I Ascend Alone-Chapter 23: Leon Vael Part II

The room fell into silence. For a long moment, neither of us spoke.

Then, Leon finally let out a breath. His shoulders sagged slightly, but his eyes never left mine.

"You're right," he admitted, his voice quieter now. "I don't know what that's like." He exhaled through his nose. "But if I did... I think I'd be just as angry as you are now."

I frowned, caught off guard by his words.

Leon ran a hand through his hair, his expression unreadable. "I can't change the past, Ryzen. I can't undo what happened. But I swear to you—if I had known you were alive, I never would've stopped looking."

His words carried weight, sincerity. And yet...I wasn't sure if I could believe them. Not yet. Not after everything.

I leaned back against the hospital bed, exhaling sharply. "Then why are you here now?"

Leon's expression hardened. "Because I found you. And I won't lose you again."

I narrowed my eyes. "What do you mean by that?"

Leon's gaze didn't waver. "You're coming with me. You'll live in City A from now on."

I blinked, caught off guard. "And why the hell would I do that?"

Leon sighed, rubbing his temples like he was already exhausted by the conversation. "Because this place isn't safe for you anymore, Ryzen."

I scoffed. "Oh? And you suddenly care now?" My voice dripped with sarcasm. "Where was this concern for the past ten years?"

Leon's jaw tightened, but he didn't take the bait. Instead, he leaned forward, his voice dropping lower. "I don't expect you to trust me. But I need you to understand—things have changed."

His expression darkened, something unreadable flickering in his eyes. "The Hunter Association is watching you. The Guilds are talking. And after what happened in the dungeon... you're not just some nameless survivor anymore."

I clenched my fists beneath the hospital blanket. I knew that. I wasn't stupid. After killing that warlord, after unlocking a power unlike anything I had ever seen, it was only a matter of time before people started paying attention.

But... City A?

I had spent the past decade barely scraping by, living in the slums, fighting for every meal. And now, he wanted me to just pack up and leave?

I let out a slow breath, forcing my emotions down. "And what if I refuse?"

Leon's gaze locked onto mine, unyielding. "Then you'll die."

Leon's words hung in the air like a death sentence.

I narrowed my eyes. "Explain."

He exhaled, leaning forward. "You think you walked away from that dungeon unnoticed? Ryzen, you soloed an A-rank boss. Do you have any idea what that means?"

I scoffed. "I didn't solo it. I had help."

Leon shook his head. "And yet, you're the only one still breathing."

I clenched my jaw. Roth, Dane and Vance... their blood was still fresh in my mind.

Leon continued, his tone sharp. "The moment you survived that fight, you became a threat. Monsters don't just kill hunters, Ryzen. Hunters kill hunters. If the Association sees potential in you, they'll want to control you. If the Guilds see you as competition, they'll want you dead. Either way—you're screwed if you stay here."

I stayed silent, gripping the blanket beneath my hands.

Then, he shifted his stance. "Which brings me to my next question." His piercing gaze locked onto me. "What's your real status, Ryzen?"

I froze. Leon's eyes narrowed. "You expect me to believe you're just some no-class hunter? That you're still some E-rank nobody?" He scoffed. "No. I don't buy it. Not after what you did in there."

I met Leon's gaze, my mind racing. If I told him the truth, what would happen? Would he see me as a threat too?

But if I lied... Leon wasn't stupid. He'd see right through it.

I exhaled slowly. "I ranked up."

His eyes flickered with something unreadable. "How high?"

I hesitated, but I knew there was no point in hiding it. "D-rank."

Leon's brow furrowed. "D-rank? After taking down an A-rank boss? That doesn't add up."

I shrugged, forcing indifference. "Guess I got lucky."

His jaw tightened. "No one 'gets lucky' against an A-rank. Not even S-rankers. You had to have some kind of edge, Ryzen."

I felt my grip tighten on the sheets. The system. My exclusive skills. But I wasn't about to tell him that. Instead, I kept my voice even. "I'm just good at surviving."

Updat𝒆d fr𝒐m freewebnσvel.cøm.

Leon scoffed, shaking his head. "Right." He crossed his arms. "You're hiding something."

I didn't respond.

After a moment, he let out a slow breath. "Fine. Keep your secrets. But listen to me, Ryzen—if you want to keep surviving, you really need to come with me to City A."

Leon's expression hardened. "Because the moment word gets out about what you did, everyone will be after you. And in City A, I can at least keep you alive."

Silence settled between us. I wasn't sure how to feel about all of this.

After ten years of suffering alone, my best friend suddenly shows up, tells me I'm in danger, and offers me a way out.

A part of me wanted to refuse. To prove I didn't need him.

But deep down... I knew he was right.

Finally, I exhaled. "Fine. I'll go."

Leon's lips curled into a smirk. "Good choice."

Leon's smirk faded as he stood upright, adjusting the cuffs of his coat. "We leave tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" I frowned. "You expect me to just pack up and leave overnight?"

He gave me a pointed look. "What's here for you, Ryzen?"

That shut me up.

I let out a slow breath. "Fine."

Leon gave a satisfied nod. "Good. I'll handle the paperwork with the Association. You focus on recovering."

I scoffed. "Not much to recover from. I heal fast."

Leon studied me for another moment before shaking his head. "Doesn't matter. You'll be tested once we reach City A."

I frowned. "Tested?"

Leon's smirk returned. "You don't think the Hunter Association is just gonna take your word for it, do you? They'll run full diagnostics—combat assessments, mana evaluations, everything. If you're hiding something..." His eyes gleamed. "They'll find out."

A slow sense of unease crept into me. Not because I was afraid of getting exposed, but because I had no idea how the system would react to being analyzed.

Would it suppress my stats? Fake the results like last time? Or would I suddenly be standing in front of a panel of Hunters with an unexplainable power hanging over my head?

I exhaled. "Great."