Absolute Cheater

Serena frowned. "But this serpent didn't eat a Corrupt Fruit. It swallowed a Corrupt Core whole."

Asher stood, his eyes locked on the pulsating mass. "Which means someone planted it." He nudged the Core with the tip of his boot. "This wasn't natural corruption. This was intentional."

Serena's grip tightened around her daggers. "That's bad. Really bad. If someone is deliberately corrupting creatures, it means they're either experimenting…" She hesitated, the implication settling in. "Or building an army."

Asher exhaled through his nose, his expression unreadable. "Either way, we need to find out who. And why."

A sudden rustling in the bushes made them both snap to attention. Asher's eyes glowed faintly red again as he extended his senses outward.

"Something's watching us," he murmured.

Serena took a slow step back, her body tensed. "One of the villagers?"

"No." Asher's voice was firm. "Not human."

A low growl echoed from the treeline.

Serena didn't hesitate. She flicked a dagger forward, sending it whistling through the air toward the sound.

The weapon embedded into the trunk of a tree—just as a shadow darted away.

Asher caught a glimpse of glowing yellow eyes before the figure disappeared into the darkness.

Serena cursed. "Damn it. It was spying on us."

Asher stared after the retreating figure. "Yeah. And now it knows we're onto them."

A heavy silence fell between them.

Finally, Serena sheathed her daggers. "We need to tell the village head. If more creatures are being corrupted, they need to be ready."

"Or rather, let's just go after it," Asher said.

Serena rolled her eyes. "Are you mad or what? What if he has a whole army?" she said, but Asher had already started walking ahead.

"I have options," he said simply. There were three Reapers he had acquired from the Infinity Tower, using his Soul Reaper Monarch ability, as well as the Blood Golems. Around Asher, ten orbs of crimson energy formed in the air and then morphed into Blood Knight looking powerful figures.

"You have them, so why haven't you used them against the Blood Cross?" she asked.

Asher exhaled. "They're watching our every move. If I had shown my full power, they would have sent more powerful forces. Then we might not have been able to get away from them," he explained.

"So you can use them now?" Serena asked.

Asher pointed upward. "I've covered this whole place in a Blood Veil. No one can watch us without my approval now," he said.

Serena stared at him. "Why are you so guarded?" she asked.

Asher left her question hanging for a moment before finally replying, "I don't know. I just like to have myself ready for anything."@@novelbin@@

With that, he started walking toward the forest, heading in the direction where the figure had been watching them.

Serena shook her head but followed after him, silently preparing herself in case this so-called army was already waiting for them.

The forest loomed ahead, shrouded in darkness. The thick canopy blocked most of the moonlight, leaving only slivers of silver to guide their path. The air was damp, carrying the scent of earth and rotting leaves.

Serena moved soundlessly beside Asher, her daggers drawn but kept low. "Do you even have a plan, or are we just walking into an ambush?" she whispered.

Asher didn't break stride. "If they wanted to ambush us, they would've done it already. No, they're testing us—seeing how far we'll go."

Serena frowned. "That means they think they can handle us."

Asher nodded. "Its an common tactic to overwhelm your opponent 'I am strong and you are weak' kind mentality "

A twig snapped in the distance. Serena's grip tightened on her weapons, but Asher simply stopped walking, his eyes glowing faintly red as he activated Blood Sense.

"There," he muttered.

A shadow darted between the trees, moving fast—but not fast enough.

With a flick of his wrist, Asher sent one of his crimson orbs flying. It shot forward like a bullet, slamming into a nearby tree just inches from the figure's head.

The figure froze.

"Come out," Asher ordered, his voice calm but firm. "Or I'll drag you out."

For a moment, nothing happened. Then, slowly, the figure stepped into the dim moonlight.

A young man with ragged clothes and glowing yellow eyes. His skin was unnaturally pale, his veins pulsing with the same eerie blue light that had run through the corrupted serpent's body.

Serena inhaled sharply. "He's corrupted."

The man smirked, his lips curling unnaturally. "Not quite," he rasped. "I'm something... more."

Asher narrowed his eyes. "Who did this to you?"

The corrupted man chuckled, tilting his head. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

Before either of them could react, he lunged.

Serena moved first, her daggers flashing in the dark as she struck at his throat. But the moment her blade touched his flesh—

A pulse of dark energy erupted outward, just like with the serpent.

Serena was thrown back, skidding across the dirt.

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"Tch." Asher caught her before she could crash into a tree, then turned his gaze back to the man. "You have the same defensive reaction as the serpent."

The corrupted man grinned. "Of course. We serve the same master."

Asher's eyes darkened. "Then I'll make you talk."

He raised his hand—

Blood Bind.

The air thickened as crimson tendrils shot forward, wrapping around the man's limbs like chains. The corrupted figure struggled, his veins pulsating violently as he tried to resist.

"You can't hold me," he snarled.

"You sure about that?" Asher tightened his grip, his Blood Ruler ability sinking deeper into the man's body. "Because I think I can do a lot more than just hold you."

The corrupted man gasped as his body convulsed, his corruption reacting violently to Asher's power.

Serena pushed herself up, wiping blood from her lip. "Ask him who his master is before he melts into a pile of sludge."

Asher's grip tightened. "Who gave you this power?"

The man coughed, a twisted smile still on his face. "You'll find out soon enough."

His body jerked—and then, before Asher could stop it, a dark energy exploded from his chest.

Serena shielded her eyes as the man's body disintegrated into black mist, vanishing into the air.

Asher clicked his tongue in frustration. "Damn it."

Serena exhaled. "Self-destruction? That's a new one."