Night.
Ryan reclined against the cloud pillow, squinting as he exhaled a puff of smoke. The haze slowly dissipated before his eyes while his mind idly wandered to the allure of the Angel girl.
Conis lay on her side, turned away from Ryan, her shoulders slightly trembling. The cloud blanket draped loosely around her waist, revealing the nape of her neck flushed with the same intoxicated crimson as her cheeks. Her head felt heavy, yet her nerves remained alert, clearly catching the soft rustle of Ryan's fingers turning his cigar and the frantic drumming of her own heartbeat.
She stealthily glanced back, her gaze settling on Ryan's hand holding the cigar—the very hand that had shattered the lightning aimed at the villagers, and just moments ago… Conis bit her lower lip sharply, forcing the rest of that thought back into the depths of her mind, her ears burning as if on fire.
She had only come to express her gratitude, so how had things ended up like this?
Ryan hadn't threatened her with power like Enel, nor had he spoken a single harsh word. Yet, she couldn't bring herself to push him away as she would a stranger.
Was it because he had saved everyone, and she had grown dependent on him from the bottom of her heart, that she panicked and forgot how to resist?
The cigar smoke drifted over, carrying a pungent scent that made Conis cough softly. Only then did Ryan turn his head, a faint arch to his brow, his voice tinged with casual laziness. "Did I smoke you out?"
"N-No…" Conis hurriedly turned away, burying her face deep into the cloud pillow, her voice as faint as a mosquito's hum. Even she knew her denial lacked conviction. The skin on her nape could feel his gaze, and she instinctively hunched her shoulders, her wings drawing closer to her sides.
Watching her like this, a faint smile tugged at the corner of Ryan's mouth. He reached out and stubbed out the cigar on the bedside.
"Mr. Ryan…" Conis felt warm fingertips gently brush against the tip of her wing. The moment they touched the softest part of her downy feathers, her shoulders shuddered violently, as if jolted by an electric current, tensing the muscles along her back. "Thank you… for saving everyone."
These words had lingered in her heart all day, but now, spoken aloud, they carried an inexplicable bitterness.
"I'm not that kind-hearted." Ryan's fingers didn't move, merely stroking along the curve of her wing, his voice laced with candid roguishness. "All of this, in the end, was for you, Angel girl!"
It was the truth. If not for that fraud Enel strutting around in front of him, Ryan wouldn't have bothered with Sky Island's affairs. Taking down Enel while winning the girl's heart—it was killing two birds with one stone!
Conis froze, slowly turning her face toward him. She opened her mouth, wanting to say, "Everyone really has been oppressed for so long," but felt it would sound too distant at a time like this. In the end, she only whispered, "Regardless… everyone is very grateful to you."
No matter his motives, he had genuinely helped lift the shadow that had long loomed over Angel Island. Perhaps it was precisely because of this that she had reluctantly acquiesced to his actions.
Ryan listened, his fingers still caressing her wing, but his heart remained utterly unmoved.
The gratitude of the Sky Island residents? What was that? He had only killed Enel because Enel had obstructed his view and happened to provoke his special concern for the "Angel girl." Whether the people of Sky Island remembered his kindness had never been a consideration for him.
"Then..." Conis looked at Ryan's sharply defined face, pursed her lips, and hesitantly asked, "What does Mr. Ryan plan to do next?"
"Haven't I said it before..." Ryan turned his head to meet Conis's innocent gaze and said with a smile, "I'm just a traveler passing by. I'll enjoy the scenery of Angel Island, taste the local specialties, and then it'll be time to leave."
These specialties were very nice, making Ryan's trip worthwhile.
Conis clearly didn't catch the underlying meaning in Ryan's words. Her wings drooped slightly, resting on the cloud blanket like deflated sails. She let out a soft "oh," her voice as light as a sigh, feeling inexplicably empty inside. She wanted to say something but couldn't find the words.
"What's wrong?" Ryan noticed Conis's sudden deflated expression and gently brushed the edge of her wing with his fingertip. "Looking like this—are you reluctant to see me go?"
"N-No, not at all!" Conis jerked her head up, her cheeks burning bright red, even the tips of her ears flushing. Her words stumbled slightly, "I just... just think the scenery on Angel Island is wonderful. It wouldn't hurt for Mr. Ryan to stay a few more days..."
Ryan chuckled softly and stopped teasing her, but suddenly leaned in closer.
"Mr... Mr. Ryan, you... you..." Conis panicked, her fingers trembling. She tried to raise her hand to push him away, but he gently grasped her wrist. Before she could finish speaking, her lips were covered by a warm touch, and the rest of her words were muffled into a soft whimper, "Mmm~~"
...
God Island.
"The God... was really killed by that Blue Sea Person?" Gedatsu couldn't hold back any longer, his voice trembling. The iron ball in his hand clattered to the ground, and his chubby face scrunched up.
"What's there to panic about!" Ohm's Thorn Vine coiled twice around his arm as he glared at Gedatsu. Though his words were bold, his eyes kept darting toward the sky. At this time before, the God would have long since struck down a few bolts of lightning. Now, the silence was unnerving.
"The fact that the Blue Sea Person hasn't come to claim this place yet is the real problem," Satori said, spinning his Yo-yo rapidly, the silver wire humming. "He managed to kill the 'God.' Who's to say he won't come back anytime? The four of us combined wouldn't stand a chance against him."
"Satori, what are you trying to say?" Shura stroked the hilt of his sword, his wings fluttering slightly on his back.
"Nothing," Satori stopped his Yo-yo and pointed the string at Ohm, then glanced at Gedatsu. "The 'God' is gone. We can't rely on someone who only knows how to act tough or someone who crumbles at the first sign of trouble, can we?"
"Who are you calling a coward!" Gedatsu grabbed his iron ball, ready to throw it, but Ohm stopped him.
"Enough of this!" Ohm's Thorn Vine snapped against the ground, leaving a small crater. "Fighting among ourselves now? Waiting for the Blue Sea Person or the people of Angel Island to laugh at us?"
"Then what?" Satori sneered. "Still hoping for a new master to come and boss us around like before? Have you forgotten how easily your precious forest was torn apart when the 'God' was still around?"
Those words struck a nerve. Ohm shoved Gedatsu aside, his Thorn Vine bristling with spikes as he lunged at Satori. "Looking to die!"
"Bring it on!" Satori dodged, his Yo-yo string instantly wrapping around Ohm's wrist. "I've had enough of your stupidity!"
Seeing this, Gedatsu hugged his iron ball and backed away, his eyes darting between the two. Shura watched the mess unfold, his palms sweating.
These men were never on the same side to begin with—only held together by the "God's" overwhelming power. Now that God was gone, a fight was inevitable.
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