Ascension Gates: Rise of the Beast Monarch-Chapter 39: Mission to the Ashen Wildlands

After the exciting matches and evolving fire pup to his limit. Aether is bored in academy. He needs some excitement besides ranking up. Also he needs to find his second beast.

As with evolution of his beasts, he already reached next stage but due to his special talent he need next beast to breakthrough

So he now have only one way to filled those both requirements and warn some credits.

Which is Task Hall. This can produce or published tasks from their and others requirements, which after completion they can collect the rewards, which were most of times are credits. But in some rare and extreme cases the rewards can be a beast egg, a mystical herb or exilers, etc.

The academy’s Task Hall was filled with noise that morning.

Students gathered around the large crystal mission board, discussing the newest tasks released by the academy.

Some missions were simple.

Collecting herbs.

Escorting merchants.

Clearing weak monsters near nearby villages.

But among the many missions posted that day, one stood out.

It was marked with a deep crimson crystal symbol.

A dangerous mission.

One that most students avoided.

A group of second-year students stood nearby reading the description.

One of them whispered nervously.

"Why would the academy even release this mission to students?"

Another student shook his head.

"No idea... but no one is stupid enough to take it."

A third student read the details again.

Location: Ashen Wildlands

Objective: Investigate ancient ruins and eliminate unknown threats

Reward: 1200 Academy Points

The moment someone heard the reward, several nearby students gasped.

"1200 points?!"

"That’s insane!"

"But the Ashen Wildlands... that place is basically monster territory."

No student stepped forward.

Everyone knew the reputation of that land.

The Ashen Wildlands were a cursed region located several hundred kilometers from the academy.

Long ago, an ancient civilization had existed there.

But the entire land had eventually fallen into ruin after a catastrophic magical war.

Now the land was filled with powerful monsters, unstable mana zones, and mysterious ruins.

Many adventurers entered the wildlands seeking treasure.

Not all returned.

---

Aether stood quietly in front of the board.

His eyes scanned the mission description carefully.

Most students focused on the danger.

But Aether noticed something else.

A small note written beneath the mission description.

"Strange demonic energy detected near the ruins."

That line immediately caught his attention.

Demonic energy.

It was extremely rare in the lower world.

Usually it appeared only near sealed creatures or ancient curses.

Aether’s gaze sharpened slightly.

Because he remembered something.

During his days in academy, he reads most of ancient books and their torn documents.

He had read about a rare beast species connected to demonic energy.

Those species are now almost impossible to find.

But if one were discovered...

It could become an extremely powerful companion.

His mind worked quickly.

If a one of those beasts from ancient text says, was sealed in those ruins...

Then this mission might be the opportunity he had been waiting for.

His second beast.

---

Behind him, a familiar voice suddenly spoke.

"You’re staring at that mission too long."

Aether turned.

Kael stood behind him with his arms crossed.

Beside him stood Mira.

Kael looked at the mission board and immediately frowned.

"You can’t be serious."

Mira shook her head.

"That mission is suicidal."

"The Ashen Wildlands are filled with elite monsters."

Kael pointed toward the board.

"Even third-year students avoid that place."

Aether looked back at the mission.

Then he placed his academy badge against the crystal board.

The crystal glowed.

MISSION ACCEPTED

Several students nearby gasped.

"He took it!"

"Is he insane?!"

"That’s the Ashen Wildlands!"

Kael covered his face with one hand.

"I knew it."

Mira sighed.

"You’re really doing this..."

Aether simply nodded.

"Yes."

---

Later that afternoon, Aether stood near the academy gates.

A travel pack rested over his shoulder.

Beside him stood his beast.

The Flame Sovereign Pup. (Even though his name is Hell Sovereign, everyone doesn’t know about it so, thet just call him that)

Its twin flame tails swayed gently behind it.

Ever since its evolution, the beast had grown stronger and more confident.

Several students passing through the gate stopped to stare at it.

But Aether ignored them.

His attention was on the road ahead.

Instructor Dren soon approached.

"So you accepted the Ashen Wildlands mission."

Aether nodded.

"Yes."

Dren looked at him carefully.

"You understand the risks."

"I do."

The instructor sighed slightly.

"You’re not the type to change your mind, are you?"

Aether remained silent.

Dren shook his head and handed him a small crystal device.

"Emergency signal beacon."

"If things go wrong, activate it."

Aether accepted it.

"Thank you."

Dren studied the Flame Sovereign Pup for a moment.

"That beast of yours is strong."

"But the wildlands are unpredictable."

"Don’t underestimate what you might find there."

Aether nodded.

"I won’t."

---

By sunset, Aether had already left the academy behind.

The road toward the Ashen Wildlands stretched across hills and forests.

The Flame Sovereign Pup walked beside him silently.

Occasionally its flames flickered as it sensed distant monster presences.

They traveled for nearly two days.

The further they went, the more the environment changed.

The trees grew darker.

The air became heavier.

And faint traces of ash covered the ground.

Finally, on the third evening, Aether reached the border of the wildlands.

A massive burned forest stretched across the horizon.

Blackened tree trunks stood like silent skeletons beneath the red sunset.

The land looked scarred.

As if it had once been consumed by a massive fire.

"This is it," Aether said quietly.

The **Ashen Wildlands**.

The Flame Sovereign Pup growled softly.

It could feel the dangerous aura filling the land.

Powerful monsters lived here.

Many of them.

But Aether walked forward without hesitation.

"Let’s go."

---

The deeper they entered the wildlands, the more eerie the atmosphere became.

Ash drifted slowly through the air like gray snow.

Ancient broken structures occasionally appeared among the burnt trees.

Remains of a civilization long destroyed.

Hours passed.

Then suddenly—

The Flame Sovereign Pup stopped.

Its ears twitched.

It growled low.

Aether immediately noticed.

"You sense something?"

The beast nodded.

Aether closed his eyes and focused his senses.

Then he felt it.

A faint energy pulse deep within the wildlands.

Dark.

Seductive.

Dangerous.

Demonic energy.

Aether opened his eyes slowly.

"So it’s real..."

The signal was coming from deeper within the ruined land.

From what looked like the remains of an ancient temple.

Aether’s heartbeat remained calm.

But inside, he knew something important.

That energy was not from an ordinary monster.

It was something else.

Something ancient.

Something sealed.

And if his guess was correct...

Then deep inside those ruins waited a creature that had been imprisoned for centuries.

A beast which can make past generation live in fear and one which they can not kill.

If they can, then it should not be imprisoned.

And soon...

Their paths would meet.