NOVEL NEXT Chapter 45: New Mission
'She was about to frame me...!'
The realization struck him like a bolt of lightning.
This was a classic trap.
A sudden public display — an embrace, a stumble, a cry for help — and the man would be painted as the aggressor.
Cold shiver ran down Ethan's spine.
'Just how desperate is she...?!'
To go this far... how heavy was the pressure weighing on her from the Evernight Family?
Still moving, still creating distance, Ethan's mind raced.
'But still, what did she hope to achieve in this crowded environment...? Some people's eyes might be on us, so lies won't work. Maybe she has a method.'
The thought made him even more cautious.
As his mind thought rapidly, a slender arm suddenly wrapped around Ethan's shoulder smoothly, pulling him sideways.
A familiar voice, casual and affectionate, sounded by his ear:
"I'm right beside you, little brother. What are you doing walking so fast past me?"
Ethan instantly recognized the voice.
'Mia...!'
Relief washed over him like a tide.
He glanced sideways — and sure enough, it was her.
Mia Drakethorne.
Beautiful, composed, dangerous.
She wore a small, lazy smile, but there was a hard glint in her eyes aimed squarely at Selene.
She had on a sleek, short leather skirt and a fitted, sleeveless black top that hugged her curves, the high collar and subtle silver lining giving her an air of sharp authority.
Selene's expression faltered. She didn't know who Mia was to Ethan, so she quickly turned her gaze aside, pretending to focus on something else.
Ethan sighed. With his status, he could easily punish her for what she just tried to pull. Moving away had been an instinctive reaction.
"Is it what I'm thinking, is she trying to frame you?" Mia asked casually, but her tone carried weight. She was sharp —just from the few seconds she'd witnessed, she'd already pieced it together.
"Yes... I don't know what she's thinking," Ethan replied and sighed again.
Mia didn't speak immediately. A cold glint surfaced in her eyes.
'It seems the Evernight family needs to be reminded how to raise their children properly.'
Her thoughts moved fast.
'Selene's plan failed. It would've been better if it had succeeded — in public like this, the truth would've come out quickly. But now it failed, and with no evidence, I can't act openly...'
'But so what? We're Drakethornes. We don't need a reason to act.'
'The Evernight family must feel the consequences of their daughter's actions. Selene dared to try this on Ethan... she's courting death.'
'If not for our family, they wouldn't even be able to live safely, much less rise in strength over the years. Do they think we Drakethornes are pushovers? Hmph.'
While these dangerous thoughts flickered through her mind, she smiled absentmindedly at Ethan.
The next moment, she made up some excuse and walked away.
Ethan quietly watched as Mia left and made her way to Darius.
---
Suddenly, a panel appeared before his eyes...
┏━━━━━━༻❁༺━━━━━━┓
SYSTEM MISSION
•──────────────────•
THE PATH OF SEVERANCE
You have awakened power. But power shackled by comfort is nothing but a caged flame. Sever ties that weaken resolve. Meet your father and declare your path forward...
•─────⋅☾ TIME LIMIT ☽⋅─────•
One week...
•─────⋅☾ REWARD ☽⋅─────•
2x Fatebreaking points accumulation...
•─────⋅☾ PUNISHMENT ☽⋅─────•
None
•──────────────────•
┗━━━━━━༻❁༺━━━━━━┛
Ethan smiled faintly upon seeing this.
'This had been my plan from the start... this mission came at the perfect time.'
'It's time to make my first move.'
Now, it was time to begin his plan to leave.
Without hesitation, Ethan turned and walked toward where Darius stood.
Darius had just finished briefing the new recruits in a corner of the plaza. With a casual grace that matched his confident aura, he passed around scrolls and signed parchments, answering questions with the ease of someone well-versed in both leadership and charm.
"The guild's base in this Labyrinth is located within the second-tier district, Tower Quarter—heavily fortified, well-supplied, and protected by advanced barrier formations," he explained, gesturing with a flourish as if showing off a prized artifact. His tone was a unique mix of charisma and humour... Even though dark. "Training sessions are held thrice a week. Attendance is mandatory unless you're dead, and even then, we might drag your corpse in."
The recruits laughed nervously.
"Uniforms and gear will be distributed upon your arrival. You'll meet your team captains then," Darius continued, more serious now. "Also... don't bring bad habits. We value discipline more than raw strength."
He looked each of them over, his gaze sharp despite the easy smile. "You're not just joining a guild—you're stepping into the Drakethorne shadow. Hold your heads high, but never forget where you stand."
Once everything was signed and sealed, he dismissed them with a light wave. "Now go celebrate. Just don't drink too much."
Turning around, Darius spotted Ethan approaching.
His expression lit up immediately.
"Well, if it isn't our Academy's newest S-Rank golden boy," he said with a wide grin, throwing one arm around Ethan's shoulder. "You trying to catch up to your handsome older brother, huh?"
Ethan gave him a faint smirk. "I'd say I already passed you."
"Oof—low blow!" Darius clutched his chest dramatically. "You wound me, little brother. At least let me brag about you a little before I'm forgotten as 'that other talented Drakethorne.'"
"Too late," Ethan deadpanned.
Darius laughed. "Still cold as ever. But really, an S-Rank awakening? You've made waves across the entire guild already. Even Father raised a brow. That's like, raising both brows for a normal person."
Ethan didn't respond immediately. The playful banter gradually faded as a subtle change came over him. His gaze sharpened, his posture stiffened, and his voice dropped into something more serious.
"Darius… I want to meet Father."
Darius blinked, taken aback.
"Help me tell him. Design a time for me and him to meet. Alone."
The weight of Ethan's words lingered between them. Darius studied him, noting the firm jawline, the unwavering eyes, and the tension in his shoulders.
This wasn't just about showing off newfound strength.
"…What's going on?" he asked, his tone lower now.