Tenebrous Wolf-Chapter 32: Crossing the Threshold

Time slowly ticked by.

Two weeks passed in a flash, and with that, the fun times came to an end.

During that time, Sasha had gone on her so-called emergency business trip. Though, in truth, Klaus had no idea what that drunkard of a woman actually did for a living.

Knowing her personality, he couldn't help but feel a little worried. But it had nothing to do with their frequent, sexual heated encounters, or that one particular moment where he had accidentally confessed his true feelings.

Fortunately, she didn't seem to remember anything about it. Or, at the very least, she hadn't brought it up.

Perhaps she was just as embarrassed, considering she had also said things she normally wouldn't.

Either way, their last exchange ended with his formal goodbye, which Sasha promptly corrected, insisting, "See you later," before driving off in her car.

That had been weeks ago. The current date was September 1st, 2125.

Nikolaus Reinhardt, dressed in a long black coat that nearly touched the ground, strode forward with a large suitcase in one hand. Upon arriving, he crossed the massive, seemingly indestructible gates of Ascension Academy.

His once-messy hair was now freshly cut, complementing his straight posture and refined choice of clothing, giving him an air of quiet sophistication.

Moving on, the young Awakened took the opportunity to survey his surroundings. The best way to describe Ascension Academy was that it was, in fact, a city within a city.

The vast green plains weren't the only thing that dominated his vision. Towering futuristic buildings stood directly in front of him, each at least sixty feet tall. But beyond them, other technological marvels stretched as far as the eye could see.

Sweeping his gaze across the vicinity, Klaus took in the sight of the breathtaking Neon Angelion Units.

They were colossal, muscular humanoid robots, towering at forty meters in height as they moved crates. Rather than giving the impression of machines, they gave the impression of giant human beings. Their design bore a slight resemblance to angels or perhaps it was the four angelic wings protruding from where their eye sockets should have been that evoked such an image. Aside from that feature, they were entirely mechanical, devoid of any mythical elements.

Those enormous machines were piloted by highly trained military-produced individuals known as 'Riders.'

Above, flying vehicles followed precise flight paths, cutting sleekly through the air. These aero vehicles resembled the EVO-5 Sentinels used by MaxTech. In fact, some might argue that the models used here were even more advanced. Klaus, however, wasn't so sure.

They all look the same on the surface, don't they? he thought, disinterestedly.

Just as he was about to continue forward, a familiar voice echoed in his mind.

"Wow. So this is the so-called Ascension Academy you talked about."

Said voice belonged to Briar, the succubus. However, she wasn't physically beside him.

Bringing a demon into a place teeming with Ascendants and military personnel was nothing short of suicide. Naturally, neither of them was fond of that idea, so they had sought an alternative way for Briar to accompany him unnoticed.

That's when they made an interesting discovery that Briar could freely enter and exit his 'Soul Stream'.

Apparently, due to the Master-Servant Contract, this ability was one of its inherent benefits. Moreover, it granted her the ability to communicate with him telepathically, regardless of her location. And due to the fact that she was inside his Soul Stream, nobody including both the military or other awakened would be able to detect her presence.

This was the newfound strength the two had unlocked!

"What do you think now that you've seen it for yourself? Do you like it?"

"Hmm. I suppose you could say that. It looks quite amazing... and a little terrifying."

"That's to be expected. I'm sure I already explained this to you, but the academy was originally a fortress used during the Great War against the demon race hundreds of years ago. The so-called 'school' is really just a repurposed military base designed to train both newly Awakened Ascendants and Riders."

"You humans are certainly strange. Why would you make a fortress into a school?"

"Correction, it's a school in name only. It doesn't actually teach anything apart from survival skills and combat techniques. Even so, it provides experiences that will be useful later in life. After all, this is a place where the most important individuals in society are forged."

"You mean Ascendants?"

"Not just Ascendants, but Riders as well. Please, don't underestimate them. They're more capable than you think."

"I fail to see what's so impressive about riding some giant machine. Do you really believe those things, whatever you call them, could defeat or even resist a Great Tyrant or Calamity? If your answer is no, then those oversized scraps of metal are nothing but junk."

Did she just say that? Klaus thought in disbelief.

He wasn't entirely sure whether Angelus Units could defeat Tyrants or Calamity Shadow Creatures, but he knew one thing for certain that just one of those machines could reduce an entire country to nothing but waste.

Even atomic and nuclear bombs would only manage to stun them temporarily or destroy a few of their external systems.

That was how terrifying those so-called "pieces of metal," as Briar so casually put it, truly were.

Of course, no matter how many times he tried to explain it, this stubborn Succubus simply wouldn't understand.

Thinking about the whole situation, he sighed.

This 𝓬ontent is taken from fгeewebnovёl.co𝙢.

Besides... in this world, power isn't just about raw strength. It's about who lasts longer.

This truth could be applied to anyone regardless if they were human or demon. With that, Klaus continued moving with his suitcase in hand.

Amidst his strode, Sasha's parting words echoed inside his mind.

† †

A few weeks ago, Klaus watched as Sasha loaded her suitcases into the trunk of her Volvo XC90.

She was dressed in a maroon-colored coat over a black shirt, a matching maroon tie neatly fastened around her neck. Black fingerless gloves covered both hands, while a belt secured her tight brown leggings. Black bands wrapped around the upper thigh of her right leg. Round, gold-rimmed glasses rested on her nose, and her hair was tied back, adding to her refined, almost professional appearance.

If he hadn't known better, he would have thought she was a completely different person.

Where was that lovely drunkard who couldn't even cook? If anything, this was proof that appearances could be deceiving.

At some point, Sasha caught him staring and frowned.

"Hey, what's that stupid face?"

"Ah, sorry about that. I'm just feeling a little sad that you're leaving, y'know."

"Already missing me when I haven't even left? It really warms my heart."

The redhead smiled at him.

"Even so, don't look too down. It's not like I'm going away forever. How could I ever abandon my precious Klaus? Wouldn't that make me a bad sister~?!"

"Stop saying things that can cause misunderstandings!"

"Haha! Geez, I'm just joking. Ah, now that I think about it, aren't you going to the Ascension Academy in a few weeks? You'll meet a lot of amazing people there, so don't miss me too much, okay?"

"Yeah, I can't wait. Can you see? I'm practically shaking."

Klaus nearly rolled his eyes. Seeing this, Sasha chuckled before slipping into the driver's seat.

Then, she regarded him with a somewhat serious expression.

"Since you're heading to the Ascension Academy, I'll give you a few pieces of advice. I have a friend who's an Ascendant, so I'm just going to tell you the important things you need to know."

Klaus remained silent, both hands in his pockets.

"First, once you enter the academy, there's a strong possibility that you'll be invited to see a specialist who'll help you understand your abilities better. They're quite helpful when it comes to guiding freshly awakened individuals who don't fully grasp their powers. However—"

"It's just the government trying to extract information, isn't it?"

Sasha nodded.

"That's correct. The Shadow World is a danger that must be cleared, but Hollows aren't the only threats you'll face. Sooner or later, you'll have to deal with other humans, some of whom could be far more dangerous, especially when they know your abilities and weaknesses. That's far worse than dealing with unintelligent monsters that only follow their instincts."

"You don't have to worry. I'm not some greenhorn who doesn't know something this basic. Besides, those who willingly give out their information are either fools or arrogant."

"I see. So you already understand. As expected of you, Klaus."

"Please don't tease me right now."

"Alright, alright."

Sasha smiled briefly before her expression turned serious again.

"Before you can become stronger, you need to understand your limits and weaknesses first. This doesn't just apply to combat. People awaken all kinds of abilities, and some are naturally stronger than others. Knowing your weaknesses and keeping them hidden will give you an edge. Young people like yourself often feel the urge to show off their abilities, and there are plenty of manipulative adults who encourage them to spill details in subtle ways. I'm not saying the government will leak your information, but once two people know a secret, it's no longer a secret. There are a lot of people working for the government. And the government are..."

"A bunch of jerks who want to control everything."

"Bingo! Now make sure you never forget that."

"I understand."

Klaus gave a small nod, prompting Sasha to continue.

"Secondly, I don't know if you know this, but the Ascension Academy is only a school in name. It's not a traditional academy. Even so, there are a lot of important courses you can take, such as combat training, weapon training, ability training, and lessons on the weaknesses and abilities of Shadow Creatures—knowledge that isn't available to the public or even on the black market. There's also strategy planning and many other useful subjects. Sorry, it's hard to remember everything since it's been a while since I had that conversation with my friend."

Ah, so it was that.

Actually, Klaus had already started training with the sword. Although he wasn't an expert, the sword was a relatively easy weapon to use. Some might prefer guns, but unless it was an advanced gun with immense firepower, it would be completely useless against Hollows.

Thanks to the weapon he had bought, he wouldn't have any problems as long as he had a basic understanding of it.

However, he wasn't expecting Sasha's next words.

"Ignore all of them. The most important course you need to take is Survival Tactics."

"Huh? Survival Tactics?"

"Hello? Survival tactics are skills you need to survive on your own, especially in the wilderness."

"I know what it means. Why do I need to learn that?"

She sighed.

"Let me ask you this, what happens if you're randomly dropped into a forest in the middle of nowhere? What would be your biggest concern in that moment?"

"Wouldn't it be food and shelter? Ah, wait..."

Klaus opened his eyes wide, whereas Sasha smiled.

"So you finally understand. I haven't been to the Shadow Realm myself, but according to my friend's description, it sounds like a dead and depressing place. Fighting monsters sounds cool and all, but wouldn't it be pathetic if you died from hunger or exposure to the elements? People can die from things like heatstroke, you know?"

"I see. I understand."

Klaus nodded, absorbing the information. Indeed, what she said was absolutely correct.

Most people were too focused on getting stronger that they overlooked the simplest things, himself included. Truly, wouldn't it be a complete disaster if he entered the Shadow Realm and died because he didn't know how to start a fire or hunt for food instead of falling in battle?

Certainly, the shadow realm couldn't be compared to a human city.

This was a huge miscalculation. It seemed he would have to adjust his plans.

While considering a visit to the black market in Undertown (or Undercity), Klaus finally asked,

"What's the third piece of advice?"

"Well, it's actually pretty simple. You just need to make new friends."

"What?"

He frowned.

"What kind of advice is that? Are you messing with me?"

The redhead stared at him.

"What are you getting all worked up for?" she shrugged. "Whether it's the Shadow Realm or this world, nobody can survive alone. I'm sure you already know that, right?"

"Hmm. I see. I understand what you're trying to say."

"...Eh? You do?"

"Yes, you're saying I should manipulate people, right? Yes, that's certainly a good idea. If I build a relationship with someone, they'll naturally begin to trust me, and from there, with the help of further manipulation and gaslighting—"

"Wait! Wait! Stop! Stop! Stop!"

"Huh? Did I get it wrong?"

"Yes! You completely misunderstood what I was trying to say! I'm telling you to get yourself some real friends, you damn idiot! And before that, work on fixing that terrible personality of yours!!"

Shouting so, Sasha started the engine of her car, muttering "unbelievable" under her breath multiple times before hurriedly driving off.

Klaus blinked as he stared at the speeding Volvo XC90, watching as it disappeared into the distance. It almost seemed like it was about to embark on some kind of magical journey.

As he replayed her words in his mind, the idea of making new friends still felt strange to him. But what was even stranger was Sasha herself.

"Speaking of which, how did she even become friends with an Awakened in the first place?"