When they entered the restaurant, John ordered a few desserts along with a bottle of wine.
After pouring drinks for everyone, John raised his glass and said, "Let's toast to both of you."
"Cheers." They clinked their glasses together.
Everyone took a sip—except Rudra, who remained still, his gaze fixed on the glass of wine in front of him.
Noticing this, John frowned slightly and asked, "Rudra, why aren't you drinking?"
"Uh… sir, I'm still underage." Rudra scratched his head, speaking with clear embarrassment.
The moment he said that, realization dawned on everyone.
Rudra was only seventeen years old.
Legally, he wasn't allowed to drink.
And yet… at just seventeen, he was already on the verge of becoming a warrior.
The shock of that fact lingered in the air far longer than the taste of wine.
"Hahaha, since you can't drink, then don't." John laughed it off.
Hameed nodded in agreement, and the matter was dropped.
They continued eating.
After a while, John spoke again, his tone casual but his eyes sharp.
"Rudra, what are your future goals?"
Rudra paused mid-bite and looked at John, confusion flickering across his face. They barely knew each other—why ask something so important now?
Still, as a junior, he answered honestly… or at least, partly.
"I don't have any big goals."
That was a lie.
The coming crisis facing Earth was more than enough to make him uneasy about his current strength. He wanted power—enough to survive in the vast universe, and if possible, to one day step into the Virtual Universe Corporation, just like Luo Feng in the future.
But those thoughts remained buried deep in his heart.
Outwardly, he smiled faintly and continued, "I just want to live happily with my mother."
Since childhood, she had been his only family—just as he was hers. To support him and his dreams, she had worked harder than anyone else, enduring countless hardships in silence.
"Now that I'm just one step away from success," Rudra said softly, "I only want my mother to live a peaceful life… without any worries."
This time, he didn't lie.
That wish had been etched into his heart from the very moment he gained true wisdom.
When everyone heard his wish, none of them spoke for a moment.
They had all guessed it long ago, yet hearing it directly from Rudra's own mouth carried a different weight.
Hameed had known about Rudra's situation since the very day he joined the gym. Lily, too, had learned the truth from Rudra himself. As for John, he had pieced it together from his sister's casual remarks.
So no one was surprised.
But they were quietly moved.
"Good." John nodded, his expression turning solemn. "You're a very filial son. I'm truly impressed. But beyond that, you must also focus on growing stronger."
He met Rudra's eyes directly.
"You should understand this—peace never comes easily. If you want your mother to live a peaceful life, then you must possess enough strength to protect that peace. Otherwise… she may never truly know peace at all."
John's words weren't empty advice.
As an orphan himself, he had walked through countless dangers to reach where he stood today. The peaceful life his family enjoyed now was built on blood, sweat, and constant vigilance. And even then, the dangers had never truly disappeared.
To maintain that peace, he still had to face risks head-on.
Otherwise, the so-called peace he desired would turn into nothing more than a life filled with endless worry.
"Hmm." Rudra nodded in understanding.
Hameed then turned to Lily. "What about you, Lily? What are your goals?"
Still looking at Rudra, Lily froze for a split second before blurting out, "Rudra—"
"Puff—! Cough, cough!"
John, who had just taken a sip of wine, nearly choked. At the same time, Hameed and Rudra both stared at her, equally stunned.
"N-No! You misunderstood!" Lily waved her hands hurriedly, her face flushing. "I mean—Rudra should have a goal too! Just like I do."
She took a breath and quickly added, "My goal is to become a God of War. That's my dream. And Rudra should also have something like that."
Her rushed explanation only made the awkward silence that followed feel even thicker.
"Oh, good. Very good," Hameed said, his tone carrying a trace of awkwardness. "But you'll have to work extremely hard. God of War is not something just anyone can reach."
That was precisely why he had always avoided entanglements between younglings.
As a senior with experience, Hameed could clearly see that Lily harbored feelings for Rudra. Yet he also knew that Rudra was completely unaware of them—and more importantly, that his current focus lay solely on becoming a warrior.
John, seeing the tension finally ease, let out a quiet sigh of relief.
Still, he couldn't help but feel his sister had gone a bit too far this time.
A man as a goal? How ridiculous.
Of course, those thoughts stayed firmly in his head. Saying them out loud would only invite swift and merciless retaliation from his sister.
"Hehe." Lily chuckled nervously, though inwardly she let out a sigh of relief. Even so, her thoughts were already racing, searching for the right way to confess to Rudra.
After a bit more small talk, they continued eating.
Once everyone had finished, Rudra and Hameed stood up to leave.
"Rudra, wait a minute." Lily quickly called out.
"Uh… what is it?" Rudra asked, looking at her in confusion.
"Can we talk for a moment?" she asked.
"Of course. What do you want to talk about?" Rudra replied with a slight smile, though his tone carried a hint of urgency.
"I mean… Can we talk alone? Just for a minute." Lily said, her cheeks heating up.
Before Rudra could respond, John stood up.
"Alright. You two finish your talk quickly. We'll wait outside."
With that, he walked out together with Instructor Hameed, leaving the two of them behind.
Rudra sat back down and waited for Lily.
Seeing him quietly waiting for her response, Lily finally steeled her resolve.
Taking a deep breath, she blurted out, "Rudra, the thing I want to tell you is— I like you."
She closed her eyes tightly, her face burning with embarrassment.
Just like I thought… this is so embarrassing, Lily thought.
Rudra froze when he heard her words.
He had never expected Lily to confess to him. To him, they had always been close friends—nothing more. Who could have guessed that she had liked him all along?
Looking at Lily's shy, vulnerable expression, Rudra let out a slow breath and made his decision.
"I'm sorry, Lily," he said softly. "I don't think I can accept your feelings right now."