My Trash Talent Is Actually OP!

Asher scoffed and turned away, already occupied with too much in his mind.

This is what a lich becomes or is? Someone who can just casually wipe out an entire city?

But there was no time to dwell on it. Zain turned his attention to Asher now, his voice softer, almost concerned. "Listen, you need rest."

Asher frowned, not understanding at first. "What do you mean?"

Zain sighed. "You've been through a lot. Especially with that poison from Cinder. It's taking its toll on you. You may not realize it, but your body is still recovering. You can't afford to burn yourself out just yet."

Asher opened his mouth to protest, but Zain raised a hand to stop him.

"Why do you know this?"

"Oh? I haven't told you yet?" Zain said, and he nodded. "I've been following you since I spotted you at the academy's cemetery. Had to be sure you were the one I was waiting for."

Asher nodded slowly. He opened his mouth to ask another question, but Zain beat him to it.

"Let your army handle the next mission. You're more important than this one fight. You need to rest, gather your strength. You're not like us. You still have limitations."

Nova stepped forward, her eyes narrowing. She knew better than anyone what Zain was.

She had heard the whispers about him, seen the way he controlled the battlefield. Her voice was sharp, cutting through the air.

"Since when do you care about what happens to him? You just destroyed a city, and now you're telling him to rest? Why?"

Zain met her gaze without flinching. "Because he's like me. And he's not ready to face what's coming." His voice turned serious, the smile fading from his lips.

"He's powerful, but even the greatest of us can be broken. And you, Nova, you should understand that better than anyone."

Nova's eyes narrowed further, but she didn't argue. She understood what Zain meant, even if she didn't like the idea of someone like him telling Asher what to do.

She was a lich too, after all, and she knew exactly how it felt to keep going when every part of you was telling you to stop.

Zain's eyes softened slightly as he looked back at Asher. "You don't just wield death, Asher. You are death. But even that kind of power can burn you out. Don't make the mistake of thinking you're invincible."

Asher felt a strange tightness in his chest. He'd been pushing himself hard ever since he'd arrived in this world, even when he said he wouldn't.

And now, with Zain's words hanging in the air, he couldn't help but wonder if he had been burning the candle at both ends for too long.

But there was still no time to reflect on it for too long.

Zain turned and began to walk back toward the van, motioning for them to follow. "We'll deal with this later," he muttered under his breath. "We have more pressing matters."

The van's engine hummed to life, and soon, they were back on the road, leaving the city of destruction behind them.

Asher kept his gaze fixed ahead, his mind swirling with thoughts of what Zain had said.

But then the silence did not last long.

A few miles outside the city, the van's tires hit something heavy in the road, causing it to lurch to a sudden stop.

Asher looked up as he stepped out of the van, his instincts on high alert. There was something in the air, a heavy pressure that made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up.

Zain glanced out the window, a smirk forming on his lips. "Ah, I forgot to tell you. I might've pissed off something earlier."

The sound of large, crashing footsteps shook the ground. The trees parted as a massive beast stepped into view, its armor-like skin glinting in the low light.

It had glowing red eyes and teeth that could tear through steel. The beast growled, its gaze fixed directly on Asher, and it charged forward with terrifying speed.

Without missing a beat, Nova was already moving.

She raised her bow, pulling a black arrow from thin air. With a fluid motion, she released it, sending it flying toward the creature.

The arrow struck the beast square in the chest, and in an instant, it exploded into smoke and ash, leaving nothing but a lingering trace of black mist.

Asher let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding. He turned to Nova. "Good shot."

But Zain wasn't impressed. He tilted his head slightly, a bored expression crossing his face. "That's all you've got?" His voice was casual, almost dismissive.

"What happened to the burning thing? The puppeteering? No bloodshed... that's pitiful for a Lich."

Nova's eyes flashed with anger. Without another word, she shifted—her body turned black.

She became a living, dark silhouette, her form twisting and reshaping. Arrows formed from the smoke that left her body. She aimed them at Zain, each one crackling with dark energy, targeting his heart.

Zain didn't even flinch. He walked through the barrage of arrows like they were nothing, each one missing or dissipating before they could even touch him. He kept his cool, his grin widening.

"You think that can hurt me?" Zain taunted, his voice dripping with amusement. "Liches like me don't die so easily."

With a flick of his wrist, Zain summoned an arrow of his own—a red, glowing shaft of light that seemed to hum. The moment it appeared, even Sinnett was amused by how much energy it gave off. He raised it high, his grin turning darker.

Before Nova could react, Zain crossed the space between them with one step, and before Asher could do anything, he stabbed the arrow right in the center of her chest.

The impact knocked her back, sending her crashing to the ground.

Nova gasped in pain, her breath catching in her throat as she looked down at the arrow. She hissed when it began to vaporize, causing the wound it created to burn through her.

Zain smirked, his eyes flashing with triumph. "That's what happens when you try to fight me."

Nova struggled to get up, but the dark energy that had been coursing through her was starting to fade. She felt herself weakening, her form flickering for a moment.

Asher stepped forward finally. He knew better than to stand between siblings—especially siblings with such history like them. Then he stretched out his hand. "Nova... are you okay?"

She nodded and took his hand, panting heavily. But Zain was already walking away, uninterested in the aftermath of his attack. "We've wasted enough time. Let's go. The real work is still ahead."