The rain had just stopped when Max crossed the parking lot. The damp asphalt reflected the gloomy evening sky, but Max barely noticed—his thoughts were still caught up in the logistics of the next portal rotation.
Suddenly—movement.
A figure lunged at him.
Max twisted instinctively, dodging to the side. A loud thump echoed as a blade struck the ground where he had just been standing.
"What the fuck are you crazy?" Max snapped, eyes narrowing.
The girl stood in front of him, smiling like she'd found a winning lottery ticket. Her silver hair clung to her face from the rain. She held out a single rose with a bright grin.
"I love you," she said plainly.
"What?" Max blinked.
Without warning, she attacked again.
Max deflected her next strike, barely avoiding a kick to the ribs. He shoved her back.
"Listen, kid. Back off. Or I'll kill you," he warned, voice sharp.
She didn't even flinch. "Will you marry me?"
And she lunged again.
This time Max didn't hold back. His palm struck her cheek, sending her sprawling into a puddle. She didn't cry. She didn't rage.
She blushed.
"He hit me..." she whispered. "That was so—"
Max stared. His thoughts went static.
Is she enjoying this?
She leapt to her feet, eyes shining. "I'm Mariya! Come on, let's do it! Right now!"
Max's expression darkened. "Get out, you lunatic."
"Bitch," she said with a wink—and vanished into the street like nothing had happened.
Max stood in silence.
"What the hell just happened...?"
Then his phone buzzed. It was Sunny.
"Where are you?!"
"I'm going home."
"Seriously?! We just won Best Agency of Russia, and you're skipping it? Every important person's here—the President, the top guild masters, all five Russian S-rank hunters. Even Ice Princess Alisa is attending!"
"Today's our family gathering," Max said calmly. "You take the award."
Sunny groaned. "I swear, you're impossible..."
---
That evening, Max returned home to a small rooftop patio where his mother, Yelena, and a few of their neighbors had gathered. Fairy lights twinkled along the railing, soft music played from an old speaker, and the smell of grilled fish lingered in the air.
Yelena smiled. "You're finally home."
His mother handed him a plate, tears shining in her eyes. "We waited for you."
They ate together. They laughed. Max watched his mother smile, really smile—not just from obligation, but with peace.
He felt it. The warmth. The belonging. The reason for everything.
---
The next morning, Max stood before a towering skyscraper still under final inspection.
The broker walked beside him eagerly. "This building, sir, has 27 floors. Right across the street you've got the main PSD office, the district hospital, fire service, and central marketplace. Honestly, this is the heart of Moscow."
Max stared up. "Sounds interesting. How much?"
"With your credentials, we're offering 90 million with a 5% discount."
Max's expression didn't change. He released a fraction of his aura.
The broker's legs wobbled.
"Okay! Uh—seventy million."
Another surge.
"Sixty million! Please stop! That's final!"
Max smirked. "Fine."
He bought the entire building in one transaction.
Later, he sat in the lobby and smiled. "My new HQ on the ground floor. Family stays on the upper floors. Protected. Secure. Now I can return to Hell without worrying."
---
He spent the next two days decorating the tower—furnishing his mother's new apartment with everything she'd sacrificed a decade ago. Soft couches. Warm lighting. A kitchen that gleamed like new. Yelena had her own room, with high-speed internet, bookshelves, and a vanity.
When he brought them in, his mother gasped, hand covering her mouth. "Max…"
"This is your home now," Max said. "Our home."
Yelena ran to the window, eyes wide. "You can see the whole city from here!"
Tears welled in their mother's eyes. She hugged him tightly. "You didn't have to—"
Max hugged her back. "I want to. You gave me everything."
---
Later that evening, he called Sunny.
"I'm heading to Hell. Just for a week. Take care of the agency."
"Sure," Sunny said, sounding groggy. "But if anything happens, I swear I'll smack you when you get back."
"Also... protect my family."
"I know."
Max opened the portal in the tower's basement.
As it swirled to life, drawing a circle of crimson flames across the floor, Max glanced back at the building.
Then he vanished.
Moments later, Mariya appeared at the edge of the sidewalk, looking up at the tower. She held a crumpled photo of Max in one hand.
"So... this is my future husband's house."
---
The next day, across Moscow, alarms blared.
A new portal had appeared.
Gigantic. Dark. Ominous.
PSD moved fast—locking down districts, evacuating civilians.
In a conference room underground, high-ranking officials gathered.
"This is a 7-star rank gate," the PSD director said gravely. "This is not a joke. The last time one appeared—in Canada—it took 18 7-star hunters to close it."
"We only have five in Russia," someone muttered. "Where's Max? Has he responded?"
"Still missing," another answered. "He's not answering his phone."
Sunny stood beside the window, fuming.
"Where the hell are you, Max...?"
He looked up at the black swirling sky and whispered, "We need you."
---