The Ashen Dominion
Chapter 97 - Ashborn

Chapter 97: 97 - Ashborn

"By the way, are you the vice head of the organization?"

Edmar asked, looking at Viktor.

"No."

Viktor shrugged.

"It sounds troublesome, I don’t want that kind of responsibility."

He added with a slight frown on his face.

"Yeah, he told me that before too when I offered him that."

Kaiser mumbled.

"Hmm, then can I be the vice head?"

Edmar followed and asked another question.

And without missing a beat—

"Fine by me."

"Yeah, no problem with that."

Viktor and Kaiser responded.

Edmar calmly nodded his head at that, then opening his mouth again—

"How many members does this organization have again?"

He asked another question.

And looking at him straight in the eyes...

"Just us three."

Kaiser declared that.

"Mhm."

Viktor nodded his head to confirm it.

The two of them thought Edmar would frown and be all weird, that he might even change his mind in joining all together...

But contrary to that—he just calmly nodded his head.

"Just as I expected."

He weakly muttered.

And before the other two could even say anything—

"Let’s recruit more members, we need that."

He added that.

"How?"

Kaiser asked.

Viktor looked at Edmar too, waiting for his response.

Then with a calm look on his face—

"Let’s recruit talented Copper Rankers."

Edmar declared that.

"Ah, that’s right! You were trying to recruit me back then too when I was just a Copper Rank."

Kaiser mumbled, remembering the incident in the bath area back then.

"So, you have someone that can recruit Copper Rankers for us?"

He asked Edmar.

Edmar frowned at him, then while squinting his eyes—

"No. You killed Lagoras, you idiot."

He grumbled.

(Lagoras is Kaiser’s 4th opponent, Edmar’s recruiter in the Copper Rank.)

"Ah..."

Kaiser then realized that. The air around them turned a bit awkward.

But then—he thought of something!

"Oh wait... I have some people I know we can recruit, and have them be our recruiter too."

He mumbled.

And as if reading his thoughts—

"Yeah, they’ll be good addition for us."

Viktor said that.

"Hmm? Who is it?"

Edmar asked.

And with a smirk on his face, Viktor answered him.

"Our four juniors."

"Make it five, I have someone in mind."

Kaiser added.

*****

"I’ll try to recruit others that were in my organization before. Though some of them already joined the big ones when we got disbanded, so don’t expect too much from me."

Edmar said.

"That’s more than enough, thanks."

Kaiser replied to him.

"See, being a vice head is troublesome."

Viktor whispered to himself.

"Anyway, what’s the name of our organization?"

Then, Edmar asked that. And at his question...

"..."

"..."

Viktor and Kaiser got silent, they both looked at each other like idiots.

"What the hell? You two really have no idea how to make and handle an organization, huh."

Edmar stated.

"That’s right."

"Yep."

And the two didn’t deny it.

Edmar just let out a short sigh before talking again—

"Just name it right here and now. Do you have something in mind?"

Kaiser nodded his head, then without beating around the bush—

"[Ashborn]"

He declared that, smiling a little bit.

"..."

"..."

Viktor and Edmar didn’t say anything for a while. But after that pause—

"Sounds good, I guess."

"Meh, that can do."

They just said that casually.

And immediately after that—

"Anyway, that’s it for now. I’m going to my room and rest now."

"Me too."

Edmar and Viktor excused themselves and started walking away!

"Ugh, you guys are such jerks... It’s a good name."

Kaiser said before going into his room, grumbling about the reaction of the two.

Meanwhile—

’[Ashborn], huh...’

Viktor and Edmar thought of the name Kaiser came up with. A smile crept up to their faces.

That name—it basically symbolized rising up from destruction and living freely.

*****

(Kaiser’s POV)

After entering my room, I immediately threw myself onto the bed with a deep sigh.

"Fuuuuuuh..."

My body ached all over, my arms were sore, and my legs felt heavier than usual. Still, despite the exhaustion, I couldn’t relax—not really.

My eyes stared at the rocky ceiling above me for a bit, then I closed them... but only for a few minutes.

"..."

My eyes snapped open again. I sat up slowly, then crossed my legs into a lotus position. My brow furrowed.

"I can’t afford to waste time."

I muttered under my breath. And with that, I exhaled deeply and closed my eyes again.

"[Intimidation]."

SWOOSH—

A strange pressure instantly flooded out of me. The air around my room turned heavier. It wasn’t much, but I could feel it—growing. Just a little. And that’s all I needed.

’Brock...’

His face came to mind. That cocky grin of his, that raw strength... The way I couldn’t even land a solid hit. I grit my teeth.

’If I want to stand on the same ground as him—no, surpass him... I need to improve everything. Even this skill that I learned from him.’

(He basically just copied it from Brock after seeing it once lol.)

So I kept pushing it. Again. And again.

...

...

Until my breath turned shallow and my back drenched in sweat.

"Haaaaaaa... haaaaaaaa... haaaaa..."

By the time I finally stopped, my whole body was slightly trembling. Not from fear—but from the sheer strain of keeping the skill active for so long.

Fwish~

I wiped my face, then pushed myself up from the bed.

GRRRRR—

My stomach growled.

"Right... dinner."

I mumbled, then after that—

I stepped out of the room and headed to where the meals were being served.

It was the usual setup. Guards standing lazily in the corners, protecting the servants. The muffled conversations filling the air.

"Oh, there he is."

I found Viktor already getting his food. Without saying anything, I lined up beside him. We didn’t have to talk much—it’s become routine now.

After getting our food...

We sat together like usual, eating in silence for a while. Today’s food had more meat than usual again.

I could see the satisfaction on Viktor’s face as he devoured it like a starving wolf.

On the other side, I spotted Edmar sitting with the three other gladiators again. He was quiet, but I caught him glancing in our direction more than once.

’Still weird... but at least he joined us.’

And with that, I started devouring the food in front of me. I was hungry as fuck.

...

...

After a while, Viktor finished his plate and stood up. He looked at me and spoke.

"Heading back to my room to train for a bit. Don’t overdo it."

I nodded.

"You too."

Then, just like that, he disappeared back to his room.

But I stayed.

"..."

I sat there longer, poking at the scraps of food on my plate. My eyes kept drifting toward the entrance.

And I waited.

Minutes passed...

I leaned back in my seat, resting my arms over the bench. The dining area started to clear out slowly.

Then finally—

Tap- Tap- Tap—

I heard the familiar footsteps.

I turned my head—and there he was.

Rai.

His small figure. He walked in like he always did, holding a paper bag.

I immediately headed to the gate to meet him.

"I’m here."

He said with a small smile.

"Sup."

I greeted him.

It was time for my protein supply.

*****

After Rai gave Kaiser his daily supply of protein, the two of them started talking for a bit— just casual conversation, checking up on each other.

"How’s your training going?"

Rai asked.

"It’s been going well. Hard, but I’m managing."

Kaiser replied with a small nod.

"You?"

"Busy as hell, like usual. But my responsibility lessened a lot after being promoted and assigned to help you."

Rai sais with a bright smile on his face.

Kaiser let out a short laugh.

"I’m glad that you’re doing fine, then."

They talked for a while more, sharing little details about their day. Neither of them said anything too deep, but just having a normal conversation helped them relax after the long day.

But eventually...

Rai looked around and saw the servants nearby slowly walking back. He scratched the back of his head.

Then opening his mouth—

"I’ll be going now."

He said that.

"Gotta get back before I get locked out of the Servant Place."

He followed.

But just as he was about to turn around—

"Wait for a bit."

Kaiser stopped him.

"Hm?"

Rai turned his attention back to him with a raised eyebrow, tilting his head slightly.

"What is it?"

He asked.

Then, without hesitation—

"I’m making my own organization. Join me."

Kaiser said that, looking at him directly.

"..."

Rai didn’t say anything.

"What?"

He asked, trying to confirm what he just heard.

"I’m making my own organization. Join me."

Then Kaiser repeated word by word. He even wore the same stupidly calm expression on his face.

And after that—

"Huh...?"

Rai became speechless.

"You do know that I’m a servant, right? I don’t know how to fight."

He said.

And at his words, Kaiser just shrugged.

"So what?"

He casually said.

"I know what an organization is... Only fighters are allowed in it."

Rai explained.

And with a scoff on his face—

"Who the hell decided that? It’s my organization, I’m making it. I can do whatever the fuck I want."

Kaiser just said that, smirking.