NOVEL NEXT Chapter 7: Ch 6 - Ravian
Ravian had never felt like he belonged. Not in the great halls of the Ari Family's estate, not in the training grounds where his cousins perfected their needle techniques, and certainly not at the grand banquets where his family's pride and arrogance filled the air like a suffocating fog. For someone born into one of the most prominent branches of the Ari Family, Ravian felt more like an outsider than a member of a dynasty.
The Ari Family prided itself on discipline and perfection and Their Pacifist nature , qualities they believed were woven into their bloodline. But Ravian had always been different. His Shinshu techniques were erratic, his strikes unpredictable, and his demeanor too quiet. His elders viewed him as a flawed gem—one with potential but far too rough to polish.
Ravian's parents, who were both respected fighters, tried to mold him into the image of an ideal Ari warrior. His father would drag him to endless training sessions, barking orders while Ravian struggled to master the family's signature techniques. His mother, cold and calculating, would chastise him for every mistake, reminding him that the family name was not something he could tarnish with his failures.
But Ravian's problem wasn't a lack of skill—it was a lack of belief.
While his cousins thrived on the family's legacy and ideals, Ravian questioned them. Why did strength always have to be tied to pride? Why did individuality have to be sacrificed for the sake of tradition? These thoughts consumed him, but he never voiced them. Speaking against the Ari Family's values was akin to treason.
Everything was going fine until when Ravian's brother, Kallor, betrayed the family.
Kallor had been the golden child of their generation, a prodigy whose skills with a needle were unmatched. He was admired by the elders and envied by his peers. But one day, without warning, Kallor disappeared. Rumors spread that he had abandoned the family to join Wolhaiksong and cut ties with them.
The betrayal shook the Ari Family , Kallor's name was erased from the family records, and anyone caught speaking of him was punished. For Ravian, the loss was personal. Kallor had been the only person who understood him, the only one who saw the cracks in the family's facade.
For months, Ravian wrestled with conflicting emotions. Part of him hated Kallor for leaving without saying a word, for abandoning him in a family that would now scrutinize him even more closely. But another part of him admired his brother's courage. Kallor had done what Ravian had always dreamed of—he had walked away.
One night, during a gathering of the family's elders, Ravian overheard a conversation that shattered what little faith he had left in the Ari Family. The council wasn't concerned with Kallor's rebellion or the potential threat he posed. Instead, they were focused on how to use his defection to justify tightening their control over the younger generation.
"This isn't about loyalty," one elder said. "It's about ensuring obedience. If they see what happens to traitors, they'll fall in line."
Ravian clenched his fists as he listened. The family didn't care about Kallor—they didn't care about any of them. They only cared about preserving their power.
That night, Ravian made his decision. He would leave, just like Kallor had "Pacifists They just need justification to cause violence and prove they're right , a Bunch of Hypocrites"
Ravian's climb through the Tower was a lonely one. The Ari Family didn't send anyone after him, but he could feel their judgment lingering on him ,
Everywhere he went, Regulars whispered about him. He was the "Ari defect," the one who abandoned his family and their legacy , The one so many people dreamt of.
But Ravian didn't care. He was determined to forge his own path, free from the chains of his family's expectations.
It was on the 13th Floor that he encountered Karean. The swordsman was unlike anyone Ravian had met before—calm, confident, and unburdened by the weight of his own family's name. Karean didn't try to lecture Ravian or convince him to join his group. Instead, he simply offered him a choice.
"We're climbing the Tower together," Karean said. "No family, no legacies, just us. If you're looking for a place where you can be yourself, you're welcome to join."
Ravian hesitated at first. But something about Karean's words resonated with him. For the first time in his life, someone wasn't asking him to prove himself. They were offering him a chance to belong.
Now, as Ravian stood in the 35th Floor , He felt a strange sense of peace , The Defects weren't perfect—they were a group of misfits, each carrying their own burdens. But they had given Ravian something he had never known before , freedom.
He glanced at his needle, its polished surface reflecting the sky , It was a reminder of his past, a reminder of the family he had left behind. But it was also a symbol of his resolve.
Ravian wasn't climbing the Tower to prove himself to anyone—not his family, not his brother, not even the Defects. He was climbing because, for the first time, he had a purpose of his own.
As the wind picked up, Ravian turned away from the edge and began walking toward the Defects' camp. The Tower was vast and unforgiving, but Ravian had made his choice. And he wasn't looking back.