The air felt different after Lilith vanished—heavier, like it held the echo of something forbidden.
Seraphina stood a few steps away from Siheon, sword still trembling faintly from Lilith's pressure. Her chest rose and fell rapidly, but her eyes remained sharp, glued to him.
"Siheon… what did she mean by 'Balance Sovereign'?"
He didn't answer immediately. His mind still pulsed with aftershocks—half-voices, half-memories, half-truths.
The world seemed quieter than it should be.
Finally, he exhaled.
"I don't know… but she wasn't lying."
Seraphina looked down at her sword.
"Then we need answers. Real ones."
He nodded—but the systems responded first.
〈Celestial Ascension System〉
Host stability compromised. Redirecting focus. Seek a purification shrine to restore cognitive clarity.
〈Demonic Sovereign System〉
Or… don't. Go punch Heaven instead. Personally recommend the second option.
Siheon pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Not now. Please."
Both systems fell silent—only for a moment.
Seraphina stepped closer.
"Come on. You're shaking."
"I'm fine."
"You're definitely not."
Siheon tried to walk, but his legs wobbled.
Seraphina caught him by the wrist—surprisingly strong.
"Let's regroup first. A quiet place. Somewhere we can think before another… whatever she was… shows up."
He gave a small, exhausted nod.
"Alright."
Seraphina had dragged Siheon to a small café tucked between old bookstores. Strange place for a demon hunter to pick—but she claimed it would be "less stressful."
Siheon wasn't convinced.
Especially because Seraphina kept staring at him over her coffee cup.
"You're doing that again," Siheon muttered.
"Doing what?"
"Looking at me like I'm a puzzle."
"You are a puzzle."
He sighed.
A waitress approached—a young woman with a gentle smile and short auburn hair.
"Two coffees and one sandwich? Here you go—"
She froze.
Her eyes lingered on Siheon… for a second too long.
"Sir… your aura is… strange."
Siheon blinked. "My what?"
Before he could react, Seraphina's eyes narrowed.
"You can sense auras? Are you awakened?"
The waitress stiffened.
"N-No! I didn't mean to say anything odd—"
Then Siheon saw it.
A faint symbol glowed on her wrist—a continent insignia.
"Are you from… Sumeria Guild?" he asked slowly.
Her expression collapsed.
"You recognized the mark?"
Seraphina shot up, hand on her sword.
Sumeria Guild—one of the most notorious awakened groups from the Middle East. Unlike most guilds, they were famous for recruiting people with spiritual sensitivity.
But this woman didn't look like a fighter.
"I-I'm not here to cause trouble!" the waitress said quickly.
"I'm just… hiding."
Siheon and Seraphina exchanged glances.
"Hiding… from what?" Seraphina asked.
The waitress opened her mouth—
—but the café window shattered behind her.
A massive figure stepped through the broken glass, its body wrapped in golden scripture-like tattoos.
A Sumerian Hunter.
An overpowered human.
Seraphina cursed.
"Oh great. Another one of these."
The man growled, voice booming.
"Layla. You were ordered to return to the enclave."
She—Layla—shook her head desperately.
"Please… don't. I don't want to do this anymore!"
The hunter stepped forward.
"You have no choice."
Siheon intervened, stepping between them.
"You're scaring her."
The Sumerian's eyes focused on Siheon.
One second passed.
Two seconds.
Then—
The man stepped back.
"W-What are you?"
Siheon frowned.
"What?"
"You… your aura—it's not human. Not celestial. Not demonic."
The man trembled.
"It feels like both… and neither."
Seraphina whispered:
"Balance Sovereign…"
Layla covered her mouth.
"You're… like the stories… a hybrid of creation…"
The Sumerian hunter froze—fearful.
Siheon exhaled slowly and pushed forward one step.
"I'm not here to fight. Just let her go."
But the man shook his head violently.
"I–I can't! The Guild will kill me if I return without her!"
Seraphina's grip tightened on her sword.
"We're not letting you take her."
Then—
The man lunged.
Straight at Siheon.
And Siheon didn't even move.
His body shifted on its own, guided by instincts older than he understood.
He flicked his wrist—and the Sumerian Hunter slammed into the wall, completely disarmed.
A gentle move.
A precise move.
A move no human should know.
Layla stared in awe.
Seraphina was stunned.
And the Sumerian hunter dropped to his knees.
"T-This strength… even our strongest couldn't—"
But Siheon stepped closer, expression firm but calm.
"You don't have to return to your guild. Leave Korea. Disappear. If they come after you… you won't face them alone."
The hunter trembled as he bowed to Siheon.
Then ran.
Layla covered her mouth, tears falling.
"Thank you… truly."
Siheon nodded gently.
Seraphina's eyes softened too.
This wasn't just a battle.
It was the first time Siheon helped someone because of the strength that frightened him.
And yet—
Inside him, the systems murmured ominously.
〈Celestial Ascension System〉
Host's instinctive combat is reactivating locked pathways. Risk level: rising.
〈Demonic Sovereign System〉
Heh. He's remembering. He's remembering himself.
Seraphina leaned forward.
"Siheon… I think it's time we seek out someone who might answer our questions."
"Who?"
She sighed.
"My mentor. One of the oldest demon hunters alive.
He's from Europe—Norway.
If anyone knows about ancient beings and forbidden histories…"
She met Siheon's eyes.
"...it's him."
Siheon nodded slowly.
"Then let's go."
Layla bowed one last time.
"Please… come back alive."
Siheon smiled weakly.
"No promises."
They stepped out of the café—
And in the distant shadows, an observer whispered:
"Baek Siheon has awakened… Report to the Seven Continental Council."