Chapter 84: A Return Amidst New Faces


    After the harrowing experience in the illusionary world and the final confrontation, Abel and his group made their way back to the surface. The journey out of the ruins was quieter than before, with the vines decayed and the tension gone. When they reached the surface, they were greeted by the large flying stingray that had previously brought them to the expedition. The smooth and silent journey back to the tower aboard the creature felt surreal compared to the chaos they had faced below, almost like a final cleansing before they returned to their normal lives.


    The stingray glided gracefully through the skies, its massive body casting a shadow over the landscape. Abel and the others, exhausted but relieved, reclined on the soft, pulsating surface of the creature. The wind ruffled their hair as they watched the ground pass below in silence, the vast greenery and rivers winding like ribbons. The entire flight back felt like a blur, but it was peaceful, allowing them to decompress. Even the tension between some of the members seemed to have dissipated after what they had faced together.


    The sky was a gradient of oranges and purples as the sun began to set, painting the horizon in warm hues. Abel found himself staring up at the emerging stars. Despite the exhaustion weighing on his bones, he couldn’t help but feel a deep connection to those faraway lights. It was as if they were calling out to him, urging him toward something greater.


    By the time they arrived at the Stone Tower, dusk had settled. The stingray hovered at the base of the Tower, lowering itself gently as the team descended. Each member of the expedition was quiet, lost in their thoughts as they made their way back inside. The sight of new recruits didn''t surprise the group at all as they were too tired to even pay attention to them. They walked facing forward as the new batch of recruits looked toward them with a light in their eyes,


    Time passed and Abel had done what was needed with Glandel after completing the expedition, he went up to his room to digest all that had occurred. Abel sat in his dimly lit room, the weight of the events still clinging to his thoughts. His fingers traced the window’s ledge, cool to the touch, as his gaze drifted upward into the night sky. The stars blinked down at him, their celestial glow like distant promises. Each pulse of starlight felt like a lifeline, feeding the ethereal star still hovering within him, just out of reach. The star, born of the illusionary world, had become a part of him—something not quite real but brimming with potential. Abel could feel its warmth flickering deep inside him, aching to take form in the real world. But for now, he needed time, time to absorb the light of the real stars, to bring this ethereal presence into existence fully.


    The room around him felt distant, as though the stars themselves had wrapped him in a cocoon of quiet. His breathing slowed as the pulse of the stars became more rhythmic, more familiar. The connection was stronger than it had ever been. He was at the edge of something monumental. Abel closed his eyes, focusing entirely on the stars. He would stay like this for hours, days even, if that’s what it took.


    …


    Ronald descended from the third floor, his steps deliberate as he made his way down the grand staircase to the Tower’s first-floor main hall. The cool stone walls echoed with the quiet footsteps of recruits bustling in the distance, unaware of the significant moment about to unfold. As he reached the ground floor, a hush fell over the room as the new batch of recruits sensed something important was about to happen. Ronald stood still, his posture calm but commanding.


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    "Overseer," Ronald called out, his voice steady yet filled with anticipation. The sound reverberated through the hall, silencing any remaining chatter. New recruits, wide-eyed, watched as the Overseer appeared from the shadows, his crimson robe flowing behind him like an apparition.


    "You''re ready, then," the Overseer said, his voice calm yet filled with subtle intensity. He stepped closer, his gaze piercing through Ronald.


    Ronald nodded silently, his confidence clear in every gesture. The ghastly lake within him stirred, a strange energy swirling just beneath the surface. His new power felt vast, cold, and unlike anything the new recruits had seen before. Ronald could feel their awe, their fear, and the growing tension in the room.


    "Show me," the Overseer commanded, his tone sharp and unyielding.


    Without hesitation, Ronald extended his hand, and an eerie transformation took place. Ghastly, spectral water materialized from thin air, swirling upward in slow, deliberate motions until it formed a floating, ghostly lake above him. The temperature in the room seemed to drop as whispers and faint echoes resonated from the water, sending a chill through the air. The recruits, who stood observing in a wide circle, watched in awe, with some taking a cautious step back, clearly unnerved by the ethereal manifestation.


    The lake wasn’t like any ordinary water—its translucent, otherworldly texture shifted and rippled in unnatural ways, almost as if it were alive. It carried a presence within it, something dark, as though it was tethered to memories, perhaps spirits, long trapped within its spectral depths.


    The Overseer stepped closer, his eyes narrowing with intense focus as he studied the intricate details of the manifestation. His gaze traveled along the tendrils of water, the floating particles within it, and the whispers that seemed to linger on the edges of consciousness. Each moment passed with a weight of suspense as he quietly scrutinized Ronald’s creation, his face impassive yet calculating.


    The silence in the room grew thick, the tension palpable. Then, after what felt like an eternity, the Overseer extended his hand toward the ghostly lake. A pulse of controlled mana radiated from his palm, a soft but undeniable force. As it touched the water, the lake shuddered for a split second before calming. The restless whispers quieted, the ethereal turbulence fading into a serene stillness. It was as if the Overseer''s energy had brought order to the chaos within.


    Satisfied, the Overseer finally spoke, his voice low but resonating with authority. "Now," he said, locking eyes with Ronald, "your ascension is complete."


    The words seemed to echo in the room, their weight heavy with significance. Ronald lowered his hand, the lake dissolving slowly into mist, fading into nothingness. The recruits exhaled, many of them unaware they had been holding their breath.


    Ronald, for his part, remained silent, but there was a glint of satisfaction in his eyes, a subtle nod of acknowledgment at the completion of his trial. His ghastly lake had been accepted—he had crossed a threshold, stepping into his new role with a sense of newfound power.


    As the Overseer turned to leave, the room remained steeped in quiet, the significance of what had just transpired hanging in the air.


    With a final glance at the awe-struck recruits, Ronald turned and, without a word, moved back toward the stairs leading upward. His power, now fully realized, lingered in the room long after he was gone, a chilling reminder of the path that lay ahead for the rest.