Chapter 11: Ascension Ritual
The night was unusually still.
Above the clouds—where the air thinned and the light grew cold—two figures flew steadily, their bodies wrapped in dense spiritual auras that cut through the sky in majestic silence.
The first appeared as a young man: brown hair, sharp brown eyes, and calm features carrying the unmistakable authority of a commander.
Arthur Morgan.
An Imperial Army Major.
A Path Master… at the Transcendent level.
A hundred years old—yet his presence felt far older than history itself.
Beside him flew another man.
He looked middle-aged, with dark gray hair and a face carved not by years… but by centuries.
George.
Over three hundred years old—and still standing like someone who had witnessed the first wars.
George broke the silence, his voice calm yet heavy with concern:
"Major Arthur… what do you think about what's been happening in the state recently?"
He glanced toward the distant horizon, where cities shimmered faintly:
"Eliminating third-tier families at this rate… won't bring stability. It will only plant chaos."
Arthur didn't answer immediately.
Then—
He stopped midair.
Suspended as if gravity meant nothing, he turned and looked directly at George.
"George… I suspect something."
George halted as well, eyes narrowing slightly.
"Suspect? What do you mean?"
Arthur replied without hesitation:
"I need your help confirming it."
A brief silence.
Then George said, more serious:
"Speak."
Arthur lowered his gaze for a moment… then said the words that made the air itself grow heavy:
"I suspect… it's an Ascension Ritual."
George froze.
Two seconds… three.
Then he spoke quietly:
"An Ascension Ritual…? For whom?"
Arthur raised his head and looked him in the eyes:
"Someone… is attempting to break through to the Legendary level… inside the imperial family."
George's expression changed completely.
"Who?"
Arthur answered calmly—but the impact was explosive:
"Prince Tawfiq."
George instinctively stepped back midair.
"Tawfiq?! He's around your age!"
Arthur nodded.
"I know."
Then added coldly:
"And he will become… the youngest to reach Legendary in history."
Silence.
Then George said, voice tight:
"You know what that requires… a ritual."
Arthur replied instantly:
"And I also know… every Ascension Ritual leaves destruction behind."
His eyes reflected old memories:
"Look at Myogmi. When he ascended twenty years ago… it sparked a war between two empires."
He exhaled slowly.
"And Tawfiq… walks the Path of Darkness."
George whispered:
"The Path of Darkness…"
Arthur continued:
"You know its rituals are… inherently brutal. I don't know the exact conditions…"
Then he finished with chilling certainty:
"But I'm sure… it will cause a massacre."
Silence.
Even the wind seemed to retreat.
George finally said:
"If you're right… this isn't a crisis."
He looked down, where millions lived unaware.
"This… is a catastrophe."
And while they hovered above the world…
Somewhere below—
A ritual had already begun demanding its price.
Meanwhile… Robert
Robert staggered backward, breath uneven, his body heavy as if the air itself had turned against him.
In front of him—
Two elves.
Each with one horn.
Walkers.
Their movements were coordinated, calculated… pressing him from both sides.
He barely dodged a strike—
The ground exploded behind him.
Another blade passed just above his head.
"Damn it…"
His energy was draining.
No strength left to escape.
That familiar feeling crept in—
Running out of essence.
No choice.
"I have to summon…"
But fear struck him.
Only enough energy for one creature.
He closed his eyes briefly.
Wind wolf? No…
"Damn it…"
Explosion beneath him—
He leapt.
His body transformed—muscles swelling, bones vibrating—
Two massive wings burst from his back.
He flew.
But—
"Don't run."
A cold voice.
One elf rose behind him—Body Path user.
More stable. More controlled.
He raised his hand—
A dark green beam—
BOOM!
It pierced Robert's arm.
A muffled scream.
Blood sprayed.
He nearly lost balance midair.
But they gave him no chance.
They surrounded him.
"Give us your Spirit Land."
"Maybe we'll grant you… a painless death."
They laughed.
Robert didn't.
If I were Transcendent…
He clenched his fist.
If I were… I could summon the entire pack.
But reality—
He was just a Walker.
Then—
BOOM!
The sky shook.
A massive aura erupted.
Above—
Sir Alex raised his axe:
"Spirit Land… open."
The world exploded.
A swarm of metallic eagles burst into existence.
War beasts.
But—
An elf laughed:
"You think you're the only one?"
"Spirit Land… respond."
Darkness exploded.
Bats.
Thousands.
Hundreds of thousands.
Robert counted unconsciously—
100,000 bats…
50,000 eagles…
Then worse—
Five Transcendent bats…
Against only two eagles.
The sky turned into hell.
Explosions. Light. Blood.
And Robert realized—
This was no longer a fight between Walkers.
The Transcendents had taken over.
Final Desperation
Bleeding, shaking—
Robert raised his hand:
"Spirit Land… respond."
BOOM!
Two wind wolves appeared.
The elves hesitated—
"Do we summon?"
"No."
"Not needed."
Robert understood.
Summoning cost resources.
Failure = death.
But—
"Damn you…"
He pushed deeper.
"Open more!"
Six more wolves.
Now eight.
The elves narrowed their eyes.
"Interesting… high essence."
Then:
"You'll die today… like a dog."
They attacked.
Chaos erupted.
Robert summoned one more wolf—
Jumped on it—
"Go!"
He fled.
But—
"Not happening."
A shadow fell—
A bat.
BOOM!
He crashed.
Surrounded.
Broken.
Then—
A voice echoed in his mind.
John.
"In death… summon the Unknown Wolf."
Robert froze.
"Unknown… Wolf?"
No hesitation.
"Spirit Land… summon… Unknown Wolf."
Silence.
Then—
Darkness exploded.
A massive wolf appeared.
Its aura…
Wasn't wind.
Wasn't element.
Something deeper.
The elves stepped back.
"What… is that?"
The wolf moved—
But—
Struck Robert.
BOOM!!!
Everything vanished.
Aftermath
Robert opened his eyes.
He was sitting.
On a stone road.
No forest.
No enemies.
No battle.
Only silence.
"Where… am I?"
He tried to stand—
His vision blurred.
His energy… gone.
Completely empty.
His body collapsed.
Robert… lost consciousness.
And that silence—
Was more dangerous than any battle he had ever faced.