The battlefield fell into a tense silence as the Metis Commander fully emerged from the portal, its sheer presence enough to make the air feel suffocating.
"You took what belongs to us," it repeated, its deep, distorted voice reverberating through the ruins.
Asher's mind worked fast. If the Metis wanted it back this badly, then its value was beyond just a weapon or a trap. The core was part of something much larger, something the Metis couldn't afford to lose.
But there was no time for theories.
The Commander raised its massive clawed hand, and the surrounding warriors suddenly stopped their attacks, stepping back in eerie unison. It was giving them a direct order.
Then, in an instant, it vanished.
A blur of black and red shot toward him. Fast. Too fast.
Asher barely managed to react. He crossed his arms in defense as the impact hit—a devastating blow to his midsection that sent him hurtling backward. He crashed through a crumbling structure, his body skidding across the dust-covered ground.
Pain flared through his ribs. That was just one hit.
"Asher!" Myria's voice was sharp with concern, but he forced himself up, spitting out a bit of blood. He didn't have the luxury of resting.
The Metis Commander didn't stop. It was already above him, dropping down like a thunderstrike. Asher twisted his body, rolling to the side just as the enemy's fist obliterated the ground where he had been. A shockwave erupted, sending dust and debris flying.
"Asher, fall back!" Renard ordered.
"No," Asher growled, his body already moving. He couldn't retreat.
Crimson lightning surged around him as he activated the second stage of Sanguine Supreme. His aura sharpened, his muscles coiled like springs, and the world slowed just enough for him to react.
The Commander turned, its glowing red eyes narrowing slightly. It was assessing him.
He launched forward, his fists glowing with condensed lightning, and threw a devastating right hook. The Commander blocked—barely. A shockwave erupted between them, cracking the ground beneath their feet.
But Asher wasn't done.
Using the recoil, he spun and delivered a brutal axe kick to its side, forcing the Metis back a step. A step. That was all he had managed.
The realization barely had time to register before the Commander retaliated.
Asher barely had time to register the strike before he was airborne again. He smashed into a nearby pillar, pain flaring through his entire body.
"Asher, we're coming!" Herman shouted.
"No—stay back!" Asher gritted his teeth, pushing himself off the rubble. They couldn't fight this thing head-on.
The Commander tilted its head slightly. It was waiting. Studying him.
It's testing me. This chapter is updated by Novel~Fire. (n)et
A cold chill ran down Asher's spine. It wasn't fighting at full power.
Myria and Renard moved in from opposite sides, striking in perfect synchronization. Renard's lightning-infused spear thrust forward, while Myria's daggers curved toward the Commander's blind spot.
For the first time, the Metis Commander moved defensively. It twisted its body, dodging Myria's slash by mere inches while deflecting Renard's spear with its armored forearm. Sparks flew as steel met chitin.
"Keep pushing!" Renard shouted.
The squad pressed forward, their attacks relentless. Herman lashed out with his whip, amplifying its force to destabilize the enemy's footing. Myria weaved in and out of its defenses, landing precise, shallow cuts across its armor.
But it wasn't enough.
The Commander's movements grew sharper. Faster. It adapted.
With one brutal motion, it caught Renard's spear mid-thrust and twisted, yanking him off balance before delivering a devastating kick to his chest. Renard coughed blood as he was sent flying.
Myria's eyes widened, but she reacted instantly, flipping backward before the Commander's follow-up strike could reach her.
He was already moving.
He blurred forward, crimson lightning trailing behind him as he focused everything into his next strike. His entire body pulsed with energy, his Sanguine Supreme reaching its peak.
He fainted left—just like before. The Commander shifted in anticipation.
Then, at the last second, Asher twisted his body and went right, bringing down his lightning-coated fist with every ounce of power he could muster.
His knuckles connected.
A deafening crack echoed as the impact shattered through the Commander's armor, sending it skidding back.
But the moment of victory was short-lived.
The Commander laughed. A deep, guttural sound that sent a chill through the battlefield.
It had been waiting for this.
Before Asher could react, the Trojan Core at the Commander's feet shattered, its runes igniting in a violent pulse of green energy.
A portal began to rip open.
"Asher! Get out of there!" Myria shouted.
A sudden force dragged him in.
The world warped around him, and then—
Asher felt himself drifting in darkness, weightless and disoriented. Then, suddenly, a powerful force pulled at him, and before he could react, he was hurled through the void.
Pain exploded in his chest as his body slammed into something solid. His ribs rattled, his organs screamed in protest, and his momentum sent him rolling uncontrollably across rough terrain.
The sensation of cold water engulfed him. He was sinking.
Asher tried to move, but his body refused to respond. Every inch of him ached, his bones felt as if they had been shattered, and the pain was unbearable. Worse yet, he couldn't breathe.
He flailed, trying to propel himself upward, but even his frantic movements were nothing more than weak twitches. His limbs were unresponsive, his strength drained. He tried to channel mana to float himself up, but the moment he attempted to circulate it—
A sharp, unbearable pain ripped through his entire body. His mana veins were blocked, damaged from the injuries he had sustained. Even the slightest attempt to use his abilities sent a fresh wave of pain crashing over him.
'Fuck…' Asher cursed in his mind, feeling the life slipping away from his body.
His lungs burned. The suffocating pressure of the water pushed down on him, stealing what little air remained in his chest.
"Is… this how it ends?" he thought bitterly, his vision beginning to blur.
Memories flashed before his eyes. His past. His struggles. His battles. His victories. His regrets.
A desperate thought surged through him. His body descended deeper, the riverbed drawing closer. He had to move. He had to survive.
But his body… wouldn't obey.