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Lucian's Section
Lucian Drake's smile vanished. He shot to his feet, the chair screeching across the floor.
"—Missing? Since when? Why the hell didn't you say so earlier?!"
He yanked on his coat, fingers white-knuckled with tension. "I'm heading to Eastforest right now."
Soren didn't move. His voice cut through the room like a frostblade."This time... we can't use official channels."
Lucian froze mid-step. His head turned slowly. "You mean…?"
"Serena Quinn. Peak Mid-Tier. Dual-class Esper—Augment and Trait." Soren tapped a slow rhythm against his teacup. "Disguise. Infiltration. Close combat. Mission success rate: 100%."
Lucian's jaw clenched. "So, basically—hard to find, harder to fight."
Soren nodded. "Nobody else knew she was heading to Eastforest. Just me."
"Heaven knows, earth knows... and I know," Lucian muttered, eyes narrowing into slits.
A batch of Illusionite had surfaced—deep-sea fishermen in Eastforest hauled it up by accident. Serena went to verify. Within twenty-four hours, radio silence.
"Inside leak?" Lucian's eyes darkened, fury twisting through his expression. "Or that Prophet girl again?"
"Your flight's booked. Two o'clock. Private."
Lucian paused, then slumped back onto the couch. His rings tapped softly on the armrest, fingers twitching with frustration.
"I thought you called me here to talk about Callan," he said quietly. "Rumor says he found the Nine Abyss Source in Blackridge. Hit Peak Mid-Tier."
Soren cupped his tea. The surface had frosted over.
"He's been backed by four major sources ever since his engagement to the White family heiress. His rise has been... accelerated."
"Let's hope this has nothing to do with him."He downed the tea in a single gulp.
Lucian's stare lingered. "You're going up against your own family, you realize that?"
"You're five years older than him," he added, voice low. "But that's all you've got now."
Soren leaned back, robe falling slightly open—chiseled muscle catching in the cold downlight, silent and sharp. His eyes remained fixed on the ceiling, lips twitching faintly.
Lucian sighed. "You and your damn lone-wolf attitude..."
Then his tone changed—mischief flaring.
"Wait a sec." He dragged his chair closer, grin going feral."Celia White looks at you like you drowned her childhood puppy. Don't tell me you—"
[LUSTRA.Log]⚠️ Observation: Celia White's hostility level toward Target Soren Wolfe – 97%.💡 Suggested Action: Ship It.❌ Correction: Please do NOT ship it. That woman terrifies even me.
Soren gave a dry chuckle. "We've only met once. At her engagement to Callan."
But even now, he could still feel that unnatural glare.Too sharp. Too personal.She was always one step ahead—intel drops, talent poaching, even the Source leak.
Prophecy? Or something... darker?
Lucian's eyes lit up again. "You should just marry into the Seymour family in the Western Dunes. They're desperate to break into Capital City. Got mines. Got money. Got no shame."
He leaned in. "Their heiress—Selene Seymour. Elemental class. Hot. And I mean both literally and emotionally."
"Land her, retire early. No more suicide missions for Serena. Win-win."
Aside from her volcanic temper, she was basically perfect.
But the mention of Serena flicked Lucian's mood right back down. His jaw tightened.
"I'm going," he muttered, already heading for the door. "Watch your back, man."
Soren's Section
Soren stayed seated for a long moment after Lucian left, then picked up his phone.
99+ unread messages.
Mostly one source.
Avery Blake.
Latest one: Pork skewer. 2 credits.
He scrolled. Then froze.
A new message had popped up.
From: Wolfe Family PatriarchLocation: seaforth town, Westlake ProvinceTarget Rank: 5Instruction: Return. ASAP.
Rank 5?
Ezekiel Grimm. The Veiled Order's top assassin.Mid-Tier Peak Psionic. Nearing High-Tier.
One of the deadliest Espers in the Federation.
Eastforest. Westlake.Two opposite corners of the Union.Two elite Espers.Both active. At once.
Coincidence?
Soren didn't think so.
He made the call. The Patriarch's voice came on, clipped and cold."Callan is en route to Westlake. He'll assist in the Grimm hunt."
If Callan landed the kill, his promotion to the Judicator Bureau's Top Ten would be locked in.
"Take out Ezekiel Grimm," the Patriarch added."And our pact is fulfilled. Your parents' relics will be returned.You may choose—stay or sever all ties."
Soren's reply was calm.
"Send me the full dossier. No need to involve Callan.Two Mid-Tier Elementals will be enough."
He hung up.
His gaze drifted to the window.
Ezekiel Grimm. The Veiled Order's reaper.A ghost cloaked in illusions.Never missed a mark.
If Grimm was in Clearhaven... someone was going to die.
"Do-Re-Mi."
Another text alert.
Soren glanced down.
Blood-Nourishing Herbal Tea – 130 creditsTransaction complete.
Avery. Again.
Even in the middle of a manhunt, she was buying health tonics.
His lips twitched despite himself.
"Midnight barbecue and now wellness tea?"He smirked."Guess the rookie's finally learning self-care."