The Dark Ascendance

Kazuki stood over the motionless body of the kraken, its tentacles now limp and lifeless, floating aimlessly in the water that had flooded the chamber. He looked up at the glowing blue gem embedded in the creature’s head. Behind the shimmering surface, the silhouette of the unconscious girl was clear.

He reached up and grabbed the gem, dislodging it from the kraken’s skull with a sharp crack. As soon as the gem came free, the water in the chamber began to recede, vanishing as quickly as it had appeared. The dungeon’s eerie glow faded, leaving only the dim light filtering in from the dungeon entrance.

Kazuki cradled the girl in his arms, her body cold and still. Her strange purple hair flowed loosely down her back, and as Kazuki began the long walk back to Veridonne, he couldn’t help but notice how different she looked. He caught a glimpse of something glinting from her neck—a pendant. He tilted her body slightly to get a better look.

A name was carved delicately into the silver pendant: Selena.

"Selena..." Kazuki muttered under his breath, his voice low and distant, more to himself than to anyone else. "Must be her name."

His eyes narrowed slightly. Purple hair wasn’t a color he’d seen often, if ever. Perhaps she was from a different race, but he didn’t dwell on the thought for long. She was unconscious, and his goal was simple: get her to the hospital and leave. She wasn’t his responsibility. His mission had been the dungeon raid, and this was just a side effect of that quest.

After a few hours of walking through the forest surrounding Veridonne, the gates of the city came into view. Kazuki, with his masked face hidden from curious eyes, stepped past the gates without trouble. The city bustled with life, merchants shouting over the crowd, and the clinking of armor as guards patrolled the streets. Yet even in this noise, the weight of the girl in his arms made everything feel distant.

He arrived at the hospital, its stone exterior weathered but sturdy. Without a word, Kazuki carried Selena inside, where a few doctors stood in shock at the sight of the girl in his arms.

“She’s unconscious. Take care of her,” Kazuki said coldly, his voice low and emotionless as usual.

One of the doctors hesitated, but before they could ask questions, Kazuki tossed a hefty bag of silver coins on the table, the clink of the coins echoing in the room. “That’s payment,” he added, not waiting for their response.

The doctors, though still in shock, quickly moved to take Selena from him. “Sir, will you be returning to check on her?” one of them asked as they carried her to a nearby bed.

Kazuki shook his head. “No,” he replied bluntly, turning on his heel. He didn’t look back as he left the hospital. He’d done his part. Whatever happened to her now wasn’t his concern.

His mind shifted to more pressing matters—like collecting his reward for the dungeon raid. As he made his way to the guild, the streets seemed noisier than usual, but it was likely because of the mask he wore. People stared at him, whispering among themselves.

“Who’s that guy with the mask?”

“What’s with the mask? Is he hiding something?”

Kazuki ignored the murmurs, as he always did. Their words didn’t matter. His thoughts were already on the next steps. He pushed open the heavy wooden doors of the guild, stepping into the bustling hall. The guild master, a burly man with a grizzled beard, glanced up from his desk. His eyes widened slightly as he saw Kazuki walk in.

“You... you did the dungeon raid alone?” the guild master asked, half in disbelief.

Kazuki nodded silently, placing the quest poster on the table.

The guild master scratched his head. “I’m surprised you made it out, kid. That dungeon’s been giving everyone trouble for months. What happened down there?”

Kazuki’s voice was as cold as ever as he recounted the events—though he left out any mention of Selena. “Undead. Kraken. Fought it. It’s dead now.”

The guild master raised an eyebrow but didn’t press further. “Well, a job’s a job. You’ve earned your reward.” He handed Kazuki a pouch filled with gold coins. “I don’t know who you are under that mask, but you’ve got skill. Might be worth your time to take on some bigger jobs if you’re up for it.”

Kazuki didn’t respond, only giving a slight nod before turning and walking out of the guild. He pocketed the gold, his mind already moving on. As he walked back to the inn, a sense of detachment settled over him. He had saved someone today, sure, but it wasn’t out of compassion. It was just... part of the job.

“I saved someone today... but that girl... why was she in that gem?” Kazuki muttered quietly to himself, his cold eyes narrowing beneath the mask as he recalled the strange events in the dungeon. The sight of the girl trapped in the gem, the kraken guarding her... none of it made sense. But in the end, it didn’t matter to him. “She’s not my responsibility.”

As he reached his room at the inn, he pushed the door open and stepped inside. The walls were dimly lit by a single flickering candle, casting long shadows that danced across the wooden floor. He closed the door behind him with a soft click and sat down on the edge of the bed.

For a moment, Kazuki let the silence settle in, his gaze drifting to the window where the night sky was beginning to darken. He clenched his fists, feeling the strain in his muscles. Despite his powers, he was still feeling the toll of the battle, the wounds, though they could heal, still ached slightly.

He stared at his hands. "What am I even doing?" he thought, though his expression remained unreadable. The question lingered for only a second before he brushed it aside. He wasn’t someone who overthought things. There was always a next step, always a next fight.

And yet... that girl’s face, her name—Selena—stuck in his mind. He shook his head and stood up. It wasn’t his problem.

BOOM!

Suddenly, a loud explosion echoed in the distance, shaking the inn slightly. Kazuki’s eyes snapped to the window, but he didn’t move. Whatever it was, it wasn’t his concern.

At least, not yet.