Ten figures appeared at the entrance of the Whitmore family’s Hidden Territory in the blink of an eye. Lyla was among them, giving instructions with practiced ease.
Victor and Regis had been paired together. Markham with Blackie. Leeroy with Micah. Ryan stood beside a man Ethan didn’t recognize, while Lyla herself was partnered with Dragon Child.
Ethan frowned. What were they planning? Each team had the sa pattern: one local guide paired with a strong fighter. And that unfamiliar man... he seed oddly familiar, though Ethan couldn’t place him.
The last ti Ethan had crossed paths with Starfall, in the Silverwood family’s Hidden Territory, he hadn’t gotten a proper look at the man’s face. Back then, Starfall had been shrouded in ghostly energy, black smoke curling around him like a second skin. Now there was none of that. His aura felt entirely different—ordinary, almost human. No wonder Ethan hadn’t recognized him.
From his vantage point above, Ethan realized that if he didn’t act soon, the group would be gone. He tightened his grip on Celeste’s hand and leapt from the sky. The instant they erged from Shatterstar’s stealth field, their bodies beca visible, suspended in midair.
"Who’s there?" The group below tensed at once, wary eyes turning upward.
"Ethan?"
"Boss?"
Voices rang out in surprise. Lyla’s face lit up with shock and relief. Dragon Child’s reaction, however, soured almost instantly into disdain. She had noticed the woman at Ethan’s side—an elegant figure in a wide-brimd hat that hid her face. With a body that perfect, her looks had to be equally striking.
Dragon Child’s thoughts turned mocking. He hadn’t been gone long, yet here he was already dragging back another woman. Typical.
Even Lyla hesitated for a heartbeat, though her delight quickly returned. With Ethan here, the mission felt a little less uncertain. As for the woman in the hat—Celeste—Lyla knew her instantly. She might not understand why Celeste was hiding her face, but that silhouette was impossible to mistake.
Ethan and Celeste landed before the group. He had originally planned to gather everyone, but to his surprise, they were already assembled and organized.
"Ethan..."
"Senior..."
Voices greeted them. Lyla stepped forward eagerly, looping her arm through Celeste’s.
"Lyla... it’s been too long," Celeste said warmly, brushing her fingertips against Lyla’s hand with an intimacy that made Ethan’s brows knit.
"Senior, you—" he began cautiously.
"What about ?" Celeste cut in with a sly smile. "Can’t a girl have a little fun both ways?" Her arm slid casually around Lyla’s waist.
"...Fine, you win," Ethan muttered, recognizing her playful jab and deciding not to push it further.
He cleared his throat. "So, what’s with this whole operation? Where are you headed?" His eyes swept across the group, sharp with curiosity.
Nobody answered at first. Instead, every gaze shifted to Lyla.
"Rainie Chen... was kidnapped," she said carefully, watching Ethan’s face. "We were preparing to investigate."
Ethan rubbed at his nose, a flicker of discomfort in his expression. "So you already know? Did Leo co back? And where’s Williams?"
"Boss..." Victor’s voice ca out hesitant. He understood the weight behind those nas. Williams was like his own brother, and the last thing he wanted was a clash between Ethan and him.
But Ethan waved him off before he could say more. "No need to explain. I already know enough. Let’s head inside first—I have sothing important to tell you all."
Throughout the entire exchange, Starfall had been quietly studying Ethan, his gaze sweeping from head to toe. Even after Ethan led everyone into the Whitmore family’s Hidden Territory, the man hadn’t said a single word. Blackie drifted to his side, and the two walked ahead, whispering in low tones.
On the way to the Whitmore family shrine, Ethan glanced at them and asked the group, "Who’s that man?"
The reactions were odd. Faces tightened, so turned away, and even Lyla only offered a small, knowing smile. Not a single person gave him an answer. Ethan was left frowning in confusion.
Up ahead, Blackie and Starfall continued their quiet talk, glancing back at him now and then. Ethan considered using his Soul Sense to catch their words, but stopped himself. These were his people. Eavesdropping on them would only sow distrust.
The journey passed under a strange silence, and soon they reached the Whitmore shrine. The hall was still crowded; no one had dispersed. Evelyn lingered near Leo, examining him with fascination, still unable to contain her curiosity over the body that had sohow beco undead.
When the other won spotted Ethan, they broke into smiles of relief and joy. He returned their greetings warmly, though his eyes kept flicking toward Leo.
Just then, Celeste appeared in the doorway. At the sight of Ethan, Leo’s vertical pupils contracted in excitent. He half-rose to greet him, but froze mid-motion when his gaze caught the figure entering behind Ethan.
Celeste, her wide-brimd hat still shading her face, stopped in the threshold. For a heartbeat, neither she nor Leo spoke. Their eyes locked, and the air between them grew tense. Recognition flared instantly on both sides.
Ethan noticed the sudden shift and felt his curiosity spike, but he didn’t interrupt. Instead, he gathered everyone together and went straight to business, outlining his plan.
The more he explained, the more stunned the group beca. Even Matriarch Whitmore, who had always prided herself on composure, stared at him wide-eyed. And when Ethan declared his intention—to wipe out both the Originalist and Dissenter factions within a single day—she outright called it impossible.
Ethan only smiled, unruffled. Without further words, he pulled out pen and paper, quickly writing down a long list of nas, addresses, and affiliations, noting each individual’s cris in detail.
"Take this list first," he said. "As for the full evidence, I’ll prepare that shortly."
Matriarch Whitmore scanned the docunt. The deeper she read, the more her face hardened. When she finally lifted her head, her voice shook. "Where did all of this co from? These are respected nas—trusted nas. Are you certain every detail you’ve written is true?"
Ethan smiled faintly. "Matriach, have you heard of soone called Director Vaughn?"
Her breath caught. "Director Vaughn? From the Ninth Division?"
He nodded lightly. "That’s the one. I crushed him to death not long ago. Then I used Soul Reading to pull this information directly from his mind."
The words were delivered so casually, but they landed like thunderclaps. mbers of the Whitmore family—and even the Chase siblings—stared at Ethan in pure shock.
They all knew who Director Vaughn was. Perhaps the Umbral Star didn’t, but they did. He was no ordinary man—he was the supre leader of the Ninth Division’s Originalist faction.
"Impossible," Matriarch Whitmore said flatly. Her voice had lost its earlier warmth, her expression growing dark. "Completely impossible."
Her disbelief was sharp, almost hostile.
Ethan studied her quietly, then his tone dropped to a chill. "Matriach... what exactly do you an?"
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