I Ascend Alone-Chapter 53: Consumes

But the Abyss whispered back, its voice curling into my thoughts.

Why resist?

They're afraid of you.

They can't stop you.

Just give in.

A pulse of darkness erupted from me, shaking the chamber and sending the A-Rank hunters sprawling—too weak, too fragile—because I could end this fight right now, all I had to do was let go, and for a split second, I almost did... but I gritted my teeth, because I wasn't some mindless beast, I wasn't a puppet because I know this power was mine, and I would control it.

A sharp pain lanced through my skull as I forced the abyss back. My veins burned as the shadows recoiled, trying to fight me for dominance. My entire body felt like it was being torn apart.

I clenched my fists, slamming them against the cracked ground.

"GET. OUT."

A violent shockwave exploded from me, sending Abyssal energy scattering like shattered glass.

The tendrils of darkness crawling up my arms retracted.

***

[ System Notification ]

Abyssal Corruption Successfully Suppressed!

True Form: Abyss Monarch—Temporarily Locked & Sealed

Conditions to Unlock & Control True Form:

Increase Mental Resistance to 80% (Current: 65%)

Obtain a Throne of Authority (Status: Unclaimed)

Defeat a Sovereign-Class Entity in Single Combat (Progress: 0/1)

-

New Item Acquired!

A-Rank Labyrinth Key – The Forsaken Ruins

Description: Grants entry to the A-Rank Labyrinth, an abandoned domain filled with lost relics and forgotten horrors. Only those who seek power beyond mortal limits should enter.

***

I let out a shaky breath, my body still trembling from the struggle. The Abyss had been pushed back—for now—but the weight of the system's message settled in my mind.

I wasn't strong enough to fully control it yet.

Not without meeting these conditions.

I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms.

Leon, Selene, and Dorian stood before me, their auras no longer flaring with hostility—but something else. Wariness. Uncertainty. Maybe even a sliver of respect.

The battlefield was silent now, save for the distant hum of alarms still echoing through the shattered chamber.

Leon was the first to break the silence. He stepped forward, his golden aura dimmed but still flickering around him like dying embers. His gaze, sharp yet steady, locked onto mine.

"...Are you okay now?"

I exhaled slowly, the last remnants of abyssal energy settling within me. My body still felt heavy, my mind still buzzing with the remnants of that overwhelming power.

But I was here. I was in control.

"...Yeah," I finally said, my voice even. "I'm fine now."

Leon studied me for a moment longer before nodding, stepping back.

Dorian crossed his arms, golden, draconic eyes narrowing. "Alright, then explain something to me." His tail flicked behind him, irritation barely masked beneath curiosity. "That power—was it really yours?"

Selene's silver gaze sharpened, mist curling from her breath. "Because that wasn't just an ability or some high-tier skill. That was something else entirely." She folded her arms. "Something beyond normal limits."

I met both of their gazes, unwavering.

"Yes."

The weight of that single word settled in the air.

Dorian let out a low whistle. "Shit."

Selene's lips pressed into a thin line, but she didn't look surprised—just more aware of what she had already suspected.

"But," I continued, my grip tightening, "I still don't have full control."

That was the truth. The Abyss had nearly swallowed me whole. The system had to lock it away because I wasn't ready to wield it completely.

I wasn't strong enough yet.

Selene sighed. "Then you need to fix that—fast."

Dorian smirked, though there was no mockery in it this time. "Well, no pressure, huh?"

The tension in the air hadn't fully faded. Even with the Abyss forced back, I could still feel its whispers, like an echo scratching at the edges of my mind.

Dorian, Selene, and Leon stood before me, still processing everything. The battlefield around us was a mess—cracked floors, lingering energy, and the faint hum of alarms still ringing through the chamber.

Then, a steady and purposeful footsteps came in.

A presence entered the ruined chamber, and the moment I turned, I saw him.

Agent Hale.

Dressed in his usual black suit, the man carried himself with the same unreadable calm he always did, even when standing amidst the aftermath of something that should have been impossible. His sharp eyes scanned the room, taking in the destruction, the lingering traces of Abyssal energy, and the three A-Ranks still on guard.

He exhaled. "Well... this is a mess."

Leon's gaze flicked toward him. "You took your time."

Hale didn't react to the jab, instead shifting his attention to me. "The President wants to see you. Immediately."

My eyes narrowed. "Yeah. I already expected this."

Hale's expression remained unreadable, but his voice was firm. "He wants an explanation."

Of course he did. After what just happened, after the kind of power that had nearly been unleashed here, there was no way the higher-ups wouldn't take notice.

A silence stretched between us. It wasn't a threat—it was a fact. If the President of the Hunter Association wanted to see me, it wasn't something I could just ignore.

Still, before I could say anything, Hale continued.

"That said," his voice lowered slightly, "what happened here stays here."

Selene tensed slightly, and Dorian raised an eyebrow. Even Leon looked at Hale with a questioning gaze.

I frowned. "Meaning?"

Hale crossed his arms. "Meaning this incident—this... 'event'—won't be made public." His gaze sharpened. "The President will handle the details, but your display today? The existence of your power? It won't be leaked."

I studied him, searching for any hint of deception. But Hale wasn't the type to lie—not about something like this.

I took one last look at the chamber, at the cracks in the ground where I had nearly lost myself.

The weight in my chest lessened slightly, but it didn't disappear.

The President of the Hunter Association wanted answers and that much is given.

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Then, I exhaled. "Fine."

Hale nodded. "Then let's go."