Coco cried and cried, then fell asleep in Feng Ye's arms.

The little girl was utterly exhausted.

Yesterday afternoon’s attack had left her feeling deeply insecure all evening. Plus, her talk with her brother had dragged up memories she desperately wanted to forget.

Coco slept soundly, her head pressed against her brother’s chest. Her tiny hands clutched him tightly. Her claustrophobia, after all, came from the time her mother had locked her away.

Feng Ye stroked his sister’s hair tenderly.

Gently, he wiped the tear streaks from her face. Even in sleep, she’d occasionally sob. Her long, soft eyelashes trembled slightly, still dotted with glistening tears.

For Feng Ye now, protecting his sister’s growth was his top priority. The guilt over her suffering in his absence haunted him like a shadow. That guilt drove him to keep acting as Night Maple—not just to be himself, but to shield her.

Besides, his mother was still alive. That woman and her organization were brewing some unknown conspiracy.

If he showed up as Night Maple, he’d inevitably be dragged into frontline fights against them. Night Maple wouldn’t refuse, but he refused to leave his sister alone again.

Some might call this selfish. Since Night Maple had the power to top the Divine Realm, he should shoulder its responsibilities. The old Night Maple would’ve gladly taken that burden. But now, to those trying to guilt-trip him with duty and morality, he’d just say: “Screw you.”

He belonged to two girls now.

Those two girls were his whole world.

So Feng Ye abandoned the identity countless fans revered—because Night Maple belonged to everyone, but Feng Ye belonged only to two girls.

That was his resolve.

Of course, if within his means, he wouldn’t refuse to help. But he wouldn’t dedicate himself like before to eliminating otherworldly threats or challenging world bosses from other realms.

His thoughts tangled.

Yet, breathing in his sister’s hair scent and holding her warm, small body, Feng Ye felt waves of calm.

This was enough.

...

The next morning, Coco seemed to have forgotten last night’s sadness completely. Huffing, she shoved off her heavy brother lying on her. “You said I was clinging to you,” she muttered, “but it’s you, stinky Servant, clinging to me!” A small smile crept onto her face. “My charm is truly unmatched. Even a Servant can’t resist it.”

She climbed out of bed alone to wash up. Spotting Rollroll—the clumsy husky—waddling heavily to the kitchen for water, she pounced on him. Letting the dumb dog carry her, she rode him to the bathroom.

Rollroll looked grumpy, but Coco’s weight meant nothing. Waddling his fat butt, tail swaying lazily, he took her straight to the sink.

“Hmph,” Coco mumbled through a mouthful of white foam, watching Rollroll gulp water from the basin, blowing bubbles. “Since you can’t cook or brush my teeth, this is all you’re good for.”

Rollroll, who’d turned drinking into bubble-blowing play, rolled his eyes.

Minutes later, Feng Ye woke and made breakfast. After eating, he watched as usual while she walked Rollroll to school.

After Coco left, Feng Ye at home got a call.

“Brother Feng Ye, monsters like yesterday’s appeared again in Haven City,” Lin Tang said on the line. “Not just one—the whole Zone 11 is under attack. The Association sent many Awakened. Let’s go too.”

“Attacked this early?” Feng Ye exclaimed. “Those things are too dedicated.”

“No, it started last night,” Lin Tang replied. “But you only have time now, right?”

Feng Ye fell silent. She was right. If she’d called last night, he might not have left his sister alone.

“Where are you?” he asked.

“We’re already on-site,” Lin Tang said helplessly. “My brother rushed out last night with his Divine Artifact. I had to follow—I didn’t trust him alone.”

“Didn’t the Association send high-level Awakened?” Feng Ye frowned. “They couldn’t finish it in a whole night?”

“The timing was perfect,” Lin Tang said seriously. “Most A-Rank and S-Class Awakened are away on Overdeity world missions. They did send backup A-Ranks, but the monsters matched their strength exactly.”

“So this was planned,” Feng Ye said. “I’m coming. Stay safe.”

Lin Tang hummed. She glanced at her brother, wrapped like a mummy on a makeshift stretcher. Last night, Lin Chuan had used his Divine Artifact again to kill a hybrid monster—and suffered the backlash once more...

Feng Ye rushed to the scene using Soulstep.

When he arrived, fierce battles raged. Monsters rampaged through streets, shattering buildings block by block. After a night of evacuation, only Awakened remained fighting.

“Damn it, Blackchain, keep holding this bastard!” snarled a man with one hand replaced by a metal hook, glaring at a monster. “I refuse to believe our Black Sail squad can’t kill one mongrel beast!”

After a night of grueling combat, they’d only slain two hybrid Beasts. Facing the third, the team was exhausted.

“Boss, push harder!” a man’s voice came from the black chains binding the monster. “I’m almost out of Spirit Energy!”

“Don’t worry,” said a curved-blade wielder. “I’ll chop off all its heads before you run dry.” Before them, the five-headed monster had only two left. Unlike yesterday’s A-Rank hybrid made from three B-Ranks, this one was crafted from five C-Ranks in the Doctor’s early experiments. Though made from more Beasts, it was far weaker.

The blade man swung hard. His weapon glowed with Spirit Energy—a combat skill. But the monster dodged, spitting an energy orb at him.

“Hey, mongrel beast, underestimating me?” the hook-handed leader sneered. He launched his metal hook. Tethered by chains, it intercepted the orb. Strange power in the hook suppressed the explosion, flinging it dozens of meters away before it detonated.

The blade man struck the monster. It dodged the vital spot, taking only a deep gash. Enraged, one claw broke free and swiped wildly at him.

“No good!” Blackchain cried. Low on Spirit Energy, he couldn’t maintain the bind. The claw was about to smash the airborne man’s face.

But the next moment, a figure appeared atop the monster. His right hand materialized a stone hammer, crashing down with a boom.

One strike. A terrifying shockwave erupted. The ground beneath the monster shook violently, then collapsed. Floor tiles cracked in layers, spiderwebbing outward.

The blade man, bracing for a crushing blow, was flung away by the shockwave. He tumbled clumsily but felt immense relief. This was far better than being smashed to pulp.

As he rose, relieved and bewildered, he saw a sight that left him dumbfounded.

The massive monster their squad had fought for hours now lay dead in a giant crater. Its heads drooped, body twisted grotesquely.

“What... what just happened...” the blade man stammered in shock.

His teammates had clearly seen the figure appear and smash down. Their minds were blank from the terrifying sight.

“Who the hell was that guy...”

“So powerful... that burst of strength must be A-Rank Awakened level...”

Feng Ye didn’t know the shock he’d caused. He’d just helped those struggling fighters on his way. After killing the monster, he hurried toward the central zone, where battles raged fiercer.

...