Chapter 656: Determined Girl

Samuel turned to the others with a relaxed expression. Now that they had returned from the burning Ruin with the mission object in their hands and without any serious injuries, the tension that had followed them through the mission finally faded. They could finally relax.

"I’ll go report the mission. After that, we’ll have a good dinner tonight. I’m sure the reward from this mission will be good," Samuel said.

"Oh, yeah. I’m sure it will be. Let’s get drunk tonight after a good meal!" Don said with a wide laugh.

Leyan, Maira, and Arven smiled, sharing the same excitement. Clyde smiled along with them. Just like the others, he felt that the mission had produced an excellent result for him, though only he knew what that result truly meant. He could not share it with them.

"You’re coming with us later, right, Jack?" Don asked, looking at Clyde.

The others turned toward him as well, waiting for his answer.

Clyde shrugged casually. "I guess there’s no harm in it."

The moment they heard his agreement, relief spread across their faces.

Clyde still felt like the odd one among them. Even after spending weeks as their teammate he had revealed very little about himself. He rarely talked about his past, his skills, or the things he wanted. Perhaps tonight would give them a chance to finally open up to each other.

After that, they went their separate ways. Samuel headed alone toward the Council building, carrying the flaming staff to report the mission’s success. The others returned to their quarters or went off to take care of their own business.

Clyde entered his living quarters and took a shower before lying down on his bed. He allowed himself to relax.

His thoughts immediately returned to the hunched follower.

Demon King Asmodeus. Clyde stared at the ceiling as his mind wandered through the possibilities.

Meeting the Demon King again could give him something he had desperately needed ever since his return, which was information.

He needed to know what had happened while he was gone.

What had happened to the Demons? What had happened to the Angels? What had happened to the Gods and Goddesses who once ruled over entire domains? Had their powers changed? Had their territories fallen? Had new powers risen in his absence?

Most importantly, Clyde needed to know what had happened during the time he was dead.

He remembered almost nothing about the period between his death and his return. The Ancient One had brought him back, but the answers surrounding that event remained buried beneath layers of uncertainty. Even the reason he had returned to this world was still unclear.

Asmodeus might know more. The Demon King had existed long before Clyde’s revolt against the Higher Beings and had connections that stretched across countless worlds. If anyone could explain the changes that had occurred throughout the cosmos, Asmodeus was one of the few beings Clyde could ask.

Clyde slowly closed his eyes.

He needs information first. Before he could decide what to do next he needed to understand the current state of the world.

He needed to know who remained, who had fallen, who had gained power, and what had changed during his absence.

Only after he gathered enough information could he begin planning his next move.

For now, there was nothing else to do but wait for Asmodeus to answer his message.

—

The night finally came, and Clyde stepped out of his quarters. He had only walked a few steps from his door when Mina approached him.

The young girl walked toward him with a serious expression. Her clothes were dirty, her hair was damp with sweat, and her breathing still carried the exhaustion of intense training. From what Clyde could see, she had pushed herself hard in training.

"Going somewhere?" Mina asked.

"Yes. My group is having dinner together."

Mina frowned for a moment, but the expression quickly disappeared.

"I’ve been training hard. My skills are good enough now, " Mina said.

Clyde gave her a curt nod. He could tell what she was waiting for. Mina wanted him to tell her that she was finally ready to fight in real battles against the Higher Beings.

"I need to test you first. Then I’ll decide," Clyde said.

Mina’s expression immediately turned into a dissatisfied pout.

Clyde looked at her calmly and continued, "I need to make sure you’re strong enough. Or you’ll die before you even get close to the Higher Beings. You don’t want that, do you? Dying before you can even do anything."

Mina remained silent for a while. Her expression grew thoughtful as she considered his words. Eventually, she released a long sigh and lowered her shoulders.

"I understand," she said curtly.

She turned on her heels and started walking away.

She did not say anything else. She did not even ask how Clyde was doing. Her mind seemed completely focused on one thing now-revenge.

Good. At least she would not allow herself to stray from her path.

Clyde watched her disappear into the darkness for a moment before turning away. He then walked toward the hotel that served as Samuel and the others’ headquarters.

When Clyde arrived at the hotel, he looked up at the three-story building. Warm light spilled from several windows and the faint sounds of conversation drifted through the open night air.

Before he could enter a loud voice came from above. "Jack! Come on up to the rooftop!"

Clyde looked toward the roof and spotted Don leaning over the edge, waving at him with a wide grin.

"Coming," Clyde replied.

He entered the building and climbed the stairs to the third floor. A final short staircase led him to the rooftop, where he found the others already gathered.

The rooftop had transformed into a simple outdoor dining area. A large table stood in the middle, covered with plates of roasted meat, grilled vegetables, bread, steaming dishes, and several bowls of food.

Bottles and cups filled another section of the table, the smell of freshly cooked food spread through the cool night air.

Samuel sat near the center with a relaxed smile. Leyan and Maira were already eating, Arven poured drinks into several cups. Don immediately raised his cup when Clyde appeared.

"There you are. Come sit down, " Don said.

Clyde walked over and took an empty seat.

—