Silence still lingered like dust in the air.
Raven, now fully upright, glanced sideways at his companions.
Still blinking, dazed from burnout, most of them looked like they'd just staggered out of a tavern brawl with a tornado.
Then—
Valeria started walking toward him.
Slowly. Cautiously. Like someone approaching a wild animal—or a long-lost sibling who used to steal her boots and fill them with slime.
Raven stared at her.
The girl was the most beautiful he had ever seen, until he met Arietta.
Then, he glanced at his group—at the girls.
'They are all as stunning as Valeria.'
Yes, the girls hadn't just grown in power. Their looks had also leveled up.
Valeria, on the other hand, opened her arms ever so slightly. "Raven, I—"
She wanted a hug from her brother, whom she hadn't been able to talk to for a long time.