Ascend Alone Chapter 2: System’s Task
The training grounds of the Eclipse Guild were eerily silent. The guild members who had been beating Kai moments ago now lay sprawled on the ground, groaning in pain. Kai stood in the center, his chest heaving as he stared at his hands. The System notifications still flashed in his vision:
[Level Up!]
[You are now Level 2!]
[New Skill Unlocked: Taunt (Active)]
He couldn’t help but laugh. For the first time in over a year, he felt alive. The System had given him a taste of power, and he wanted more.
“Alright, System,” he muttered. “What else can you do?”
The screen flickered, and a new message appeared:
[Main Quest: Leave the Eclipse Guild and Begin Your Ascent.]
[Reward: 100 System Points, Skill: Shadow Step (Rare)]
His eyes lit up. A rare skill? That sounded like exactly what he needed. But leaving the guild wouldn’t be easy. The Eclipse Guild was one of the most powerful organizations in the city, and deserters were hunted down mercilessly.
Still, he had no intention of staying a moment longer. He glanced at the unconscious guild members around him and smirked. “Thanks for the warm-up, guys. I’ll take it from here.”
As he turned to leave, another notification popped up:
[Side Quest: Humiliate the Eclipse Guild Before Leaving.]
[Task: Taunt at least 10 guild members and steal the Guild Master’s favorite sword.]
[Reward: 50 System Points, Title: Shameless Rogue]
He burst out laughing. “Steal the Guild Master’s sword? System, you’re insane. I love it.”
He strode through the guild’s corridors with growing confidence. The System’s Taunt skill was already proving useful. Every time he passed a guild member, he’d shout, “Hey, you! Yeah, you! Your punches are weaker than a kitten’s sneeze!”
The guild members, confused and enraged, would charge at him, only to be knocked down with a single punch. Each time, the System rewarded him:
[Taunt Successful!]
[System Points +5]
By the time he reached the Guild Master’s room, he had taunted nine guild members and earned 45 System Points. He was having the time of his life.
The Guild Master’s room was grand. It was filled with trophies and weapons. In the center of the room, mounted on the wall, was the Guild Master’s prized possession: a gleaming sword known as Eclipse’s Fang. Kai’s eyes gleamed as he approached it.
“Sorry, Guild Master,” he said, grabbing the sword. “But I’ll be taking this.”
As he pulled the sword from its mount, the door burst open. The Guild Master, a tall man with a scarred face and a furious expression, stormed in.
“What do you think you’re doing, you little rat?” the Guild Master roared.
He grinned. “Just borrowing this. Don’t worry, I’ll return it… maybe.”
The Guild Master’s face turned red with rage. “You’re dead, Arashi!”
Kai activated his Taunt skill one last time. “Dead? Please. You couldn’t even kill my boredom.”
[Taunt Successful!]
[Side Quest Complete!]
[Reward: 50 System Points, Title: Shameless Rogue]
He didn’t wait for the Guild Master to react. He dashed out of the room, the sword in hand, and sprinted through the guild’s halls. Behind him, he could hear the Guild Master’s enraged shouts and the sound of pursuing guild members.
He burst out of the guild’s main entrance and into the bustling streets of the city. The System’s notifications continued to flash:
[Main Quest Updated: Reach the Tower of Eternity.]
[Reward: 100 System Points, Skill: Shadow Step (Rare)]
He didn’t stop running until he was sure he’d lost his pursuers. He leaned against a wall, catching his breath, and examined his new sword. Eclipse’s Fang was a masterpiece, its blade shimmering with a faint, otherworldly light.
“Not bad,” he said, grinning. “Now, let’s see what this System can really do.”
He opened his character panel:
[System User Information]
Name: Kai Arashi
Level: 2
Class: None
Skills: Titan’s Resilience (Passive), Taunt (Active)
Title: Shameless Rogue (Passive: +10% Agility)
System Points: 95
His grin widened. With 95 System Points, he could unlock new skills or upgrade existing ones. But before he could decide, a new notification appeared:
[Emergency Quest: Survive the Eclipse Guild’s Pursuit.]
[Task: Escape the city and reach the Tower of Eternity.]
[Reward: 200 System Points, Skill: Phantom Strike (Epic)]
His eyes widened. An epic skill? This was too good to pass up. He sheathed Eclipse’s Fang and took off running, his mind racing with possibilities.
The Tower of Eternity loomed in the distance, its peak hidden in the clouds. Kai didn’t know what awaited him there, but he was ready to face it.
And he would do it all with a smirk on his face.
