I Died and Received an SSS-Rank Unique Ability-Chapter 84: Journey Back

The aftermath of the battle with the Centaurion was unlike anything the group had ever witnessed. Everywhere they looked, death stared back. There wasn’t a single patch of ground untouched by blood or bodies—or what remained of them. The field was littered with mangled corpses, a grim testament to the slaughter that had unfolded.

Those who survived stood silently, the weight of it all pressing down on their shoulders. Grief and exhaustion carved deep lines into their faces, their expressions growing darker with every passing second as they stared at what was left of the once-mighty force.

"Let’s gather what we need and leave," Ezra said, his voice raw with grief.

Unlike Vale and the others, Ezra had known these soldiers for years. He had marched with them, laughed with them, and trusted them. They had followed him into battle—and now, they were all gone. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

"Shouldn’t we—" Klein began, his voice barely a whisper. He meant to ask if they should bury the dead, but the words died in his throat. One look at the others told him enough. No one had the strength for it. Not now.

Vale didn’t wait. Without a word, he made his way to the remains of the Centaurion to retrieve what they had come for.

As soon as he had it in hand, he turned back to the group. "We need to go. More monsters will be drawn to the blood," he warned.

Everyone nodded. It was a simple truth of the Demon Realm—fresh blood was a beacon.

Barely minutes after Vale regained consciousness, the group was already moving again. Slowly. Painfully.

Every step was a struggle. They were weighed down—not just by their injuries or drained mana—but by the sheer scale of the devastation left behind.

Once they had put enough distance between themselves and the battlefield, they stopped. Exhaustion was beginning to consume them, creeping in with every breath. Rest wasn’t a luxury anymore—it was a necessity.

A heavy silence settled over the once lively group. The cheerful banter that had once filled the air was gone, replaced by an eerie quiet that clung to them like a second skin.

"You okay?"

"Huh?" Vale blinked, pulled from his thoughts to find Ayla standing in front of him. He’d been zoning out, replaying the horrors of the battle in his mind, wondering what he could’ve done differently, when she approached.

"Yeah... You?"

"I’m alive," she replied simply as she sat down beside him. "I’m tired," she added, laying her head gently on his shoulder and closing her eyes.

"W-What?" Vale stiffened, eyes wide. He looked around, unsure what to do, half-expecting someone to comment—but no one seemed to notice. Or care. Everyone was lost in their own thoughts, wrapped in their own exhaustion.

He glanced back at Ayla. She was already asleep.

"She must’ve really been tired," he thought, letting out a soft breath.

The group rested for no more than an hour before preparing to move again. Ayla remained curled up beside Vale the entire time, fast asleep against his shoulder. He didn’t move. Instead, he stared up at the sky, letting his thoughts drift.

Everyone else rested in their own way. Some lay down and slept. Others meditated in silence. Dain passed the time with quiet stretches and light exercises, while Klein sifted through what little remained of their supplies, mentally mapping out the road ahead.

Then, they moved on.

Their pace quickened—rest had done wonders. The weight on their limbs was lighter, and their steps were more sure.

The first leg of their journey back was uneventful. Having already traversed the same paths made navigating the once treacherous terrain feel almost easy.

The occasional ambush by stray monsters became something they almost welcomed. With their strength gradually returning and the aid of mana crystals to replenish their essence, they dispatched each attacker without breaking stride. Every battle brought them closer to their former strength.

Soon, Vale felt it—his core was more than half full now. The realisation that had struck him after they’d rested was finally within reach.

Without warning, he stopped mid-step.

The group halted behind him.

"What is it?" Dain asked, scanning the surroundings, half-expecting an ambush.

But no monsters came.

Instead, Vale raised a hand, and a moment later, his spirit answered the call. From thin air, the great ice dragon materialised before them, wings outstretched, frost swirling around its form.

The group stared in stunned silence.

Back then, when they were part of a much larger group, riding the dragon had been out of the question. But now, only ten of them remained.

Vale turned to face them, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "Get on."

No one moved at first. Uncertainty lingered in their eyes until Dain stepped forward and climbed onto the beast without a word. One by one, the others followed—Ayla, Klein, Ezra, and the rest of the soldiers climbed onto the Spirit.

Vale was the last to mount. It was cramped—more than he had anticipated. Even the dragon let out a low, guttural shriek as it adjusted to the new weight, it shifted to face the edge of the narrow path.

"Are you sure about this?" Ezra asked, doubt plain on his face.

Vale looked at each of them, noting the shared uncertainty in their eyes.

"Not really," he admitted with a slight shrug.

Then he gave the silent command.

The dragon lurched forward, dropping slightly before its wings caught the wind and it surged upward. It wasn’t nearly as fast or graceful as when Vale rode it alone, but it was still far quicker than trudging through the winding mountain paths.

As they soared through the sky, the hesitation melted away. Wide eyes and awe-struck expressions replaced the earlier doubts. Below them, the rugged landscape stretched out endlessly, but up here, there was freedom.

Hours passed unnoticed as the wind whistled around them—until finally, they saw it.

Dark Castle rose in the distance, an ominous figure cloaked in shadow, a harsh contrast to the snow-covered peaks around it.

They flew toward it, its massive form growing larger with every beat of the dragon’s wings.

Then, at last, they landed—just in front of its ancient, towering gates.