Absolute Cheater

The figure inclined his head slightly. "I am what remains of him. You seek my legacy?"

Freya straightened her posture, meeting his gaze. "I do."

Altheron circled her slowly, his presence unnerving but strangely compelling. "You carry life within you. Flames that destroy and restore. Yet you stand before me, seeking the power of death." He paused, his head tilting as though considering her. "Why?"

Freya hesitated, then spoke with conviction. "Because I want to protect the people I care about. Life and death are two sides of the same coin, aren't they? If I can wield both, I can make sure the ones I love survive."

Altheron stopped, his expression unreadable. "A noble sentiment. But power comes with cost. Are you prepared to pay it?"

Freya clenched her fists. "If it means I can stand beside him—if it means I can be strong enough to help him—then yes, I'll pay it."

"huh? Stand by him? well whatever who am I to ask love brain kids" he said tilting his head.

Altheron's lips curled into a faint smile, his dark eyes glinting. "Very well. But be warned, child. My legacy is not a gift—it is a burden. The power of death is a heavy chain to bear. If you falter, it will consume you."

Before Freya could respond, Altheron raised a hand, and the mist around them swirled violently. Darkness surged toward her, engulfing her in a torrent of cold energy. She gasped, feeling as though her very essence was being unraveled and reshaped.

When the darkness receded, Freya found herself back in the chamber, her knees buckling as she collapsed to the floor. Her chest heaved as she struggled to catch her breath. Catherine was at her side in an instant, her sharp eyes scanning Freya for signs of harm.

"Well?" Catherine asked, her voice calm but expectant.

Freya lifted her hand, and a faint black aura danced around her fingertips, cold and weightless. She looked up at Catherine, her eyes now flecked with dark, swirling shadows.

"I think he accepted me," Freya said, her voice tinged with exhaustion and awe.

Catherine's lips curved into a satisfied smile. "Congratulations. You're the first in centuries to inherit Altheron's legacy."

Freya staggered to her feet, the weight of her new power settling over her like an invisible mantle. Despite her exhaustion, a spark of determination lit her eyes. "This is only the beginning," she said, her voice steady. "I'll make this power my own."

You should," Catherine said, her tone stern, "or this legacy will return. These legacies won't remain in the hands of the unworthy. You have only ten years to master its power."

Freya nodded, a sense of responsibility settling heavily on her shoulders. "I understand."

"Good. Let's go back," Catherine said, snapping her fingers. In an instant, the chamber around them dissolved, and they reappeared at the well where the trial had started.

The moment they arrived, Catherine's gaze shifted, and a faint smile played on her lips. "Oh, it seems he's finally found a worthy opponent."

Freya followed Catherine's gaze to the battlefield beyond the well, where Asher was locked in combat against a humanoid creature with octopus-like features. The being moved with unnatural fluidity, its tendrils lashing out like whips as Asher dodged and countered with precision.

Freya's eyes narrowed as she analyzed the fight. "His opponent is at the Platinum grade, isn't it? Seems like an elite of that level."
Experience tales with empire

Catherine nodded. "Yes, it's impressive. At Silver rank, Asher can still fight evenly with a Platinum-tier opponent. That's not something you see often."

Freya watched closely, her eyes catching the faint, erratic flicker of energy surrounding Asher. "Though it looks like he just broke through recently," she remarked, noting the unstable aura emanating from him.

Catherine folded her arms, a thoughtful look crossing her face. "True. His energy hasn't stabilized yet, which is risky in a battle like this. But it's also an opportunity—this kind of pressure might help him solidify his breakthrough."

Freya's fingers itched with her newly acquired power, the faint shadowy aura flickering around her hands. Watching Asher fight so fiercely lit a fire within her. She wanted to stand by his side, to be strong enough to face the challenges ahead without hesitation.

*****

An hour ago, the moment Asher pierced the barrier and entered the Dwelling of Ashes, all the dark creatures within lunged at him like ravenous lions sensing fresh prey. Asher landed gracefully on the field, his calm demeanor unshaken. Muttering under his breath, "Hedge Spikes," he summoned a field of jagged, greyish-bloody spikes that erupted from the ground, skewering the charging creatures and killing them instantly.

As the battlefield momentarily quieted, Asher raised his left hand, summoning a gleaming sword. In his right hand, a massive scythe materialized, its blade exuding a dark, ominous aura. Without hesitation, he moved into action, his attacks precise and devastating.

"Hm," Asher mused, observing the remains of his enemies as they dissolved into ash. "The poison is more effective than I thought."

Unrelenting, Asher advanced deeper into the dwelling. Within just ten minutes, he had slain over a hundred of the dark creatures, each one falling to his seamless blend of swordsmanship and scythe strikes. The air around him grew heavier, saturated with the oppressive aura of the dwelling, but it didn't deter him. His Assimilation ability kicked in, as he devoured their remains and make them his own power.

Asher's Assimilation ability worked seamlessly, absorbing the remains of the fallen creatures into his body. The swirling energy they left behind, dark and heavy, flowed into him like rivers converging into an ocean. His aura grew darker, more refined, as the power he absorbed melded with his own. Every essence he devoured made him faster, stronger, and more attuned to the oppressive environment of the dwelling.

His eyes glowed faintly, reflecting the abyss around him. The faint traces of fear and hesitation from earlier battles were gone, replaced by a sharp determination. Each step forward resonated with authority, as if he were claiming dominion over the hostile realm.

The creatures grew stronger as he delved deeper, their forms more grotesque and their movements more coordinated. One particularly massive beast emerged from the shadows—a hulking amalgamation of limbs, teeth, and glowing red eyes. It roared, shaking the ground as it lunged toward Asher.

He smiled, gripping his scythe tightly. "Let's see if you are a challenge or not."

The creature swung a massive claw, aiming to crush him in one blow. Asher sidestepped effortlessly, countering with a sweeping strike of his scythe that tore through the beast's torso. Black ichor sprayed across the battlefield, sizzling as it hit the ground. The beast roared in pain, thrashing wildly.

With a flick of his wrist, Asher summoned a chain of crimson energy, ensnaring the creature's limbs. "You're strong," he muttered, "but you are slow too." He pulled the chain taut, forcing the creature to its knees before plunging his sword into its core. The beast let out a final, guttural cry before collapsing into a pile of ash.

Asher's Assimilation activated once more, devouring the beast's potent essence. A surge of power coursed through his veins, causing his aura to flare brighter than before. He clenched his fists, feeling the raw strength flowing within him.

"Is this all they have?" he muttered, his voice laced with disdain.

He looked around at the path from which the massive beasts had come and decided to enter it. "I'm close to a breakthrough. Absorbing some more will allow me to achieve it," he mumbled to himself as he continued walking. Soon, he found himself in what seemed like a coliseum. "Hmm, is this where the Dwelling is actually located?" he thought as he stepped out of the lobby area.

Asher stepped into the massive coliseum, his eyes scanning the imposing structure. It was unlike anything he had encountered so far, its ancient design exuding both grandeur and foreboding. The air was thick with an unnatural energy, and his instincts told him this was the heart of the dwelling.

At the center of the arena, a grotesque and bloated creature lounged on a massive throne. Its form was vaguely humanoid, with rolls of flesh spilling over its oversized frame. The creature's bat-like features were grotesquely exaggerated—huge wings folded against its back, fanged teeth jutting from its oversized mouth, and crimson eyes that gleamed with malevolent intelligence.

"A Platinum-rank bat and... its on a throne? Looks like it's more than just an elite, probably a Lord rank among Platinum." Asher muttered, gripping his scythe tighter.

The Beasts are also divided as in ability ranks, like for a Platinum realm beats it could be of Common, Elite, Lord, King , Emperor, Pseudo Divine or Saint and finally Divine rank Beast.

Before he could make a move toward the creature, he caught sight of the massive gate on the other side of the coliseum. From the shadows emerged countless dark creatures, their numbers seemingly endless. They were varied in size and shape—some humanoid, others grotesque amalgamations of limbs and teeth—but all of them shared the same menacing aura.

Asher's eyes flicked between the bat-like creature and the growing horde of dark beasts. His mind raced as he analyzed the situation. "If I rush the throne now, these smaller ones will just flank me. First, I reduce their numbers."