Ascension: The First Ending

"Even without you saying it, I already thought of that, Bayu," Syafina said while pulling Bayu into a run.

They dashed through the remaining creatures, their breaths ragged amidst their hurried steps. Bayu could feel the air around him reeking of a putrid stench, as if death itself lurked in every corner.

The massive creature that had blocked their way was still chasing them, its roar echoing across the area, nearly tearing through their eardrums.

"Damn it, stay away," Bayu muttered, glancing back only to see the giant figure closing in.

Suddenly, a blue screen reappeared before him. The words displayed on it made Bayu furrow his brows.

[Congratulations! You have killed your first level 9 creature. Your reward will be given shortly!]

[Reward: 1,500 coins]

"Huh? What does this mean—"

Before Bayu could process the information, something else caught his attention. The air around them shifted drastically. A chilling cold seeped into his skin, piercing down to his bones like an unexpected winter storm.

Then, he saw it.

A pale, thin mist crept along the ground, wrapping around their feet like ghostly hands trying to grasp them.

"Wait, Syafina," Bayu suddenly said, halting their steps.

Syafina turned to him in confusion, her breath still uneven. "Why?"

Bayu didn't answer. His eyes were fixed on something ahead.

A faint cracking sound filled the air. Syafina followed his gaze—and her breath hitched in her throat.

The creature that had been chasing them was now frozen.

In an instant, its massive body had turned into a horrifying ice statue, its eyes still locked in an eternal fury.

"What just happened...?" Syafina whispered in disbelief.

One by one, the remaining creatures met the same fate. Ice spread rapidly, coating the ground with a thin, glistening layer under the dim light.

Then, beyond the thick mist now drifting in the air, a lone figure stood tall, their silhouette barely visible.

Bayu narrowed his eyes, his heart pounding.

Someone was there.

For a moment, Bayu caught a glimpse of a figure beyond the mist—striking blonde hair, a firm grip on a sword.

Who was he?

Why did he appear so suddenly… only to vanish just as quickly?

Bayu hadn't even had the chance to react when the freezing mist slowly faded, taking the mysterious figure along with it.

His eyes widened, his mind flooded with questions. That wasn't an illusion—he was sure of it.

"Bayu?"

A voice called out to him, pulling him back to reality. He turned to find Syafina watching him, brows furrowed.

"What did you see?" she asked.

Bayu paused for a moment before shaking his head. "Nothing. It's nothing."

There was too much to think about, but he knew now wasn't the right time.

"Where do we go next?" Syafina asked.

Bayu scanned their surroundings. "Let's rest for now. Looks like this ice won't be melting anytime soon."

"Are you sure?"

"Not a hundred percent," Bayu chuckled. "But do you want to keep exhausting yourself?"

Syafina let out a deep sigh before flashing a small smile. "Fine."

They made their way to a nearby shop that seemed to have been recently abandoned. Dust and scattered belongings littered the place, clear signs that someone had once taken refuge there—whether they survived or not was another question.

Both of them sat at the storefront, trying to regain their strength.

"Hey, Bayu."

"Hm?"

"Are you… an Ascendant too?"

Bayu, who had been checking his sword, froze. His gaze shifted to Syafina.

"…How do you know?"

"A strange blue screen appeared before this. It said I was an 'Ascendant Candidate' and suddenly, I got this bow," Syafina explained, lifting the white bow she had used earlier.

'So that's why she could get a bow all of a sudden?' Bayu thought.

"So, I figured you had that sword because you're an Ascendant Candidate too… or maybe you're already an Ascendant?"

Bayu nodded slowly. "Good deduction. Have you evolved yet?"

"Yeah," Syafina exhaled. "It feels weird. Like living inside a game."

Bayu fell silent.

To be honest, he couldn't disagree. All of this—the sudden blue screens, the system that felt like a game, the strange creatures they had to fight—it was too absurd.

But even if it felt like a game, their lives were still real.

Running a hand through his hair, Bayu let out a long breath.

"Yeah. Weird."

Silence wrapped around them, creating an awkward tension neither of them could shake off.

Bayu stared at his hands. 'That feeling earlier… what was it?'

But before he could dwell on it further, he stood up. "Let's go."

Syafina frowned. "We just started resting."

"In this situation, I doubt this place will stay safe for long."

Syafina stared at him for a moment before finally getting up as well. "Fine. Where are we heading?"

Bayu shrugged. "No idea."

Syafina let out a long, exhausted sigh. At that moment, she really wanted to punch him.

Bayu only grinned—but before he could joke about it, his body suddenly tensed.

A shiver ran down his spine, a different kind of cold creeping over him.

His instincts screamed.

Without a second thought, Bayu grabbed Syafina's wrist and pulled her behind the shop's wall.

"What the hell—" Syafina almost protested, but Bayu pressed a finger to his lips, signaling her to stay quiet.

Then, they heard it.

Slow, heavy footsteps.

Something… was out there.

And it was no ordinary creature.

Bayu peeked from behind the wall, his breath hitching the moment his eyes landed on what stood before him.

Two humanoid figures stood in the middle of the deserted street.

A man dressed in a batik shirt with a blangkon on his head, while a woman wore a gracefully elegant kebaya.

But what sent chills down Bayu's spine wasn't their clothing—it was the aura surrounding them.

Ancient scrolls floated around their bodies, inscribed with symbols unfamiliar to him. They weren't alphabet letters, not the usual writing found in everyday life.

The atmosphere grew heavier, more unsettling.

Bayu swallowed hard.

They looked human… but clearly, they weren't.

And the moment one of them turned, Bayu almost lost his words.

A pair of deep yellow eyes stared straight at him—dimly glowing, like the faint flicker of a lantern in the dark.

"Holy shit…" Syafina muttered, her eyes wide.

But before they could react further—the figures vanished.

No movement, no trace of where they went. Just gone, as if swallowed by the air itself.

Bayu let out a long breath, his body finally relaxing slightly. He leaned against the shop's wall, trying to calm his racing heart.

"That was… terrifying."

Syafina was still staring blankly at the spot where they once stood. "What… were they?"

Bayu shook his head, his expression grim. "I have no idea."

But one thing was certain.

They had to stay on guard.

"They kinda look like people from ancient times, like the royal era," Syafina muttered, still thinking about those figures.

Bayu nodded. It wasn't like batik, blangkon, or kebaya were completely gone, but people mostly wore them for formal events now—not for casually strolling around in the middle of all this destruction.

"Let's get out of here. This place is starting to feel off," Bayu said, glancing around cautiously.

Syafina nodded.

They walked away from the shop, passing through the ruins of the city. Every now and then, they had to hold their breath—the smell of blood was sickening.

Buildings were reduced to rubble. Stores that used to be lively were now nothing but broken remains.

And the worst part? Dead bodies were everywhere.

Some were torn apart, their insides spilling onto the ground. Others were wrapped in red roots, like the plants had grown from inside them.

The sight made Syafina's stomach churn, but she forced herself to hold it in.

"Is there… really no one else alive?" she asked in a low voice.

Bayu shook his head. "There should be. No way everyone died this fast."

But honestly, the dead silence made even him doubt his own words.

They kept walking, their footsteps echoing in the eerie quiet.

If a movie director saw this place, they'd probably turn it into a horror film set.

"Okay, seriously. Where are we even going? Walking around aimlessly isn't gonna help."

Bayu thought for a moment. "Wanna try heading west?"

Syafina frowned. "Why west?"

"Dunno. Just a feeling."

Syafina sighed. "Fine, whatever. Let's go."

Bayu grinned and started walking west, Syafina trailing behind.

But after just a few steps, something caught his eye.

A faint light flickered behind the rubble.

"Wait, Syafina," Bayu said, stopping in his tracks.

Syafina gave him a skeptical look. "What now?"

Bayu pointed toward the light. "See that? Wanna check it out?"

Syafina sighed. "It's up to you."

"Alright then. Let's check it out."

The two of them moved closer to the light.

Once they got there, Bayu and Syafina exchanged glances.

Then, carefully, Bayu started moving the debris with his sword. Syafina helped.

And as the light became clearer…

"Wait… is this—?"