Absolute Cheater

Serena swung her chains, wrapping them around its neck, but the beast thrashed violently, dragging her forward.

"Not so fast!" Asher dashed in, his Sanguine Supreme ability activating. His blood solidified into crimson spikes that shot toward the crocodile's underbelly, piercing its scales.

The creature roared in pain, but it was far from finished. It spun its body, sending a powerful tail strike toward them.

"Serena, jump!" Asher yelled.

She barely managed to let go of her chains in time, flipping into the air as the tail smashed into the ground, creating a crater where she had stood.

"This thing is really persistent!" Serena called out.

Asher's eyes gleamed with excitement. "Then let's put it down for good!"

"You do that, I'll be sitting out this time. My whole body aches," Serena said, jumping away and settling onto a nearby tree branch. "I'll cheer you on from here," she added with a teasing grin.

Asher glanced at her but didn't say anything. This opponent was so weak compared to the War God's trial that he didn't even need Serena's help.

The Red Tooth Crocodile snarled, baring its venomous fangs. Asher cracked his knuckles, his blood swirling around him like living tendrils.

"Alright, let's finish this quickly," he muttered, dashing toward the beast at full speed.

The Red Tooth Crocodile lunged, its massive jaws snapping shut with enough force to crush solid stone. But Asher was faster. With a blur of movement, he sidestepped the attack, his blood-forged blade forming in his hand.

SHING!

A crimson arc sliced through the air, meeting the beast's thick hide. The crocodile roared in pain as a deep gash formed along its side, dark venom oozing out.

"Not bad," Asher muttered. "But not good enough."

The beast thrashed, its powerful tail sweeping across the ground in an attempt to crush him. Asher leaped over it effortlessly, landing on the crocodile's back.

"Let's end this," he said, raising his hand. His blood pulsed, surging into his blade as he drove it straight into the creature's skull.

CRACK!

The Red Tooth Crocodile shuddered violently before collapsing with a final, guttural growl.

Serena clapped lazily from her perch. "Well, that was underwhelming."

Asher shook off the blood from his weapon. "Told you I didn't need help for this one."

She nodded jumping down as she said " lets go back, or I would die from the smell now" she said as they began to move away.

Soon, they returned to the guild. Serena immediately went to rest, while Asher made his way to meet the Guild Leader.

"Yo, Genevieve," he greeted as he entered her office.

She looked up from her papers, raising an eyebrow. "Do you need something?"

Asher smirked. "Do you think I only come to you when I need something?"

Genevieve sighed. "Yes."

"Ahem," Asher cleared his throat. "How can I get access to other War God Trials?"

Genevieve rolled her eyes. "Told you, you either need to find them yourself or know someone who has access."

"So, you do have them, don't you?" Asher asked, leaning on her desk.

She closed her book with a snap, giving him a pointed look. "I can give you access, but I'll need something of equal value in return."

Asher hummed in thought before his eyes lit up. He reached into his storage and pulled out a book.

"Here, you can have this. It's a technique like the War God Arts, something equivalent in value."

Genevieve's eyes flickered with interest as she took the book from his hands, examining its contents.

"Interesting…" she murmured. "Alright, deal."

Asher nodded as he took the other two War god trial location she has, by giving one more technique to her, he has lots of them from his academy days.

"Do you have more?" she asked, her eyes gleaming with interest.

Asher nodded. "Why do you need more?"

Genevieve leaned back in her chair, tapping her fingers on the desk. "Having such techniques is always welcome. You might not realize it, but most sects keep their techniques and arts a closely guarded secret. Only those who swear loyalty to them can gain access."

She paused before continuing, "That's also the reason why War God Trials are so valuable. They provide access to a vast number of techniques that would otherwise be impossible to obtain."

Asher smirked. "Makes sense. So, how many techniques would be enough for a fair trade?"

Genevieve folded her arms. "Depends on the quality. If they're basic, you'll need a lot. If they're advanced or unique, just a few will do."

Asher thought for a moment before reaching into his storage ring. He pulled out three books, each one radiating a faint aura of power. "These should be worth something—Blood Phantom Steps, Titan's Grasp, and Silent Requiem."

Genevieve's eyes widened slightly. "Not bad. These are high-tier arts. Where'd you even get them?"

"Let's just say I have my ways," Asher replied casually.

She examined the books, flipping through the pages quickly. "Alright, this should be enough for what you're asking. I'll get you access to the records on the other War God Trials."

"Though I will say, I can't be sure if these places actually have War God Trials. We've only gathered speculations from the many adventurers who've reported strange findings," Genevieve explained.

"And there are over a thousand of them. You can have all of them if you want and go on a wild goose chase," she added with a smirk.

Asher narrowed his eyes at her as she chuckled. "I'm joking. I'll give you the six locations that have the highest chances of containing real trials based on confirmed sightings and ancient records."

"That's more like it," Asher said, crossing his arms. "I don't have time to chase after myths."

Genevieve slid a sealed parchment across the table. "Here. These six locations should keep you busy for a while. But be careful—if these trials do exist, then they're bound to be dangerous."

Asher smirked, taking the parchment. "I know that much after going through two of them."

"Though before I go to these six, I will have to clear the two you have already given me," he said as she nodded.

"Then off you go. Don't disturb my leisure reading time," she said, waving him off dismissively.

Asher chuckled, shaking his head as he turned to leave. "Yeah, yeah. Enjoy your book."