Chapter 157: Ascension Within Reach

On the frozen plain, the wind howled fiercely, sweeping across the barren tundra like a grieving spirit.

Snow swirled in restless spirals, yet despite the relentless wind, an eerie stillness blanketed the battlefield.

Only a few minutes earlier, this land had been the stage of a brutal life-and-death struggle.

Now, it was silent.

The infamous Slave Trade Guild was no more.

The leader of the Beast God Sect lay motionless on the frozen ground, her lifeless body already stiffening in the biting cold.

A short distance away, her mount’s massive corpse rested heavily against the ice.

The blood that had spilled during the battle was beginning to crystallize, dark stains spreading across the pale tundra.

Gulp.

The three members of the Knight Order swallowed hard, forcing down the dryness in their throats. Their lips trembled slightly as they stared at the devastation before them.

First, the Federation had fallen.

Now, the Slave Trade Guild had been eradicated.

Who, then, could possibly stop the young man standing before them?

He had single-handedly taken down the three most powerful human forces on the First Floor.

If they had not witnessed the events unfold with their own eyes, they would have dismissed such a claim as absurd fantasy.

The three exchanged subtle glances. In each other’s eyes, they saw the same unease, the same quiet terror.

With strength like this, what might Thoren decide to do next?

They could only pray he would not follow the same tyrannical path as those he had just destroyed.

As for Thoren, he paid them no attention. His mind was focused entirely on the glowing notifications floating before him.

To him, the battle against the Federation and the Slave Trade Guild had been long overdue. It was not vengeance alone that drove him, it was inevitability.

[Experience Gained +30,000]

[Summoned Entities: Experience Gained +15,000]

[Copper Coins +1,000, Silver Coins +500, Gold Coins +100]

[Level: 18 (55,543/129,000)]

His eyes lingered on the experience bar.

A faint smile curved at the corner of his lips.

“I’m almost halfway to Level 19,” he murmured inwardly.

Only two levels separated him from ascension to the Second Floor and with that ascension came the possibility of returning to the surface world.

His heart skipped at the thought.

He could almost picture it: returning home, standing before his parents, no longer powerless. He would change their lives completely.

He had seen how wealthy and influential families became when an awakener returned from the Abyss.

The Federation would show them respect.

No, fear.

If his sister had managed to return to the surface, their family would never have fallen into such dire circumstances.

A shadow passed through his eyes.

He shook his head firmly, forcing the thought aside. Regret would not help him now.

“In a day or two, everything here should be settled,” he mused quietly.

His gaze shifted toward his undead servants.

A proud smile spread across his face, especially when it landed on the towering, humanoid Undead Storm Tyrant. That undead servant filled him with undeniable pride.

Without it, eliminating the Federation and the Slave Trade Guild would not have been nearly so straightforward.

With a mere thought, he withdrew his undead servants back into the undead space to replenish their energy. The battlefield felt even emptier once they vanished.

Then his eyes drifted toward the massive corpse of the cobra.

A smirk formed on his lips.

[Undead Summoning.]

A surge of undead energy erupted beneath the frozen body. The air grew heavy as necrotic power seeped into the corpse.

The dead cobra twitched.

Once.

Twice.

Then slowly, deliberately, it rose.

Its colossal frame cast an immense shadow over the frozen tundra. Where living eyes had once glimmered with cunning instinct, hollow sockets now burned with fierce soul fire.

If the cobra had been terrifying in life, it was far more intimidating in death.

An oppressive aura radiated from it, sending chills down the spines of all who looked upon it.

The three Knight Order members shuddered violently. Cold sweat drenched their backs as they dared a single glance at the undead serpent’s blazing eyes.

For a fleeting moment, it felt as though their very souls were being pulled toward that dark fire.

Terrifying.

The word echoed unanimously in their minds.

Thoren, however, remained calm and satisfied. He nodded slightly, clearly pleased with the result.

“Good.”

Now, he possessed not only the Undead Storm Tyrant as his primary powerhouse but also a Level 19 Undead Cobra. The strength of his undead army had risen dramatically.

With another thought, the undead cobra vanished into the undead space.

The instant it disappeared; the three Knight Order members released the breaths they had unknowingly been holding.

Thoren turned and began walking toward them.

Each step he took seemed unbearably loud in the quiet tundra.

The three men stiffened. They straightened instinctively and forced strained smiles onto their pale faces.

“S–Sir… S–Senior…”

“M–My Lord…”

“Y–Young Master…”

Each addressed him differently, their voices trembling uncontrollably. After speaking, they glanced awkwardly at one another before quickly averting their gazes.

They all understood one undeniable truth.

At this very moment, Thoren held their lives in his hands.

A single command, one casual order, and they would cease to exist.

Fear gripped them to their core. They could not help but regret being chosen to escort this monster to the Federation and Slave Trade Guild hideouts.

Had they known this would be the outcome, they would have begged for any other assignment.

Thoren observed their reactions and offered a faint, almost amused smile.

“Relax,” he said calmly. “I have no intention of harming you.”

His voice was steady and composed, lacking any hint of hostility.

The three nodded quickly, almost mechanically. However, none of them dared to speak further.

After a brief pause, Thoren asked, “Do you need me to escort you back to your camp, or can you return on your own?”

His journey was far from over.

****

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