NOVEL NEXT Chapter 88 – New Mission
Month later, Verdyn 20
The training hall smelled faintly of oiled wood and smoldering incense. The banners of Veyl Academy stirred with the draft, the sigil of the Veinwalker order glimmering in the late sunlight.
Three young figures stood before their mentor.
Khael Corzedar — his eyes steady, the air around him already sharp with intent.
Ceyla Nox — a wolfcut-haired girl, her storm affinity practically crackling when she crossed her arms in impatience.
Juno Arkai — a Taishin warrior, shoulders broad, his stance grounded like carved stone.
Before them stood Solen Drayvahn. His hair was white as ash-struck snow, his burnt-silver eyes reflecting both grief and unyielding steel. His crimson cloak swayed as though carrying whispers of wars long buried.
He looked at them with a half-smile.
"So… are you ready, all of you, for your next mission?"
Ceyla scoffed, flipping her hair back.
"Yeah, yeah, quit the theatrics, old man. Just tell us what it is already."
Solen's smile twitched wider.
"Heh… the next mission, you won't be going alone. You'll be together with…"
Juno tilted his head.
"With who?"
Solen raised his hand dramatically.
"…Team Three!"
The room buzzed with shock.
Ceyla's eyes widened. Juno muttered a curse under his breath. Even Solen's own lips curled with amusement at their reaction.
Only Khael remained calm.
Solen noticed, his sharp gaze narrowing in quiet approval. He gave the boy a subtle wink.
Khael's jaw tightened, and his thoughts drifted back to yesterday—
The day before…
Khael stood before Master Isen, the golden-haired man whose presence weighed heavier than mountains.
"Master, for the next mission… let Team 3 join us as well."
Isen's brows arched, his smile thinning.
"Denied. If they join you, the burden of trial is lessened. And trial, Khael, is the whetstone of a warrior's spirit."
But Khael held his ground. His voice was steady, unwavering.
"Then let us rookies go without our sensei. That way… it won't be easy for us to clear the mission. We'll rely only on ourselves."
A silence stretched, broken only by the faint hum of Isen's aura.
Then the old monk's lips curved, his laughter low and warm.
"Hoh… clever, my disciple. You're beginning to think not just as a fighter, but as a leader."
His eyes shone with pride.
"Yes… I could allow this. But remember—this mission is not a game. Rank A means danger, and danger means death."
Khael clenched his fists, bowing his head.
Isen's voice softened, the warmth of a mentor breaking through.
"Still… know this. Even if I wish to temper you with hardship, I will never throw away your life. You, the next generation, are the hope of this world."
…
Back to the present.
Solen held out a scroll, the mission seal stamped with the sigil of the Keiryuu.
"Here is your mission."
Khael took it with steady hands and unrolled the parchment. His eyes scanned the words aloud:
[Mission Name: The Heliana Eclipse
Classification: Rank A – Joint Operation
Assigned Units: Team 3 (Kaen Suro, Lira Valenne, Rael Eluron) & Team 9 (Khael Corzedar, Ceyla Nox, Juno Arkai)
Supervising Officers: Elder Ryozen of the Heliana Temple, Captain Kaedros, Guardian of Heliana.
Mission Briefing:
To all chosen Veinwalkers—
The village of Heliana, sacred ground of Shinrei flow and home to the Temple of Bloom and Stone, has reported an unprecedented disturbance in its Echo Veins. Reports confirm incursions of Voidborn entities, their corruption spreading into the temple halls.
Mission Seal: ⚔️
By the hand of the Keiryuu, Isen, Guardian of Balance. May your Shinrei burn bright, and may your emotions guide you without breaking you.]
The parchment seemed to weigh heavier than stone in Khael's hands.
Ceyla blinked hard, snapping her gaze back to Solen.
"Wait—hold up. You're saying… you mentors aren't coming?"
Solen's burnt-silver eyes gleamed. His grin was sharp, but not unkind.
"Correct. This time, you fly without our wings."
Khael's grip tightened on the parchment as a thought burned in the back of his mind:
"(Nice, Master Isen… you allowed this. I need to be here. This mission… this is where it begins. The tragedy of Team 3. The start of Kaen Suro's agony. I won't let it end the same way in the manga. Today is Verdyn 20… and I am ready.)"
Ceyla stretched her arms over her head, exhaling with a groan.
"Tch. Can you believe it? It's been a whole month since we started and we've only gone on, what… four missions?"
Juno crossed his arms, his voice low and steady.
"Then this marks the true beginning. From here on… it's us, without the help of our sensei."
Solen clapped once, sharp and deliberate. His burnt-silver eyes glimmered with mirth.
"Correct! No more hand-holding. No safety net. This is your story now." He lifted two fingers in a playful gesture. "Tehee."
Ceyla scowled.
"Don't 'tehee' at us, old man. This is a Rank A mission!"
Solen's grin didn't falter.
"And? What better way to sharpen your fangs than being thrown into the storm?"
The tension hung in the air for a moment, then broke as the group began gathering their gear, preparing for the journey to Heliana.
[Elyseran Calendar Notes
Elyseran Year = 10 months, each 36 days (360 days total).
Current Date: Verdyn 20
Verdyn is the peak Bloom Affinity month, when Shinrei flows most abundantly in living things. The perfect time for growth—or corruption.]
Solen's cloak swayed as he turned his back to them, voice carrying a note of solemnity beneath his teasing tone.
"Remember, rookies… Verdyn is a month of Bloom, but every bloom must face the shadow of rot. You'll see that truth firsthand in Heliana."
The three rookies exchanged glances.
Khael's eyes narrowed with determination.
Ceyla's storm affinity hummed faintly around her fingertips.
Juno rested a hand over his heart, grounding himself.
The mission had begun.
…
At the Same Time – Team 3
The candlelit school of Veyl Academy's southern hall hummed faintly with the sound of distant bells. Team 3 gathered around the mission table, their scroll freshly opened.
Kaen Suro leaned forward, fists pressed against the wood. His fiery hair caught the light, eyes narrowing.
"Together with Team 9…? You mean together with Khael."
The name hung heavy in the air.
Rael Eluron, posture perfect, hands folded behind his back, gave no outward reaction. His emerald eyes flicked toward the parchment once, then toward Kaen. His platinum hair shimmered faintly under the glow.
"If that is the order, then it is what it is. The question isn't with whom we fight. It's whether you can keep up, Kaen."
Kaen's jaw tightened.
"Hmph. We'll see who's keeping up with who."
Lira Valenne, ever the mediator, placed a gentle hand on Kaen's arm. Her lavender eyes softened, her long silver-pink hair swaying as she shook her head.
"Kaen, Rael—don't start. Heliana needs us united. The temple is already suffering. If we don't work together, more lives will be lost."
Kaen clicked his tongue but said nothing, sinking back into his seat.
That was when a lazy voice echoed from the corner.
Raiden Kurogami leaned against the wall, half-lidded eyes glowing faintly with electric arcs, his dark hair draping loosely. His yawn stretched as he crossed his arms.
"Mmm. About that… don't rely on me this time."
Kaen blinked.
"What do you mean?"
Raiden tilted his head, smirking faintly.
"Orders from the top. I'm not joining this one. Just observing from a distance. Think of it as your… free trial."
Kaen's fist clenched.
"Tch—just when things actually matter."
Raiden's voice softened, though still tinged with mockery.
"Exactly when it matters, Kaen. If you're aiming to be an Eclipse Vanguard, then you'll need to bleed without a crutch."
Rael stepped forward, his tone firm, carrying the weight of command even at thirteen.
"Enough. The absence of Raiden only means we must execute more precisely. I expect both of you to follow my lead."
Kaen shot him a glare, but Lira quickly interjected, her voice calm but edged with worry.
"Then it's settled. Heliana… together with Team 9. We'll face whatever comes."
The surroundings fell quiet. The flickering candlelight cast long shadows—shadows that seemed to coil around Kaen's presence longer than the others, as if the sealed Shade affinity inside him stirred at the mention of Heliana.
To be continue