Free Web NovelChapter 43: The Ascension Ritual
Finally, he felt the weight on his shoulders lift.
Just for an instant.
It was a brief, almost fragile sensation, like a rope about to snap.
Gabriel remained motionless on the funerary hill. The gray mist continued to drift slowly between the destroyed tombstones.
Around him lay remains of bones, upturned earth, and fragments of stone pulverized by the battle.
He had won and finally reached level twenty.
Once again, he had survived after bleeding.
And yet... he didn’t feel victorious.
A tear slid slowly down from beneath the mask.
Silent and invisible to any observer.
He cried for Kael. For his friend.
For the person who had died without saying goodbye.
He clenched his teeth.
The pain was still there. Nothing had changed. Perhaps it never truly would.
But he couldn’t allow himself to stop. He knew he would be portrayed as an idiot if he did, not after coming this far.
He took a deep breath.
Then he began to walk.
His advance was much slower than during the battle. The fury had disappeared.
That wild tempest that had ravaged the Forbidden Cemetery was gradually dissipating.
All that remained was exhaustion, and it was immense.
His body was covered in wounds. Cuts, bruises, and contusions.
Regeneration worked constantly beneath his skin, closing damage and rebuilding tissue at an absurd speed.
But even that ability had limits.
Fatigue kept accumulating.
And for the first time, Gabriel felt truly exhausted. He left the Forbidden Cemetery and began the journey back.
The mist was left behind.
The twisted trees disappeared and the grass slowly began to regain its color.
And finally, the walls of the Beginner Village appeared before him.
The usual activity continued.
Nothing ever seemed to change. However, for him, everything was different.
That stage was ending.
He entered the village without paying attention to anything. His mind had a single objective: the Ascension Ritual.
The rituals were performed during the system update window. There was still some time left.
That was why he headed straight to the central square.
When he arrived, he discovered he wasn’t the only one waiting.
Dozens of players were gathered around the main fountain, all sharing a common characteristic: they had reached the required level.
They were all about to leave the village, and many were excited.
There was no shortage of those who were nervous or smiling erratically.
Others observed their surroundings in silence.
Gabriel preferred to be one of those who remained silent like a statue. He sat on a bench and waited patiently.
He needed to rest.
He rested his arms on his knees and closed his eyes.
For several minutes he simply remained motionless.
But he was disturbed, his instincts reacting first.
A presence was approaching.
His perception detected it immediately, but he didn’t open his eyes.
The central square was a safe zone. No one could harm him there.
He ignored the sensation.
Until a hand gently tapped his shoulder.
"You look terrible, white-haired man!"
Gabriel opened his eyes and slowly turned his head.
He recognized that face immediately.
Dark hair, bright eyes, and a smile soft as spring rain.
It was a presence impossible to ignore for many.
He had met her quite some time ago, even if only a few days had passed.
"Only a few days have passed and you act with such indifference, sir."
Gabriel observed the young woman for a few seconds.
Then he responded in a dry voice.
"Bella."
The girl’s smile widened.
"Bella Handford, sir. You remember me! Now that is a surprise."
She crossed her arms while examining him.
"With that look, I thought you were a middle-aged hermit."
Gabriel didn’t respond.
Bella waited. Then waited some more.
Finally, she sighed. ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom
"Incredible."
The silence continued.
"You know what? At least accept my friend request, Mr. Serious."
That did manage to catch his attention. Gabriel opened his interface and checked the accumulated notifications.
There were several pending requests. But one stood out immediately: Bella.
The golden letters highlighted her above the others.
He knew what that meant. It was recognition and fame, an advantage the system granted for great achievements.
Gabriel looked up.
"Why should I accept you?"
Bella placed a hand on her chest.
"How cruel."
Then she pointed at his appearance.
"I choose option C."
"What option C?"
"To prevent you from looking like the personal disciple of the Grim Reaper."
Gabriel continued watching her.
For some reason, that response amused him. Not much, just a little.
But it was enough. For an instant, he forgot the death, the rage, and the ritual.
He accepted the request.
The interface immediately confirmed the connection.
Bella raised both arms.
"Victory!"
Gabriel shook his head. freewebnσvel.cѳm
The girl smiled with satisfaction.
"Good. Now you no longer look like a completely antisocial and asocial person."
"I never said I wanted to change that."
"Details."
She laughed with her hand covering her mouth and turned around.
A group of players was waiting at a certain distance. They all looked experienced and well-equipped.
They probably belonged to some important organization.
Bella began to walk away.
But before leaving, she raised a hand.
"We’ll see each other outside the village, white-haired man."
Gabriel watched as she headed toward that experienced group.
Then he leaned back against the bench once more.
Rich girl, rich girl, huh? I think I’m never wrong.
The minutes continued to pass. The square became increasingly crowded.
More players arrived and more conversations appeared.
More expectations floated in the air.
And finally, it happened.
A notification appeared in front of a few.
______________
[The Ascension Ritual is now available]
[Eligible candidates may present themselves immediately]
__________
The square exploded into movement.
Gabriel stood up and advanced along with the rest.
The interior of the Village Chief’s building was illuminated by lights and ceremonial decorations.
Dozens of people entered and exited.
There were soldiers, advisors, and important citizens.
Many observed the future ascendants.
When Gabriel entered, he discovered that the main hall was fully prepared.
At the front stood the Village Chief.
The old man observed each player who entered.
One by one, as if trying to memorize their faces.
His gaze was intense. Laden with experience and wisdom, it concealed nothing— For a second, he felt that gaze burn into him.
Finally, he spoke, his voice resonating throughout the hall.
"Today you leave the safety of these walls."
The noise disappeared.
"The Beginner Village exists to prepare the weak."
"But the outside world has no mercy."
His gaze swept across the crowd.
"Many of you will die. Many will discover they were not as special as they believed."
Some players exchanged strange glances.
The old man continued.
"Many will return defeated."
"And some will never return."
The atmosphere grew heavy.
"But there are also those who will leave their names engraved in history."
His expression softened slightly.
"Perhaps some of you are destined to become legends."
He finished his speech with a nod of his head.
"Prove it."
After that, the preparations began. The candidates were separated.
There weren’t many — fewer than fifty.
Each received simple instructions and was then guided through different corridors.
Gabriel ended up in front of a stone door.
One of the advisors opened it.
"Enter."
Gabriel advanced.
The door closed behind him, offering no option to turn back.
The room was circular, simple, and empty.
In the center was a huge stone well. Filled with completely white water.
It seemed to emit a faint glow of its own.
A window appeared.
_______________
[Initiation Water]
[Absorb the energy contained in the water to complete the ritual]
_______________
He needed to undress, so Gabriel began removing his gear.
The coat fell first, then the weapons, and finally the remaining garments.
Everything ended up forming a pile of dirty clothes next to the wall.
Finally, he began to descend into the well, with the water reaching his chest.
To his surprise, nothing happened.
Several seconds passed, then a minute.
According to the available information, participants normally began absorbing the water almost immediately.
But his body seemed to ignore it completely. As if both energies were incompatible. But then a sensation appeared.
Small at first, almost imperceptible — a warmth.
But the sensation began to grow, turning into a burning heat.
Something was wrong when the pain suddenly increased.
The sensation spread to every corner of his body.
The white water began to churn, with bubbles appearing around him.
They were numerous and multiplied with every second.
The entire well began to vibrate.
Gabriel then felt something much worse.
Something he knew perfectly... it was hunger.
An ancient hunger.
It didn’t belong to human hunger or that of a beast.
And now it was awakening. Black veins began to appear beneath his skin.
Leviathan Gluttony was reacting.
The white water began to bubble violently and the temperature rose.
The pain exploded.
And for the first time since the process had begun, a terrifying idea appeared in his mind.
That substance wasn’t transforming him.
Something inside him was trying to devour it.
