The conversation between Ethan and Imperius ended here.
Imperius confirmed that Ethan was indeed just passing through and did not have any significant ambitions for this world. While this was still somewhat questionable, he likely would not directly engage in war with the forces of Heaven, unlike Diablo.
Although he considered using the angelic legions to surround and kill Ethan here, he was not sure if killing Ethan would cause other troubles.
Moreover, he had to figure out how Ethan got here.
Does the world have loopholes? Is there a way to travel freely between worlds? Have other worlds discovered this place? Are there more beings like Ethan outside?
Based on the power used, Ethan seemed to be aligned similarly to himself, so were there also powerful demons similar to Diablo?
Imperius found that the questions were increasing, and if these problems were not solved, the future of Heaven seemed to become very dangerous.
These issues could not be resolved by him alone. All the Archangels had to be summoned to discuss them thoroughly in the council.
Turning his head to look at Tyrael, the Archangel of Justice seemed to be thinking the same thing. After exchanging glances, the two angels simultaneously looked away.
They had confirmed each other's thoughts. A meeting must be convened.
Compared to this, Leah being taken away by Ethan was not a major issue at all, and it could also prevent Diablo from being resurrected again.
Imperius did not care, but Tyrael was more concerned about the person behind the scenes.
"We must find out who is plotting behind this matter."
Deckard Cain thought the same, but although he possessed sufficient knowledge and wisdom, he lacked the power to confront evil.
What he could do was find outstanding adventurers or ask old friends for help through his connections, then guide the young adventurers to once again embark on the path against Diablo.
Cain's first reaction was to look at Eirena nearby. Eirena, who had been defeated before, was undoubtedly the best choice, but now he was not sure if Eirena would still help him.
From a human perspective, he also did not want to always rely on old-timers when something happened. He hoped for more fresh blood so that humanity would always have strong individuals who upheld the belief in justice, and when unexpected events occurred, there would be a group of people who could step forward to buy time for humanity, or even directly lead humanity to victory.
"I will remember this."
Cain pondered that Eirena could act as a mentor, returning to the Sanctuary of the Mages to select some outstanding young people, then let these young people handle some simple matters.
After all, this time they were only dealing with some evil humans with malicious intent, not directly facing Hell's demons, and with guidance from seasoned powerhouses, they should be capable.
As for Leah, whom he had only recently adopted, it seemed she was about to leave. (PS: The previous statement that Ethan only left for a few years might be inaccurate. Based on later information, Ethan should have returned about ten years after his last departure, as Li-Ming and Leah were born around the time of Diablo II's events and the destruction of the Worldstone.)
Leah was young but already very sensible. Realizing she was about to leave her adoptive Uncle Cain, although very reluctant, she understood in her heart that she had to leave.
Ethan watched the young Leah and Cain saying goodbye and did not interrupt them. Of course, he had the ability to take Cain with them and keep them together, but would Cain himself really agree to go?
Cain had spent his entire life guiding humanity's heroes and dedicating his life's energy to his world.
When humanity faced a threat again, how could he choose to leave and enjoy an easy life by himself? So Ethan gave a simple, subtle hint, only receiving a grateful smile in return, but after Cain did not agree, he did not bring it up again.
"Can you take care of a child?"
Since the basic conflict had been tentatively resolved, Ethan was also unwilling to continue staying at the gates of Heaven, surrounded and stared at by a group of angels. Since there would not be any more fighting, he directly took Cain, Leah, and Eirena back to the house they were in before, which was Cain's home in New Tristram.
Upon returning here, Leah began packing her luggage, while Deckard Cain nearby initially wanted to instruct her on what to bring, but then realized that for the past two years, he had mostly been taken care of by his nominal niece. This messy old man simply did not know how to take care of himself.
At this moment, he could not help at all, while Ethan watched Leah quietly packing without saying anything.
Fortunately, Eirena was more concerned about little Leah, worrying that a mage like Ethan would not know how to take care of a child.
"It's not just me there. There are many people, and there are also a few young people only a few years older than Leah, so you don't have to worry about Leah not having playmates."
Cain listened quietly to Ethan's answer and was slightly relieved to hear it. It seemed Leah would not be lonely in that world.
"Is there anything you need to bring?"
Cain finally could not help but ask Ethan. If they did not have something at home and it was still light, they could go buy it.
He did not know when Ethan planned to leave, but he probably would not be staying here for ten days or half a month.
Seeing that he did not stop Leah from packing, he knew Ethan was not planning to stay longer.
"Let her bring whatever she wants. It is fine to keep it as a souvenir."
What did Ethan not have there? Even things he did not have temporarily, Ethan could find a way to get them, from clothes and shoes to entertainment equipment and even learning materials of all kinds. There was nothing Ethan could not get. In this situation, Leah packing things had no practical meaning. The things she brought were merely for memories.
Although he could send Leah back to visit Cain at any time, he was not going to overly provoke this group of angels until his strength had further improved enough to suppress Imperius. Furthermore, since Leah had Diablo's bloodline, he was not comfortable letting her return frequently to visit before this hidden danger was resolved.
Ethan thought for a moment and finally gave Cain an amulet. He did not know when he would be back next, but to prevent the old man from having passed away by then, given his current physical condition, even without any accidents, there was no guarantee he would not suddenly be gone someday.
He did not want Leah to return next time and not even be able to see the old man Cain one last time, so he made arrangements for him in advance. Even if Cain refused to go to Ethan's place through the amulet's power after death, the amulet could still protect his soul well and notify Ethan that the old man Cain had passed away.
At that time, he could bring Leah over to visit, then decide how to arrange Cain's soul based on Leah's and Cain's own wishes.
Leah, who had finished packing, returned to Ethan's side, her big, watery eyes clearly showing tears. At this moment, Ethan suddenly felt like he had become a big villain, and unfortunately, he could not leave Leah behind now.
Because he had already revealed Leah's identity, in this situation, Leah staying would actually be harming him.
Deckard Cain absolutely had no way to protect Leah. Eirena was already unwelcome in the Sanctuary of the Mages, and the old fossils in the Sanctuary, upon learning about Leah's situation, would undoubtedly want to kill the little girl as their first reaction.
Even if Tyrael in Heaven would not stand by and watch such a thing happen, the angels now had more important matters to discuss and had no energy to care about the life or death of a little human girl. In fact, in the eyes of most angels, it would be a good thing if Leah, this little girl with Diablo's bloodline, died. Some angels might even secretly give advice to some mages.
In short, Leah had to leave now. Ethan then confirmed with Eirena again.
"Aren't you coming with us?"
"No, there are still many things I want to do here but have not done yet. Whether successful or not, I want to try."
Ethan nodded. Eirena's conviction had become much stronger than before, and her strength had also increased. Ethan had also left her a life-saving amulet, so presumably, even in the worst case, she would not be killed by an assassin's sneak attack and have her soul imprisoned.
His biggest goal for this trip had been achieved. Kidnapping little Leah could only be considered something he did because he was full and bored, just casually saving the world.
After Leah stood beside him, Ethan gently reminded her, "Don't be afraid, and don't resist. Feel this power, and perhaps you will gain some understanding."
He remembered that Leah had good talent and would later take over Cain's role to become one of the heroes' most trusted companions. In fact, with the bloodline of a Hell demon lord, her talent surpassed that of ordinary people. Ethan was very curious to see how far Leah would grow if she received guidance from a young age.
Could she, decades later, turn around and beat up the group of angels in Heaven?
Lost in thought, Ethan had already performed two consecutive teleports with Leah. Because they barely stopped during the transfer in the middle, the speed of continuous activation was too fast, and Leah did not even realize they had briefly stopped in the main universe. When her vision returned, she was in a luxurious mansion.
"From now on, you might have to live here for a while."
Ethan turned his head to check the time. Since he did not deliberately aim for a specific time point, the time flow in the Marvel universe was basically the same as the time he had experienced.
This meant that, if nothing unexpected happened, the Prometheus should have completed its modifications.
(To be continued.)
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◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 200 Power Stones.
◇ You can read the ahead chapter on Pat if you're interested: p-atreon.c-om/Blownleaves (Just remove the hyphen to access normally.)