On the Way to Beacon Hills

Ethan didn't feel much better after making a little girl cry and lecturing a woman who shouldn't interfere in other people's lives.

It's clear that it's partly Ethan's fault for speaking out loud, but if he worried about all the numerous things that happen in life, he wouldn't have any fun at all.

When he boarded the train that would take him to the nearest area where he could catch a vehicle, Ethan, looking at that beautiful train, smiled slightly.

His appearance was reflected in the clean windows, which made Ethan's face soften a bit.

Ethan is a muscular man with black hair that was previously messy but now parted to both sides of his forehead, giving him a more mature appearance.

"Good face; I've been fortunate not to have too many visible scars that could detract from my looks," Ethan murmured slightly after the train doors opened.

The passengers waiting at the station boarded the train one by one, and observing the scene, Ethan, who liked to be an observer, picked up his long leather suitcase from the ground and walked inside.

The sky was clear and cloudless, and in the cold winter air that was coming to an end, he could even feel a pleasant sensation that he liked so much.

The travel time from one point to another within the train was short; it wouldn't take long to reach his destination.

'All these people owe me more than their lives. They don't know it, but thanks to me and many others, they haven't died in the worst imaginable way.' Ethan had to do his own dose of therapy, or he would go crazy.

Like anyone else, Ethan boarded his train at a natural pace so as not to stand out among the masses.

"How were these things used?" Ethan wondered, looking at his stupid cell phone while walking inside.

"Ticket, please."

Ethan was surprised by the speed with which the staff asked for his ticket. He didn't know why, but when he looked at his unkempt appearance, he understood everything. "What a damn society these days..."

When he saw the receipt for his ticket, he showed it to the worker, who was vigilant for any suspicious movement.

"Confirmed. Sorry for the inconvenience, sir. First class is that way." After receiving a courteous greeting from the worker, Ethan responded with a slight nod.

When Ethan checked the ticket he had been given, he walked to room number five, as written on the receipt.

The corridor was narrow but long enough for only one person to pass. Ethan, who was carrying somewhat strange luggage, was able to pass without difficulty.

"Where's my room? I hate traveling by train." Ethan frequently lost his patience; perhaps he thought that time not dedicated to something specific was a waste. Like now, searching for a door was driving him crazy.

'It's about time...' After checking the identification plaque, he opened the door and entered. The moment he opened the door, he could smell the old wood.

The interior wasn't very luxurious, but it had everything. Comfortable seats were divided to the left and right, and the storage space where luggage could be placed was enough for many to store their bags. However, Ethan was not willing to leave his luggage out of sight.

Even before entering the room, he could see everything in detail to avoid being surprised by a dark entity; that was usually his way of thinking. Just now, he could see there was a small window and a sign for passengers to call staff if they needed anything.

'Not bad, but those idiots from the family could have put in more effort.'

Ethan didn't carry heavy luggage, so he entered with his long suitcase, which was a guitar case, and sat in the best seat he could find.

As soon as he sat down, he noticed the seats were not as comfortable as they appeared, but being used to discomfort, Ethan didn't complain.

Looking out the window, the vast landscape of the mountains in view caught his attention. The mountain peaks and rugged ridges were covered in pure white snow, like giants with white cone hats. The train would soon pass through the cracks in that mountain range.

'Now that I'm here, I can relax.' Ethan could finally let his guard down. He didn't know if some kind of enemy was following him in the dark, and it didn't hurt to worry.

As a hunter recognized by everyone, he had many enemies; corrupted werewolves and vampires were just some of his numerous foes.

Having been trained to kill, he had to admit that he had been very cruel about it. He didn't care what he encountered; he eliminated it without hesitation.

This world didn't seem different from his memories, but everything was the same, with the only difference being that it was connected to the supernatural world.

Who could be sure this wasn't the same world as his resources?

The clear thing is that no one could assure him of anything, so it didn't hurt to think it could be the same world as his past life.

'I'm on a train on my way to Beacon Hills, so it's unlikely anyone will attack me here.' Ethan thought as he relaxed his tense senses.

For this, he took a drug that wasn't addictive but did help him relax his altered senses. Also, considering he was heading to a not-so-big town, it was unlikely there would be strong enemies in that place.

Even royal vampires choose big cities where deaths go unnoticed. It was known that vegan vampires, who only drank animal blood, inhabited the world's forests and shady areas, so it was unusual to encounter many problems in small towns where everyone knew everyone.

The most notable record of Beacon Hills is that in 2005, a family of werewolves, who were the guardians of a supernatural prison located in this town, was lost.

A lot was owed to those guardian werewolves, but no one cared that they were killed because nothing worrisome happened after their subsequent deaths.

But now that Ethan was heading to Beacon Hills, six years after the tragedy of that werewolf pack, curiosity would come from him, and he would investigate what really happened.

'I hope I don't find anything shady; at least on this vacation, I don't want big things disturbing my peace.' Ethan took an informational pamphlet attached next to his seat and reviewed its contents.

In 2011, he could read about the tragic tsunami in Japan, many other shocking news stories from the country, and especially the rumors of those serial killers who had mysteriously disappeared. However, although the news closely followed the hunters, everything remained simple rumors that satisfied the media.

As he understood, there were two stops on this train before reaching his destination. Ethan needed to know this to avoid getting off by mistake, as that would be truly tragic.

As time passed and the train was about to depart, another man entered the room.

Ethan analyzed him for a few brief seconds and didn't discover anything suspicious, though he wondered why his family didn't get a completely private room. Probably, his sister wanted him to socialize a bit before being announced as a teacher.

"It's still too cold in here, don't you think?"

Ethan heard that voice through the newspaper in his hands. Then he lowered the newspaper covering his face and looked at the man standing in front of him.

Since he was speaking to him directly like that, he couldn't ignore him.

"Yes, it seems the cold is the only good thing about this place."

"It's been a while since I traveled by train; do you usually travel a lot by train? I think it's a mode of transport that still has a lot of room for improvement, especially in the rural areas of our country."

Ethan's voice wasn't hoarse, but it was very close to one filled with fatigue, so he said, "I think not everyone should have the opportunity to have free expression."

"That's right; the intellectual formation of people should be important for their free expression to be taken into account. There are many idiots who share how to use toothpaste and don't know it's toxic to health if consumed." The man sitting in front of Ethan seemed very intellectual; his appearance suggested he was in his fifties.

Ethan smiled and said, "Although this idea could make us look like we want to be like our foreign friends."

"Is that so? Ah, I think you're right. By the way, I'm Alexander Salinas."

"Are you a philosopher?" Ethan correctly read Alexander, who was holding a law book.

"Yes, a path I hardly desire for anyone else, especially children."

"I'm Ethan Winchester; nice to meet you."