Absolute Cheater

The tunnel sloped downward, the ground turning damp and uneven beneath their feet. Strange markings lined the walls, ancient symbols long forgotten.

Serena ran a hand across them, frowning. "This doesn't feel right…"

Asher didn't slow. "We don't have time to feel right or wrong."

But then—

A low growl echoed through the tunnel.

Serena froze. "That… wasn't human."

Ronan's grip on his dagger tightened. "Something's here with us."

A shadow moved in the corner of Asher's vision. A grotesque shape—twisted, inhuman.

Then, glowing yellow eyes flickered to life in the darkness.

"…Intruders."

A deafening roar shook the tunnel.

The walls trembled as something massive lurched forward from the depths.

A Forgotten Guardian.

A relic of an older time, left behind in the burial grounds beneath Myid City.

A beast of rotting flesh, bound by ancient curses, wielding power long lost to mortals.

And now—it was awake.

Serena drew her daggers, shifting into a battle stance. "Tell me we're not fighting this thing."

Ronan backed up slightly. "We're fighting this thing."

Asher's eyes gleamed red.

"No choice."

The Forgotten Guardian roared, shaking the tunnel.

The Blood Cross was coming.

The Guardian was in their way.

They had only one option—fight.

The Forgotten Guardian let out a guttural growl, its massive form shifting in the darkness. Rotting flesh stretched over an unnaturally large skeletal frame, its claws scraping against the stone walls, leaving deep gouges in its wake. Ancient runes pulsed faintly on its body, glowing like dying embers.

Then, it moved.

Faster than anything that large should be able to.

It lunged—

BOOM!

The ground shattered beneath its weight as Asher barely dodged to the side, feeling the rush of wind as the creature's claws slammed into where he had just stood.

"Shit!"

Serena flipped backward, landing gracefully. "This thing is fast!"
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Ronan, already moving, hurled a dagger toward the creature's eye—only for it to bounce off harmlessly. The Guardian barely reacted.

"Too tough to damage with normal attacks."

Asher's scarlet eyes gleamed as he gathered his blood, shaping it into a deadly spear.

"Let's see how it handles this."

With a flick of his wrist, the blood spear shot forward, spinning like a drill—aiming for the Guardian's chest.

CRACK!

The impact sent a shockwave through the tunnel, but the Guardian barely staggered. The spear had pierced its rotting flesh but failed to cause real damage.

And then—

The runes on its body flared.

Asher's blood spear disintegrated in an instant, reduced to nothing but mist.

"It's absorbing attacks."

Ronan cursed. "Great. Not only is it tough, but it can cancel magic?!"

The Guardian's yellow eyes locked onto Asher.

Then, it spoke.

"...Blood magic... A cursed one stands before me."

The words were ancient, heavy—echoing through the stone chamber like the voice of a long-dead king.

Asher's hands clenched into fists. "You can talk?"

The Guardian exhaled, its breath like a dry, crumbling wind.

"Not all blood is worthy."

Then, without warning—

The tunnel behind them collapsed.

Rocks and debris came crashing down, sealing off their escape route.

Serena spun around, eyes wide. "No, no, no—damn it!"

Ronan cursed under his breath. "We're locked in here with this thing."

Asher gritted his teeth.

No escape. No reinforcements. Just them and this ancient monster.

And the Blood Cross was still coming.

The Blood Awakening

The Guardian stared down Asher, ignoring Serena and Ronan.

"Prove yourself."

A challenge.

A test.

Serena whispered, "I don't like where this is going."

But Asher stepped forward.

"Fine," he muttered. "I'll prove it."

The Guardian charged.

Asher's blood ignited, a swirling mass of crimson tendrils exploding outward as he dodged at the last second. His control sharpened, shaping his blood into spiked chains that lashed out at the Guardian's legs, wrapping around them like constricting serpents.

For a moment—just a moment—the Guardian stumbled.

Serena moved instantly, her daggers flashing as she leaped, aiming for the creature's throat.

SLASH!

The blades dug deep—then stopped.

Serena's eyes widened as the Guardian's runes flared again, pushing her back with an invisible force.

"It's resisting everything."

But Asher had already figured it out.

"It's testing me."

Not attacking Serena. Not killing Ronan. Only focusing on him.

"It wants to see if I'm strong enough."

Then he knew exactly what to do.

Asher let go.

His blood, instead of attacking, pulsed outward—not as a weapon, but as a command.

He reached deeper into his power than ever before, his control absolute. The blood around him stopped swirling violently.

Instead, it flowed.

A heartbeat. A rhythm. A pulse.

And the Guardian froze.

Its yellow eyes dimmed slightly, as if recognizing something.

Then—

It knelt.

Serena sucked in a breath. "...What just happened?"

Ronan looked equally stunned. "Did it just... submit?"

The Guardian lowered its head.

"You are worthy."

Then, from behind them—

The Blood Cross forces finally arrived.

A dozen figures stood at the collapsed tunnel entrance, weapons drawn. Their leader, clad in dark crimson robes, grinned.

"There you are."

The Guardian's yellow eyes flashed.

Asher smirked.

"Guess we're not trapped in here anymore."

Because now, they had a monster on their side.

The air tensed, thick with the scent of blood and stone.

The Blood Cross forces stood at the collapsed tunnel entrance, their weapons gleaming under the dim red glow of their torches. The man leading them, a priest clad in crimson robes, stepped forward, his twisted smirk revealing an unsettling confidence.

"We finally caught you, cursed one."

Asher didn't move.

The Guardian beside him loomed in silence, its glowing yellow eyes locked onto the priest.

Serena gripped her daggers, shifting slightly closer to Asher. "What's the plan?" she whispered.

Asher smirked.

"We kill them."

The Blood Cross warriors rushed forward.

The first attacker, a bladesman, lunged at Asher—his sword crackling with a holy enchantment, glowing faint gold.

Asher sidestepped, his hand flicking as a thin whip of blood lashed out—

SLASH!

The man's arm was severed instantly, blood spraying across the stone floor.

The Blood Cross priest barely blinked. "Hmm. Expected."

A second warrior—a **mage—**thrust his hand forward, summoning a golden barrier.

"Die, heretic!" the mage spat, hurling a divine spear of light straight at Asher's chest.

Asher didn't dodge.

Instead, his blood surged, condensing into a thin, crimson barrier in front of him. The spear of light slammed into it—

And shattered.

The mage's eyes widened. "Impossible—!"

CRACK!

The Guardian moved.

With terrifying speed, the massive undead beast lunged, its clawed hand gripping the mage's head.

For a brief moment, the mage screamed.

Then—

CRUNCH.

The mage's skull collapsed like rotten fruit.

The Blood Cross priest sighed. "A shame. He was somewhat useful."

Serena didn't hesitate. Flames ignited around her daggers as she vanished in a blur of speed.

She reappeared behind a Blood Cross archer—

SLASH!

The archer collapsed, a deep gash in his throat, unable to even scream before he hit the ground.

Ronan, on the other hand, fought precisely.

He weaved between enemy attacks, every movement measured. A dagger flashed—and another Blood Cross warrior fell.

Asher grinned.

"We're winning."

Until—

The Priest Moved.

The air shifted, heavy and suffocating.

The priest raised his hand—and the ground trembled.

"Kneel."

An invisible force slammed down on Asher, Serena, and Ronan like an entire mountain crashing down on them.

Serena fell to one knee, gasping for air.

Ronan gritted his teeth, barely managing to stay standing.

Asher felt his bones creak, his muscles locking up.

But he didn't kneel.

He refused.

The priest's smirk widened. "You resist? Admirable. But pointless."

The pressure increased—Serena coughed blood, Ronan collapsed, and even the Guardian trembled slightly.

The priest stepped forward, his robes flowing. "Submit, and I may grant you a swift death."

Asher grinned through the pain.

"You talk too much."

And then—

The Guardian roared.

The ancient runes across the Guardian's decaying body flared to life.

The pressure broke instantly—as if shattered by an unseen force.

The priest's eyes widened. "What—"

The Guardian's massive fist swung.

The priest barely dodged, leaping back as the sheer force of the attack split the ground open.

"You defy my will?" the priest hissed, golden energy crackling around him. "Then I shall—"

BOOM!

A crimson spear of blood pierced through his shoulder, cutting off his words.

The priest staggered, his blood dripping onto the floor.

And Asher stood before him, hand raised, eyes glowing like twin crimson suns.

"You forgot something." Asher's voice was cold, deadly.

The priest gasped, his knees giving out as the blood in his veins trembled—controlled.

"I don't kneel."

Then, Asher clenched his fist.

The priest's heart exploded inside his chest.

The remaining Blood Cross warriors hesitated.

Then, they ran.

Serena slowly stood, wiping the blood from her lips.

Ronan groaned, getting up. "That… was a lot."

The Guardian let out a low growl, its runes slowly dimmed, as if acknowledging Asher's strength.

Serena exhaled, looking at Asher. "You alright?"

Asher rolled his shoulders, smirking. "Better than them." He nodded toward the pile of corpses.

Ronan gave a weak chuckle. "Fair enough."

Serena glanced at the Guardian. "So… what now? We just keep it as a pet?"

The Guardian turned to Asher and, to everyone's surprise—bowed.

Serena blinked. "...Did you just tame an ancient undead monster?"

Asher grinned. "Looks like it."

Serena sighed. "Of course you did."

Ronan shook his head. "You are way too dangerous, man."

Asher just laughed. "Come on. Let's get to Myid City before more of them show up."

And with that—

They left the battlefield, the Guardian following silently behind them.

A new ally. A deadlier reputation.

And far more enemies to come.