quietly watched the bustling garden, observing the curious gaze of the children.
A ball rolled over, and Aponia bent down to pick it up and threw it back.
"Thank you, Aponia Mama!"
"Be careful, don't fall," the nun said, patting the child's head. She then called to the man polishing the statue, "Daf, you can start preparing lunch. Don't go to the first-floor corridor, it's not cleaned yet."
"Okay, ma'am."
Ryan observed from the side, not finding any sense of accomplishment or control, let alone arrogance. This nun was simply doing what she believed was right, showing kindness to everyone.
'That's why she's called a Hero, not a Devil—she's the typical example of good intentions leading to bad outcomes. When she realized fate couldn't be changed, she became an extreme pessimist.'
In just a short time, Ryan had formed a rough impression. The idyllic land was the Hero's end, and at least for now, Aponia wasn't that dangerous.
She was just a nun with special abilities and excessive kindness.
"I'm sorry, I got delayed with the asylum business." Aponia then sat back down, speaking in a soft tone. "You came here specially, so you must have important matters to discuss."
"It's not that important, or rather, the most important matter has already been taken care of."
"What?"
"Meeting you, seeing what kind of person you are." Ryan glanced at her again, speaking slowly, "And I'm quite satisfied. But there's one thing I'm curious about. What kind of future do you perceive?"
You even know this?
Aponia hesitated for a moment, then after considering for two seconds, she finally spoke.
"Destruction. Sundown Alley will be completely destroyed, and no living beings will remain."
"Destroyed by what?"
"Sorry, it's just a vague feeling. No one can see fate clearly."
But you can see it, can't you? Oh, it's only after becoming a fusion warrior that one can see the threads of fate. If you had such a bug-like ability, you wouldn't be here on Sundown Alley.
Ryan quickly understood the key and asked, "Since you know it's destruction, do you want to stay here and wait for death?"
"I don't long for death. To be honest—" The nun placed her hands on her chest, her face filled with a sacred expression.
"I'm waiting for you."