Serena landed beside Asher, panting slightly. "Damn. You really sent him flying."
Asher's glowing red eyes stayed locked on the rubble. "He's not dead."
Before Serena could respond, the ruined house exploded outward, and Malakai emerged, his robes in tatters and his body pulsing with dark energy. He staggered for a moment, then wiped the blood from his lips—inky black blood that sizzled as it hit the ground.
Malakai's grin widened, though his eyes held a newfound wariness. "I see… So that's your true power."
Asher cracked his knuckles, unfazed. "That was just a warm-up."
Malakai exhaled, and the corrupted mist around him thickened. The massive abomination behind him let out a guttural roar, its blue veins pulsing violently. Then, with terrifying speed, it lunged.
Serena barely had time to react before the creature's massive arm came crashing down toward them.
She vanished, reappearing behind the beast, her daggers flashing as she struck its exposed back. But the moment her blades made contact, a pulse of corruption exploded outward, sending her flying back.
Serena tumbled across the ground, coughing as she pushed herself up. "Okay… not my best idea."
"Asher," she shouted, "That thing rejects normal attacks!"
Asher's gaze remained cold. "Then we stop holding back."
He raised both hands, and the blood in the air condensed violently. The latest episodes are on the Novel~Fire. (n)et
Blood Ruler—Absolute Dominion.
A wave of crimson energy spread out, and the battlefield shifted. The burning surroundings around them became engulfed in a red mist—Asher's domain was now absolute.
Malakai's eyes narrowed. "What—?"
Before he could finish, Asher vanished. In the next instant, he reappeared behind the abomination, his hand pressed against its massive skull.
The creature let out a deafening, ear-splitting shriek as its body convulsed violently. Its once-glowing blue veins darkened, turning a deep crimson as Asher's power invaded its system.
Malakai's eyes widened in shock. "Impossible! You're overriding my corruption?!"
Asher didn't answer. His power surged, and with a final pulse—
The abomination burst into a spray of dark mist, leaving behind nothing but scattered, lifeless remains.
Serena whistled, wiping sweat from her brow. "That was badass."
Malakai staggered back, disbelief written across his face. "You… You dare to corrupt my creations?"
Asher turned to face him, his expression unreadable. "You act like you own corruption. It belongs to no one." His eyes darkened. "And now—neither do you."
Before Malakai could react, Asher extended his hand.
Blood Chains—Condemnation.
Crimson chains erupted from the ground, wrapping around Malakai's limbs, tightening with crushing force.
Malakai struggled, his dark energy flaring. "You think you can restrain me?"
Asher's voice was cold. "No. I know I can."
The chains pulsed, sapping Malakai's strength. His body convulsed as the corruption within him was slowly overridden.
Serena walked up beside Asher, spinning a dagger in her hand. "So, do we kill him or make him talk first?"
Malakai glared at them, but the first flicker of fear crept into his expression.
Asher smirked. "Oh, he's going to talk." He crouched down slightly, his glowing red eyes locking onto Malakai's.
"Now tell me—who's really pulling the strings?"
Malakai was just about to scoff when his body stiffened. Against his will, his mouth began to move, his voice flat and mechanical.
"I am from the Red Fate Organization. We are meant to create our own god… These so-called gods are nothing but arrogant beings, waging wars among themselves and bringing misery to all. The leader has the ability of Red Fate—he can see things that are yet to be. In one of his many prophecies, he foresaw that a god of Corruption will emerge in the future. Hence, the low-ranked members are obsessed with finding ways to bring that future into reality… or claiming that power for themselves."
Asher listened carefully, memorizing every detail.
Serena frowned. "So, do you all think that makes you some kind of righteous warriors?"
Malakai's lips curled slightly, but his body remained rigid under Asher's control.
"A bunch of delusional lunatics," Asher muttered. "Sounds like the Red Fate guy wants to ascend to godhood himself. The rest of you are just stepping stones for him."
Serena sighed. "Great. Another cult."
Asher cracked his neck. "We should go. The village has already suffered enough because of this guy."
Malakai's body twitched, but he was still unable to move.
Serena glanced at Asher. "Back there, when he started talking… what the hell did you do? You just stared into his eyes, and suddenly he was spilling everything like a broken puppet."
Asher smirked slightly. "A trick I've perfected over time. A mix of Blood Ruler and Blood Memory Manipulation. By inserting a tiny amount of my blood into his bloodstream, I can influence the flow of his memories and force his brain to recall information against his will."
Serena's eyes widened slightly. "You can control someone's memories?"
"Not exactly," Asher corrected. "I can't rewrite them. But I can force someone to say what they don't want to—like I did just now."
Serena shook her head in disbelief. "That's terrifying."
Asher gave a small shrug. "Took me over three years to perfect it. It's not easy. Blood Memory flows fast, and if I'm not careful, I can accidentally erase the target's mind completely."
Serena scoffed. "Yeah, that makes it so much better."
Asher ignored her sarcasm and looked down at Malakai. "Enough talk. He's useless now."
With a flick of his wrist, the Blood Chains around Malakai tightened. His body convulsed violently—then, in an instant, his form collapsed into a lifeless husk.
Serena frowned but didn't say anything.
The peaceful village girl was long past her stage of immaturity, especially after spending countless days fighting for her life. She knew that if they let Malakai live, he would have only returned stronger to finish what he started.
Asher looked at the corrupted beasts that had fled when Malakai was defeated. He couldn't leave them behind. If any of them survived, they would only bring more destruction. Without saying anything he released his Reapers and then they hunted them-Corrupted Beast down one by one, ensuring no trace of corruption remained.
When he returned to the village, the once-thriving settlement was nothing more than ruins. The air was thick with the stench of death, and the streets were littered with bodies. What was once a village of over a hundred people had been reduced to a mere handful of survivors.
The village head, an old man who had welcomed them warmly when they first arrived, stood trembling, his face soaked with tears.
"I'm sorry," Asher said quietly. "We came too late."
The old village head shook his head, his voice breaking. "It's not your fault."
Asher remained silent, while Serena moved to help the injured. Her hands glowed faintly as she activated her healing abilities, tending to the wounds of those who had barely managed to survive.
Out of over a hundred villagers, only nine remained.
The rest had been slaughtered—men, women, and even children. The corrupted monsters showed no mercy. Three children had survived by hiding in the village well, while a few elders had managed to escape to the outskirts. But the rest… they had been slaughtered mercilessly.
Serena clenched her fists as she healed a wounded woman. The weight of the tragedy hung heavy over her.
They remained for a day there, helping the survivors to bury the dead and then Asher and Serena escorted them to Guild back in City.
The Guild Receptionist listened to the report from Asher and Serena. As she led them inside, she then turned to the surviving villagers, asking them a few questions. The villagers nodded weakly, confirming everything.
With a heavy sigh, the receptionist nodded and signaled for guild escorts to take the survivors to a shelter meant for those whose homes had been destroyed by monster hordes.
"Haa… at least you two arrived in time," the receptionist said tiredly. "Most of the time, we only find such villages days later, when no more survivors remain to send requests."
Serena frowned. "What will happen to them now?" she asked, watching as the villagers were led away.
"They will live here from now on," the receptionist explained. "We have a designated shelter building exclusively for displaced people."
Asher gave a small nod. "Does this happen often?"
"Not often," the receptionist replied, shaking her head. "But it's not exactly rare either."
Asher sighed. He understood exactly what she meant.
This world was brutal. And not every village was lucky enough to have someone arrive in time.
"Why can't the Guild station some patrols to monitor forest activity?" Serena asked, frustration evident in her voice.
The receptionist sighed. "We do have patrols," she replied, "but we can't ensure a response in time for every village. Travel distances, unpredictable monster movements… there are too many variables."
She paused for a moment before adding, "It's better if you two forget about it. This won't be the first time you witness something … and it won't be the last."