Ascension Gates: Rise of the Beast Monarch-Chapter 45: Shadows of Betrayal

The corridor beyond the Elite Guardian chamber stretched deep into the ancient labyrinth.

Cold air drifted through the narrow stone passage, carrying the scent of dust and ancient magic that had not faded despite the passing of centuries.

Aether walked calmly at the front while Rylan followed slightly behind him.

The faint glow of ancient runes illuminated the walls around them. Some runes pulsed softly with blue light, while others were cracked and dim, as if the power within them had long since drained away.

Rylan broke the silence.

"Okay... I’ve been wondering something."

Aether glanced at him but continued walking.

Rylan pointed toward the small beast walking beside Aether.

The Flame Sovereign Pup.

Its crimson flames flickered calmly around its body as it moved forward with quiet confidence.

"That beast of yours," Rylan said. "What rank is it exactly?"

The pup looked at him proudly, its fiery tail swaying.

Aether answered simply.

"Its in second stage" . He flatly lied to the Rylan because he didn’t want to know others that his beast already reached the highest form in the lower world.

And he can also reached that level easily like others, if his talent not want to take each beast at every level. Unlike others, who just need one beast for their level up. And after that they can contract them.

But his talent need a pet beast at every level. After hearing this Rylan said,

"If this is only second stage then why he is so powerful than my beast who is at stage four".

Aether look at him and blinked his eyes, he doesn’t clearify that his beast is already at stage two level in stage one level two.

"It’s still evolving."

Rylan nearly stumbled.

"Still evolving?!"

He scratched his head in disbelief.

"That thing just helped destroy two Elite Guardians."

The pup snorted softly as if agreeing with him.

Aether said nothing.

Instead, his gaze slowly moved toward the deeper parts of the corridor.

Something felt strange.

The deeper they traveled into the ruins, the stronger a certain pressure in the air became.

It was subtle.

Most people wouldn’t notice it.

But Aether could feel it clearly.

The mysterious energy inside his body stirred faintly.

Almost like it was responding to something buried somewhere deep within the ruins.

But Aether kept that thought to himself.

For now, the most important thing was surviving the labyrinth.

---

Behind them, the ruins slowly shifted.

Massive stone walls moved silently.

Some corridors closed while others opened.

Paths changed constantly.

The labyrinth was alive.

It was designed to test, confuse, and separate those who entered.

Some challengers wandered through the maze searching for hidden treasures.

Some were hunting for the inheritance hidden within the ruins.

And some were simply looking for an opportunity to remove their competition.

---

Elsewhere in the Labyrinth

Lucien walked through a dim chamber illuminated by glowing blue crystals embedded in the walls.

His silver wolf moved silently beside him.

Its golden eyes scanned the surroundings carefully, sensing every movement in the darkness.

Lucien looked calm. But his mind was constantly calculating. The number of challengers entering the ruins had already begun to decrease.

Two had passed the midpoint trial. Which meant the strongest competitors were slowly revealing themselves.

But in Lucien’s mind, there was only one true winner.

Himself.

He stopped walking. A figure stood ahead of him. A tall challenger wearing dark armor.

Beside the man stood a massive stone golem. The creature’s heavy body looked like a moving mountain of rock and steel.

The challenger narrowed his eyes.

"Lucien Valcrest."

Lucien smiled politely.

"Correct."

The armored man crossed his arms.

"I’ve heard about you."

Lucien tilted his head slightly.

"Then you already understand why we’re here."

"The inheritance," the man replied.

Lucien nodded.

"Yes."

For a moment, neither of them moved.

The chamber fell silent.

Then Lucien spoke again.

"There’s something we should consider."

The challenger frowned.

"What?"

Lucien casually gestured toward the deeper tunnels.

"Eventually, only a handful of challengers will reach the core of the ruins."

He paused.

"But if we reduce the competition now..."

The armored man raised an eyebrow.

"You want an alliance?"

Lucien chuckled quietly.

"No."

Without warning—

The silver wolf lunged forward.

Its claws slashed across the man’s chest before he could react.

Blood splattered across the stone floor.

The challenger staggered backward in shock.

"You—!"

Lucien stepped forward calmly.

His voice was cold now.

"I prefer efficiency."

---

The stone golem roared and charged forward. Its massive arm swung toward the silver wolf.

But the beast moved faster. It slipped beneath the golem’s attack and leaped toward its chest.

Embedded inside the golem’s body was a glowing rune core. The wolf’s claws struck directly at the rune.

CRACK.

The rune shattered instantly.

The golem froze.

Then its entire body collapsed into lifeless stone fragments. The challenger stared in disbelief.

"How...?"

Lucien approached slowly.

"You relied too heavily on your beast."

The wounded challenger tried to stand.

But the silver wolf had already moved behind him.

Its claws pierced through his armor.

The man collapsed onto the ground.

Silence returned to the chamber.

Lucien looked down at the fallen challenger for a moment. Then he turned away.

"Let’s go."

The silver wolf followed him calmly.

Behind them, the labyrinth shifted again.

The chamber slowly sealed itself as the stone walls moved.

The first challenger inside the ruins had been eliminated.

---

Back with Aether and Rylan

They entered a large circular chamber filled with broken statues. Each statue depicted ancient warriors and strange beasts.

Some were cracked. Others were partially buried beneath fallen rubble.

Rylan looked around and whistled softly.

"This place is massive."

His serpent slithered across the ground carefully. Suddenly the serpent hissed.

Aether stopped walking.

He felt it too. A faint vibration in the chamber.

Then—

Stone cracked loudly. One of the statues moved.

The ancient warrior statue slowly rose from the ground as glowing runes ignited across its stone body.

Then another statue moved. And another.

Within seconds, six stone warriors surrounded them. Rylan sighed.

"Of course."

His serpent wrapped around his arm again.

"Why would anything in these ruins ever be simple?"

The stone warriors raised their heavy weapons. Aether spoke quietly.

"Prepare."

The Flame Sovereign Pup stepped forward.

Its crimson flames flared brighter.

The statues attacked.

---

One warrior swung a massive stone sword toward Rylan. His serpent reacted instantly.

"Azure Coil!"

The serpent wrapped around the blade and redirected the strike. The sword slammed into the ground instead, cracking the stone floor.

Meanwhile, the Flame Sovereign Pup launched forward.

Its body became a streak of blazing crimson fire. Its claws struck directly at the glowing rune in one statue’s chest.

BOOM.

The statue shattered into fragments. But the others continued attacking. Two warriors charged toward Aether. Their heavy blades swung downward with brutal force.

Aether stepped aside calmly.

The mysterious golden energy flickered briefly around him again. The Flame Sovereign Pup moved like living fire.

One statue’s arm was severed. Another’s rune core cracked.

Within moments, three statues had already fallen. Rylan stared in amazement.

"Remind me never to fight you."

Aether didn’t respond.

The remaining statues attacked together. Their weapons crashed down like falling hammers. But their movements were slow.

Predictable.

The Flame Sovereign Pup danced between them effortlessly. Flames erupted with each strike.

CRACK.

CRACK.

CRACK.

The last statues collapsed into shattered stone pieces.

Silence returned to the chamber. Broken debris covered the floor.

Rylan sat down heavily.

"These ruins are ridiculous."

He looked around cautiously.

"You think other challengers are nearby?"

Aether nodded slightly.

"Yes."

He could feel several presences scattered throughout the labyrinth. Some were strong. Some were weak. Some were moving cautiously. And some felt... hostile.

One presence in particular felt cold and sharp.

Lucien.

Aether had not seen him yet. But sooner or later, their paths would cross.

And when that happened...

Only one of them might leave the ruins.

---

Deep Beneath the Ruins

Far below the shifting labyrinth...

Inside a sealed chamber hidden deep within the ancient structure...

A faint glow illuminated the darkness. Floating projections of magical energy hovered in the air. Each projection displayed parts of the labyrinth.

Different challengers could be seen fighting monsters, navigating traps, and searching through the maze. Within the shadows, a mysterious figure quietly observed everything. The presence remained completely hidden.

Silent.

Patient.

Its gaze lingered on one projection longer than the others.

Aether.

The strange energy surrounding him had not gone unnoticed. Even from this sealed chamber, it could be sensed faintly.

Ancient.

Unusual.

Different from anything the ruins had encountered before.

The mysterious observer watched as Aether and Rylan moved deeper into the labyrinth. For thousands of years, countless challengers had entered these ruins.

Most had failed.

Many had died.

None had ever reached the deepest secret hidden within the ruins.

But this time...

Something felt slightly different. The labyrinth itself seemed to be reacting. The ruins were testing the challengers more aggressively. The mysterious figure continued watching silently.

Waiting.

Because the deeper levels of the ruins had not yet revealed themselves.

Stronger monsters.

Deadlier traps.

More dangerous trials.

And eventually—

Only a handful of challengers would remain.

The true test had only just begun.