I Ascend Alone-Chapter 30: Settling In

I wandered through the house after tossing my bag into one of the guest rooms. The place was massive—way too big for one person. Every inch of it screamed wealth, from the high-tech security systems to the premium mana-infused lighting that adjusted based on energy flow.

It was hard to imagine Leon actually living here. Everything was too clean, too untouched, like a place that was meant to be displayed, not lived in.

I returned to the living room where Leon was sprawled out on the couch, lazily flipping through channels. A holographic display hovered above the coffee table, scrolling through headlines.

***

[S-Rank Hunter Leon Vael Spotted at Association HQ—Another Major Hunt Incoming?]

[Mana Fluctuations Detected in City A—Experts Investigating Possible Rift Activity]

[New Dungeon Break Threats Rise—Government Urges Preparedness]

***

Leon didn't seem to care about the news. He just kept flipping through screens until he landed on a menu for food delivery.

"Alright," he said, stretching. "We've got Korean barbecue, ramen, or—wait, do you even eat proper meals, or are you still surviving on instant crap?"

I shot him a look. "I eat fine."

He snorted. "Sure. Let's go with barbecue then."

I sat down across from him as he placed the order. The moment of quiet between us didn't last long.

"Listen," Leon said, leaning back. "You're staying here, which means two things. One, don't trash the place. Two..." His sharp gaze met mine. "You're gonna need to train."

I exhaled, already expecting this. "You think I can't handle myself?"

Leon raised an eyebrow. "I think you barely survived Sienna. And she wasn't serious."

I clenched my fists. He wasn't wrong.

Adaptive Growth was powerful, but it wasn't instant. I was improving, but against someone like Sienna, the gap was still massive.

Leon continued, his tone casual but firm. "You don't have time to waste. The Association is already suspicious of you. The moment they clear up the evaluation issue, they'll test you again. And if you can't prove your strength, they're gonna assume you're hiding something."

I leaned forward, resting my elbows on my knees. "And if they do?"

Leon smirked. "Then you'll have bigger problems than just a rank."

I didn't respond. He was right. If I wanted to control my fate, I needed to be stronger.

Leon sighed, rolling his shoulders. "We'll start tomorrow. Get some rest tonight."

I nodded. "There was no arguing with that."

***

I woke up to the scent of something cooking. For a moment, my instincts screamed danger—waking up in an unfamiliar place after years of barely scraping by in the slums did that to a person. My body tensed, and I scanned the room before reality settled in.

Right. Leon's house.

I exhaled, running a hand through my hair as I sat up. The bed was too soft—comfortable in a way I wasn't used to. Luxuries like this still felt foreign.

Pushing those thoughts aside, I got up and stepped out of the room. The scent of sizzling meat and eggs grew stronger as I made my way to the kitchen.

Leon was at the stove, lazily flipping strips of bacon with one hand while sipping coffee with the other. He glanced at me over his mug.

"Finally up? Thought you'd sleep all day."

I ignored him, grabbing a plate and helping myself to the food. If he was offering, I wasn't going to waste it.

We ate in relative silence until Leon finally spoke again.

"Your training starts today."

I looked up, chewing slowly. "I figured."

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He smirked. "We'll start with testing your limits. Right now, we have no clue what your real combat ability is."

I frowned. "You saw me fight."

Leon leaned forward, resting his arms on the counter. "Yeah. And I also saw you get completely overwhelmed."

I scowled, but he wasn't wrong. Sienna had crushed me.

Leon continued, "You were decent, but it's not gonna save you if you don't push it properly. You need to train smarter, not just hope you'll magically get stronger by getting beaten up."

I set my fork down, thinking. He had a point. My power worked based on experience and adaptation, but it wasn't instant. If I didn't challenge myself constantly, my progress would slow.

Leon grinned. "Don't overthink it. Finish eating. We're heading out in an hour."

I sighed. "Where?"

He downed the rest of his coffee. "Somewhere private. You need real combat experience, and I know just the place to test you."

I wasn't sure what he meant, but something told me today was going to be hell.

***

An hour later, I found myself in the passenger seat of Leon's sleek black car as we sped through the city. The towering skyline of City A stretched out before us, a stark contrast to the slums I had known for most of my life.

Leon was silent for the most part, only offering the occasional comment as we drove. I could tell he was focused—whatever he had planned, it wasn't going to be easy.

Eventually, we left the densely packed streets behind, moving toward the outskirts of the city. The buildings thinned out, replaced by stretches of open land and dense forestry.

I frowned. "Where are we going?"

Leon smirked. "You'll see."

A few minutes later, he pulled the car off the road and onto a private path leading into a heavily wooded area. At the end of the path was a large facility surrounded by reinforced walls and security checkpoints. The place looked like a military base, but something about it felt... different.

We rolled up to the gate, and Leon lowered his window. A Hunter in a security uniform stepped forward, scanning the car before giving Leon a nod. The gate opened, and we drove in.

"Okay," I muttered. "This is definitely not a public training ground."

Leon chuckled. "You're right. This is my private facility."

I blinked. "...What?"

Leon parked the car near a massive combat arena, then turned to face me, amusement in his golden eyes. "You didn't think I got to Rank 7 in the world without my own resources, did you?"

I clenched my jaw. Right. Leon wasn't just some high-level Hunter—he was one of the strongest in the world.

He stepped out of the car, stretching. "Come on. We've got work to do."

I followed, taking in the facility. It was massive—multiple training zones, reinforced battlefields, and even a specialized area for live combat simulations. The air felt different here, like the entire place had been built to push Hunters beyond their limits.