The Forsaken Heir's Ascension
Chapter 114: The Price of Awakening – Alex Opens His Eyes

Chapter 114: The Price of Awakening – Alex Opens His Eyes

Outside...

Serene stepped into Alex’s dorm room, where he still lay unconscious—a full month had passed.

Hati stood up as she entered and barked softly at her.

She responded with a tired smile. "Good morning to you too, Hati."

She extended her hand. "Here."

In her palm was a steak wrapped in parchment paper. Hati took it gently in his mouth, the paper crinkling as he walked out of the bedroom. He padded over to the fireplace and sat down. Placing the steak carefully on the ground, he unwrapped it with quiet precision.

The soft crackle of fire mixed with the rustling of the paper, and soon, the aroma of grilled meat filled the room.

Hati began eating slowly, eyes fixed on the flames—his gaze distant and sorrowful.

Meanwhile, Serene sat in the chair beside Alex’s bed.

She exhaled slowly and began speaking, her voice quiet but steady.

"Today, the WW Quarterfinals came to an end."

She paused, as if gathering strength to continue.

"Noctshade Club, Rebel Club, Fire Phoenix Club, and Veylor Club made it to the Semifinals. They’ll begin next week."

Her eyes shimmered with tears as she looked at Alex’s still face.

"This year’s best rookies were Selene Frostreign, Rina Roarhart, Meika Noctshade, and Riven Veylor."

Her voice cracked.

"You would’ve been one of them... if not for all this."

Then a faint smile touched her lips.

"Your teacher, Emilia Aurelwyn, has been so worried. And those two—Selene and Rina—they didn’t stop searching for you. They were relentless."

She let out a soft laugh, bittersweet.

"Even your captain, Darian Terravyrn, was asking around, questioning different teachers about your whereabouts."

She reached out and gently brushed a strand of hair from Alex’s face.

"You really made the girls crazy for you," she whispered. "You really are my big sister’s son."

The smile slowly faded, replaced by a more serious expression.

"The Seraph Clan..." she paused, her tone heavier now, "most of it is gone."

Her voice trembled.

"After we returned, sages from different clans came to investigate. They found... nothing."

She drew a shaky breath.

"The Seraph Clan was divided like a meal. One of our cities was handed to the Veylor Clan. The other two were swallowed by Noctshade."

Her next words came out broken.

"I was only able to keep the main city... because they were afraid. Afraid of the thing that erased our main castle."

She clenched her fists in her lap.

"They dared not provoke it. So they didn’t touch what was left."

She leaned back in the chair, eyes drifting toward the ceiling as she let out a long, quiet breath.

"Alex... please wake up," she whispered, voice trembling with the weight of helplessness.

For a brief moment, the world blurred.

A memory surfaced—vivid and piercing.

Her sister’s smile.

Bright and gentle.

And that voice, forever etched in her soul:

"Little sister... you know I love you the most in the world."

A faint, bittersweet smile curved Serene’s lips.

"I miss you, Sister..." she murmured.

One of the academy’s tallest spires rose into the night sky, its stone walls blanketed in snow. Under the moonlight, the dark surface gleamed with a pale silver glow.

Midway up the spire, behind frost-kissed windows, a narrow sliver of moonlight crept into a quiet room—casting long, shifting shadows across its occupant.

Inside, a young man sat still, his sharp features hardened into a scowl.

Riven.

The soft shimmer of a blue screen flickered across his face.

[System Notification!]

[DANGER!]

[ALERT! HOST MUST GROW STRONGER]

[RECOMMENDATION: ELIMINATE UNNECESSARY EMOTIONS]

His eyes narrowed.

"So you’re telling me to give up on Lyra?" he growled.

His fists clenched.

"You’re supposed to help me. Not try to control me."

His voice was low, bitter.

"You’re nothing but a parasite... a trash system."

Riven kicked at the air in sheer frustration.

"This fucking useless system!" he snarled. "Lyra’s still mad at me, and you’re here spouting trash about her?"

How do I get rid of this trash system? he thought.

[DING]

[WARNING: HOST SHOULD NOT THINK OF REMOVING ME.]

His eyes widened in horror.

"You... you can read my thoughts?!" he screamed, staggering back.

He dropped to the ground, clutching his head, his voice breaking.

"Fffuck! Fffuck! Fffuckkk!"

His fists slammed against the cold floor with dull thuds, pain mingling with helplessness.

[SYSTEM RESPONSE:]

[BE STRONG—SO STRONG THAT YOU CANNOT BE IGNORED.]

[YOU WERE NEVER MEANT TO BE ORDINARY.]

The blue screen hovered before him, unwavering.

Riven’s violet eyes slowly shimmered, a quiet fire awakening within.

He rose to his feet, his body trembling—but no longer from despair.

"...Fine," he muttered. "If I can’t erase you... then I’ll use you."

Back to Serene’s dorm room...

In a room dimly lit by the flickering warmth of a fireplace, soft golden light danced across emerald-green cushioned chairs, heavy drapes, and dark grey stone walls. The quiet lounge led to two doors, each opening into separate bedrooms.

In one of them, a boy lay motionless beneath a blanket of emerald velvet. His long silver-white hair—marked with streaks of crimson and violet—rested neatly against the plush pillow of matching color. His pale, refined face remained still, eyes closed.

Suddenly, his eyelids fluttered—then slowly opened. His dark purple eyes shimmered in the dim firelight, absorbing the soft glow of the room.

Alex turned his head slightly, scanning his surroundings—until his gaze settled on a familiar figure: his loyal wolf, curled up on the rug near the bed.

Hati’s ears twitched. He opened his eyes, raised his head—and then froze.

A beat.

"Woof!"

He bounded onto the bed, tail wagging, tongue out, and began licking Alex’s face with reckless joy.

Alex laughed, pushing gently at his furry companion. "Hahaha—okay, okay! Yes, Hati, I’m okay! I’m glad to see you too!"

The door suddenly flung open with a snap.

Serene burst in, breathless—her chest rising and falling as if she’d run the whole way. Her eyes locked on Alex—and widened.

Then... a slow smile spread across her tired face. The weariness in her eyes melted into joy.

"You’re finally awake," she said, voice trembling with relief.

Alex blinked at her, confused. "Yeah, I guess... but why are you acting like I’ve been out for a long time?"

Serene walked to the bed and sat beside him, exhaling as if a mountain had lifted off her shoulders.

"You were," she said softly. "You were."

Alex’s eyes shot open. "WHAT?!"

She nodded, more calmly now. "You’ve been unconscious for a month, Alex. A whole month."

Then, with a gentle smile, she added, "But don’t worry about that. Just tell me—how do you feel now?"

Alex took a deep breath, calming himself down. He pushed against the mattress with effort, groaning as he sat up. His muscles ached, but he ignored the pain. Closing his eyes, he reached inward—searching his core.

Three Wood Elemental Circles... still the same, he noted silently.

One Black Lightning Circle... intact.

One Dark Elemental Circle—sa...

His eyes snapped open. A cold realization surged through him.

He remembered the words spoken by the shadow in his mind:

"The price of awakening."

Alex let out a long, tired sigh. He looked at Serene, his face pale, eyes heavy with defeat.

"Everything’s fine," he said quietly. "I just... lost all my cultivation in the Dark Element. I’m down to only one circle now."