The car rolled to a smooth stop in front of a building Damon knew all too well.


    the sight of it made them feel calm and focused, like they were going back to a ce where they could work hard and make progress.


    While still connecting to reality.


    Damon opened the car door.


    He looked back at Victor, who was still sitting behind the wheel with one hand on the steering wheel.


    "Thanks for the ride," Damon said, nodding toward his mentor.


    Victor nodded back, a small smile on his face. "No problem. And about what we talked about," he added, his tone more serious now. "I''ll call you once I find something suitable. For now, keep your head in the game. Focus on your training."N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Damon gave a quick nod of understanding. "Got it. Appreciate it."


    Victor watched as Damon shut the door and walked toward the front door. His sure step showed how much of a fighter he was bing.


    He was feeling himself, confident.


    As the car pulled away.


    Damon entered the building, nodding a casual greeting to the lobby attendant as he made his way to the elevator.


    He stepped inside, pressing the button for his floor, the soft hum of the elevator filling the silence.


    Being alone in the small space, he leaned against the wall and pull out his phone.


    He thought it would be a good idea to contact everyone and see how things were going.


    He opened his group chat first, typing quickly.


    [Back in town. Let''s catch up soon.]


    Satisfied with the message, he switched over to Svena''s chat.


    It had been a couple of days since theyst spoke.


    Well since he initiated


    He''d been caught up in training, the system, and preparing for his trip home, leaving little room for anything else.


    He checked to see if their ns were still on track.


    He sent a short message.


    [Hey, justnded. Still up for dinner? Let me know.]


    He waited a moment, but she was offline. No reply yet.


    He shrugged and put his phone back in his pocket just as the elevator bell rang to let him know he had arrived in his floor.


    The doors slid open, and Damon stepped out.


    Damon stood at the door, knocking gently and waiting patiently.


    Though it wasn''tte, he didn''t want to just walk in unannounced.


    It wasn''t about whether he could or couldn''t, he had a key, but out of respect for his mother.


    It felt right to knock and let her know he was there.


    A faint sound of footsteps came closer, and then the door opened with its usual click.


    As it opened, his mother stood there, her expression shifting from curiosity to pure joy.


    "Damon!" she eximed, pulling him into a warm hug before he could say a word.


    "Hey, Mom," Damon replied with a grin, hugging her back. "I''m home."


    It didn''t take long for Damon and his mother, Aoife, to catch up.


    Their bond had always been strong, and the hard times they had been through together had made it even stronger.


    It was easy to talk about everything, from his time in Thand to what was going on back home.


    Damon also noticed his mother had given his mustache no attention, maybe she was still too happy to noticed.


    Aoife looked morefortable with Damon''s frequent travels nowpared to the first time he left.


    Back then, the thought of him being so far away had been difficult for her.


    But now, she had grown ustomed to it. She knew she couldn''t hold him back or limit his growth.


    He was a man now.


    A capable, determined young man forging his own path.


    Still, her mind wandered to thoughts of his future.


    Damon was ambitious, no doubt, but she hoped he wouldn''t forget about life beyond fighting.


    Her thoughts drifted to that girl, Svena.


    There was something about her.


    Aoife had seen the way her son talked about her, the subtle change in his tone, the small smile that crept onto his face.


    She liked Svena, not just because of the way Damon seemed to care about her, but because she seemed to bring something out in him, a gentler, more human side of her son who had grown so used to fighting.


    Someday, when they, or perhaps someone else, started seeing each other seriously, Aoife knew Damon would need his space, his privacy.


    But for now, she was content to enjoy hispany, treasuring the moments they had together.


    Damon''s phone dinged.


    He nced at the screen and saw the reply.


    [That''s great, I''m still up for it.]


    A smile tugged at his lips. He typed back quickly:


    [Great, is today fine?]


    He paused, his thumbs hovering over the screen.


    Maybe it would be better to suggest another date to give himself more time to prepare.


    Before he could overthink, her response came in almost immediately:


    [Yes, today is fine...]


    Damon froze for a moment, staring at the screen.


    His mind rushed.


    Today?


    He hadn''t made any reservations.


    He hadn''t figured out transportation, let alone nned out where they''d go.


    "Mom, I''ll catch up with youter," he said hurriedly, dragging his bags toward his room.


    Aoife raised an eyebrow, watching him rush off. "What''s the hurry?"


    "Got something to take care of!" he called back without stopping.


    Once in his room, Damon dropped his bags by the door and sat on the edge of his bed, running a hand through his hair.


    Alright, think.


    Transportation, reservations, location... where do I even start?


    He stared at his phone, Svena''s message still glowing on the screen, her enthusiasm clear.


    "This should be easy," he muttered to himself.


    But the truth was, this felt more nerve-wracking than stepping into the cage.


    Damon didn''t waste time dialing Ash''s number.


    It didn''t take long before the familiar voice answered.


    "Yo, Damon! Back in town already? What''s up, man?" Ash greeted.


    "Yeah, I just got back," Damon said, cutting to the point. "Hey, I need a favor. Can I borrow your car? I''ve got... ns tonight."


    Ash''s tone shifted,ced with mock curiosity. "Oh, ns? Involving a certain someone, perhaps?" he asked, dragging out the words.


    Then his tone turned more yful, borderline mischievous. "Wait, hold up, did Bangkok treat you extra well? You meet anyone... interesting over there?"


    Damon frowned. "What? No. What are you even talking about?"


    "You know what I mean," Ash teased, hisughter bubbling up. "Let''s just say I heard Bangkok has some... surprises. Meet anyone that wasn''t exactly what they seemed?"


    Damon froze for a second, his brain catching up. "Dude, what the hell? Are you seriously–"


    "Hey, I''m just asking!" Ash interrupted, clearly enjoying himself. "I mean, you were out there for months. Had to have some adventures, right?"


    Damon groaned. "You''re the worst. No, I didn''t." Enjoy more content from empire


    Ash cackled. "Alright, alright. But I will say this, good on you for finally stepping up and asking Svena out."


    Damon blinked. "Wait, how do you know it''s Svena?"


    Ash scoffed. "Oh,e on. As if there''d be anyone else. Who else do you text like your life depends on it? Who else has you smirking at your phone like a weirdo every other day? It''s obvious, man."


    Damon sighed, shaking his head. "I hate you sometimes."


    Ash''sughter only grew. "You''re wee! Anyway, yeah, you can borrow my car. Just don''t mess it up, my baby''s pristine."


    "Thanks," Damon muttered, already regretting the call.


    "And Damon?"


    "What?"


    "Don''t blow it, man. Svena''s too good for you. Remember, keep it ssy, no surprises!" Ash added, barely holding back another fit ofughter.


    "Goodbye, Ash," Damon said, hanging up before he could say anything else.