章 29: Realm Dungeon III
Sebas nodded thoughtfully, understanding Asher's curiosity. "Indeed, young master. The skills found here are part of an ancient cycle, almost like a repeating pattern within the dungeon's core. Although each cycle is unpredictable in exact timing, a handful of specific skills always tend to appear."
Emily chimed in, "It's as if the dungeon has a memory of its own, selecting certain abilities that it believes worthy of testing intruders. Some cycles might favor offensive skills, like Shadow Blade or Crimson Slash, while others lean toward defensive or utility abilities like Mana Shield or Spectral Step. There's usually a balance between them."
"Do the skills change in strength depending on the cycle?" Asher asked, intrigued.
"Yes, to a degree," Sebas answered. "The skills don't necessarily change in power, but the dungeon does adapt to the user's abilities and knowledge. A novice who stumbles upon a powerful offensive skill might receive a slightly weakened version, whereas someone powerful—like you—might find it fully unlocked."
Asher absorbed the information, his eyes narrowing thoughtfully. "And the Guardian… it always resets after each cycle, doesn't it?"
"Precisely," Sebas confirmed. "The Guardian acts as a key holder, and only by defeating it can you unlock the chamber where these skills lie dormant. Some say that the Guardian itself has access to the skills circulating in that cycle. So the stronger the Guardian, the more valuable the skills it protects."
Asher gave a slight nod, his mind already racing with possibilities. The skills offered in the dungeon weren't just random treasures; they were specifically curated, as if testing intruders' strengths and weaknesses. This knowledge made the challenge even more enticing.
Without further delay, the three of them moved forward, entering a long corridor that spiraled downward into the depths of the dungeon. The deeper they went, the more the ambient energy thickened, swirling with a dark, foreboding aura. Shadows flickered along the walls, hinting at a latent power that lay just beyond their reach.
Eventually, they arrived at a vast hall where an enormous figure stood waiting at its center. The Guardian was unlike anything Asher had encountered so far—a towering beast clad in armor of jagged obsidian, its eyes gleaming with a fiery intelligence. It held a massive scythe, blackened with an eerie glow, each swing releasing an unsettling aura that lingered in the air like a toxic fog.
Emily's voice was barely a whisper. "It's a Soul Reaver… one of the higher-tier Guardians."
Asher's eyes gleamed with anticipation, his fingers itching with the urge to test his skills against the formidable creature.
The Soul Reaver stood perfectly still in the center of the chamber, its glowing eyes locked onto Asher as if sensing his power. Its scythe gleamed with a dark energy, faint wisps of spectral light trailing from its blade. Around them, the shadows thickened, as if the dungeon itself were holding its breath, waiting for the inevitable clash.
Asher's blood orb hovered beside him, its crimson hue contrasting sharply against the dark atmosphere of the hall. He glanced at it, an idea forming as he weighed his options.
Sebas leaned forward. "Be cautious, young master. The Soul Reaver has a unique ability to sap vitality through its scythe. A single hit can drain a portion of your energy."
Asher gave a nod but remained focused on his own plan. "Let's see if it can handle my Blood Golem first," he said calmly. With a mere thought, he sent a command to the orb, and immediately, the crimson substance poured out of it, morphing and coalescing into the menacing figure of his newly modified golem.
The Blood Golem, now slender and agile from Asher's earlier adjustments, moved with an almost predatory grace, its blade-like fingers extended as it approached the Soul Reaver. Its surface shimmered with the dark toxin it had assimilated earlier, now weaponized into a lethal advantage.
The Soul Reaver tilted its head, its eerie gaze never leaving Asher. Then, in a blur of movement, it swung its scythe toward the golem, aiming to slice it in half. But the golem dodged, its movements fluid and precise, darting around the Guardian as if reading its every move.
Asher watched intently, assessing his creation's performance. The Golem was agile, striking at the Soul Reaver's armor with swift, poison-laced attacks. Each time it landed a hit, faint black cracks appeared on the Guardian's armor, the poison seeping into the metal, eating away at its defenses. Yet, the Soul Reaver barely reacted, each strike only seeming to infuriate it more.
Then, with a roar, the Guardian released a shockwave of dark energy, forcing the Blood Golem back. Asher felt the backlash through his connection with the creature but kept control, urging it forward once more. This time, he sent an additional command, muttering under his breath, "Condense and pierce."
The Blood Golem's form shrank again, its fingers elongating into narrow, needle-like blades as it surged toward the Soul Reaver. With its leaner form, it moved faster than before, slipping past the Guardian's defenses to plunge its blades deep into the armor's weak points. The poison seeped in faster now, its dark sheen spreading across the Guardian's chest and arms as the Golem delivered one strike after another.
The Decay poison on it can now harm even spectral figures as Asher has also assimilated the vengeful Spirit oil, and he has Assimilated it in his own blood and not in this Golem, so now, Each drop of Asher blood can induce madness and soul damage in anyone weaker than him or equal to him.
"Impressive control," Sebas murmured. "Few can manage a Blood Golem so effectively, let alone enhance it mid-battle."
Emily smiled, watching Asher with admiration. "And he's not even done yet."
Asher, unrelenting, decided to step in himself. He summoned his own blade, a dark weapon that pulsed with energy in sync with his heartbeat. As he approached the Soul Reaver, the Guardian turned its attention from the golem to him, seemingly recognizing a greater threat. The Soul Reaver raised its scythe, readying itself for a final, devastating blow.
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