Chapter 64: Only the Living Have a Future

"You two are really annoying."

Noah looked at the two Aurors—one old, one young—and felt utterly exhausted.

What the hell? I curse you, and you suddenly appear? Does that mean if I swear at you a few more times, you'll keep popping up like some cursed jack-in-the-box?

"I'm sorry. It's my fault for bothering you," the older Auror said with a smirk.

"Enough! Do you really think I won't just walk away and leave you to deal with your own mess?"

"That would be unfortunate. We're quite grateful for your help. The Ministry of Magic is finally at ease now. But since you had the time to assist us, we now have time to deal with you—our little stowaway. So, what's it going to be?"

Noah clenched his jaw.

If it were up to him, he'd blast this old man with a stunning spell right now. But unfortunately, this was their home turf, and there wasn't much he could do about it.

What really pissed him off was their logic—so they'd been tailing him all this time because they were too busy to deal with him? And now that he helped them, they suddenly had all the time in the world?

Was this some kind of cruel joke? Did I just dig my own grave?

Noah sighed, rubbing his temples in frustration. He had no choice but to go along with this cursed mission.

Sure, technically, he could just let the Ministry handle it and walk away. But aside from the fact that he didn't want to deal with an interrogation, there was another problem—he still hadn't completed the system's damn mission.

And besides, he had promised Constantine that he'd have his back. If he bailed now, how could he expect Constantine to help him in the future?

"Fine. What do you want?" Noah exhaled. "I assume you've already reported everything to your superiors?"

"Of course," the older Auror said, his tone serious. "At least now we have a clear idea of what's going on. That's thanks to you."

"So what now? You're not expecting me—a student—to fight Mammon, a literal demon, are you?" Noah scoffed. "If it were just a few corrupted demons or a rogue angel's clone, fine. But this is way beyond my league. There's no way this doesn't escalate into something worse."

"You're absolutely right. And we don't intend for you to face him alone." The Auror smirked. "That's why we've already contacted a powerful ally. With her on our side, you won't have to worry as much."

"...Her?"

"Yes."

Noah paused, his mind racing through possibilities. A powerful magician. A woman. That could only mean—

"The Ancient One," he murmured.

The Supreme Sorcerer, Earth's greatest magical protector.

If the Ministry of Magic reached out to her, then things were far more serious than he thought.

Still, Noah couldn't help but feel relieved. At least it wasn't some old man with a ridiculously long beard.

If I had to work with another Dumbledore-type, I might lose my mind.

"Alright," Noah said, collecting his thoughts. "So what's my role in this?"

"Simple—stay alive," the Auror replied. "If possible, clear out some of the lesser threats before things escalate. And then wait for the angel to make their move. That's it."

"Stay alive, huh?" Noah scoffed. "Are you Aurors even going to do anything?"

"If we act openly, they'll scatter before we can make a move," the older Auror said bluntly.

"Isn't that a good thing? Less trouble for everyone."

"Not exactly. These creatures have grown too comfortable on Earth. We need to remind them that this is our world—not theirs."

Noah raised an eyebrow. "You talk about them like they're parasites."

"That's because they are parasites," the Auror said darkly. "Heaven and Hell both thrive on faith. Without believers, they collapse. They feed on humanity's devotion. Just like parasites."

The comparison made sense. It reminded Noah of the downfall of the Olympian gods. They lost their worshippers, and their power crumbled.

The same could happen to angels and demons.

"Still, they're better than the Olympians," Noah mused. "At least they're not saying creepy shit like, 'My daughter's daughter is also my girl.'"

The Auror blinked. "...Excuse me?"

"Oh, nothing. Just something I read."

The Auror narrowed his eyes. "You sure seem to know a lot about these things."

"Just an interest of mine."

"Wouldn't have pegged you as the type to be interested in divine incest."

"Don't push it." Noah rolled his eyes and turned toward the kitchen.

He was so done with these two Aurors—especially the old one, who seemed to enjoy getting on his nerves. The younger Auror, at least, had learned to shut up after their last encounter.

Since he already knew what to do, there was no point in sticking around. He needed to check if Constantine and the others were ready.

And more importantly—he had to tell Ms. Haifin.

Noah had no intention of bringing her along this time. He knew what kind of horrors were waiting for them.

Demons. Possessions. Bloodshed.

It wasn't a place for her.

"You're staying here," Noah said firmly.

Ms. Haifin frowned. "You're sure?"

"Absolutely."

She hesitated, then sighed. "Alright. Just promise me one thing, Noah."

Noah crossed his arms. "Let me guess—'Be careful'?"

"No." Her gaze softened. "Promise me you'll run if things get too dangerous."

Noah blinked, then smirked. "You don't have to tell me twice. I know when to cut my losses."

It was true. If things went south, he wasn't going to play hero. His first priority was survival.

The only people who could change fate were the ones who lived long enough to do so.

"Only the living have a future," Noah said quietly.

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