Novels by Aster_Pheonix

Hale’s voice tore through the suffocating pressure like a blade. “Hold the line! Formation—now!” His command snapped the group into motion by instinct alone. Kael and Dren moved to the front despite the fear clawing at their throats, blades raised. Boros planted himself beside Hale, shield up, axe glowing faintly with mana. Kira stood behind them, staff shaking in her grip as she began chanting, green sigils spiraling into the air. Hale’s mind was racing. Twenty Death Knights. This wasn’t a battle. It was an execution waiting to happen. “Kira—barrier! Full output, now!” His shout cut through the chaos like a blade. Kira didn’t hesitate. She slammed the butt of her staff into the stone floor, teeth clenched as she poured every drop of mana she could muster into the spell. Runes flared beneath her feet, expanding outward in a radiant dome of pale-blue light that enveloped the entire group. The barrier formed just in time. Steel slammed into it. BOOOOM—! The first Deat

Standing in front of the lich in rigid, unyielding armor wasA skeletal knight. It was tall—far taller than any human—its body encased in thick, overlapping plates of blackened armor. The skull-shaped helm bore no expression, yet crimson light burned fiercely within its hollow eye sockets. Dark mist seeped continuously from the joints of its armor, pooling around its feet like crawling smoke. The massive broadsword it held rested loosely at its side. As if blocking Boros’ full-powered charge had required no effort at all. Kira’s fingers trembled around her staff. Her voice came out in a fragile whisper. “W-What… what is that thing?” Hale’s face had drained of color. His throat tightened before he answered. “A Death Knight.” The words dropped like a death sentence. The pressure in the hallway intensified, pressing down on their chests, making it harder to breathe. Hale swallowed and continued, his voice low but firm, as though forcing himself to remain composed. “Elite undea

Miles’ heartbeat slowed instead of quickening. A double rift nest. His suspicion had been right from the moment they stepped into the boss chamber and found another rift waiting behind the sealed doors. Now the system itself had confirmed it. This was no longer just an instructor-led raid or a training exercise twisted by circumstance. This was a mission. And the system did not generate missions lightly. Miles clenched his fist slowly. Declining wasn’t an option—not for him. Not when the system had already marked the target. Whatever lay beyond the second rift, he would face it. Around him, the argument continued to rise in volume. Kael was cautious, his voice tight with concern. Dren sounded uncertain but alert. Boros, as expected, dismissed every warning with sharp laughter and biting confidence. Hale stood at the center of it all, visibly conflicted, weighing risk against necessity. Miles finally lifted his head. “There’s no point arguing,” he said calmly. The group fell

The instructor ordered a short rest. Kira sat down heavily, breathing shallow as she recovered her mana. Dren lay back against the cave wall, eyes closed in exhaustion. Kael remained silent, frustration etched deep into his expression. Boros leaned casually against his axe, completely unbothered. Minutes passed. Then Hale stood. “We move.” As they pushed deeper into the cave, the environment changed. The stone walls grew smoother, darker, veins of dull mana pulsing faintly beneath the surface. But the monsters they encountered were… underwhelming. Stone golems that crumbled under coordinated strikes. Undead skeletons that shattered like dry twigs. Each victory came easier than the last. Boros laughed loudly as he crushed a skeleton’s skull beneath his boot. “See?” he said arrogantly. “All that worry for nothing. If this is what an ‘evolved’ rift looks like, the Association seriously overhyped it.” No one answered him. Miles’ steps slowed. Something was wrong.

Hale was sent crashing across the cave floor, his sword clattering from his grip. Pain exploded through his ribs—something cracked. He gasped, vision blurring. “Captain!” Dren shouted. Dren rushed in, teeth clenched, blade flashing as he aimed for the troll’s knee. His strike landed but it was too shallow. The troll backhanded him. CRUNCH—! Dren’s body folded unnaturally as he was hurled through the air, slamming into the cave wall. He hit hard, sliding down limply, blood streaking from the corner of his mouth. “Kira—!” Hale shouted. “Heal them—now!” Kira was already moving. She raised her staff, panic flashing in her eyes as green light poured forth, wrapping around Hale and Dren. But the troll saw it. Its head snapped toward her. Its Yellow eyes locked onto the glowing figure at the back. It roared and charged. “Kira—move!” Miles shouted from behind. Kael rushed forward, placing himself between Kira and the troll, sword raised despite the tremor in his arms. “Over my

Hale turned around the corner and shouted. “Attack.” he yelled as he charged towards the Lizardcop, which was waiting around the corner. One of the trolls suddenly paused. Its head lifted. Yellow eyes narrowed. “ROOOAAAGH—!” The roar shook the cave. Step, step— Boros charged first. The stone floor cracked beneath his boots as mana surged through his body.His shield slammed forward as his axe flared with faint mana reinforcement. He crashed into the first troll like a battering ram, the impact echoing thunderously as stone-like skin cracked under the force. BOOM—! The creature staggered back, roaring in surprise as Boros followed with a brutal axe swing that carved into its thigh. “Too slow!” Boros laughed. The troll retaliated, swinging a massive fist down like a falling boulder—but Boros planted his shield and absorbed the blow head-on. CRASH—! Dust exploded outward. Behind him, Hale and Dren moved in perfect sync. Hale swept in from the left, longsword flashing as he

Robert's facial expression turned sour as he was utterly displeased that Sarah was able to see right through his facade without much difficulty. She had always been sharp witted but he expected that her sense of reasoning would be clouded by the excitement of being given a chance to return back to t

At this moment, Robert was only concerned about forming a successful collaboration with Ace Enterprise more than paying attention to his kinship.“Thank you, Father. I'm glad you finally understood what I was talking about earlier. As you can see, there's no need for us elites to mingle with the low

Theodore hurriedly used the clues he had gathered and was able to realize that everything happening right now was Thomas’s idea. It occurred to him that Thomas must have made some sort of deal with Robert to allow Sarah to become an Anderson again in exchange for her helping the family establish a c

Meanwhile, Ryan was utterly disgusted by Sarah's remark and concluded that he was being arrogant considering her lowly status. As a result he was unable to refrain himself from lashing at her in a stern voice despite Robert's warnings. “You are just an ungrateful bitch, Sarah. This family has rules

“I don't know how you were able to pull it off but one thing is surely clear and that's the fact Miss. Evans must be really treating you well if you are able to afford such a lovely dress and luxury car.” Thomas commented in a flattering tone as he made the assumption that Sarah could only afford to

The party progressed without any more significant ruckus after Robert had stated his verdict. Everyone could only hold onto their thoughts and respective dissatisfaction about Sarah and William’s presence since nobody wanted to take any chances of offending Robert. They could grumble and glare at S

The evening settled gently over the White family mansion, bringing with it a rare sense of calm. The chaos of the past days had finally receded, leaving behind a quiet that felt earned rather than fragile. Warm lights glowed through tall windows, and the dining room—grand as ever—felt softer tonight, less like a place of strategy and power and more like a space meant for family. Dinner had been prepared carefully, with dishes chosen to be light and comforting rather than extravagant. Eva sat at the table beside Chris, her posture relaxed, though his hand remained subtly close to hers, as if either of them might reach out at any moment without thinking. Across from them sat Elliot and Amanda. Amanda had been unusually quiet since they arrived, her usual easy chatter replaced by a barely contained energy that made her shift in her seat more than once. Eva noticed, of course. She always did. Amanda barely touched her food, glancing between Eva and Chris, then at Elliot, who looked com

The garden was quiet in the way only the White family grounds could be—manicured perfection softened by night air, lantern lights glowing low among hedges and rosebushes. Gravel crunched faintly beneath their steps as Elliot and Amanda walked side by side, the distant mansion behind them slowly fading into silence. Amanda had her arms folded loosely, her expression still bright with lingering emotion. She hadn’t quite come down from the joy of the moment—the surprise, the warmth, the sense that something good had finally taken root after so much chaos. Elliot glanced at her, studying her profile. “You seemed genuinely happy,” he said at last. “About Eva’s pregnancy.” Amanda smiled without hesitation. “Of course I was.” She slowed her steps, turning her head slightly to look at him. “Eva isn’t just my friend. She’s been my best friend since we were kids. I know every ugly chapter it took for her to get here. The losses, the fear, the times she almost gave up.” Her voice softened.

The door closed behind him, and for a brief moment, laughter lingered in the air—soft, disbelieving, almost fragile. Then the room settled again. Chris shifted slightly against the pillows, his expression sobering as he turned his attention to Ethan. “What about Mason?” The name carried no heat now. No fury. Just a need for finality. Ethan straightened. “Cara transported him to the Crimson Legion headquarters shortly after you arrived here. He’s been placed in their highest-security prison—isolated, monitored, and restrained.” “No loopholes?” Chris asked quietly. “None,” Ethan said firmly. “He’ll never be a problem again. Not to you. Not to Eva. Not to the White family.” Chris exhaled, a slow breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. Something inside him loosened—not triumph, not satisfaction, but relief. “Good,” he said. He glanced around the room then—at Amanda hovering near Eva, at Elliot standing near the window, at Ethan waiting silently. “Please,” Chris sai

Chris slowly lifted his uninjured hand and cupped her cheek, his thumb brushing away a tear before it could fall. “Listen to me,” he said firmly, though his voice remained gentle. “Your kidnapping wasn’t your fault. It was mine.” Her lips parted in protest, but he continued. “I was reckless. I underestimated my enemies. I let my guard down—and you paid the price for it.” His jaw tightened. “That won’t happen again. I promise you. No harm, no danger will disrupt our lives like this anymore.” She searched his eyes, as if trying to see whether those words were merely comfort—or a vow carved in stone. “I believe you,” she said softly. At that moment, the door swung open again. “Well, well,” a familiar, amused voice drawled. “Looks like the hero finally rose from the dead.” Amanda strolled in with an exaggerated sigh, hands on her hips. “I was starting to think I’d need to attend your funeral just to confirm you weren’t actually immortal.” Chris huffed weakly. “Nice to see

A day later, Chris woke to silence. Not the eerie, suffocating silence of unconsciousness—but the gentle, familiar quiet of home. Soft sheets cradled his body. The faint scent of polished wood and clean linen lingered in the air. Sunlight filtered through half-drawn curtains, painting warm streaks of gold across the ceiling. For a few seconds, he simply stared upward, blinking slowly. …My room? The realization came with confusion rather than relief. His body felt heavy, as if gravity had doubled overnight. A dull ache pulsed through his ribs, his arm throbbed beneath layers of bandages, and every breath reminded him that he’d been pushed well past his limits. Still, compared to the last thing he remembered—blood, pain, Mason’s twisted grin—it was… peaceful. Too peaceful. His brows furrowed as fragmented memories surfaced. Eva’s scream. Mason’s grip. The burning fury that had drowned out everything else. Then darkness. How long was I out? As if summoned by the thou

The door opened, and Charles strode in. For a man who usually carried himself with composed authority, his unease was unmistakable. His eyes swept the room immediately, landing on Chris’s battered form before snapping to Eva. “Eva,” he said sharply, crossing the room in long strides. “Are you hurt?” She shook her head quickly. “I’m okay,” she said, then corrected herself. “Mostly. Chris—he—” “I know,” Charles said, his voice softening as he placed his hands on her shoulders, inspecting her carefully. Relief flickered across his face when he found no serious injuries. “Thank God.” Her throat tightened. “He saved me. He got there just in time.” Charles closed his eyes briefly, exhaling. When he looked back at Chris, something dark and dangerous passed through his gaze. Gratitude, yes—but also fury at the cost. The doctor cleared his throat. “Mr. White, I’m going to need the room cleared. Master Chris requires complete rest.” Eva stiffened immediately. “I’ll stay.” Charles hesit