[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-villain-s-path-system":3,"chapter-villain-s-path-system-villain-s-path-system-chapter-27":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Villain's Path System",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":20,"prevChapterSlug":21,"totalChapters":22,"novelImage":23},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":16,"volume":17,"translator":18,"content_hash":19},1138432,1475,"Chapter 27: Ashen Temper","villain-s-path-system-chapter-27",27,"\u003Cp>The assassin steadied himself, shadow form settling back into stability. He studied her with that unreadable focus.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Interesting,\" he said, that distorted voice carrying genuine intrigue now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The seal is weakening. Faster than expected.\" A pause, as though he were reconsidering everything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This changes the situation considerably.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He lowered his blade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Stepped back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not retreating. Reassessing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"My contract was straightforward. Keep Valemont away from you. Prevent... complications.\" The featureless hood turned toward Lucian. \"Clearly, that’s no longer feasible.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lucian managed through gritted teeth, still clutching his broken ribs. His mind was already analyzing despite the pain. \"Then what, you’re going to kill us both?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I’m going to report this development to my employer. They will decide how to proceed.\" The assassin’s attention shifted back to Seraphina, and something in his stance suggested warning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But before I leave, a word of advice, Ashenblade. Whatever you felt just now—that power? It will get you killed if you’re not careful. There are forces in this world that hunt awakening Ashenblades specifically.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I don’t need advice from hired killers,\" Seraphina spat, her hand tightening on her sword despite the exhaustion clearly weighing on her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No. You need someone who understands what you’re becoming.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His head turned toward Lucian.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Before it consumes you—stay away from Valemont. He’s far too weak to survive what’s coming.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Wait—\" Lucian started, trying to push himself up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked at them both for a long moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he simply turned — and took one step backward into the shadow of the archway.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And was gone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gone,the way a flame goes out. Like the darkness had simply decided to keep him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lucian stayed on his knees, one hand clutching his ribs, eyes locked on the empty archway where the assassin had disappeared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every breath was agony. He tried to shift his weight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hss—fuck...\"He clutched his side, gritting his teeth.Definitely broken this time. Maybe two ribs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seraphina stood a few feet away, her sword still drawn. Blood seeped through her uniform from the gash on her shoulder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But she wasn’t looking at that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was staring at him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And her expression—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oh no.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Last night,\" she said quietly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her voice was entirely too calm. The kind of suffocating calm that came right before a catastrophic explosion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Seraphina—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her eyes found him with blazing fury.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"LAST NIGHT...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Y-you already fought him last night. You knew this psycho was hunting you... and you didn’t say aDAMNword to me?!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lucian tried to stand. Failed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I was going to—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"When?!\" she exploded. \"After he killed you?! He said he broke you like a twig! You were half-dead, and you just... you just smiled at me this morning and HID it?!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I didn’t want you involved—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I’M ALREADY INVOLVED!\" She slashed her sword through the air in pure frustration before aggressively sheathing it, as if afraid she might actually hit him. \"I defended you publicly! I put a target on my own back! I justfoughtfor you! And you thought keeping secrets was the right call?!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Sera, I’m sorry.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"DON’T.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She cut herself off. Turned away. The courtyard went dead quiet. Just for a second. And somehow, that sudden silence was infinitely worse than the shouting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I thought we were partners.\" her voice dropping to a low, hollow whisper. \"Forget it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She started walking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Seraphina.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She stopped. Didn’t turn around.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If it didn’t matter to you, you’d already be gone.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Silence. Heavy and suffocating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then she spun back, the rage returning in full force to her golden eyes—though they looked suspiciously glossy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You don’t get to do that,\" she snapped. \"You don’t get to say something like that and just—\" She gestured sharply. \"I’m angry at YOU. Stop making it complicated.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I’m not making it anything.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She took a shaky breath, her gaze dropping to the ground as her anger finally gave way to exhaustion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You ARE. I just— you could have told me. That’s all. You could have just told me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She looked away again. Done talking apparently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lucian let out a slow, painful breath, a faint, knowing smile touching his lips despite the agony.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So you do care.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She spun back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Well IF I DIDN’T, WHY THE HELL WOULD I BE—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She stopped. realizing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A fierce blush swept across her face, turning the tips of her ears bright red.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I—\" She looked away sharply. \"That’s not— I didn’t mean— I don’t care about YOU specifically. It’s just a strategy. If you die, my reputation takes the hit. That’s all.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lucian didn’t say a word. He just let out a soft, pained exhale, that faint, infuriatingly knowing smile never leaving his lips.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aww looked at her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It just IS! Stop trying to make this about—it’s not—I was just doing what anyone would—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No.\" He finally managed to get to his feet. Swayed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You did what you would do. Because that’s who you are.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She didn’t have an answer for that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She stood there, sword still in hand, blood on her shoulder, looking lost.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[AFFECTION INCREASED] Seraphina Ashenblade: 65 → 70\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Trigger:Confrontation reveals depth of care. She’s more hurt by secrets than the injury.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Alright, let’s move,\" Lucian said, breaking the silence. \"Before someone finds us here.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seraphina looked at the unconscious boy near the edge of the courtyard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What about him?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Leave him. He’ll wake up eventually. With a lot of questions.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And Elena?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Already ran. Probably halfway back to her dorm by now.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seraphina sheathed her sword. Finally,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Can you walk?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Do I have a choice?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Not really.\"\u003C\u002Fp>",912,"2026-06-03T12:08:46.595Z","2026-06-03T12:08:55.308Z",1,"novelbin.me","40e35dbc49ec7f1bf63b275579fa8ff22da94f953aa792b569e0ed9490e2a287","villain-s-path-system-chapter-28","villain-s-path-system-chapter-26",157,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fvillain-s-path-system-cover.jpg"]