Cassandra finished the last wave faster than even the first, dispatching all nine monsters—including the massive one—within seconds of the fight beginning. Both Cassian and the Guardian were left speechless, watching the aftermath as the defeated monsters struggled to move before going completely still. Breaking the silence, Cassian cheered loudly, "Detective!"
The Guardian, still frozen in shock, showed no sign of anger. Instead, a wide grin spread across his face as he muttered, almost to himself, "Amazing... amazing. These people are going to make me perfect my challenges."
Turning his gaze to Cassian, the Guardian's smile deepened. "Your turn now, boy. Let's see if you can surprise me as much as she did. And don't forget our bet," he said with a knowing glint in his eye.
Meanwhile, Cassandra leaped out of the arena, bloodied but wearing a triumphant smile, her exhaustion overshadowed by her sense of accomplishment.
Cassian quickly moved to help Cassandra stand, but before he could say much, the Guardian waved his hand. In an instant, the wounds on her body began to heal, leaving both of them stunned. Cassandra glanced at her shoulder, which had been a mess just moments ago, now completely restored as if the injuries had never existed.
The Guardian chuckled, his tone amused. "Well fought, Miss Cassandra. You'll receive your reward once your friend here completes his challenge. Unless, of course," he added with a sly grin, "you're up for another one right now..."
"Thanks, but that's my limit. I've gained more than enough from this," Cassandra said, stepping aside with a faint smile. She glanced at Cassian and added, "Good luck. Don't burn through all your power at the start—try to actually learn from the challenge."
Cassian frowned, puzzled by her advice. Make use of the challenge? he thought, but he didn't press for clarification. Instead, he strode to the center of the arena, now restored to its pristine state as if the intense battles had never taken place.
The Guardian, grinning from ear to ear, clasped his hands together. "I'll take it easy on you, boy. There will be only one monster for you... and only this one."
Cassian raised an eyebrow, smirking as he locked eyes with the Guardian. "Really? No take-backs?"
The Guardian chuckled, his smirk mirroring Cassian's. "No take-backs," he said with a nod, his tone full of amusement.
The arena grew dim, shadows creeping in from all sides, as Cassian's gaze was drawn forward. In the center of the battlefield, something began to materialize, its grotesque form solidifying out of thin air.
His breath hitched as he took in the sight of the monstrosity—a towering, bulbous creature, its height surpassing that of a two-story building. Despite its immense size, it didn't radiate the typical menace of a predator. Instead, it exuded an aura of repulsion.
Its surface rippled and flowed like a mass of living jelly, the dirty yellow hue churning nauseatingly as if it were alive and shifting from within. Cassian's stomach twisted at the thought of being anywhere near it. The creature was a literal blob of filth, and the mere idea of coming into contact with it made him grimace.
"fucking disgsuting…" he muttered under his breath, instinctively stepping back.
To make matters worse, the creature lacked any discernible features—no eyes, no mouth, no limbs. Just a massive, pulsating sphere of goo.
The creature quivered again, this time with more intent, as if responding to Cassian's growing aura. Without warning, a portion of its grotesque body swelled and shot forward—a ball of yellow slime hurtling through the air like a cannonball. Cassian instinctively raised his domain shield, a shimmering red barrier forming around him just in time to intercept the attack. The blob splattered against the shield, but instead of dissipating, it exploded into a thick, noxious yellow mist.
"What the—?" Cassian stumbled back, raising his shield instinctively, its sturdy frame holding firm against the onslaught. But his confidence wavered as a strange mist began to emanate from the blob. It wasn't a physical attack; the gas seeped through his defenses effortlessly, bypassing the barrier he thought would protect him.
The moment the mist touched his skin, Cassian felt a sharp, unnatural sensation flood his body. His face contorted in pain as the gas invaded his lungs, spreading a discomfort he couldn't quite describe.
From the sidelines, the Guardian's grin widened, his amusement clear. "Ah, there it is. How do you like my little creation now, boy?"
Cassian gritted his teeth, retreating instinctively to escape the oppressive mist. But before he could catch his breath or regain his bearings, the blob retaliated. With a wet, grotesque sound, multiple smaller blobs shot off from its body, exploding around him in rapid succession.
Each impact released more of the sickly mist, the blasts merging to create a dense, suffocating fog. Cassian's figure disappeared into the thick haze, swallowed entirely by the noxious cloud.
The Guardian chuckled, crossing his arms as he observed the scene. "Let's see how long you can last in there, boy. This is where the fun really begins."
The monster continued its relentless assault, launching blob after blob of the vile yellow liquid at Cassian. Each impact exploded into a dense, toxic mist, the noxious cloud expanding rapidly to cover an increasingly larger portion of the arena.
From the sidelines, the Guardian's smirk stretched into a manic grin as he observed the chaos. "Soon, your little friend will be my slave! Hahaha!" he declared, turning toward Cassandra with a twisted glint in his eye.
Cassandra frowned, confusion evident on her face. "What do you mean?" she asked, her tone wary.
The Guardian ignored her question, his laughter growing louder and more unhinged. "He's going to be begging to die! Hahaha! That gas—oh, it's not just mist. It's pure, hellish agony, seeping into his every nerve, breaking him down bit by bit. Hahaha! Making a bet against me... what a cocky brat!"
Her confusion deepened as she furrowed her brows and asked, "What bet are you talking about?"
The Guardian, his eyes glued to the arena floor as if he didn't want to miss even a second of Cassian's supposed suffering, chuckled darkly. "Your friend made a bet," he began, his voice dripping with amusement. "If he begs me to kill him during the challenge, from the sheer pain of it all, he'll become the guide to my challenge grounds. A fitting punishment for his arrogance."
He didn't look up, too engrossed in the scene, eagerly anticipating Cassian's agonized screams. Yet, the sound he craved didn't come.
Cassandra, standing off to the side, didn't show the worry he might have expected. Instead, her smirk grew, matching the Guardian's in intensity. Unfortunately for him, he was too focused on the arena to notice.
When the silence stretched on longer than he anticipated, Cassandra broke it, her voice calm but edged with curiosity. "And what did he bet for, if he wins?"
"If he wins?" the man repeated, emphasizing the words with a sly grin. "You'll find out...."
Cassandra stifled a laugh, her lips curling into a smirk. Cassian had played the Guardian perfectly, and it was clear the old man hadn't realized it yet. Her amusement only grew as she noticed the Guardian's wide smile beginning to falter, shrinking bit by bit.
Meanwhile, the yellow blob of a monster was also shrinking, its once massive form dissipating as it converted most of its body mass into the swirling yellow mist that now blanketed the arena.
As the yellow blob shrank further, the mist began to thicken, swirling with a sense of purpose, as though it were reacting to something. The Guardian's smile continued to fade, replaced by a puzzled frown as he glanced between the mist and Cassandra, then back at the arena floor.
"What's happening?" the Guardian muttered, his eyes narrowing as he watched the monster shrink further, its size now reduced by half. Something was off—the blob had stopped shooting its yellow balls, and the Guardian's confusion only deepened.
Suddenly, he caught sight of Cassian. He was standing still, glowing slightly, eyes closed, holding his sword in an attack position. The sight made the Guardian pause, his expression twisting with growing disbelief.
"Why is he still standing?" the Guardian asked, his voice edged with confusion and frustration. The situation was rapidly spiraling beyond his expectations, and the sight of Cassian unmoving yet resolute only added to the puzzle.
Hearing no response, the Guardian turned to Cassandra, who simply smiled at him, further irritating him. "Fuck it..." he muttered under his breath as he pressed a button on his panel.
A deafening blast rang out, shaking the ground, and the mist that had covered the arena was forcefully expelled. The yellow blob monster, which had shrunk considerably, suddenly shot all its remaining yellow blobs out in one explosive burst.
To Cassandra's surprise, as the blob cleared, a hideous creature emerged. It had five spindly legs and a head that resembled a caterpillar, but with scaly, menacing features. Its sharp teeth were visible as it dripped more of the yellow goo, which contrasted against its dark green, slimy skin.