I Ascend Alone-Chapter 114: Endless Key

The words dropped like thunder into my chest. My breath caught, and I felt the pressure of something vast—something distant yet inevitable—press against the edges of my awareness.

"I cannot tell you its shape, nor its name. Only that it moves... and it will reach Earth in time."

I furrowed my brows, stepping forward unconsciously. "What is it? What kind of calamity?"

But the Arbiter remained still, unmoving atop the throne of living stone.

"That, I do not know." His voice had quieted, but it carried the kind of finality that silenced questions before they formed. "Only that your current strength is insufficient. And when it comes, it will not give you time to prepare."

The Arbiter extended a hand, and a new light shimmered into existence. A small, jagged object began to form—a key forged of pure obsidian, wrapped in violet flame. Unlike the first dungeon key, this one pulsed with endless depth, as if it held a world inside it.

It hovered toward me, and I reached out, letting it settle into my palm.

It was cold, and yet it felt alive.

***

[ Abyssal Item Acquired: Endless Key ]— Dungeon Access: Infinite Uses— Designated Realm: Everdeep Bastion – Level-Scaling Abyssal Dungeon— Access Type: Monarch and Vassals Only

***

The Arbiter spoke once more as the key shimmered and sank into my inventory.

"Use this. Forge your strength in the abyssal crucible beyond the reach of time. Bring your vassals. Let them grow beside you. For what is coming..."

His four eyes pulsed again—once, then slowly dimmed.

"...will test more than just power. It will test your right to stand as Monarch."

The shadows surged once again beneath me, signaling the end of our meeting. The return.

I gave the Arbiter one final look. "I understand. I'll be ready."

He said nothing more. He only watched.

***

[ Returning to Earth... ]

[ Endless Key stored in Inventory ]

***

The darkness enveloped me, and the Abyssal Throne Room faded into nothingness.

But even as I returned to the waking world, the Arbiter's warning echoed like a drumbeat behind my thoughts.

The pull of the Abyss receded, and with a sharp rush of air—like the world snapping back into place—I found myself once again in the quiet, dimly lit guest room of Leon Vael's residence.

The cold vastness of the Abyssal Throne Room vanished, replaced by the faint scent of old wood, fresh linen, and the subtle hum of electricity. Moonlight spilled through the half-drawn curtains, casting pale stripes across the floorboards.

I stood there for a moment, unmoving. The weight of the Arbiter's warning still pressed against my chest like a vice.

A calamity is coming.

With a quiet sigh, I moved toward the bed and sat down slowly, the mattress dipping under my weight. The silence of the room settled around me, but my mind refused to rest. My fingers curled slightly against the edge of the mattress, still tingling from where I had gripped the Endless Key moments ago.

I opened my status interface instinctively—almost without thinking.

The [Endless Key] was there, sitting quietly in my inventory. Waiting.

I leaned forward, resting my elbows on my knees, hands laced together. My eyes stared blankly at the floor, lost in the swirl of thoughts and unknowns.

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I exhaled slowly.

"I need to get stronger," I muttered to myself. "Faster than ever."

A soft shift of shadow flickered near the wall, and I could feel Vorathos' presence reemerge nearby—silent, vigilant.

I glanced up slightly. "Vorathos... we've got work to do."

The shadow didn't move, but I felt his voice in my mind—firm, resolute.

"Whenever you are ready, My Liege."

I leaned back on the bed, staring up at the ceiling, the endless void of questions above me.

And soon... the first step into the Endless Dungeon below.

-

Warm sunlight filtered through the curtains, painting golden lines across the floor and walls. I blinked slowly, the remnants of sleep still clinging to the edge of my mind. For a brief moment, I had forgotten everything—the Arbiter, the throne, the warning... the key.

But reality returned swiftly, like a tide crashing against the shore.

I sat up in bed, rubbing the back of my neck, the soft hum of the city just barely audible outside Leon's residence. It was a peaceful sound, one that felt out of place given the gravity of what I had learned the night before.

The system menu appeared with a thought.

***

[ Inventory ]

Nox'Velathos (Abyss Monarch Daggers)Nox'Thalos (Bow of Abyss Monarch)

Umbral Vestige (Unique Armor)

Endless Key (A key to Everdeep Bastion - Infinite Use)

***

I stared at it for a while, weighing my options. The temptation to leap in immediately burned in my chest—but I knew I needed to approach this with a clear mind.

A soft knock tapped on the guest room door.

"Ryzen?" came Leon's voice, calm and steady. "You awake?"

"Yeah," I replied, running a hand through my hair. "Just got up."

Leon stepped into the room, dressed in a light gray hoodie and dark jeans, a coffee mug in hand. He looked at me with that usual calm expression of his, but there was something a little more casual about his posture today—less hunter, more human.

"Morning," he said, taking a sip from the mug. "You sleep alright?"

I gave a slow nod. "Yeah... more or less."

Leon didn't press. He walked over to lean casually against the dresser, glancing at me with that unreadable expression of his. "I'm heading out later this morning. Thought I'd give you a heads-up."

"Oh?" I tilted my head. "Hunter business?"

He shook his head lightly, the ghost of a smile tugging at his lips. "Nope. Picking someone up at the airport. My wife's flying in from Seoul."

I froze.

"...your wife?"

Leon raised an eyebrow at my reaction. "Yeah. Why?"

I blinked. "You're married?!"

"Six years now," he said matter-of-factly, sipping his coffee like he hadn't just dropped a bomb on me.

My brain tried to compute it. "You never said anything."

"Doesn't usually come up," Leon said with a shrug.

"Who... who is she?"

He finally cracked a grin. "Ahn Mirae."

I blinked again. The name hit like a truck.

"Ahn Mirae? Ahn Mirae—the number two S-Rank Hunter in the country? That Ahn Mirae?"

Leon gave a small, amused nod. "The very same. She's been stationed in Korea for the last couple years, working with the Dungeon Phenomena Research Division. Still takes high-level raid commissions on the side. Makes my schedule look slow."