“What else, Mrs. Rachel?”Ares’s tone was flat. There was no anger, nor any pleading in it. That form of address made Rachel’s hand, which was still gripping his arm, stiffen instantly.“Listen to me,” Rachel said sharply. “Take your trash belongings first. Don’t leave a single cheap item of yours in this house.”Ares looked at the woman’s face for a moment. The face he once loved now felt unfamiliar. He gave a small nod.“Very well, Mrs. Rachel.”Without waiting for any further response, Ares turned around and walked up the stairs. The sound of his footsteps echoed softly through the large house.In the room he had occupied for three years, Ares paused for a moment. His gaze swept across the simple space that stood in stark contrast to the luxury of the Corriere residence.He opened the wardrobe, took a few pieces of clothing, and put them into the black backpack he had been using for a long time. There were not many items. Almost everything belonged to him from before the marriage.

The ambulance siren stopped right in front of the Emergency Room entrance. The rear doors opened, and the medical staff immediately pushed the stretcher out.“Female patient, mild head injury due to impact,” one of the medics reported quickly. “Blood pressure stable, briefly unconscious.”Ares stepped down from the ambulance and followed from behind. His steps were still slightly unsteady, but he tried to walk normally.The ER doors opened automatically.“Take her to Observation Room One,” a nurse ordered.Ares stopped outside the boundary line. He stood there, watching from a distance as Elara was taken inside. His chest felt slightly tight, though he did not know why.Several minutes passed.Ares sat on a waiting chair. His hands rested on his knees. Without realizing it, his fingers trembled slightly.“Strange…” he murmured softly.He closed his eyes for a moment. Brief images appeared again. A vast battlefield.The sound of war horns.A heavy pulse in his chest, as if something we

Ares was still sitting on the sidewalk when thirst struck again. His throat was dry, his stomach twisted faintly. He swallowed several times, but there was nothing to swallow.“Calm down… don’t die yet,” he muttered while massaging his temples.He half-stood, then sat back down again. His vision spun slightly. He had not eaten anything since the afternoon, and his body still carried the lingering pain from the beating earlier.“Idiot,” he said to himself. “Just surviving is already hard, and I still managed to cause trouble.”The sound of a car engine approached slowly.Ares lifted his head, slightly alert. A black car stopped right in front of him. The window rolled down, revealing Tom’s calm face.“Ares,” Tom called briefly.Ares fell silent for a few seconds. “Tom?”Tom stepped out of the car without wasting words. “Get in.”Ares frowned. “Get in where?”“Into the car,” Tom answered plainly. “Now.”Ares stood up, hesitant. “Where are you taking me?”Tom looked straight at him. “Mis

The car had just left the civil registry office area when Elara’s phone vibrated. She glanced briefly at the screen, then answered the call.“Yes, Tom.”Tom’s voice sounded slightly tense on the other end.“Miss, there’s a problem. The board of directors is calling for an emergency meeting. Right now.”Elara frowned. “An emergency meeting?”“Yes. Several senior directors have already gathered. They mentioned the financial report and the Athena Project.”Elara straightened her back. “I’ll be there immediately.”She ended the call and turned to Ares, who was sitting beside her.“We’re going to the office,” she said shortly.Ares did not ask any further questions. He only nodded and sat up straighter.The car changed direction toward the business district. The Cole Group building towered high, its glass reflecting the morning light.As soon as they entered the main lobby, the atmosphere felt different. Several employees whispered quietly. Their faces looked tense.Tom was already waiting

Chapter 10The night grew deeper. The guest room lights had been turned off, leaving only faint moonlight slipping through the gap in the curtains. Ares lay flat on his back, staring at the ceiling. His eyes were closed, but his mind was far from calm.At some point, the sounds around him disappeared.Everything felt dark. Then a loud crashing sound echoed. Ares opened his eyes, but it was not the room he saw.The sky burned red. Black clouds twisted violently. The ground cracked, filled with rubble and blood.“The Ninth Heaven is collapsing!”The voice echoed. Ares looked down. His body was clad in black-and-gold armor. His hand gripped a long spear drenched in blood.“This…” he murmured.Before him, thousands of gods stood in formation. Their faces were tense, wounds covering their bodies.“Areskael Valdyr!” someone shouted.He turned. A sword-wielding god ran toward him. “The left flank is nearly collapsing! The God of Chaos has breached the third defense!”Ares lifted his head. Hi