Chapter 136. What he wanted
"Private Vhorn. I have already received your mission report from the base AI," Peterson said. "Excellent work done."
"Sir," Aiden replied.
"As a reward for your achievement, the admirals of Base C322 have decided to hold an assembly where you’d be required to choose one of them as your master. The assembly is convening in the base assembly hall as we speak. Let’s go," Peterson added.
"Alright." Aiden nodded.
****
Frontlines.
Sector 3.
Base C322 assembly grounds.
"Did you hear the news!"
"Yeah. The Ashen Wasteland has been destroyed."
"How’s that even possible?"
"Well, Aiden Vhorn was singlehandedly sent there to thin down the number of chaotic beasts there. He ended up destroying the wasteland!"
"What? Is he not just a single person, and a legendary rank 2 warrior? Even beginner rank 3 warriors sent to the Ashen Wasteland sometimes don’t return. They die. How is it possible that a single legendary rank 2 warrior not only thinned down the number of chaotic beasts there, he actually managed to destroy the wasteland!"
"This is a great achievement. He has really saved Sector 3 from a great headache."
"He has my respect."
"The Crimson Reaper lives up to his reputation indeed."
The central parade grounds of Base C322 were packed. Thousands of rank-and-file operatives, squad leaders, and base personnel stood in rigid military formations under the pale morning sky. Whispers rippled through the ranks like wildfire, carrying a mix of awe, disbelief, and envy.
Word of Operation Thin Ashen Wasteland had already spread throughout the base. A solo operative—a Legendary Rank 2 warrior—had not only completed a high-difficulty mission meant for full unit divisions, but had completely erased the Ashen Wasteland from the map.
At the front of the grand courtyard, atop a raised steel platform, stood four imposing figures. Admiral Vanum DeepSea stood at the center, flanked by Admiral Sarah, Admiral Newton, and Admiral Fluria. Dressed in pristine dark-blue military coats adorned with high-ranking insignia, they projected an aura of absolute authority and majestic benevolence.
Peterson stood off to the side of the platform.
"Silence!" Peterson’s voice boomed across the courtyard, amplified by the base speakers. The crowd instantly went dead quiet. "We are gathered here today to recognize an unprecedented achievement on the Frontlines of Sector 3!"
From the rear of the parade grounds, a solitary figure walked forward.
Aiden Vhorn moved calmly. As he walked past rows of staring recruits and envious veteran squad leaders, he looked like any regular soldier walking forward to receive honor.
Inwardly, Aiden was dissecting every detail.
The raised platform. The full base assembly. The presence of four Admirals instead of just Peterson.
’Everything is happening just as I thought.’ Aiden mused inwardly, keeping his face entirely passive.
Aiden reached the base of the platform, brought his feet together, and offered a crisp, flawless military salute. "Private Aiden Vhorn, reporting as ordered, sir."
DeepSea stepped forward, a warm, proud smile gracing his face. It was the face of a caring superior admiring an exceptional junior.
Aiden saw DeepSea’s expression.
"This guy can bag an Oscar. He’s a flawless actor," Aiden mused inwardly.
"At ease, Private Vhorn," DeepSea’s voice resonated over the loudspeakers, sounding rich and magnanimous. "Your deeds in the Ashen Wasteland have surpassed all expectations. You faced a threat meant for entire unit divisions, eliminated the chaotic beasts, and secured Sector 3 from a potential monster tide. For your valiance, the military has officially awarded you 600,000 contribution points."
Gasps erupted from the crowd. 600,000 points was an astronomical sum—enough to purchase top notch cultivation manuals, alchemical products, weapons and battlesuits that standard soldiers could only dream of.
DeepSea raised a hand, silencing the murmurs.
"However," DeepSea continued, his tone turning heavy with profound appreciation, "points and medals are empty rewards for a genius of your caliber. A talent like yours requires true guidance to reach its full potential. To ensure your growth is not stunted on the frontlines, my fellow Admirals and I have made a special exception."
Admiral Sarah stepped forward, her eyes scanning the crowd with regal dignity before landing on Aiden.
"Private Vhorn," Sarah said, her voice dripping with artificial warmth. "Admiral Newton, Admiral Fluria, and I have come to a decision for your sake. The three of us, alongside Admiral DeepSea, have agreed to open our doors. We are willing to take you in as our direct personal disciple."
The crowd gasped again, far louder this time.
To the recruits, this was the ultimate blessing. Being taken under the wing of a single Admiral guaranteed unlimited influence, protection, and elite resources. To have four Admirals publicly offer their backing and mentorship was an honor unheard of in the history of the Eldorath military.
"Under our tutelage," Newton added, crossing his arms with a majestic nod, "your path to Rank 3 and beyond will be paved with absolute smooth sailing. Majors, Colonels, and Generals will assist your growth. All you must do is step forward, bow, and accept our guidance."
Aiden stood at the base of the platform, completely motionless.
Inside his mind, the blueprint of their trap was fully laid bare.
They had constructed a narrative where refusal wasn’t just autonomy—it was treasonous arrogance.
’Everything is happening as I theorized,’ Aiden thought, his internal logic razor-sharp. ’Since they are so eager to give me a comfortable environment to cultivate, let’s help them.’
DeepSea smiled warmly down at Aiden, his eyes glinting with a hidden, sinister expectation. ’Go on, boy. Reject us. Show everyone your ungrateful, arrogant nature. Give us the exact legal cause we need to freeze your life.’
Aiden lowered his salute. He didn’t show anger. He didn’t show defiance. He simply maintained the flat, aloof gaze of a soldier who operated on pure pragmatism.
"I am deeply honored by the Admirals’ consideration," Aiden spoke, his voice calm, clear, and carrying across the quiet courtyard. "However, my path of martial training is autonomous. I have always cultivated alone and operate best without mentorship. Therefore, I must respectfully decline the Admirals’ offer."
Rejection.
A heavy, suffocating silence fell over the entire parade grounds.
The recruits looked at Aiden as if he had lost his mind. To turn down four Admirals in public? To call his path ’autonomous’ as if he was above their guidance?
Instantly, the warmth on the platform vanished.
Admiral Newton’s expression darkened into sheer thunder. He took a heavy step forward, releasing a suffocating pressure that washed over the courtyard.
"Here we go," Aiden thought.
"Insolent!" Newton snapped, his voice booming like judgment. "We lower our status to offer you a path to greatness, and you dismiss the goodwill of four Admirals with such callous arrogance? You think killing a few beasts makes you untouchable?!"
"A warrior who lacks respect for his superiors and possesses such blind, ungrateful pride has no future in this military," Sarah added coldly, her eyes full of disgust. "You hold no reverence for order or guidance."
DeepSea raised his hand, pretending to calm his furious colleagues, though his heart was singing with triumph.
"Calm yourselves, brothers and sisters," DeepSea said loudly, ensuring every soldier heard his words. His tone was no longer warm, but cold, disappointed, and stern. "Private Vhorn has made his choice. If he believes he is above the guidance of Admirals, then he shall walk his path alone."
DeepSea turned his gaze back to Aiden, his eyes cold and distant.
"However, respect and humility are the core pillars of the military hierarchy. An operative who exhibits such alarming arrogance cannot be trusted with command or swift advancement. Effective immediately, Private Vhorn’s rank evaluations and promotional track are hereby frozen until further notice. Furthermore, due to the unprecedented nature of his mission, his contribution reward will remain under administrative audit."
The crowd murmured in hushed, fearful tones.
In a single breath, Aiden Vhorn had gone from the base’s rising star to a blacklisted operative. No Major, Colonel, or General in attendance would ever dare speak to him, back him, or assign him standard duties, fearing the wrath of four Admirals. He was completely isolated.
DeepSea looked down at Aiden, waiting to see the despair, panic, or regret break through the young man’s face.
He saw nothing.
Aiden simply bowed his head slightly with robotic military protocol. "Understood, Admiral."
DeepSea’s eyes narrowed slightly at the total lack of reaction, but he quickly dismissed it. ’He’s just putting up a front. Without resources, without promotions, locked out of the store, and isolated from allies, he is a dead man walking. One of the next deadly missions we send him on will be his grave.’ His three colleagues thought the same too.
"Assembly dismissed!" Peterson announced nervously, eager to end the suffocating tension.
As the thousands of soldiers began to disperse, casting fearful, avoiding glances toward Aiden as if he carried a contagious plague, Aiden turned and walked away at an unhurried pace.
Walking under the cold morning sky, Aiden checked his interface silently. The purchasing tab remained locked, and his soldier profile was flagged with an administrative hold.
A tiny, almost imperceptible smirk touched the corner of his lips.
’They think they’ve caged me,’ Aiden thought. ’They took away my promotions—saving me from bureaucratic obligations. They isolated me—an atmosphere perfectly suited for me. And they plan to send me to the deadliest mission zones—handing me more blood essence on a silver platter.’
They had spent days meticulously engineering a cage, completely oblivious to the fact that they had just given a lone predator exactly what he wanted.