Veyren's evolution was… impressive, to say the least. He'd gained a nether affinity—same as me.
Did vampires naturally awaken nether?
My father didn't. His affinity was blood—no, blood manipulation. So what was his actual elemental type?
I forced myself to stop. No matter how long I chased that thought, it wasn't giving me answers.
With Veyren's transformation complete, it was time to proceed to the 28th Ordeal.
The temple stones began to shift as the pearl at its peak descended. Rock encased it layer by layer until it was fully sealed—then a burst of blinding white light exploded outward. When my vision finally returned, the Sentinel towered before us, standing nearly nine feet tall.
The ground rumbled. Stone beneath me surged upward like a rising spear. I used Dash, slipping away just in time, while Veyren vanished with Glimmer Step.
I drew my blacksteel bastard sword.
Time to crack that shell.
I sprinted toward the Sentinel. Spikes erupted from the ground; earthen walls tried to cage me in. I read each movement, weaving through them, closing in like a blur—
Only for Veyren to slam into the Sentinel's side, tackling it. It barely budged. The golem retaliated instantly, pounding Veyren with fist and knee. He refused to relent, carving deep claw marks into its shell—until a slab of stone erupted beneath him, launching him away.
The Sentinel turned to me.
Too slow.
I was already there. My blade carved into its leg, sinking halfway through the stone before stopping. I had to leap back, barely avoiding a sweeping arm that would've crushed my ribs.
Breaking the shell like this would take too long.
Time to test something new.
I activated [Essence Drain].
The next time my blade bit into the Sentinel, I felt it—tiny strands of vitality being drawn out, feeding into me. Not much, but enough to matter. I kept pressuring it, strike after strike, while Veyren reappeared behind it and shredded at the other leg.
The Sentinel slammed Veyren down hard, but I didn't give it time to recover.
My sword met its stone exterior once more—
Crack.
The shell shattered.
Before it could reorient, I stepped in, weaving past a hammer-like fist, and with its arm still low, I severed it cleanly at the joint. Stone burst like brittle glass.
Veyren lunged again, tearing at its back. I went for its knee—
And then everything went white.
A shockwave blasted outward, flinging us both across the chamber.
For a heartbeat, I lost consciousness.
When my eyes snapped open, glowing blue text hovered above me:
[Error Encountered]
[Difficulty Increased by Appearance of a Variant]
[Forfeit Battle and Retry / Complete the Ordeal as it is]
[Compensation / Additional Rewards will be Provided]
Complete it, I answered silently.
I wanted the Challenger title—fully. Besides, if the expected monsters already feared me before my evolution, what did I expect to happen now?
The Sentinel had changed.
Its rocky frame was gone; the surrounding stone had disintegrated into swirling sand orbiting its exposed core like Saturn's rings. The massive core compressed—football-sized to a marble—then the sand solidified around it, forming a humanoid shape. Its new body gleamed with a glass-like sheen, tinted faintly gold.
We circled each other.
Veyren stalked it from the shadows.
A sudden spike of alarm hit me through our link—Veyren's warning, sharp and urgent.
Dodge.
The Variant's fist was already in front of my face.
I triggered Dash, but too late—its strike smashed into my shoulder instead of my skull, sending me flying. A pillar rushed toward me—
But Veyren erupted from my shadow, catching me just enough to soften the impact.
My HP dropped from 170 to 62.
One more hit like that would kill me.
The Variant advanced. Veyren intercepted it, buying me seconds. I pulled a high-tier health potion from my inventory and downed it, warm mana flooding through me.
I couldn't face it like this.
I needed more.
[Blood Surge]
The moment it activated, I felt my HP split in half—
A draining, gut-wrenching weakness—
Then tidal strength roared through my muscles, burning like wildfire.