NOVEL NEXT Chapter 55: Leaving...
His chest rose and fell heavily.
The warmth from earlier — Mia's clingy grip, Darius's teasing smirk, even Dan's rare, approving nod — still lingered in his veins, but now it felt almost unbearable. Like an invisible chain pulling at his heart.
Ethan's hands clenched and unclenched at his sides.
'This is it…'
His throat felt dry. His mind, usually so clear and sharp, now spun with too many thoughts at once. The faces of his family flashed behind his eyes.
A sharp breath escaped him.
'No turning back now.'
Yet, beneath the resolve, a storm churned.
He wasn't from this world. He wasn't truly Ethan Drakethorne — not originally.
And yet… tonight, as he looked back at the place he called home and the people who had embraced him as family, the weight of those bonds pressed down harder than ever before.
His heart throbbed painfully in his chest.
For so long, his focus had been singular: get stronger, survive, rise above. But tonight made him confront the truth — he wasn't just leaving to become stronger for himself. He was leaving them behind, to step into dangers that might swallow him whole.
His mother's tired but proud smile.
Mia's tearful plea.
Darius's hand gripping his shoulder with brotherly strength.
Dan's quiet nod that spoke volumes.
Ethan's jaw tightened as he turned away from the window, pacing the room like a caged beast. His fists trembled. Not with fear — but with the raw surge of emotion that threatened to crack the iron control he'd built.
'This newfound family of mine, is beginning to get the best of me, that's the more reason why I should leave!'
Soon, Ethan finally slept...
'Tomorrow is going to be a long day...'
****
The next day came faster than Ethan expected.
His preparations were complete — every item he could possibly need had already been carefully stored inside his void ring. Clothes, weapons, rations, emergency supplies… all packed away in that pocket of space.
It was time.
Standing before the mirror one last time, Ethan adjusted the leather jacket over his shoulders. Underneath, a simple black shirt clung to his frame, paired with dark, fitted trousers. Everything he wore was sleek, clean-cut.
He smiled at himself, feeling a little bit narcissistic.
While all he wore was seemingly normal, aiming to disguise himself from the normal Ethan Drakethorne... But still, with his handsome face, it was no exaggeration to say any and every girl would fall in love with him at a glance.
His appearance had changed subtly after the Awakening Ceremony — his aura, his posture, even the way his gaze carried weight now.
After the Awakening Ceremony, he had become really popular — though it was only within Gareth Drakethorne's Labyrinth, as they had to keep his information tightly under wraps for safety reasons.
Because of that, Ethan didn't bother disguising himself. Inside the Labyrinth, there was no need, but still, such action would be a huge help to him in the World of Nexa. With no one recognizing him, he'll be truly free.
"Goodbye, young master." Graham said, bowing his head slightly. His voice was steady, but there was a tightness in it — a trace of genuine worry.
Ethan paused, his eyes softening a little. Graham had been informed, of course. The Drakethorne family hadn't bothered to conceal this plan from him, but even if they hadn't said much, Ethan knew Graham understood the stakes. The dangers. The consequences if word of this leaked.
As one of the most successful families in Nexa, the Drakethornes had no shortage of enemies — both known and hidden. And with how dangerous Nexa was as a world, letting one of their seeds go outside the Labyrinth's protection was a massive risk.
But per Ethan's request to go alone, and Gareth's approval, the family had taken this gamble, it's not that they want to but that they simply had no choice.
The least they could do was reduce attention on him, so he wouldn't attract notice once he stepped outside.
Seeing the lines of tension in Graham's face, Ethan let out a small sigh. "Don't worry so much," he said, offering a faint smile. "Just drive me to the portal. I'll handle the rest."
Graham's lips pressed together, but he nodded. "Yes, young master."
They climbed into the sleek hover car.
Unlike the portals Ethan had used all his life — the ones that connected the Drakethorne estate to their two dominions, Aurelian Depths and the Crimson Labyrinth — today, he was headed somewhere new.
This portal he was headed to would take him outside. Out of the labyrinths.
Into the real world — the outer world of Nexa.
It would be Ethan's first time stepping foot into the outer world, having lived all his life within the Drakethorne's two Labyrinths.
As he sat in the hover car, the whole thing felt surreal.
In his past life, he was used to struggling alone, clawing his way to the top as an orphan.
But in this life… he had experienced what it meant to have a family — a good family at that, in fact, the best family one could dream of. But even with that strange, bittersweet feeling within him, there was no regret. He had achieved everything in his past life with this method. And he was sure he could do the same in this world too.
The hum of the car continued, smooth and steady, but a heavy silence settled inside.
Both he and Graham sat quietly — a far cry from their usual rides, where they'd chat casually, exchange small jabs, and fill the air with comfortable conversation.
Now… neither of them quite knew what to say.
The weight of this moment hung between them.
Final. Unspoken.
Ethan didn't mind the silence.
It gave him time to steel his heart for what was coming.
Because when he stepped through that portal…
Everything would change.
****
A/N:
Guys this book is in dire need of powerstones and Golden tickets, if you've read this far, please take it innyour heart to support this book further. A happy author results to more interesting chapters ahead