Hollow Ascension - Chapter 10: Back to the Den

Ethan's head throbbed violently as he opened his eyes, his vision hazy and unfocused. A dull ringing filled his ears, drowning out his thoughts.“What’s happening…?” he thought, his mind sluggish, struggling to catch up with reality. One moment, he was asleep—or at least, he thought he was—and the next, searing pain forced him awake.His vision swam, shapes blurring together in a disorienting mess. But then, muffled noises filtered through the haze—frantic, panicked sounds. Someone was trying to scream, their voice smothered, choked by something.A cold shiver ran down his spine.As his sight gradually sharpened, Ethan's breath hitched.He was on all fours, looming over someone. A girl.Her body twisted and writhed beneath him, ropes biting into her wrists and ankles. Her mouth was gagged, muffling her cries. Her wide brown eyes, brimming with fear and fury, glared up at him.Ethan's body locked in place, his blood running cold.“What the…?” His mind reeled, thoughts slamming into each other in chaotic disarray. “What kind of bizarre dream is this?”Panic clawed at his chest. His breath came in ragged, uneven gasps as he scrambled backward, only to realize his limbs felt sluggish, uncooperative, like they didn’t belong to him.“Is this… is this some kind of twisted fantasy I never knew I had?” A sickening thought slithered through his mind, making his stomach churn.The girl's frantic squirming slowed for a moment, her gaze flickering with confusion as she took in his expression—his trembling hands, his wide, horrified eyes. But the fear returned just as quickly. She struggled harder, her body arching, her muffled screams rising in pitch.Ethan wanted to speak, to say something, anything, but before he could force out a word, a glowing blue window materialized before his eyes.His breath caught.A translucent, hovering screen?“What…?”Lines of glowing text scrolled across its surface.---[System Activated…][Host Confirmed.][Simulating Previous Data…]Ethan awakens in a mysterious world, shackled by a curse that clouds his judgment and drives him toward choices he never wished to make. Burdened by guilt and responsibility, he must navigate the fallout of his actions while unraveling the truth behind the curse—and his place in this enigmatic new reality.

He lived a life of mediocrity, plagued by regret. Instead of pursuing his dream of becoming a pro boxer, he listened to others and became a corporate slave. He was wrongly accused when money went missing from the company's account. He lost everything—his job, his friends, and even his family turned their backs on him.

Eventually, he became homeless.

On the same day, he witnessed a homeless woman being attacked in a dark alley while everyone ignored her shouts for help. Despite his own struggles, he couldn't ignore her plight. He decided to step in to protect her. Still, that only caused his downfall. He was stabbed to death…

Still, fate wasn’t done with him, and he had the chance to be reborn in a world of truly Infinite Paths… (The Human Path was unlocked) (You obtained the skill of Language.)

His story was a painful reminder of the consequences of settling for an ordinary life and the remorse that comes with it. His death highlighted the harsh reality of how his choices and circumstances led him to this tragic end. It served as a powerful message to him to strive for something greater, to never lose sight of his dreams, and to extend a helping hand to those in need, even in our darkest moments.

This time, he will live his life without regrets…

……………………………………………………………

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I, an ordinary high school student, Kimizuka Kimihiko, who easily gets involved in things, was appointed to take care of mysterious attache cases by mysterious men in black suits. After meeting a beautiful angel-like detective girl, named Siesta in a hijacked plane, I became her assistant.

And from there–

[You deal with the beehive, and I’ll restrain the enemy.] [Don’t make plans that make me the victim.]

We had those kinds of foolish conversations, all while being completely broke every day and fought against . Even when there were hurricanes, the weather-beaten duo sleep past it. Sometimes when we saved money at a casino, we would jump around on the beds at a resort hotel, only to be broke again the next day. We would walk through deserts, traverse through jungles, conquer mountains, cross oceans– The great detective and her assistant would go through these dazzling adventures–

Until she died.

And this story starts from 1 year after that incident.

I’m the only one who’s left, but I carry on her remained wishes.

This story is far from over..

Su Mo, a young man of the modern times, transmigrated to the world of martial arts.The sole survivor of the declining Su family, he inherited the Ziyang Escort Agency, a courier service that was on the brink of collapse.Su Mo was determined to restore the family business to its former glory, but he was young and inexperienced. And the martial arts world was fraught with dangers and intrigues!Unexpectedly, a system popped up that rewarded him each time he completed a courier mission.With this reward system, Su Mo entered an unprecedented realm. He mastered the Longxiang Wisdom Divine Skill which transformed his internal Qi and gave him boundless energy and stamina to accomplish his missions.Still, troubles came knocking on his door as he embarked on his missions, from escorting a benign scholar to delivering a mysterious brocade box for a dying man.Could Su Mo avoid getting tangled in other people's affairs? And would he survive the storms and gain a foothold in the treacherous martial arts world?