Chapter 159: Recognition

Thoren stared at Darius for a long moment before shifting his gaze to Taren and the others. He could clearly see that every one of them was waiting for him to speak.

In their eyes, he saw suspicion.

Skepticism.

Doubt.

A slow smile crept across his face.

He understood them. Without witnessing the battle themselves, many would find it impossible to believe any claim he made.

Words alone could not capture what had happened on this frozen plain.

Calmly, he opened his mouth and asked, “Haven’t you been to the Federation hideout?”

“Hmm?”

His question stunned them.

They had been so focused on what they expected to see that they had failed to connect the pieces.

The destruction they had witnessed earlier had seemed like chaos without context.

Darius’s jaw dropped slightly as realization began to dawn on him.

Even though he knew Thoren was powerful, he had expected a brutal, drawn-out battle, one that would leave both sides heavily exhausted.

When they had arrived at the Federation hideout and seen the devastation, they had assumed something extraordinary had occurred.

But it had never crossed their minds that Thoren alone was responsible.

Now, hearing his question, Darius felt a wave of embarrassment.

They had been shortsighted.

Who among the awakeners on the first floor could possibly confront the Federation head-on?

Apart from Thoren, no one.

And if beasts had attacked the hideout, there would have been carcasses scattered across the battlefield.

Yet there had been none.

“A-Are you saying it was you?” Taren asked, his voice trembling despite his effort to remain composed.

Shock was written plainly across every face.

Thoren raised an eyebrow slightly. “What do you expect?”

Gasps erupted among the members of the Knight Order.

Many widened their eyes, struggling to process what they had just heard.

Subconsciously, their gazes shifted toward the three knights who had accompanied Thoren earlier.

Those three had been present from the beginning. If anyone could confirm the truth, it was them.

Under the intense scrutiny of their comrades, the three nodded.

A collective shudder rippled through the crowd.

The calm, approachable young man standing before them had single-handedly destroyed the Federation.

How was that even possible?

For a long moment, no one spoke. They simply stared at the silver-haired boy as though he were some kinds of monster.

Darius swallowed hard before forcing out another question.

“T-Then… what happened here?”

Thoren gestured faintly toward the frozen battlefield. “If you look around carefully, you’ll already have your answer.”

Under normal circumstances, he would not have tolerated such an interrogation. However, he respected the Knight Order and what they stood for.

Because of that respect, he allowed their questions without irritation.

“Look!” someone suddenly shouted, pointing toward a figure lying on the ice.

All eyes turned in that direction.

There, frozen solid against the white expanse, lay Riona’s corpse.

Taren felt his heart slam violently against his ribs as he walked toward it. Each step felt heavier than the last. He needed to confirm that his eyes were not deceiving him.

He stopped beside the body.

“This…” His voice trailed off.

Only a short while ago, Riona and her mount had come to their camp, demanding to know the whereabouts of a necromancer.

And now she lay lifeless on the frozen plain.

In that instant, any lingering doubt vanished.

Taren knew firsthand how powerful Riona had been. He had crossed paths with her more than once. Her strength had never been something to underestimate.

Yet she had been killed as though she were nothing more than an ordinary awakener.

As for her mount, Taren did not even need to search for it. The craters and shattered ice told the story clearly enough.

Taking a slow, steady breath, Taren returned to stand before Thoren and Darius.

“You’ve truly surprised me,” Taren said at last, genuine respect evident in his tone.

Thoren met his gaze and offered a noncommittal smile. He had always been a man of few words. Praise did not excite him, nor did disbelief offend him.

“Thank you,” Taren continued solemnly.

Then, to everyone’s astonishment, he bowed deeply.

Without hesitation, every member of the Knight Order followed his example.

They bowed in unison.

Their guild existed for one purpose: to protect humanity from both internal and external threats.

The Federation’s corruption had been an internal rot. The Slave Trade Guild had been another.

For months, these forces had hindered them, forcing them to divide their strength and attention.

Now those threats were gone.

Thanks to Thoren.

For the first time in months, they could focus entirely on external dangers, on the beasts, on the Abyss itself, on growing stronger without fear of betrayal from behind.

Many among them had been stuck at their current levels, unable to progress under constant pressure and political interference.

Now, that burden had been lifted.

Thoren blinked in surprise at their reaction and quickly shook his head.

“You don’t have to thank me,” he said. “If they hadn’t targeted me, I might not have cared about them at all.”

His tone was serious.

It was the truth.

He had not acted out of righteousness or heroism.

It had simply been a matter of survival.

It was either him or them.

And obviously, it had been them.

“Even so,” Taren replied firmly, straightening, “we owe you our gratitude.”

“Alright, alright,” Thoren said, waving a hand dismissively. “Enough of that. Why did you come here?”

Darius’s grin returned, bright and unrestrained.

“Of course, we came to lend you a hand. But who would have thought you’d destroy them before we even arrived?” He shook his head in disbelief. “I’m still trying to process it.”

Thoren studied them more closely now.

He noticed the details he had overlooked before.

Several knights had bandaged arms. Some wore cracked armor. A few bore fresh scars.

They had not come in pristine condition.

They had come despite their injuries.

They had come knowing they might face the Federation and the Slave Trade Guild at full strength.

That loyalty did not go unnoticed.

Compared to the rotten Federation Police, the Knight Order was different.

Trustworthy.

Reliable.

“With the Federation and the Slave Trade Guild gone,” Taren said, his expression turning serious once more, “what is your next move?”

Thoren paused to consider the question.

“To grow stronger as quickly as possible,” he answered. “And ascend.”

Neither Taren nor Darius appeared surprised.

If anything, they had expected that response.

“If you want to grow stronger quickly,” Taren said slowly, “there is only one place I can think of.”

He hesitated briefly.

“But let me warn you, it’s extremely dangerous.”

Thoren arched an eyebrow slightly. “Do I look like I’m afraid of dangerous places?”

His tone was casual, almost amused.

Taren and Darius instinctively glanced toward the massive undead Iron Roar Komodo resting behind him.

Even without moving, the creature radiated an oppressive aura.

They exchanged a look before nodding.

If anyone on this floor dared to venture into the most dangerous territory on the first floor, it would undoubtedly be the boy standing before them.

****

[AN: Please support this book with your golden ticket and power stones.

Message Chair +1 Chapter.

Dragon +2 Chapters.

Castle +5 Chapters]]

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep