Ascension Hunter[Template System]

Emma's eyes fluttered open slowly. The soft light of the infirmary greeted her, and a gentle hand rested on her shoulder. She turned her head to see the kind-faced nurse who had been tending to her. For a brief moment, Emma felt a flicker of hope, as though everything she had just experienced had been nothing more than a terrible nightmare.

But the moment she saw the nurse's hesitant expression and the way her eyes avoided meeting Emma's, her heart sank. "T-Tell me..." Emma's voice was barely a whisper, raw from the sobs that had racked her body earlier. "Tell me, nurse… was I dreaming? Tell me that what I saw wasn't real. Tell me Anastasius isn't... dead..."

The nurse didn't reply. Instead, she lowered her head, her lips pressed into a thin line as if even uttering the truth would shatter Emma completely. The silence was deafening, and Emma felt the last remnants of her hope crumble into dust.

"No…" Emma's voice broke, a fresh wave of tears streaming down her face. Her hands trembled as she clutched at the bedsheets, her heart screaming in denial even as her mind began to accept the cruel truth. "No! No! No! It can't be true!"

Her screams filled the infirmary, raw and unrestrained. She clutched her chest as if trying to rip out the unbearable pain that now consumed her entire being. Emma's cries echoed through the hallways, a harrowing melody of heartbreak and despair. The nurse tried to console her, placing a hand on her shoulder, but it did little to ease the storm raging within her.

Emma's mind raced with memories of Anastasius—the gentle smile he reserved only for her, the quiet strength he had even as the weakest hunter, and the warmth he brought to her life. She had kissed him just days ago, confessing her feelings with a boldness she hadn't known she possessed. He had been surprised, perhaps even disbelieving, but she had seen the glimmer of happiness in his eyes. Now that light was gone, extinguished forever.

As her sobs subsided into quiet whimpers, Emma whispered through her tears, "Why... Why did it have to be him? Why did it have to be the only person who ever made me feel alive?"

The pain in her heart was unbearable, a gaping wound that no amount of time could ever hope to heal. Emma Markson, the proud heiress of the Markson clan, had lost the one person who had ever truly seen her for who she was. And now, all she could do was mourn the man who had given her a reason to smile.

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In the suffocating darkness of the dungeon, Anastasius's eyes fluttered open. At first, his vision was blurry, but the faint outline of the abyssal sky above came into focus. His head throbbed with a dull ache, and his body felt heavy, yet something strange tugged at the edges of his awareness. The wound that had once gaped open in his chest, a fatal injury that should have claimed his life, was no longer there. He ran a trembling hand across his chest, feeling smooth skin beneath the blood-stained remnants of his torn shirt.

His voice, weak and cracked, whispered into the stillness, "What the... My wounds… they're closed?" His brows furrowed in confusion as he struggled to make sense of the situation. "But I feel so weak… and hungry… How am I still alive? I could've sworn I was on the verge of death. And why haven't any monsters attacked me? This place should've been crawling with them by now."

Despite his confusion, Anastasius's instincts told him he needed to move. With great effort, he tried to sit up, only to feel a sharp jolt of pain shooting through his body. His muscles screamed in protest, and a pained groan escaped his lips. Refusing to give up, he dragged himself toward a large rock nearby, propping his battered body against it. The rough surface dug into his back, but he welcomed the stability it provided.

"Damn it…" he muttered, his voice filled with frustration as he wiped the blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. "Just who saved me? And in a dungeon like this, no less. Monsters are everywhere here. It doesn't make any sense…" His voice trailed off as his stomach growled loudly, a sharp reminder of his growing hunger and thirst. "Ugh… I'm starving. And thirsty too. Whoever saved me could've at least left me some food."

Then, as he sat there pondering his miraculous survival, a memory surfaced in his mind—a faint sound he had heard just before losing consciousness. The chime. It had been soft but distinct, ringing in his ears right before everything had gone dark.

"Wait…" Anastasius whispered, his voice trembling slightly as realization dawned on him. "That sound… when I lost consciousness…"

Before he could finish his thought, his words were cut short by a sudden light shimmering in the air before him. His eyes widened as a translucent screen materialized out of nowhere, floating effortlessly in the dark. It was faintly glowing, casting a soft blue light that illuminated the area around him. On the screen, glowing text appeared:

[Congratulations, Host! You have obtained the Template System!]

[Host was dying, so the System intervened and saved the Host.]

Anastasius's heart skipped a beat, his breath catching in his throat. For a moment, he simply stared at the words, unable to fully process what he was seeing. Then, slowly, a grin spread across his bloodied face, and his emerald-green eyes sparkled with a mix of disbelief and joy.

"I… I got a system…" he muttered, his voice filled with awe. He reached out a hand toward the floating screen, his fingers trembling as they brushed against the ethereal surface. "A real system… I can't believe it!"

The corners of his mouth twitched upward, his grin widening into a full smile despite the pain still wracking his body. "A Template System, of all things. Of course, I know what that is! I've read about it in so many novels. It's the ultimate system, the one that lets you borrow powers, skills, and abilities from countless legendary figures. It's the best system anyone could ever ask for!"

Anastasius leaned back against the rock, his mind racing with possibilities. The despair and hopelessness that had weighed him down moments ago were now replaced with an electrifying sense of excitement and hope. For the first time in this brutal world, he felt like he had a chance—a real chance to change his fate.

"Whoever or whatever gave me this system," he said, his voice filled with determination, "thank you. I won't waste this opportunity. I'll survive, I'll grow stronger, and I'll make sure no one ever looks down on me again. No one."

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Hello, guys! I decided that the first template will be chosen by you guys, so please comment below.

And keep in mind that this will be his first Template, so it will not be overpowered or underpowered.