The air around him shifted, and suddenly, the chamber morphed into an endless network of twisting corridors. The stone walls pulsed with eerie red veins, an unnatural energy seeping from the cracks.
Before Asher could react, the first attack came.
A monstrous shadow lunged from the darkness—an abomination of writhing limbs and jagged fangs. Its presence alone radiated EX-rank killing intent, the kind that could reduce weaker beings to a lifeless husk.
Asher barely twisted in time, dodging the creature's razor-sharp claws. His Scythe manifested in his hand, and with a fluid motion, he countered, cleaving through the monster's body.
But more were coming.
The ground beneath him trembled as three more entities emerged from the surrounding walls. One had a centipede-like form, its exoskeleton gleaming with corrosive venom. Another was a floating, skeletal wraith, its blackened hands stretched toward him with soul-draining magic. The third—a massive, beast-like creature with an EX-rank aura that dwarfed the others—roared, its blood-red eyes locking onto Asher like a predator eyeing prey.
For the first time in a while, Asher actually felt the difference in power.
These creatures were beyond him in pure rank.
He was only S-rank, and this entire maze was designed to kill anything below EX-rank.
"Tch... so it's going to be annoying, huh?" Asher muttered, gripping his scythe tighter.
The maze itself was shifting—the walls moved unpredictably, cutting off escape routes, creating dead ends, forcing him into battles he couldn't avoid. Every time he stepped forward, the terrain would warp, new monsters emerging from the labyrinth's endless depths.
It wasn't just a maze.
It was a hunting ground—and he was the prey.
The centipede abomination struck first, its tail whipping toward him with enough force to shatter steel.
Asher ducked, sliding beneath the attack as his blood tendrils erupted from his back, spearing into the creature's soft underbelly. It let out a screech, but before Asher could capitalize—
The wraith descended.
Dark energy swirled as it unleashed a soul-consuming blast. The moment it touched him, Asher felt his strength waver—like his very life force was being drained.
His Sanguine Surge Ability activated, his blood flaring with a crimson glow. In an instant, he negated the wraith's attack, his life force stabilizing as he vanished in a burst of speed—
—Reappearing behind the wraith.
His scythe tore through its spectral form, and the wraith let out a ghastly wail before dissipating.
But there was no time to rest. Stay connected with My Virtual Library Empire
The beast—the largest and strongest among them—charged.
With a single leap, it crossed the entire corridor, swinging its massive claws down at him.
The impact shattered the ground, forcing Asher to flash-step backward to avoid being crushed. The sheer force sent shockwaves through the maze, the walls twisting even more, making the labyrinth even harder to navigate.
Asher narrowed his eyes.
This thing… it's actually a real problem.
The beast stood tall, its dark fur rippling as its EX-rank energy surged.
"Your power… too weak."
Its voice rumbled like a distant earthquake, its aura suffocating.
Asher let out a low chuckle, twirling his scythe. "Too weak, huh?"
Then I'll just have to make up for it with skill.
Asher was loaded with skills. He had more than three, each originating from his heritage and past achievements.
From his Royal Lineage Ability, he had elevated his Sanguine Supreme to a cheat-level power.
His second inherited ability—a fusion of Blood Crown and his father ability—resulted in the Soul Reaper Monarch, granting him dominion over the dead.
Finally, his third ability came from assimilating a Legendary-ranked Metis race, unlocking the Phantom Veil, a high-tier illusion-based skill that allowed him to deceive enemies and phase through attacks.
Despite possessing multiple high-tier skills, Asher relied primarily on his Sanguine Supreme—his most familiar and refined power. He only used the others in emergencies or dire situations—just like now.
Aside from those abilities, Asher also possessed Eternal Creation, a power inherited from the legacy he had obtained.
With these abilities combined, he was less of a warrior and more of a walking catastrophe, destined to ascend to supremacy. However, that future was still far ahead.
For now, he had to focus on the present—on the monstrosity standing before him.
The maze was a death trap.
Its twisting corridors seemed endless, shifting unnaturally as if the walls themselves were alive. Shadows slithered along the stone, and the air was thick with malice. Every few steps, monstrous creatures lunged at Asher from the darkness—each of them at EX Rank, their strength far surpassing his current S Rank.
But that didn't mean he was outplayed.
Asher moved like a phantom, weaving through the onslaught with a calm precision that only came from countless battles. He relied heavily on Sanguine Supreme, his blood forming razor-sharp tendrils that lashed out at his enemies, piercing through armor and tearing through flesh.
A massive beast with jagged, skeletal wings dove at him from above. Asher didn't dodge. Instead, his Soul Reaper Monarch ability flared to life—the phantom chains of the underworld coiling around the creature and dragging it into the abyss.
Another enemy—a **colossal knight clad in cursed black steel—**charged from behind, its greatsword howling with destructive energy. Asher smirked.
His Phantom Veil activated. The moment the sword should have cleaved him in half, his body flickered like an illusion, phasing through the attack. Before the knight could react, Asher reappeared behind it, his scythe already mid-swing.
A single arc of crimson.
The knight's head hit the ground.
Yet, there was no time to rest. The maze kept shifting, the creatures kept coming, and Asher could feel it—this wasn't just a test of strength.
It was a test of endurance.
"If I don't find the exit soon…" he thought, dodging another attack.
He wasn't worried about losing.
He was worried about how much fun he was having.
As he dodged another spear aimed at him, he was grinning, yep, definitely going mad.