When the world was rewritten by the appearance of Rifts, humanity survived by creating heroes called Rankers. Power determined worth. Rank decided fate. And those at the bottom were meant to be forgotten.

Ayaan Verma was the weakest of them all.

An F-rank with almost no mana, no abilities, and no future, Ayaan existed only as expendable support for stronger Rankers. Mocked by guilds, ignored by the system, and treated as bait inside dangerous Rifts, his life held no value in a world obsessed with strength.

That was until he was betrayed and left to die inside a collapsing Rift.

As death closed in and the world’s system officially rejected his existence, an unknown force responded instead. A forbidden protocol—older, darker, and never meant to activate—awakened within him. It did not promise justice or heroism. It offered only one thing: survival through ascension.

With every enemy he kills, Ayaan gains fragments of power. With every victory, something inside him changes. Skills are stolen, limits are broken, and a black sigil spreads across his body like a living curse. But power always has a price, and the stronger he becomes, the more distant his humanity feels.

As corrupt guilds, false heroes, and global organizations begin hunting the anomaly known as Ayaan Verma, the truth behind the Rifts slowly comes to light. The world is not being invaded—it is being tested.

And Ayaan may be the mistake that breaks it.

In a brutal journey filled with betrayal, relentless combat, and moral decay, Shadow Ascendant tells the story of a man the world rejected—
and the monster it unknowingly created.

He was already awake, staring at the cracked ceiling of his one-room apartment. The paint had peeled so badly it looked like something had clawed its way out.


Another day of being useless, he thought.


The news played softly from his old phone.


"—another Rift appeared in Sector 12. Authorities advise civilians to remain calm—"


Rifts had been appearing for five years now. Gates tearing open reality, releasing monsters and rewriting the food chain overnight. Humanity survived only because of Rankers—humans who awakened powers after the Cataclysm.


Everyone awakened… except people like him.


He dragged himself out of bed, pulled on his worn jacket, and looked at his Ranker ID.


Name: Ayaan VermaRank: FMana Capacity: 3Special Ability: None


At the guild office, laughter followed him like a curse.


Rift Type: MinorThreat Level: DTeam Requirement: Minimum E-rank


The team leader, Raghav (C-rank), glanced at him with disgust.


"Rule stays the same," Raghav said. "You walk first."


Inside the Rift, the air was wrong—thick, cold, breathing back.


And deep down, for the first time in his miserable life—


He felt fear that didn't belong to him.


Chapter 1 - CHAPTER 1 – THE LOWEST RANKER