I Ascend Alone-Chapter 103: The Aftermath

Before we moved to leave, I turned slightly toward Vorathos.

"Hide in my shadow," I said. "I'll call on you when needed."

Without a word, the knight nodded. His form began to dissolve, breaking apart into wisps of black mist that flowed toward me. In seconds, he was gone, his presence tucked away in the dark beneath my feet.

With that done, we began our walk back. The dungeon was quiet now. No more pressure. No more danger. Just silence.

We moved through the tunnels without rushing. Everyone was tired, but no one was hurt badly. A rare thing, considering what we'd just faced.

Eventually, we reached the exit. Daylight spilled in through the opening. As we stepped out, the warm air hit us, and for the first time in a while, we could breathe easy.

Outside, Hunter Association staff were waiting. The moment they saw us, people started rushing over.

"They made it!"

"They're alive!"

Medics and support hunters came running. Some had stretchers, others had healing tools or equipment. They checked us over, guiding the injured toward the mobile units set up nearby. Thankfully, most injuries were minor.

Raiden stretched his arms with a sigh. "Finally out."

Gabriel looked around. "Still can't believe it. We made it out alive really."

Leon grinned. "Kinda makes us look good, doesn't it?"

Ji Seong-Ho crossed his arms, looking calm. "Could've gone worse. We're lucky."

Alexander said nothing, but the nod he gave spoke volumes. His armor had a few cracks, and he was clearly drained, but he stood tall.

We didn't celebrate loudly, but the relief was clear on everyone's face.

Not long after, a group of black-suited staff approached, parting the crowd. At the front was President Theodore Hawke. He was calm, serious, and walked with purpose. His eyes scanned the group, then stopped on me.

"You've all returned," he said. "And without a single casualty. That's impressive."

He glanced past me briefly—likely sensing something—but didn't ask about it.

His focus turned to me. "Ryzen Kael, right?"

I nodded.

He studied me for a second, then nodded. "We'll talk more later. But for now—thank you. All of you."

He stepped back and gave a short wave to his staff. "Make sure they're taken care of. Priority recovery."

He looked at us one last time.

"Today, you've done more than finish a raid. You've kept everyone alive. That matters."

The staff around us moved in, guiding everyone to the medical stations and prepping transports for the trip back.

-

A few hours later, we were flown to a private Hunter Association facility in the U.S. It was quiet, away from the public eye—just what we needed after everything that happened.

The facility was modern and clean. Security was tight, and only top-ranking officials and staff were allowed inside. Each of us had our own room, and we'd been given time to rest and recover.

Now, we were gathered in a private conference room. The walls were lined with screens and sealed doors. The atmosphere was serious, but calm. Around the table sat Raiden, Gabriel, Leon, Ji Seong-Ho, Alexander, and me. President Hawke, Darius Vaughn, Alastair Crowe was there too, along with a few high-ranking officials and analysts.

Hawke looked at us all. "We've gone through the external reports. Now we need to hear it from you directly—what happened inside?"

Everyone looked at me, waiting for an answer.

I sat back in my chair, thinking for a second before speaking.

"I wasn't trying to show off," I said. "That wasn't the goal. I just... didn't want anyone to die. If I hadn't stepped in, people would've been killed. So I did what I had to."

There was a short silence after I spoke.

President Hawke nodded slowly. "We understand. No one's accusing you of anything. We're not here to force you to explain everything about your powers."

He leaned forward slightly, folding his hands on the table.

"But Ryzen... you hold a lot of power. More than most. The kind we've never seen before. What do you plan to do with it?"

I met his gaze. "I'm going to stop these gates. That's all. Whatever's behind them—whatever's causing this—I'll stop it."

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Hawke watched me for a moment, then gave a small nod. "That's a big promise."

"I know," I said. "But someone has to."

Alastair Crowe, who had been silent until now, spoke up. "You handled yourself well in the dungeon. And from what I've heard, you kept the entire team alive. That says a lot."

Darius Vaughn nodded in agreement. "You've earned our respect, Ryzen. But you'll have to be careful. The more you use that power, the more eyes will be on you. Not just from us. From other countries too."

"I get it," I said. "I didn't ask for this, but I'm not running from it either. As long as these gates keep opening, I'll keep fighting."

The room was quiet again. No one argued. No one pushed further.

Hawke stood up. "That's enough for now. We'll monitor the situation and keep everything confidential. You all did your jobs, and you did them well."

He looked at the rest of the group.

"Get some rest. You've earned it."

As they started to leave the room one by one, Raiden glanced at me and gave a nod. Gabriel patted me on the shoulder as he passed by. Leon gave a quick thumbs-up. Ji Seong-Ho and Alexander said nothing, but they didn't need to.

I sat there for a moment longer, my shadow flickering slightly under the chair.

Vorathos remained silent within it.

But I knew the peace wouldn't last forever. More gates would come. And when they did—I'd be ready.