Now, why did it have to happen at a time like this....
Ethan thought, frustration bubbling in his heart as his eyes wandered to his surroundings. All around him, people dressed in all sorts of elegant outfits savored their drinks while speaking among themselves. Laughter rose here and there, blending with the clinking of glasses, while the faint hum of music gave the whole place an almost dreamlike atmosphere.
The huge hall stretched far and wide, decorated with lights and flowing silks, every detail polished with care. It was situated on one of the floating islands, the nearest one to the Magic Tower, and from the balcony, the entire grandeur of it seemed to open endlessly before him.
Leaning back against the edge of the railing, Ethan had the whole hall in his view. The cold wind brushed through his black hair, tugging at the strands, while in one hand he held a drink, sipping absentmindedly.
...The bloodline awakening celebration.....
The awakening of the Ravencroft family’s long slumbering bloodline was supposed to be great news, a blessing for everyone, but for Ethan, it was nothing of the sort. To him, it meant only trouble, because with it came the high possibility that his marriage with Melissia would be annulled.
....I know Melissia does not want me.....so, should I just give up..?
The thought stung, but he could not accept it. He did not want to. She was the only one who had ever truly filled his heart, the only person he longed for. How could he discard her so easily? Yet now, with the bloodline awakened, everything had shifted beyond his reach.
Before this, Melissia had not held enough reason to cancel the engagement on her own. Ethan knew her father well, and he was certain the man would have asked her to reconsider before agreeing to anything. He was not someone who would simply bend to his daughter’s request.
But now, with her bloodline awakened and the astonishing feat of even helping others in her family awaken theirs along with her father, her words now held value that was undeniable.
That reason alone was enough to nullify not just one engagement, but a hundred if it came to it.
Not that there were so many. It was only this one.
...There is every chance that she has already spoken with her father, and it might even be announced tonight....
Ethan smiled faintly and closed his eyes as the chill of early winter wrapped around him. His heart beat faster in his chest, and though he had trained himself for months to control his breathing, his anger, and his emotions—skills that were the very foundation of an assassin—he was still not perfect enough to suppress the rush of emotions that he felt right now.
What an irony.....The one who longed to be loved was never chosen, and the one who never wished for it gained it without effort....
He turned around, setting his gaze on the vibrant and glowing city far below the floating islands, lights flickering against the horizon. His mind was tangled, thoughts pulling him in different directions, refusing to settle.
What was he supposed to do now? He was strong, but there were already two monsters in the academy, figures who overshadowed everyone with their terrifying growth and unnatural strength. Against them, Ethan’s own efforts seemed buried, his path clouded by their shadows.
And now his love life was in ruins. His engagement was slipping away, even though no one had announced it and no one had told him. But he knew. It was only a matter of time.
He had few friends, and those few were tied to the very people he despised the most, leaving him even more alone.
His family was the only thing left to him, but he did not want them involved. He did not have that connection with his parents, which should have been normal for others.
"...What a cruel fate I have....." he whispered softly, the words barely louder than the wind.
Ethan had no one. Only two paths stood before him now. He could accept everything quietly and fade into the background, forgotten and discarded. Or he could take hold of it all with his own hands, bending everything to his will, no matter what it cost.
To walk the path of a villain.
Ethan chuckled softly, though there was no trace of amusement in his eyes. If I became a villain, I would only end up losing even more of the few things I still have... what strange thoughts I am having right now...
"To love someone deeply is to risk everything... your pride, your peace, your desires. And somehow, I still ended up risking it all, only to not be chosen."
His voice was low, almost carried away by the cold night breeze. The faint music drifting across the city was beautiful, filling every corner of the floating islands with a festive rhythm, yet to him it sounded hollow. Each note seemed to push his mood further down, like a weight pressing on his chest, until even breathing felt heavy.
He drew a slow breath and reached into his pocket, bringing out a small earpiece. With a practiced motion, he set it into his ear and spoke.
"How is everything going?" Ethan asked, his voice stripped of warmth, his tone calm but cold enough to leave no space for hesitation.
"It won’t lie, sir, it’s quite difficult to keep up with him. Every time he teleports, I lose track of his position, and that makes observing him extremely troublesome. Right now, I have even lost him in this dense festival crowd, but I plan on executing the mission today itself."
"The festival will prove to be the best place to carry it out."
Another voice responded, deeper and sterner, carrying the kind of weight that belonged to someone experienced.
"I see... so he is already here," Ethan muttered, his eyes narrowing as his grip on the glass tightened slightly.
"Well then, try to execute the plan today. Finish it."
"Yes, sir... but what about the girl who is always with him?" the voice asked after a brief pause, hesitant yet unwilling to leave the question unsaid.
Elysia, huh... well, let’s see...
"If by chance you succeed in your task, leave her. But if you somehow fail, which I doubt you will, then kill her instead."
"Yes, sir!!!"
The call ended abruptly. Ethan removed the device and crushed it in his palm without a second thought. The fragments of metal and crystal slipped between his fingers, scattering into the air, before being carried away by the night wind as if they had never existed.
For a brief moment, his reflection shimmered faintly in the glass of the balcony door, and he saw the face of someone who had walked too far into shadows to ever return.
Everything is set... if Ash survives, then Elysia will die, and he will drown in despair. And if he dies, that is even better...
After all, Ash is the reason behind everything. If not for him... all would have been fine. So do not blame me for what I am doing, for I am not a kind person...
The thought twisted painfully in his chest, but he swallowed it down, forcing the calm mask back over his face again.
With steps measured and steady, Ethan turned away from the balcony and walked inside, blending into the warmth and light of the celebration as though nothing had ever happened.
****
Now, where the hell did he teleport to now...
A moving shadow thought, its body slipping from one shadow to another at high speed, carefully surveying the surroundings.
...Tsk, it’s too crowded....
The person was none other than the assassin hired by Ethan, though the assassin himself was unaware of who had placed the request.
There were many places that took on assassination tasks, and one such organization operated from the Neutral Continent. Naturally, if they were based there, it meant they belonged to a powerful criminal syndicate.
Ethan had made sure to keep his identity hidden. He had gone through several layers of connections, arranging everything in a way that, if someone looked into it, all the blame would appear to belong to the organization itself. It would look like nothing more than one of their countless schemes.
Even the earpiece Ethan had used was a voice-altering one, making sure his tone and intent could not be traced. Everything was prepared with him remaining in the dark, and those directly involved in the assassination had no idea that he was the one who had instigated it. It was simple in concept, but it had taken time, resources, and careful planning.
Money, mana stones, and rare artifacts—these were more than enough to make anyone agree, and Ethan had all of them to use.
But none of this mattered to the assassin moving through the shadows.
....I should have asked for even more payment. It’s practically impossible to catch that bastard....
Even as he complained in his thoughts, his eyes kept scanning, and his movements never faltered.
His name was Roan, a five-star assassin, a title given only to those with a flawless record. A five-star meant one hundred percent success rate, the highest rating possible. Although his rank was only at the Grandmaster stage, his skill far exceeded ordinary standards. He had once assassinated even a Legendary-ranked figure.
For assassins, brute strength was meaningless. The real craft was in speed, precision, and killing the target before they could even react.
Ethan had originally wanted someone of even higher rank, perhaps Legendary or Mythical, but in criminal organizations, people at that level were leaders or vice-leaders themselves. Hiring someone of that status without revealing his own identity was simply impossible.
So in the end, Roan was chosen.
Ash Burn really is a headache....
From the reports gathered and even the battle footage he had been shown, Roan knew the target was dangerous. Ash had frightening talent and strength, but Roan’s confidence did not waver. He was already standing at the peak of the Grandmaster Rank, only a step away from breaking through to the next stage.
I should speed up; otherwise, I’ll lose him completely. At least it helps that both he and the girl with him attract attention wherever they go. If I ask the right people and look carefully, I might track them down faster....
Still hidden in the shadows, he slipped silently through the crowded festival, his presence blending into the darkness, his mind focused solely on the hunt.
***