The Ascender's Legacy [A CHAOTIC STORM LITRPG]

Professor Jorendil exhaled a sigh of relief as he stepped out of Principal Zatya's office, nearly an hour after he'd gone in. Needless to say, Zatya hadn't been particularly receptive to the idea, and Jorendil had had to jump through more than a few hoops to get her to agree.

Still, it was cheaper than employing a professional herb gatherer who would take no less than a month to gather what Aodhán could do in two days. Whatever price Aodhán eventually named, Jorendil knew he was still getting the better end of the deal.

Sighing again, he texted Aodhán to let him know he'd gotten the permission slips he'd required, and with hurried steps, he returned to his office to continue his experiments, scanning through a string of research papers for any mention of overlapping origin planes while he walked.

Meanwhile, as the door clicked shut behind Jorendil, Zatya let out a sigh of her own and turned her gaze to a seemingly empty corner of her office, where a figure sat, casually filing her nails with a blade of starlight as if it were the most mundane task ever.

She was young— far too young to wield the reality-bending power that she did, but she wasn't just any champion. She was the daughter of a former champion, now an ascendant candidate.

With a subtle ripple of cosmic energy, Thalia Lightus stepped out from the veil of reality she had woven to mask herself from Jorendil. Smiling, she reclaimed the seat opposite Zatya and sank into its plush cushions with a contented sigh. "Do you know how exhausting it is, masking myself every time I visit? This academy is practically pulsing with spiritual perception. But Father insists I stay… unremarkable."

Zatya's expression tightened. "I wish either of you would just tell me why you keep checking in on him like this."

"You know why," Thalia said with a light chuckle, conjuring an image of Aodhán in glowing starlight between her fingers. "He must be doing so well if one of your professors is willing to risk his life's work just to have him."

Zatya didn't smile. "A lot of people would risk a lot more than that to get their hands on him. Even you."

Thalia paused, her gaze flicking to the side, then gave a noncommittal shrug. "Touché."

She let the illusion vanish and leaned back. "Anyway, I heard about what happened at the Steppin' Plains. The guards said he was… enthusiastic. I forget how easily kids get swept up in the thrill of a fight."

"He won't be thrilled for long," Zatya muttered. "Not with how fast this war is unraveling."

"This game, you mean," Thalia corrected, a faint smirk tugging at her lips. "Real war is still a way off. Or at least I hope it is. Father… not so optimistic. He says, Fate's starting to stir."

Zatya's gaze darkened. "Then it must be the cultists. If war's brewing, they've probably found their legacy." She paused, then asked, "What about the one they captured at Shrapanelly's estate? Any progress?"

Thalia shook her head. "You know how long oath-breaking takes. Father says anywhere from a week to three, assuming we want the poor bastard conscious by the end of it. They're going slow. Careful."

Zatya sighed through her nose. "Too careful. But I get it. One wrong step and all we get is a drooling husk with nothing to tell."

Thalia gave a small nod. "Exactly. Still, as soon as he cracks, you'll know. Father won't keep that kind of intel quiet."

Zatya leaned back, arms folded. "Let's just hope it's not too late by then."

Silence settled upon the room after that until Thalia broke it. "I was hoping to see Aodhán and the other tournament winners today. We are pretty sure the prophecy points to Yurin, but until the Eye of Oras gives confirmation, we can't rule out Aodhán or Iris."

Zatya's fingers twitched slightly. That prophecy wasn't something Lightus had mentioned when he tasked her with hosting the tournament. Looking back, maybe she should've guessed. His grasp of light had always leaned too close to divination for comfort—and with his recent communion with the Eye of Oras, she should've known something strange was brewing beneath the surface.

Feigning a nonchalant shrug, she kept her voice even. "They're all doing fine, as far as I can tell. Aodhán is progressing steadily, and Isis, well, she's in her own little corner. But Yurin—he just manifested a powerful icon a few days ago. He already had his phrase down, albeit warped, but I didn't think he was going to get it so early."

Thalia raised her brows, genuinely intrigued. "That's… impressive." She leaned in slightly. "How powerful are we talking?"

Zatya smiled. "You'll have to ask him that yourself. I'm not at liberty to divulge such information."

"Of course." Thalia nodded, her expression thoughtful. "What about Isis? What is she doing in her supposed corner?"

"Nothing extraordinary, if that's what you want to know."

Thalia's lips curled into a knowing smirk. "Or maybe she's just being cagey. Just like you'd prefer Aodhán to be."

That Zatya could agree with. She let out a tired sigh. "It wouldn't hurt him to hide his strength a little more. The council's been relentless in their hunt for him."

"I'm aware." Thalia nodded. "I was present at the court hearing for Shrapanelly. I even offered Aodhán some coin afterward, but he turned it down."

Zatya raised a brow, then smiled, pleased. "Then he's getting wiser. Your intentions toward him were never exactly… pure."

"My father's intentions, you mean." Thalia corrected smoothly. "I have nothing against the poor lad."

Zatya grimaced at the reminder that she wasn't the only one with a stake in Aodhán's future. Calamity Lightus's interest in him wasn't sinister; of that she was certain, but they weren't exactly transparent either. Prophecies rarely were. Still, even with the backing of one of the most powerful calamities currently in existence, she couldn't shake the feeling that the world was closing in on Aodhán like bloodthirsty sharks.

Sighing, she asked. "Is there nothing your father can do about the council?"

Thalia shrugged. "He's determined not to shelter them more than necessary. Not until we know who the prophecy really points to. Until then… I doubt he'll lift a finger."

Zatya grimaced. Of course, he wouldn't. This prophecy—she hated it. And she could ask Thalia for more details, but she already knew she wouldn't get a straight answer. Judging from the way Thalia spoke of it, though, she suspected it had more to do with the Lightus than saving the world. Of course.

Still, as long as it didn't affect Aodhán and ruin all her hard work, she was fine with it; he could tolerate it. But if it did? Well. She wouldn't take it lightly.

The only reason she hadn't thrown the whole prophecy nonsense out the window was because there was still a strong chance it was about Yurin. The boy was a Light Awakened, after all. And fate loved dramatic symmetry.

Their conversation drifted for a few more minutes before Thalia stood and smoothed her robes. "Thank you for your time, Principal. I'll send your regards to my father. Perhaps he'll stop by himself. You know how he likes to see things with his own eyes."

Zatya did know, and although some might have taken Thalia's words as a threat, Zatya wasn't the least bit threatened.

"I'd love that," she said with a broad, unbothered smile. "There's much your father and I need to discuss. Half-truths, omissions… that sort of thing."

Thalia laughed, gave a casual wave, and then vanished. No burst of energy or willpower. No spatial tears or hand gestures. Just poof!

It reminded her of Faelar Dubois, and with a scowl, Zatya muttered. "This prophecy better be about someone else. It's hard enough managing this brat of a pet without fate sticking its nose in."

***

After leaving Professor Jorendil's office, Aodhán headed straight for their usual training hall to tell his friends about the expedition. Daruk had already returned from the hospital. That meant Aodhán wouldn't have to repeat himself.

Not that he minded talking, but still.

Truthfully, the only person he needed for the expedition was Andrew. Not just because of his affinity and skillset, but because of his knowledge. Aodhán might be a successful herb gatherer, but he was mostly coasting by on his talents alone. Andrew had the knowledge he lacked.

Had Nilhal been a relatively tame forest, Aodhán would have been content to take Andrew alone with him. But for protection, he decided it was better to take the whole gang. When he proposed the idea, Yurin and Daruk agreed without hesitation—eager to escape the academy and stretch their legs a bit, despite having only just returned from a three-week holiday.

With that settled, Aodhán and Andrew sequestered themselves in one corner of the training room, a dozen textbooks scattered around them as they dove into research. While Andrew focused on their physical appearance and natural habitats, Aodhán focused on their energy structures and density.

For the next few hours, they pored over textbook after textbook, doing their best to familiarize themselves with the plants on Professor Jorendil's list. Aodhán wasn't sure how much the reading would help, but he did it anyway. Core sense alone wouldn't cut it this time—he needed to at least have some idea of what he was doing.

Their study session stretched deep into the night. Eventually, they turned their attention to the market values of each plant—and the prices they found were far higher than Aodhán had imagined. Of the eighteen plants Jorendil requested, thirteen were rare-ranked. The remaining five were epic-ranked.

The cheapest of the epic-ranked was the Emberwyrm Thorn—a crimson, fire-affinity plant most commonly found in volcanic or highly fire-aligned regions of Nilhal, like lava pools or firewyrm caverns. Even so, its base market value was fifteen thousand gold coins.

The other epic plants were even more expensive, and as they worked through the list, Aodhán couldn't help but grin at the potential payout of the expedition if he managed to find even half of the plants on Professor Jorendil's list.

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"Let's not give him a price yet," he suggested an hour later, after they'd finished tallying the values. "We'll name one when we return from Nilhal."

"Agreed," Andrew said, eyes gleaming with excitement. Over their shoulders, Daruk and Yurin stared wide-eyed at the numbers.

When they finally made a rough estimate, Daruk muttered in astonishment. "I knew herb gathering was a lucrative business, but…this is absurd,"

Yurin shook his head. "I'm taking Awakened Plants next year. I may not have your talent, Aodhán, but man, do I need the money."

Chuckling, Aodhán and Andrew began coaching them on the basics—what to do and what not to do around awakened plants. Most of it was material they'd already learned last term, but if Daruk and Yurin were tagging along, they at least had to know a few things.

After that, they began looking through the map Professor Jorendil had given them. Using {Radiant Clarity} and {Project Light} in tandem, Yurin created a larger, holographic version of the map, raising it like a glowing screen above their heads.

With the enlarged map in front of them, Aodhán and Andrew began marking out areas where the plants were commonly known to appear. Unsurprisingly, many fell into yellow zones—but they were prepared to take the risk. And if things went south, they would have their ejectors.

Hours passed in this manner, and before they knew it, dawn had broken.

Unwilling to suffer through Coach Harvey's torture disguised as a morning workout, they all agreed it was better to leave early. Splitting up, they rushed to their rooms to prepare, with just enough time to shower and pack a few clothes before Aodhán received a message from Rahim that he was waiting for them at the top of the library.

Rushing through his routine, Aodhán managed to arrive at the base of the tower first, followed closely by Andrew, who seemed to have jogged all the way. Daruk and Yurin arrived a moment later, and together they rode up the lift to the top of the tower.

Surprisingly, it was Aodhán's first time using the lift—and he quickly discovered he didn't much like it. Or maybe he was just spoiled, too used to being teleported everywhere he wanted to go.

At the top of the tower, they found Rahim waiting. He gave them a long, unimpressed stare before pulling an Echo Flare talisman from his spatial ring and handing it to Daruk.

"At the first sign of danger or trouble, you eject yourself from the forest immediately. If one of you goes missing, press this, and I'll come help. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir," Daruk replied calmly, accepting the talisman and tucking it into his spatial ring.

Aodhán wasn't offended that Rahim didn't trust him to make the call. He might've been clear-headed now, but he was self-aware enough to admit he was far too impulsive to be placed in charge of something like this.

With a final, cautionary glare, Rahim handed out the ejectors and opened the portal. Aodhán stepped forward, eager to begin the expedition—but Rahim stopped him with an arm across his path.

"No funny business, young man," he warned. "This is a plant-gathering mission. I want to say, 'What's the worst that can happen?'—but I know you well enough to know that chaos follows you everywhere." His eyes narrowed, and he added, "Keep a lid on it."

"I'll try my best."

It wasn't the answer Rahim wanted, but it was the only one Aodhán could honestly give. After a short pause, Rahim accepted it with a reluctant sigh and lowered his arm. "Be safe."

"We will," Aodhán replied, and with that, he stepped through the portal, anticipation thrumming through him. The moment the portal pulled him in, the world blurred—then snapped into focus an instant later, and he was hit with a rush of scents: damp earth, wild growth, and the heavy breath of untouched nature. It enveloped him completely—the weight of verdancy dense in the air, so strong it bordered on overwhelming.

This was the first time he was seeing the forest from outside its borders, and he could almost feel it calling to him. It stretched on for miles before him, far beyond the reach of his enhanced perception.

Merchant stalls lined the area around the entry point, bustling with activity despite the early hour. Adventurers moved through the crowd, clad in armor and gear that marked them as dungeon delvers or skilled artisans.

To his right, stalls displayed cores, alchemical pills, and a dazzling array of freshly harvested awakened plants, all offered to eager buyers. Not everyone earned the privilege of entering Nilhal—so many settled for setting up shop just outside, hoping to profit from its bounty.

Andrew, Daruk, and Yurin arrived shortly after, and the group made their way to the entry gate—a small, verdant arch seemingly carved out of the ever-growing wall of green. Thick vines and blackened thorns wove together into a barrier so dense and high it was impossible to see past. Trying to sneak through it would've been the same as throwing oneself into a meat grinder.

Two advanced-class guards stood at the entrance; their expressions unreadable. Aodhán gave their cores a brief perusal, his eyes widening slightly when he realized just how powerful these two guards were. They weren't champions, but they were very close to being one, judging by the way their cores blazed blindingly to his senses.

When they reached the gate, Aodhán handed over the entry slip Professor Jorendil had procured for them. One of the guards scanned it, then handed it back and stepped aside, allowing them passage.

"Be careful in there," the guard warned, a glint of recognition sparking in his eyes as he looked at Aodhán. "You boys may be strong, but the creatures of Nilhal are not to be underestimated."

"How bad will it be?" Daruk asked.

"Not too bad for the likes of you," the guard replied with a smile. "The forest was culled a few weeks ago, so it's relatively safer now. But if you run into trouble, I'd strongly advise using your ejectors immediately."

"We'll be careful," Aodhán assured him.

Without further ado, they stepped forward, passing through the shimmering energy barrier that cloaked the forest. A shiver ran down Aodhán's spine as he crossed the threshold into Nilhal's domain.

As soon as they arrived within the forest proper, Aodhán inhaled deeply, savoring the thick, intoxicating blend of damp earth, sap, and blooming flowers. The forest stretched endlessly in every direction—an ocean of towering trees draped in gnarled vines, their leaves glistening with the remnants of recent rain.

Only a few miles away, the nexus of sunsets gleamed, blinding in its radiance as it painted the forest in molten hues of gold, red, and orange. The colors were so rich they looked almost like paint. The ground beneath his boots was damp and soft, blanketed in vibrant grass that hadn't been there during his last visit.

Aodhán felt the urge to remove his shoes and bury his feet in the cool greenery, but he pushed it down. There was no time for that. They had too much to do in very little time. This was not the time to explore but to—

"Sweet stars above," Yurin whispered in awe. He had already kicked off his boots and was spinning barefoot, eyes wide as he stared up at the kaleidoscope of light filtering through the canopy. "This is so beautiful."

"It is," Daruk agreed, his stance more reserved, but his expression notably relaxed.

Aodhán had forgotten that, unlike him and Andrew, this was Yurin and Daruk's first time in Nilhal, so after a glance at Andrew, he decided they could give both boys a few minutes to take in the scenery before they began.

In the meantime, he gave in to temptation and removed his boots, sighing as the cool, wet grass tickled his feet. The sensation was grounding, electric. He closed his eyes, breathing in the ambient energy that saturated the air. The rainy season had intensified the forest's essence, and now that it was in full swing, Nilhal's energy density had nearly doubled.

It stirred something in him—an aching familiarity, a pull. Aodhán let himself bask in it, just for a moment. Then, with effort, he pulled himself back and turned to the others with a serious expression. "Okay, that's enough ogling. We have a lot to do and very little time in which to do it. We can't afford to dillydally."

Andrew nodded, albeit with a hint of reluctance, and pulled a rolled map from his spatial ring. He unfurled it and pointed to a marked spot on the outer ring. "This is where we are." His finger moved outward, circling a large section. "And this is the area we need to cover in two days."

Still barefoot, Yurin muttered, "That's going to be a lot of searching."

"It is," Aodhán agreed. "Which is why we need to split up to cover more ground."

Daruk grimaced. "Is that necessary?"

"Yes," Andrew said firmly. "We'll pair off. You and Aodhán. Yurin and I."

Aodhán nodded, fine with the plan. Daruk and Yurin exchanged glances, then nodded as well.

"It's settled then," Aodhán said, his excitement rising. "We'll communicate via our chips. If anything happens—or if you find something—report it immediately."

Everyone agreed, and after handing Aodhán the original map, Andrew and Yurin took their construct copy and veered left, while Aodhán and Daruk headed right.

The forest thickened around them as they walked, branches casting shifting shadows across the mossy path. Swirling a tendril of LiquidIce around his fingers, Daruk asked. "So, what next? Do we just stumble around the forest searching for brightly colored plants?"

"Of course not," Aodhán scoffed and spread out his core sense, feeling the ability stretch even farther than he was used to. It was apparent now that every step in his advancement improved his core sense in one way or another. With his perception nearly doubled, thanks to Aldric, the range of his core sense had expanded to cover nearly two hundred meters in diameter.

The rush of information that came with the increased range was overwhelming—but not burdensome. With his mind no longer clouded by rage, it felt almost refreshing. Aodhán sifted through the data effortlessly, building a mental map of blazing cores and node clusters scattered across the area.

The first plant on his list was the Infernal Emberleaf, and with a grin, Aodhán uttered, "Fire."

The moment the word left his lips, his core sense shifted. All around him, cores and node clusters dimmed—while others flared with brilliant intensity, like stars scattered across a dark sea. Not only had his range improved, but his clarity had too.

Even so, the improvement wasn't enough. He wasn't just searching for any fire affinity plant—he needed an epic-ranked one, with an energy signature so complex that core sense alone couldn't yet pinpoint it. He'd hoped that hours of study would give him an edge, but it still wasn't enough to narrow the field.

Still, all hope wasn't lost. The Infernal Emberleaf was a fire-affinity plant, which meant that by harvesting every fire-aspected plant he came across, he'd eventually find it. It would just cost more time than he'd hoped, which meant he had even less time than he had thought to complete this mission."

Not wanting to waste another moment, Aodhán turned to Daruk. "We're not going to stumble around blindly. We're going to run."

Daruk grinned—and together, they began their hunt. Aodhán sprinted toward the nearest cluster of fire affinity cores, his expression set with determination, while Daruk followed close behind, ice daggers spinning around him in anticipation.

The first plant they found had flame-like leaves and a purple stem—a common-ranked specimen. Aodhán grimaced in disappointment but didn't hesitate to harvest it regardless, only taking a few seconds to make sure he did it properly before racing for the next cluster of fire nodes.

Together, he and Daruk tore through the forest, harvesting fire affinity plants left and right. Most were common or uncommon in rank, but they managed to gather a few rare-ranked specimens as well.

In just half an hour, they'd collected over two dozen plants—seven of them rare-ranked. On any other day, it would have been a satisfying haul. But with each failed attempt, Aodhán's grimace deepened, and his speed increased.

At first, he'd carefully plotted routes to avoid creatures. But after another fifteen minutes—and twelve more disappointments—that changed. He stopped avoiding them entirely, taking the most direct path toward the next cluster. Daruk handled any creatures they came across, freezing and cutting them down as quickly as possible.

With only the two of them present, Daruk allowed himself to be a little more liberal with his willpower, draining all the heat from the body of a tier-20 Direboar in seconds. The creature froze mid-charge, but they were already gone by the time its body collapsed and shattered like glass.

Their race against time continued, stretching on for what felt to Daruk like hours—until, at last, Aodhán came to a sudden stop. His brows furrowed as he slowly retraced his steps and turned to glance at a patch of tangled weeds.

Panting from the exertion, Daruk jogged to his side. "Please tell me it's the Infernal Emberleaf."

"It's not," Aodhán replied—but the look of disappointment he'd worn for the past hour was gone. In its place was a frown of curiosity. Tilting his head slightly, Aodhán took a few careful steps forward before abruptly kneeling and pressing a hand against the damp earth. His frown deepened, and without a word, he began to dig.

Daruk frowned at the odd behavior and moved closer, his gaze narrowing in curiosity as Aodhán continued digging. And then—chink!

Aodhán had struck something.

Daruk leaned in, his eyes widening as Aodhán pulled the object—no, the treasure—out of the ground. It was a chipped red fang etched with dense golden runes, the symbols glowing brilliantly against the fang's crimson surface. Stunned, Aodhán conjured a drizzle of rain to wash away the mud, revealing the fang in full.

Congratulations! You have found the chipped tooth of a Scorchbrand Wyvern.
New title gained: Treasure Hunter.

{Treasure Hunter}: A title given to anyone who seeks out and finds a hidden treasure. Grants the ability to see information about treasures that are unavailable to others.

Treasure: Chipped Tooth of a Scorchbrand Wyvern.

Rank: Rare

Power: Infused with the fiery essence of a Scorchbrand Wyvern, this fang passively enhances fire-based magic and skills, stabilizing flames and increasing their resistance to dampening effects. When activated with fire essence, it releases a concentrated burst of heat, igniting anything caught within its radius.

Aodhán and Daruk read the message as it slowly scrolled across their vision. When it faded, Aodhán looked up at Daruk and grinned. "I think we just found the perfect birthday gift for Father."

He clutched the fang with renewed enthusiasm, eyes scanning the forest around them. "Think we can find more?"