Absolute Cheater

He glanced back at the bloated bat creature on the throne. "You've sent your pawn," he said, his voice cold and resolute. "Now it's your turn."

The bat creature let out a low, rumbling laugh, its massive form shifting on the throne. The battle was far from over.

Suddenly, the creature stood, its towering frame radiating an oppressive aura. Before Asher could react, it vanished from its spot.

"What the—" Asher began, but he was abruptly silenced as the creature reappeared right in front of him. Its massive fist slammed into his midsection, sending shockwaves through his body. Blood sprayed from Asher's mouth as he doubled over in pain.

Keukk!

"Impossible!" Asher gasped, struggling to stay on his feet. He glared at the creature, his sharp gaze narrowing as he saw his Illusionary Crown above it's head floating subtly. His eyes widened in shock. "Y-You... You're at least King-grade?" he stammered, the realization hitting him like another punch.

The bat creature grinned wickedly, its jagged teeth glinting in the dim light of the coliseum. Without a word, it opened its massive mouth, aiming to devour Asher in one savage bite.

Asher's instincts screamed at him to move. The creature's massive hand shot toward him like a machine's unyielding grip, clasping around him with terrifying force. But just as its jaws snapped shut, Asher activated his Transmutation ability, transforming his body into blood and slipping through the creature's grasp.

In the stands, Catherine observed the battle from the shadows, her sharp eyes narrowing as she saw Asher evade the creature's attack. "So, he still has some fight in him," she thought, her fingers twitching as she debated intervening. However, her gaze lingered on the bat-like monstrosity, and her expression darkened.

"It's not something he can handle alone," she muttered. Just as she raised her hand, preparing to step in and save him, Asher managed to stabilize himself.

"He's more resourceful than I thought," Catherine noted, retreating her hand. "Let's see how far he can go."

The bat creature's deep, mocking laugh echoed through the arena as it turned its predatory gaze back to Asher. "Hehehe, human," it growled, its voice guttural and mocking. "Since when did humans grow so bold as to venture here?"

Asher wiped the blood from his mouth, his sharp eyes never leaving the creature. The corrosive dark energy from the earlier attack lingered on his body, burning his skin even as his natural regeneration worked tirelessly to heal him.

"You can speak?" Asher asked, his tone cautious but steady as he controlled his breathing.

The bat creature's grin widened, its massive form radiating raw power. "Speak? Of course, I can. I am no mere beast. You think you stand a chance against me, human? Your struggle is... amusing."

Asher's fingers tightened around his scythe, his mind racing as he prepared for the next exchange. This wasn't just a battle—it was survival against a foe far stronger than anything he had faced before.

"Good. Entertain me," the creature said suddenly, snapping its fingers. Its throne reappeared behind it, and it sat down with a resounding thud. With another snap of its fingers, three octopus-headed creatures materialized, their grotesque forms lunging at Asher.

"Amuse me, HUMAN," the creature said, lounging on the throne with one hand resting lazily against its face, watching Asher like a bored spectator.

Asher gritted his teeth, his frustration bubbling beneath the surface. This creature was mocking him, treating him like a toy. But instead of letting the insult cloud his judgment, Asher calmed himself, calculating his next move.

If he can summon thirty, maybe thirty-five more of these creatures, I might advance to Gold rank. Then I'd stand a chance against him. But will he even summon that many? Asher thought, quickly analyzing the situation.

His hand released the hilt of his sword, shifting to grip his scythe tightly. "First, I'll deal with these three," he muttered to himself, his resolve hardening.

The octopus-headed creatures screeched, their tentacles lashing out in coordinated strikes. Asher leaped back, evading a series of attacks. His scythe flashed through the air, slicing cleanly through the appendages of one creature. Black ichor sprayed from the wounds as it shrieked in agony.

But the remaining two creatures were relentless, their tentacles darting toward Asher with unnerving precision. Despite his agility, some managed to graze him, their acidic touch burning through his flesh. Pain surged through his body, causing him to momentarily wince.

"Ugh, damn it," Asher hissed under his breath. He clenched his scythe tighter, using the pain to sharpen his focus. The creatures were fast, but their movements were predictable. He just needed to outmaneuver them.

With a burst of speed, Asher ducked under a flurry of tentacles and swept his scythe in a wide arc, cleaving through the legs of one creature and decapitating another. The remaining creature hissed and lunged at him in desperation, but Asher spun gracefully, driving his scythe through its core.

As the last of the three creatures dissolved into black ash, Asher stood amidst the carnage, his breathing steady but his body aching from the wounds he had taken. He glanced at the bat-like figure on the throne, who clapped slowly, a mocking grin on its face.
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"Not bad, human," it said, its voice dripping with amusement. "But that was just a warm-up. Let's see how long you can keep this up."

The creature snapped its fingers again, and five more octopus-headed creatures appeared, each larger and more menacing than the last. Asher braced himself, his scythe glowing faintly as he prepared for another wave.

"This is going to hurt," he muttered, steeling his resolve as the next battle began.

As the five new creatures lunged toward Asher, their tentacles flailing with increased speed and ferocity, he tightened his grip on the scythe. Each of their movements seemed more calculated, more precise than the previous wave, forcing him to stay constantly on the move.

Leaping to the side, Asher narrowly avoided a barrage of tentacles that struck the ground with enough force to crack the stone beneath him. He retaliated with a sweeping strike, his scythe's dark aura slicing through two of the creatures' appendages. They screeched, recoiling momentarily, but the others closed the gap quickly.

One of the creatures surged forward, wrapping its tentacles around Asher's arm. The acidic touch burned through his clothing and skin, and he gritted his teeth against the searing pain. With a sharp twist, he wrenched himself free, severing the tentacle with a quick slash of his scythe.

"You're tougher than the last group," Asher muttered, blood dripping from his wounds. His vision blurred momentarily, the pain threatening to overwhelm him. But he couldn't afford to falter now.

Drawing on the energy he had absorbed earlier, Asher activated his Shadow Grave ability. Three shadowy humanoid figures emerged beside him, their forms flickering like smoke. They moved in unison, attacking the creatures with ruthless precision.

The battlefield erupted into chaos as the shadowy figures clashed with the octopus-headed beasts. Tentacles writhed and lashed out, but the shadows moved like phantoms, evading and countering with swift, brutal strikes.

One of the creatures lunged for Asher, its maw opening to reveal rows of jagged teeth. He sidestepped the attack, bringing his scythe down in a deadly arc that cleaved the creature in two. Another tried to flank him, but one of the shadow figures intercepted it, plunging a blade of pure darkness into its chest.

Despite their efforts, the remaining creatures continued to press the attack. Asher could feel his stamina waning, his movements becoming slower, more labored. The acidic wounds on his body throbbed, and his breaths came in shallow gasps.

I'm at my limit... he thought grimly, but even as the thought crossed his mind, a surge of energy erupted from deep within him.

The absorbed essences from earlier battles ignited, swirling through his veins like molten fire. His aura flared, dark and golden hues intertwining as his power reached a breaking point. The oppressive energy of the coliseum seemed to resonate with him, amplifying his transformation.

"I have broken through the mid stage of Silver rank" Asher mumbled as he sensed the increase in power but it was not enough against the thing sitting on the Throne.

When the light faded, Asher stood taller, his wounds partially healed, his eyes glowing with a fierce Silvery light. His scythe had transformed, its blade longer and sharper, pulsating with raw energy. The shadows around him seemed denser, more alive, as if responding to his newfound strength.

"I've broken through," Asher said, his voice steady but filled with resolve. "Time to end this."

With a single leap, he closed the distance between himself and the creatures. His scythe moved like a whirlwind, carving through their defenses with ease. Each strike was precise, each movement calculated, as if he had become one with the weapon.

The last of the creatures let out a final, desperate screech before dissolving into ash. Asher stood amidst the aftermath, his golden aura still shimmering faintly.

He turned his gaze toward the bat-like creature on the throne, who now regarded him with a mix of amusement and interest.

"Interesting," the creature said, leaning forward slightly. "You've grown stronger... but you're still far from ready to face me."

Asher smirked, gripping his scythe tightly. "We'll see about that."