I Ascend Alone-Chapter 44: C-rank Dungeon Part IV

A shockwave erupted as it lunged forward, closing the distance in an instant.

Clawed gauntlets slammed down where Leon had been standing a fraction of a second ago, splitting the ground apart like shattered glass.

Leon had dodged, barely. He landed a few meters back, his expression hardened, no longer dismissive.

"This isn't a C-Rank boss," he muttered, fists tightening.

***

[ System Notice ]

[ Abyssal Warchief ] (A-Rank)

The ruling beast of an abyss-corrupted warpack. A relentless hunter forged in endless battle. Its strength surpasses common monsters, evolving through conquest. Its presence alone distorts the natural order.

***

The Warchief's eyes flickered between us, evaluating.

It knew who the real threat was.

And it wasn't Leon.

I exhaled slowly, stepping forward.

Leon immediately shot me a sharp look. "Stay back."

I kept walking.

He scowled. "Are you insane? That thing is leagues above your level!"

The Warchief's gaze settled on me.

Its snarl deepened, a guttural acknowledgment.

It could sense it.

The Abyss recognized its own.

Leon clicked his tongue in frustration. "Damn it, Ryzen! Fine. But if it moves to kill you, I'm stepping in."

I didn't reply.

I wouldn't need him to.

I clenched my fists, letting the Abyssal Monarch's power stir within me.

The Warchief's stance shifted slightly, as if waiting for something—expecting something.

And I was more than willing to answer its call.

With a single breath, I moved.

A blur of motion—faster than Leon, faster than the Abyssal Warchief could react.

The Warchief's eyes widened, a fraction of a second too late.

CRACK!

My fist slammed into its ribs, the force distorting the air around us.

The beast skidded backward, claws digging into the stone to regain footing.

A normal C-Rank hunter's attack wouldn't have even phased it.

But I was far beyond that now.

The Warchief let out a guttural snarl, but there was something else in its tone.

Recognition.

Leon's voice cut through the tension, his shock barely concealed. "What the hell...?"

I ignored him, rolling my shoulders.

The sensation of battle surged through me, adrenaline mixing with the dark energy thrumming in my veins.

The Warchief slowly straightened.

Its previous hostility hadn't faded—but now it wasn't just challenging me.

It was testing me.

This wasn't an ordinary monster.

It wasn't just some random dungeon boss.

The Abyss had placed it here.

For me.

Leon still had no idea what was going on. His eyes darted between the Warchief and me, his stance tense. "What the hell was that, Ryzen?"

I turned my head slightly. "What was what?"

"Don't play dumb," he snapped. "I saw it—your speed, that impact. D-Ranks don't move like that. And they sure as hell don't send an A-Rank monster flying with a punch."

This chapt𝓮r is updat𝒆d by ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom.

I smirked. "So you finally noticed."

Leon's expression darkened. "What did you do?"

The Warchief suddenly moved, and we both reacted.

But this time, I didn't wait.

"Eclipse Legion: Summon Elite Orcs."

Six elite orcs emerged from the void, surrounding the battlefield in an instant.

Leon's breath hitched. "Summoning magic?!" His gaze snapped to me. "You—"

I didn't let him finish.

Phantom Dash.

I flickered forward, appearing right in front of the Warchief, my fist already cocked back.

The Abyssal Warchief reacted just as fast.

Its claws lashed out, aiming for my throat—faster than any C-Rank monster should have been.

But I was faster.

I twisted mid-step, my enhanced reflexes letting me slip past the deadly swipe.

A sharp gust followed, the sheer force of the attack splitting the stone behind me.

BOOM!

The ground cracked from the impact, but I was already moving.

I clenched my fist, mana surging through my veins.

CRACK!

My punch landed square against the Warchief's jaw, sending a shockwave rippling through the air.

The beast staggered back, shaking its head, its burning amber eyes locking onto me with renewed fury.

My elite orcs moved in immediately, their massive weapons raised.

"Attack!"

Six blades descended at once.

The Warchief howled, its muscles tensing—then it exploded forward, tearing through the formation like a phantom.

One of my orcs barely had time to react before the beast's claw ripped into its chest.

SHRIP!

For any other summon, that would have been instant death.

But my Abyss does not break so easily.

The moment the orc's body collapsed into dark mist, my mana throbbed in response.

I felt the drain instantly—a chunk of my mana vanishing—but before the Warchief could react, the fallen orc reformed in an instant.

Shadowy essence pulled itself back together, flesh reknitting, armor reforging.

Leon's voice cut through the tension, shaken yet sharp. "What the actual hell, Ryzen?!"

I didn't answer.

I was already acting.

This battle wasn't about me.

I needed to test something.

"Eclipse Legion: Summon Abyssal Knight – Dusk Reaver."

The air around me rippled as a new entity was born from the Abyss.

A towering figure descended onto the battlefield, clad in jagged abyssal armor, its twin greatswords wreathed in voidfire.

Leon took an involuntary step back, his disbelief evident. "You... you just summoned a knight?!"

I still wasn't done.

"Shadow Fang."

A second presence materialized—a massive black-furred beast, its violet eyes burning with abyssal power.

Leon barely had time to process before I called forth the last piece.

"Abyssal Shadow Wolf."

Leon took another step back, his fists clenching.

The Abyssal Warchief let out a furious roar, realizing it was now outnumbered.

"Kill it."

At my command, my forces descended upon the beast.

And this time, it was the Warchief that struggled to keep up.