Nero''s body was different. He could feel it—he was much stronger, much faster.
The cave was completely clear. He could see everything.
He didn’t need light anymore to see.
That was probably because his Darkness Rune was at Level 4 now.
But all this could wait—he was hungrier than ever.
It had taken a massive amount of energy for him to ascend, and more than 30 hours had passed.
As he lifted his head, he found Nemsus handing him a piece of meat.
"Where did you get that?" Nero asked.
Nemsus replied, "Hunting. I found a mage bear outside, and Delilah cooked it."
"You went outside?"
"I was careful and discreet."
Nero didn’t ask any more questions. Hunger took over. He tore into the meat, barely chewing before swallowing. Every bite felt like a feast, rich and satisfying."
It reminded him of another time—back when he and Delilah had nothing.
He still remembered the cold cobblestones beneath him, the hunger twisting in his gut. That night, he had scrounged through garbage for scraps. A single stolen potato—that was all he had.
When he handed it to Delilah, she sighed and shook her head.
But she still got to work.
Using an old, dented pot they had stolen a few days ago, she boiled some water over a small fire in a hidden alley. She mashed the scraps together, added the potato, and somehow… it became soup.
Warm. Filling.
It had no business tasting as good as it did, but Delilah had a way of turning nothing into something.
Just like now.
Nero took another bite of the meat, swallowing hard as the warmth spread through him. Delilah had always found a way to make things better, even when the world had given them nothing.
As Nero lifted his head, he found Delilah watching him, concern still etched across her face.
"I''m okay, Dee," he assured her.
She gave a small nod, the tension in her shoulders finally easing.
Now that he looked at her properly, she seemed exhausted. Dark shadows sat under her eyes, proof that she hadn’t slept in days. She had been awake the entire time, watching over him as he ascended, worrying.
But now that he was fine, she finally allowed herself to rest.
As Delilah closed her eyes and drifted into sleep, Nero did the same. He was exhausted.
....
"So, Nero, how does it feel to have a level five rune?" he asked, eyes gleaming with interest. "Any new sensations? Abilities? Maybe an enhanced sense?"
Nero was just as curious as Nemsus, but despite his anticipation, nothing felt noticeably different. He focused, trying to manipulate time or create some sort of effect—but nothing happened. Maybe his mana was still too low, or perhaps his abilities required something more. Unlike a fire rune, which naturally enhanced the body, the Will rune’s effects were a mystery.
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He sighed. "I have no idea," he admitted.
Both he and Nemsus turned toward Delilah, eyes full of curiosity. She had received two level-four runes—Life and Space—and they were eager to see what she had gained.
Delilah said nothing at first. Instead, she unsheathed her sword and made a small cut on her finger. Almost instantly, the wound sealed itself, leaving nothing behind.
Nemsus whistled in admiration. "Wow, that’s actually amazing." A hint of greed flickered in his expression before he quickly masked it. "What about the Space rune? What can it do?"
Delilah shook her head. "I... don’t know yet. Same as Nero. I don’t feel anything different."
They turned to Nemsus next. Nero raised an eyebrow. "And you?"
A smirk crossed Nemsus’ lips. "My electricity is stronger, and I can use more of it with less mana."
Finally, they all looked at Lunia. She seemed hesitant, as if she wasn’t sure how to explain what she felt.
"I think… I can feel the ground," she said slowly.
Nemsus frowned. "Feel the ground?"
Lunia nodded. "Yeah. As long as someone is touching the ground, I can sense exactly where they are or when they move."
A grin spread across Nero’s face, and Nemsus chuckled.
"That’s actually really useful," Nero said.
"Yeah," Nemsus agreed. "We’ll always know if something—or someone—is sneaking up on us."
The realization made them all feel a little more secure. They still had a lot to figure out, but their runes were already proving valuable.
Nero exhaled, steadying himself. They had lingered too long. The weight of unseen eyes pressed against his skin. Something—or someone—would find them soon.
''We need to move,'' he said, voice firm.
He turned to Delilah. They had followed her lead up to this point, but none of them truly knew where they were going.
Nemsus clenched his fists, frustration simmering beneath his skin. “Move where? The whole Empire wants us dead. Where the hell are we supposed to go!?”
Nero exhaled slowly. He didn’t like the words forming in his mind, but there wasn’t a better option. "We go around the Song Mountains."
Nemsus narrowed his eyes. "And then?"
"Then…" Nero ran a hand through his hair. "Then we push south. Cross into the next human land." His throat felt tight. "And after that? We figure it out."
Lunia tensed. “You mean through the woods again?!”
Nero shot her a pointed look. “Unless you’ve got a better idea.” His voice carried a hint of mockery, but there was an edge to it—he wasn’t in the mood for complaints.
He turned back to Delilah. “Dee, you’re the one who knows the terrain best. What’s the plan? I need specifics.”
We’re in the Murkmire Woods, northeast of the Ironclad Empire," Delilah said, rubbing her temples. "Behind the Song Mountains." She exhaled. "If we follow the range south, we’ll hit five—maybe six—red zones. Possibly a grey one."
Nemsus groaned. "How far?"
Delilah hesitated. "Six thousand miles."
Silence.
"That’s a joke, right?" Nemsus said, voice tight.
No one answered.
"Oh Fuck"
The words settled like a stone in their stomach.
That wasn’t just far—it was madness. Months of running. No food. No safety. No way back. Just six thousand miles of death waiting in the dark.
She glanced toward the horizon, a faint unease flickering in her eyes. “The mountains bend east-southeast at first, then shift west-south. The further east we go, the colder and darker it’ll get. If we survive that well reach the arcane empire”
No one spoke. This was beyond Nero''s first expectations. Six thousand miles of darkness. Six thousand miles of creatures waiting in the gloom. Six thousand miles where one mistake meant death.
Nero took a slow breath, forcing the weight of reality down. West was their best option—but even that was a gamble.
''Then we keep west as much as possible,'' he said, voice low.
"And how much time until we’re out of the Murkmire Woods and into the next red zone?."
Delilah thought for a moment before answering. "If we keep moving in shifts of six to eight hours, we should be able to clear the woods in about ten to twelve days."
Nero gave a small nod. "What kind of beasts are we dealing with here?"
Delilah folded her arms. ''This is a red zone. The biggest threat? Ascendant Wolves. They hunt in packs, usually ten to twenty.''"
Silence fell over them.
Nemsus clenched his fists. Nero didn''t say anything and Lunia looked away, swallowing hard. They all remembered. The snarls in the dark. The blood. The screams of roan *
Delilah continued, her voice steady but firm. "Some of the trees might attack, too. So don’t get too close unless you''re sure they’re normal."
She hesitated, then added, "In rare cases, we might run into other Ascendant creatures, but that’s unlikely. Most of what lurks here are mages."
Nero’s gaze sharpened. Mage beasts—they could handle that. But the Ascendants… that was another matter entirely.
With him and Nemsus now Ascendants themselves, they had a fighting chance. They could probably take on four—maybe five if they pushed themselves. But anything beyond that? It would be suicide.
They needed to be careful. Keep their distance. Avoid unnecessary fights. If t
hey drew the attention of a full pack again, their journey would end here.