Niki felt horrible after his training session despite his supernatural healing. His bruises and exhaustion took longer than usual. ''Is it because of this suit?'' Hey against the back seat while resting his eyes.


    ''I feel sofortable...''


    The scent of the engine oil, a low hum from its roaring. Niki could hear the wind flowing around the car while it drove along the evening road. It was a pleasant moment of peace listening to the slow breathing of Ryan, who kept pausing.


    ''He probably wants to speak to me but doesn''t know how to approach me after what happened with Risa.''


    "Oh, Ryan. I saw Brian at the gym today. I didn''t know he came here to train."


    "Really? Did you train together? Brian gets superpetitive when ites to training."


    "No, he was with his wife, so it felt wrong to intrude."


    "Aha... she is quite fierce if you do. Good choice, Niki."


    "So, did you want to ask me something?" Niki''s eyes opened slightly, forming slight slits as his ck iris peeked through hisshes.


    Ryan took a deep breath. "I would like to know how you feel about the mercenary group and me being a member of the SSS. Are you content with me?"


    Niki sighed and rxed again. "Is something the matter, Ryan?"


    "To be honest, I know you aren''t normal... because I have contact with THAT world due to my work finding illegal and dangerous monsters. So I know..."


    "Oh? What do you know, Ryan?"


    The voice of Ryan seemed nervous at times, but also carried traces of worry. Niki noticed Ryan gazing back at him while driving, his hand holding the gearbox a little jittery.


    "Are you really engaged to the vampire princess?" Though he expected the question, Niki found the tone and sound of his voice strange.


    ''Hmmm... why does it feel like he''s nervous? There isn''t a sense of dislike, but... worry? Why would my being with Selene make him worry?''


    However, when he saw his terrified and strange reaction, somehow, it reminded him of the strange Selene, when her eyes and hair changed during thest night at the hotel.


    Niki put it down to her bloodline, a sense of denial and self-preservation. Her strangeness and the obsessive way she called him felt strange...


    "Yeah, it''s true. Is there something wrong? Do you know something I don''t?"


    ''Yet I cannot deny it made my blood boil, making me crazy during the act... Was it all an act, or does Ryan know something?''


    "I..." Ryan turned away; his eyes seemed a little strange, but Niki felt no hostility or negative emotionsing from his aura. There was only worry, dread, and a feeling of hopelessness that started growing after Niki gave his answer.


    "Is something wrong?" He looked at Ryan again, a little curious.


    Ryan was clenching his hands, which trembled as they held the steering wheel. The car suddenly slipped into the fastne, ramping up speeds with a roar from the engine.


    Niki''s enhanced senses could feel the exciting speed and how the car began to slide slightly off-centre. Yet Ryan''s face was nk, his emotions full of and how the car began to slide slightly off-centre apologetic feelings.


    ''He''s terrified about something? Did he know? Maybe he learned something while being involved with vampires?''


    There were many thoughts and choices, but Niki didn''t rush his old friend. There was something that Ryan knew, and he felt it might upset or make Niki suffer. ''After all, I know that Ryan isn''t a bad person deep down..''


    "I''m so sorry..." Ryan muttered softly after a few minutes. The sound of the car tyres sliding on the tarmac filled the quiet atmosphere as Ryan slowed down for a corner.


    A strange and unsettling sensation rose inside Niki. He didn''t quite understand, but a sickening sense of dread slowly filled his stomach, and it was something that made him feel tense.


    "Can I tell you after dinner...?" like a desperate plea, Ryan spoke as they reached the northern wall.


    The northern wall was where the most elite members of society created a special gatedmunity for those of a certain level of ie and prestige.


    To enter, you needed to have an identification card or be travelling with someone who owned the card. However, to get the card, you needed to live there in the first ce.


    "Sure, but I never knew you lived here..."


    "Haha... it''s all because of my dad and family. None of this is through my actions or effort.


    ''This ce really existed... it''s so close to the west and the secret nest of the wraiths. Oh... is that why they are insistent, you needed to have an identification card on this mission?''


    A barrier suddenly lowered, blocking off the car''s front and back like a cage, before a digital voice echoed from the speaker.


    "Please present your identification card and speak the passcode into the microphone or be escorted off the premises."


    "Voice activation identification, Ryan Seong, passcode 1203, verification code: 53. Authorisation to open the gates, please." The machine took a second or two to scan the owner and car number, and its voice changed. "Please await security officer verification, Ryan Seong."


    The light from the scanner faded, and therge barrier opened and disappeared into the floor and the ceiling. Ryan leaned back into his car before slowly driving forward until he reached the exit barrier; it didn''t take too much effort, but Niki could feel his mind wandering elsewhere.


    "It''s funny, right Niki? That we fight monsters at night, yet the only time they bother to attack a nest is if it''s close to their interests." The car slowly pulled into an enormous estate, driving down the long driveway. Niki noticed various cars and people walking around in suits and what seemed to be uniforms. Ryan spoke with a bitter smile on his face.


    ''I''ve never seen this side of Ryan before...''


    "I can see what you mean, but you can''t really me them?"


    Ryanughed a little bitterly. "Unless you want the head of the police force''s son, a high-profile scientist''s daughter or a millionaire businessman to be food, no chance at all. Nevertheless, do you know how many confirmed nests exist in the eastern wilderness and south near the sea?"


    Niki could only shake his head while itching his head, feeling the dull ache of his muscles starting to fade. ''Damn, having to be at ''full power'' constantly to maintain normal movement with this suit on is too harsh.''


    "I have no clue..."


    "Fifty-seven, there are fifty-seven! All are confirmed to exist and be active, yet..." He slowly parked his car before removing the car key. It was quiet for a moment. The sound of the staffughing and chattering echoed through the walls. "Let''s go have a chat with my dad first and get some food in our stomachs..."


    "Your dad..."


    He tried to remember what his father looked like. Honestly, Niki realised he wasn''t the best friend either. Once learning that Ryan was rich he pulled away out of feeling inferior. ''Was his dad the foreigner from the U-Federation or his mother?'' A feeling of guilt for not knowing such simple things made him realise he wasn''t perfect back then, either. "Lead the way, Ryan. I wonder if he''s doing alright..."


    "That old bastard wouldn''t die if I shot him and buried him in the ground! But... he''s a lot less annoying these days. I honestly found his support rather helpful over the past few years." His voice sounded softer now, with his emotions finally calming down. The sense of warmth and eptance radiated from Ryan, but underneath was a trace of worry and fear.


    The two men entered the house, but before Ryan even closed the door, a girl bolted over in Ryan''s direction, "Brother!" She looked no older than ten, her small body with long, curly white hair as Ryan twirled her body around, the fluffy dress floating from the wind.


    "I''m back! ra, did you finish your homework?" He said gently as if speaking to a precious family member, a tone that Niki had only ever heard in the past distance.


    "I did, brother... who is this?"


    Ryan''s arms tensed for a moment before turning to Niki while noticing his little sister''s sparkling eyes. He knew she loved to read romance novels and Idol groups were her favourite topics to speak about. ''This damn handsome bastard, should I break his nose so he looks ugly?'' Ryan grunted to himself.


    However, then the thought passed through his mind. ''If Niki grew to care for this girl, wouldn''t he help protect her in the future... when I tell him the truth.''


    "This is Niki, your brother''s best friend in the whole world."


    Niki watched the little girl. At first, he felt a strange scent from her body. However, it was too thin and not enough to be another monster. Yet, somehow, he felt a sense of worry when he matched his eyes with the girl. ''I cannot see her feelings... nor does my blood artwork with this girl!''


    Despite his thoughts, ra just smiled like an angel and instead skipped towards him. "H-Hello, I am ra! Please look after my big brother! I-I..."


    Niki smiled down at her while crouching and held out his hand like an old-fashioned gentleman. ''This guy...'' Ryan rolled his eyes while ra blushed, shaking his hand gently.


    "My name is Niki, ra. Your big brother helped me during a hard time, so don''t worry, I will keep him safe."


    "Un! Big brother needs someone to watch out for him! Don''t tell him I said it, but my brother has been a little upset since he broke up with his girlfriend!"


    "H-hey! You little!"


    ''So that is why he seemed so down in his emails...''


    Rather, Niki didn''t know that his friend ever dated. Although he seemed a little popr, Ryan never settled down with anyone in the past. ''What kind of woman was it? Maybe she was a supermodel or some kind of celebrity knowing him.''


    "Kya~ my brother is trying to hurt me! Save me, Brother Niki!"


    "Oi, ra! Stop running...!"


    Ryan pretended to be angry while chasing her, the staff and other workers all smiling at the scene as if it was a daily urrence.