CHAPTER 87: NEW A RANK SKILL.

The tension still hung in the room like the fading echoes of Reyna and Liora’s brawl. A hush settled as Ethan remained standing, his arms crossed, eyes sweeping over his ragtag team.

He cleared his throat. "Alright. Listen up."

Reyna dropped into a chair with a dramatic huff, her arms folded, the table leg she’d brandished earlier now propped beside her like a weapon waiting for another round.

Liora perched herself on the edge of a table, folding her legs elegantly, crimson eyes glinting under the lamplight. She seemed the only one untouched by the earlier chaos, her silver hair perfectly in place.

Daniel, nursing a tender spot on his jaw, slumped against the wall, looking like he’d rather vanish into the shadows.

Ethan drew a long breath. "We’re leaving for the Empire. Tomorrow morning."

Three pairs of eyes locked onto him in silent unison. The room seemed to freeze, even the creak of the inn’s wooden beams falling still.

Reyna blinked first. "Tomorrow? Ye mean the big shiny Empire? With fancy-ass nobles and poncy people who wipe their arses with silk?"

Daniel sputtered. "I... uh... Ethan, ye can’t be serious. I thought maybe a week from now... or never...?"

"It’s not optional," Ethan said firmly. "Selene’s orders. There’s a summit happening. All the major forces will be there. Nobles, grandmasters, swordmasters... even the Top Fifteen. And..."

He hesitated, then continued. "All the mage tower masters."

Liora’s eyes glittered. "So... basically a whole city filled with people who’d enjoy cutting each other’s throats over politics and power?"

Ethan nodded grimly. "Exactly. And a lot of high-class people too. Which means..."

He turned to Liora, pinning her with a measured look. "Liora. Can you control your... presence? Your vampire aura. I don’t want anyone detecting you.

There’ll be some ridiculously strong individuals at this summit. I’m not about to let them hurt you—or any of us—because someone senses something they shouldn’t."

Liora tilted her chin, smirking faintly. "Ethan, please. Unless some dragon decides to sniff me out, nobody’s going to sense a thing. I’ve kept my presence hidden in places crawling with priests and holy knights. This summit won’t be any different."

Ethan let out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. Thank the gods...

"That’s good enough for me," he said. "We’ll just keep a low profile. Or as low as possible given... all of you."

Reyna gave a rude snort. "Ain’t no one gonna ignore me anyway. I’m too pretty to be invisible."

Daniel groaned. "Can’t we just... skip the Empire and go somewhere nice and quiet? Like a farm? Or a crypt. Crypt sounds peaceful."

Ethan gave him a wry smile. "Sorry, Daniel. No crypts. We leave at dawn. Get some rest."

Reyna muttered something about nobles and bar fights, while Liora merely inclined her head and swept off toward her bed. Daniel lingered by the table, eyeing Ethan warily.

"You’re serious about this, right? About takin’ us all into the lion’s den?"

Ethan nodded. "I’m serious. And I’m not leaving you behind. Any of you."

Daniel stared at him for a long moment before a tired grin cracked across his face. "Guess I’d rather be in a lion’s den with you lot than sittin’ alone in some inn waitin’ to get stabbed."

Ethan clapped him on the shoulder. "That’s the spirit."

One by one, his team began drifting toward their beds. Reyna stretched and yawned like a lioness. Liora swept past him with a brush of silvery hair and a soft, "Good night, Ethan," while Daniel practically collapsed onto his bunk with a groan.

Ethan lingered a moment longer. He crossed to the window and cracked it open, breathing in the cool night air.

Outside, Duskwatch exhaled under the stars, lanterns flickering like scattered embers.

Voices drifted up from the street below—merchants packing up carts, drunken laughter from nearby taverns, the distant toll of a watch bell.

Tomorrow... the Empire. And Velexaria...

The thought sent a strange ripple through his chest. A swirl of apprehension and curiosity.

He still remembered the last time he’d stood beside Velexaria on a battlefield, her voice dripping with sarcasm as she rained dark magic upon their enemies.

She’s probably still mad I blew up that tower in the east. Technically not my fault...

Finally, he exhaled and lifted his hand.

"System," he murmured.

[Opening System Interface...]

A cool blue glow shimmered into view, forming translucent panels filled with lists, icons, and progress bars. Ethan’s eyes narrowed as he flicked through his Quest tab.

Several notifications blinked at him insistently.

[You have unclaimed rewards from completed quests. Claim now?]

"Yeah," he whispered. "Claim them."

[Claiming all rewards...]

A rush of light washed over the panel.

[You have received:]

[50 Stat Points]

[1 A-Rank Skill Book: Voidrend Slash]

Ethan’s brows lifted. "Voidrend Slash...?"

He tapped the shimmering icon of the skill book.

[Voidrend Slash (A-Rank) — A devastating sword technique infused with dark magic. Unleashes a high-speed slash that tears through physical and magical defenses, leaving behind a rift of void energy that continues to deal damage over three seconds. Cooldown: 20 seconds.]

A grin spread slowly across his face. Now that... sounds fun.

Without hesitation, he selected [Learn Skill].

[Confirm learning "Voidrend Slash"?]

"Yes."

The moment he hit confirm, an invisible hammer seemed to slam into his skull.

AGH—!

He clutched the sides of his head as pain exploded through his temples like lightning. His vision blurred, spots of crimson and violet dancing across his sight.

Shit—this one’s... intense...

Fragments of knowledge poured into his mind—a torrent of runes, blade trajectories, mana circuits, the sensation of tearing through dimensions themselves. His entire body shuddered as though each nerve was being rewired.

The room tilted around him. His breath hissed through clenched teeth.

Come on... hold it together...

Sweat rolled down his neck as the knowledge carved itself into his memory like molten iron branding flesh. For a few terrifying seconds, it felt like his mind might split open.

Then, just as suddenly as it began, the agony vanished. Ethan sagged forward, gasping, a tremor running through his limbs.

Gods... every time it feels like dying. But... damn if it isn’t worth it.

He lifted his hand, watching faint wisps of violet energy curl around his fingers before fading. A new sense of power simmered beneath his skin—a sword technique he could barely wait to test.

[Voidrend Slash has been learned successfully.]

Ethan finally allowed himself to smile.

"Not bad," he murmured. "Not bad at all."

He closed the system panels, exhaustion crashing over him in a wave. But as he moved toward his bed, he paused, glancing around the room.

Reyna sprawled across her bunk, one arm hanging off the side. Liora lay utterly still, looking more like a statue than a person, silver hair fanned across her pillow.

Daniel snored softly, a dark bruise blossoming beneath one eye.

These lunatics... they’re my lunatics.

Ethan cracked a quiet laugh. Then he settled onto his mattress, staring up at the wooden beams above.

Tomorrow... the Empire. Velexaria... politics... dragons... whatever else fate wants to throw at me. I’ll be ready.

Sleep claimed him at last, drawing the night gently around him like a cloak.