I Ascend Alone-Chapter 20: Rewards

A steady beeping echoed in my ears.

I stirred, my body aching like I had been trampled by a stampede. My eyelids felt like lead, but I forced them open. Blinding white lights. A plain ceiling. The sterile scent of antiseptic filled my nose.

A hospital.

I tried to sit up, but pain flared through my ribs. My breath hitched, every muscle screaming in protest. That's when I noticed it a presence.

In the corner of the room, leaning back in a chair, sat a man in a dark suit. His arms were crossed, his expression unreadable. He didn't look surprised to see me awake.

His sharp gaze met mine instantly.

Agent Hale. Hunter Association.

"You're awake.." he said, voice calm but firm.

I didn't respond right away. My mind was still catching up. The dungeon. The warlord. Dane. Vance. Roth.

My hands clenched the sheets because I know, they were gone.

A heavy silence hung in the air.

Agent Hale watched me carefully, then leaned forward slightly. "I imagine you have a lot of questions." His eyes darkened. "But I'll start with the most important one."

His voice turned sharp. "What the hell happened in there?"

I exhaled slowly, my fingers tightening around the sheets.

The dungeon. The warlord. The blood. The way Dane and Vance had smiled at me in their final moments, as if they already knew—

I clenched my jaw. "We were trapped," I said, my voice hoarse. "The gate changed. It cut us off completely."

Agent Hale didn't react, just nodded, urging me to continue.

I swallowed hard. "We followed the plan, but the warlord—he was stronger than we expected. No, stronger than he should have been." My mind flashed to the crystal behind the throne. "Something was feeding him power. We destroyed it, but it—" I hesitated.

Hale narrowed his eyes. "But it what?"

I looked down at my trembling hands. "It pushed him into a berserk state. He doubled in size. His strength skyrocketed."

Hale remained silent, absorbing my words. His stare was piercing, searching.

I forced myself to continue. "Dane and Vance... They held him off. Gave me an opening." My voice wavered. "They didn't make it."

A heavy silence settled over the room.

Hale finally let out a slow breath. His expression didn't change, but there was something—a flicker of something—in his eyes.

"And Roth?" he asked.

I froze for a moment and responded "He... didn't make it either."

Then, he leaned back. "You're the only survivor."

I knew that already, but hearing it out loud..it felt like a knife twisting inside me.

Hale tapped his fingers on the armrest. "That dungeon wasn't normal. The fact that you came back alive? That's not normal either."

His gaze locked onto me like a predator sizing up its prey.

"So, Ryzen Kael..." His voice dropped slightly. "What exactly did you do in there?"

Before answering, I took a slow breath. "...I fought."

Hale's eyes narrowed slightly. "And survived when no one else did."

His words weren't accusatory, but they carried weight.

"You're not an official hunter," he continued. "No recorded abilities. No awakenings." He leaned forward. "And yet, you made it out of a high-level dungeon. Alone."

I stayed silent.

"So, I'll ask again," he said, leaning forward. "What did you do?"

I met his gaze, my expression unreadable. "I survived," I said. "That's all there is to it."

Hale studied me for a long moment before sighing.

"Fine," he muttered, adjusting his suit. "If that's the story you're sticking with." He turned toward the door but paused before leaving.

"Just one last thing, Ryzen." His voice was calm, but there was an edge to it. "Do you think you really made it out of there on your own?"

I didn't answer. Because deep down, I already knew the truth.

Hale lingered for a moment, as if waiting for me to slip up, to say something—anything—that would give him more than I was willing to share. But I stayed silent.

Eventually, he exhaled and turned toward the door. "Rest up. The Association will want a full report soon. Come to the association once you're discharge."

With that, he left, closing the door behind him.

I stared at the ceiling, my body still aching from the fight.

Vance. Dane. Roth.

The memories hit me all at once. Their final moments. Their sacrifices. I clenched my fists beneath the hospital blanket. They died so I could make it out.

I exhaled slowly, forcing my mind to focus. The pain, the exhaustion, the lingering grief—I pushed it all to the back of my mind. Right now, I needed to see exactly what I had gained.

"System," I muttered under my breath. "Show me my status."

A translucent window materialized before my eyes.

***

[System Rewards Received]

[Main Quest Completed]

+20 Stat Points

New Title Acquired: [Sole Survivor]

Additional Skill Evolution Unlocked

***

My eyes lingered on the title.

[Title: Sole Survivor]

Effect: When facing enemies alone or higher level than you, all stats temporarily increase by 15%. Additionally, near-death experiences trigger a Survivor's Instinct, allowing the user to ignore fatal damage once per battle for five seconds. (Cooldown: 24 hours)

After I read the description, I went ahead and moved on to stats distribution.

"With twenty stat points at my disposal, I had to allocate them wisely. I was lucky to survive that dungeon, but luck alone wouldn't cut it next time." I muttered

I hesitated for a moment before deciding:

+5 to Strength (STR: 20 → 25)

+5 to Agility (AGI: 20 → 25)

+2 to Vitality (VIT: 23 → 25)

+8 to Intelligence (INT: 12 → 20)

I confirmed the distribution, feeling the immediate shift in my body. My muscles felt denser, my reflexes sharper, and my stamina slightly more stable.

Then, another notification appeared.

[Condition Met: System's Avatar]

You have survived against an opponent far beyond your limits and adapted through battle.

Special Reward Granted: [Skill Evolution Available]

***

My fingers twitched "Skill Evolution?"

I pulled up my skill menu. Both Adaptive Growth and Eclipse Legion now glowed faintly, waiting for my decision.

I exhaled sharply, my mind racing.

Adaptive Growth was the foundation of my power, but Eclipse Legion—that had potential I hadn't even begun to tap into.

If I wanted to survive in this world, I needed more than just raw stats. I needed an army.

I made my choice.

[Skill Evolution: Eclipse Legion → Eclipse Sovereign]

A sudden wave of darkness surged through my body, colder than ice yet burning like fire. My vision blurred as the system forced the transformation into my very being.

Then, new information flooded my mind.

***

[Skill Evolution Complete: Eclipse Sovereign]

Type: High-Tier Summoning (Active)

Description: You are no longer just a summoner—you are a ruler of shadows. The fallen do not merely serve; they obey. Eclipse Sovereign allows the user to raise and command shadow warriors, now enhanced with intelligence, combat instincts, and greater durability.

Effects:

Legion Expansion: The maximum number of summoned entities increases based on Intelligence. (Current Max: 10) (2 Intelligence per 1 summon)

Ascended Shadows: Summoned warriors retain up to 50% of their original strength and abilities.

Command Authority: Shadows can now receive mental commands, execute strategies, and act independently.

Eclipse Reinforcement: By sacrificing MP, shadows can be temporarily strengthened beyond their base stats.

Current MP Cost: 5 per summon

***

After confirming everything, I checked my updated stats to check whether I missed something or not. "System, show me my updated stats" I commanded..

***

[ Updated Stats ] + [ Status Window ]

Name: Ryzen Kael

Level: 5

Class: System's Avatar

Adventurer Rank: D

-

Titles:

[ First Blood ]

Effect: +2% Attack Power Against Monsters

[ Sole Survivor ]

Effect: When facing enemies alone or higher level than you, all stats temporarily increase by 15%. Additionally, near-death experiences trigger a Survivor's Instinct, allowing the user to ignore fatal damage once per battle for five seconds. (Cooldown: 24 hours)

-

[ Stats ]

Strength (STR): 25

Agility (AGI): 25

Vitality (VIT): 25

Intelligence (INT): 20

-

[ Exclusive Skills ]

Adaptive Growth - (Active)

Eclipse Sovereign (Upgraded) - (Active/Passive)

Phantom Step - (Active/Passive Hybrid)

-

[Special System Stats]

Fatigue: 0/100

HP: 450/450

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MP: 240/240

[Unallocated Stat Points: 0]