Free Web NovelChapter 238: _Save You From Ruin
Phoenix Flight HQ
"N–Noona, what do you mean you’re... no but I didn’t—"
"Han Jae-won, please. I’m already in Seoul as we speak."
"But we had a deal."
"Deal? Brother, don’t flatter yourself."
In the lobby of the Phoenix Flight HQ, Han Jae-won had decided to reach out to his sister. He got word about Ambrose’s most recent Dungeon raid at the Steel Falcon Guild and felt like she should know.
Only for him to get struck with what might be the worst news possible.
His sister had given up on her tests with that pathetic Guide and decided to head back home.
Plain and simple.
Yet it also meant his main hope of ruining Ambrose Hale literally flew away.
"Noona," his voice was desperate as he walked into the lobby’s restroom. "Noona, you can’t do this. We... We were so close. All we needed was—"
"Close to making a fool of ourselves?" Ji-Hoon laughed dryly. "Jae-won, dear—just accept reality. There’s something beyond unusual with your ex or love rival or whatever he is."
"He means nothing to me!" Jae-won snapped.
"Hear yourself speak. If he means nothing then what’s with the obsession? Simply because he’s gotten with a man you couldn’t keep?"
"How can you say that, sister?"
"I didn’t lie, little brother," Ji-Hoon sighed. "Listen, I’m done and that’s final. I’ve washed my hands off that Guide. Who knows? Maybe one of these days he’ll accomplish something huge enough to prove just how potent his disconnection from the rivers of fate is."
Jae-won paused in front of a mirror.
He placed a hand on the sink, the other one trembling around the phone to his ear. "Y–You told me you’d get rid of him. That you’d do anything to—"
"Enough!" Ji-Hoon yelled. "Enough of this foolishness, Jae-won. Move on. We couldn’t accomplish our plans and that’s that. It was never about helping you with petty revenge. It was merely an experiment which turned out to be unfruitful."
One of the stalls behind him opened just then.
A man in the Guild’s Hunter uniform stepped out, huffing a satisfied breath as the sound of the toilet flushing resounded behind him.
He spotted Guide Jae-won as he strode to the sink beside him. He beamed when he got to him—but immediately regretted his life choices when the Guide inclined his head to him.
Jae-won’s dark eyes glinted under the restroom lights, icy and completely unfriendly.
The Hunter hastily washed his hands and hurried out of the restroom while Han Jae-won smiled wryly.
"So you’re just going to abandon me, Noona?"
"You could always come visit. Besides, I didn’t decline your call, did I?" His sister’s tone didn’t change. But then she switched to Korean. "Heed my final warning—cease your pursuit for revenge and channel that energy into literally anything else..."
A pause. "... If you don’t, I doubt any level of luck I can bestow you can save you from whatever ruin that befalls you. Take care, brother."
The line went dead before he could find words.
Silence.
He just stood there, staring blankly at his own reflection, his sister’s last words echoing over and over again in his head.
Ruin?
"Who’s going to ruin me?" His lips twisted with an ugly smile. "Him?"
Suddenly he recalled how his teammates had been beaten half to death by someone who was still unknown. Clues pointed to Ambrose.
But common sense made that idea hard to comprehend.
Unless... perhaps Ji-Hoon was more correct than she knew.
Ambrose Hale’s fate was disconnected from the rivers of fate. Uncontrollable by an SS-Rank like her. So far he’s managed to survive EVERY attack thrown his way.
Attacks that should’ve taken his life.
"Rory," he mumbled, his pupils dilating as a crazed grin shone on his face. "Could you actually be... above a C-Rank?"
★★★★★
Meanwhile, across the city, Ambrose stepped out of the Steel Falcon Guild building with his hands buried deep inside his pockets.
The late morning sun hung lazily overhead, casting long shadows across the compound. Yet instead of appreciating the weather, his thoughts remained stuck on Dorothy.
The entire conversation felt off.
Not because she offered him a penthouse.
Not even because she tried convincing him to take it.
But because something deep inside him kept insisting there was more to that interaction than what appeared on the surface.
"Maybe I’m getting paranoid." He muttered under his breath as he approached the main gates.
At this rate, he’d start suspecting every random stranger who looked at him funny.
Which honestly wasn’t impossible considering his life lately.
Just as he stepped onto the pavement outside...
"Guide Ambrose?"
The familiar voice made him pause.
He looked up.
Leon stood a few meters away, wearing a relaxed smile while casually waving at him.
"Leon." Ambrose nodded, returning his smile. "Didn’t expect to see you here."
"The same could be said for me." Leon chuckled before walking over. "How’ve you been since yesterday? Heard you scared half the Guild into thinking you died."
Ambrose barked a laugh. "Yeah, well. As you can see I’m still breathing."
"Clearly."
For a moment they simply stood there.
Then Leon rubbed the back of his neck. "Actually, there was something I wanted to ask."
Ambrose instantly became suspicious but didn’t show it. "Go ahead."
Leon’s smile widened. "Would you like to have dinner with me sometime?"
Silence.
Ambrose blinked slowly, wondering if he heard that wrong. "... Dinner?"
"Dinner."
His confusion must’ve shown because Leon laughed awkwardly. "I know it sounds sudden."
"A little."
Leon winced. "Fair enough."
Ambrose sighed. "Look, you’re nice and all but I’m not really looking for that kind of thing right now."
That wasn’t entirely true.
Considering Devon.
Viktor.
And whatever the hell Valentine was becoming.
Still, the answer remained no.
For the briefest second disappointment flickered across Leon’s face. Then he smiled again.
"That’s okay."
Except, instead of stepping back, he reached forward and grabbed Ambrose’s wrist.
The Guide frowned immediately. "Uhm...?"
"Just one thing before you go."
Confusion filled him as Leon slowly raised his head.
Their eyes met.
And Ambrose’s breath hitched.
The eyes that stared back at him were bright. Unusually bright.
Something twisted inside Ambrose’s chest as his heartbeat slowed.
The world tilted.
"What the—" The sentence never finished.
Darkness flooded his vision.
The street.
The buildings.
The sky.
Everything dissolved.
And then—it all descended into nothingness.
