Absolute Cheater

The Elders exchanged murmurs, impressed by Asher's endurance. It wasn't often they saw such relentless persistence, especially against an opponent that doubled in strength every minute. Elder Valen, now fully attentive, signaled for Asher to stop as the golem finally dissolved into dust, marking the end of his trial.

In the End, Asher endured for over 15 min and 45 seconds.

Asher staggered slightly, catching his breath as he looked up. Elder Valen approached, observing him with a mixture of curiosity and approval.

"Young man, what is your name?" the Elder inquired.

"Asher Magnus," he replied, his voice steady despite his exhaustion.

Valen nodded thoughtfully. "Ah, a Magnus—no wonder. You must be one of the Terros, yes?"

"Yes," Asher confirmed, meeting the Elder's gaze.

Valen raised his hand, signaling to his watch as it took a picture of Asher. "I've recorded your image," he said with a faint smile. "You have officially broken the Academy's endurance record for the Trial by Combat."

Asher tilted his head, intrigued. "What was the previous record?"

Valen's smile widened. "The previous record was 4 minutes and 18 seconds less than yours," he revealed. "Impressive. You've set a new bar for endurance here."

With that, Elder Valen marked Asher as "Passed" and called for the next student, but the murmurs among the students and spectators lingered.

As the next participant stepped forward, the audience held their breath, each contender bringing with them the unique powers of their legendary families. The Magic Golem, a formidable creation that doubled its strength every minute, had already claimed many attempts. Now, it was time for the other elites to step up, each determined to outlast Asher's impressive record of 15 minutes and 45 seconds.

First to face the Golem was Darren from the Dagon family, wielding the Overlord ability. Known for his powerful command over creatures, Darren was able to temporarily tame the Golem, forcing it to halt its relentless attacks and respond to his commands. With a mix of control and calculated strikes, he kept the Golem's power in check. However, as the creature's strength doubled minute after minute, its resistance to Darren's control grew. After 9 minutes, Darren was forced to retreat, unable to keep up with the Golem's mounting resistance. The crowd murmured in approval, impressed by his skill.

Next came Sylas from the Black family, a master of Necromancy. With a wave of his hand, Sylas summoned undead creatures to aid him, each one reinforcing his attacks and absorbing the Golem's blows. Shadows gathered around him as he directed his minions to harass the Golem from every angle, softening its attacks. But as the Golem's power intensified, the undead couldn't hold up under the pressure, crumbling against its raw strength. After 10 minutes, Sylas withdrew, his dark creatures dissipating as the crowd applauded his mastery of death's forces.

Elena from the Artemis family stepped up, her World Eye ability shining in her gaze. Her perceptive powers allowed her to anticipate the Golem's moves, giving her an advantage as she dodged its strikes with ease. By using her vision-based abilities, she was able to spot weaknesses in its movements, striking with a precision that momentarily destabilized the Golem. However, as the Golem's power surged, her ability to predict and evade grew more challenging, and she found herself losing ground. She lasted 11 minutes before retreating, the crowd whispering in awe at her remarkable awareness and agility.

Then Riven from the Indra family stepped forward, wielding his famed Black Lightning. Known for its speed and ferocity, the dark lightning crackled around his body as he struck the Golem with blinding speed, each bolt leaving scorch marks on its surface. The crowd gasped as Riven's attacks sent shocks reverberating through the Golem, slowing its responses. But as the Golem's power doubled, Riven's lightning became less effective, its intensity no longer able to keep up with the monster's evolving defenses. After 9 minutes, he had to back down, visibly exhausted yet still retaining his confident smirk.

From the Riverdale family, Kiera, an Atlantean, was next. With her control over water, she summoned moisture from the air, creating powerful waves that crashed into the Golem. She manipulated water currents to deflect its strikes and hamper its movement, skillfully crafting barriers with her water abilities. But as the Golem grew stronger, its sheer force began to overpower her defenses, scattering her water-based attacks. Kiera managed to hold out for 10 minutes before the Golem's strength became too overwhelming. The audience was captivated by her elegance and mastery over water.

Following Kiera was Darian from the Helion family, wielding the Hellfire ability. Flames erupted around him, the intense heat and bright red-orange glow causing the air itself to waver. The crowd watched as his flames surrounded the Golem, slowly engulfing it in a burning hellscape. Darian's fire was particularly feared, capable of incinerating most enemies within moments. However, as the Golem's resilience grew, it began to push through the flames, undeterred by the burning heat. After 8 minutes, Darian withdrew, leaving behind scorched earth and impressed murmurs among the spectators.

Freya from the Enrose family followed, her World Tree ability blooming to life around her. Vines and branches sprouted from the ground, wrapping around the Golem to immobilize it, while roots thickened the earth beneath her feet, creating a barrier of nature's power. Freya controlled her plants to shield her from the Golem's strikes, each hit only feeding the roots' growth. But as the Golem's strength surged, it tore through her plant-based defenses. Freya held out for 11 minutes before the relentless force of the Golem forced her to step back. The crowd admired her ingenuity and connection to nature.

Magna from the Magnus family, the last to face the Golem before Asher, stepped up confidently. His Blood Ruler ability allowed him to merge with the abilities of others, amplifying his own powers and offering him unmatched versatility. Drawing upon the energy of his family's legacy, he unleashed a fierce barrage of strikes, each one adapting to the Golem's evolving strength. Magna managed to maintain the upper hand for an impressive 12 minutes, his strikes morphing in intensity and style with each moment. Yet, even his power fell short of stopping the Golem, and he too eventually had to back down.

After each contestant's trial, the Elders nodded with a mix of respect and curiosity. Even Elder Valen looked on, his smile hinting at approval as he took mental notes of each competitor's strengths and weaknesses. Their performance was extraordinary, but Asher's endurance of over 15 minutes had proven nearly impossible to beat. Many elite family members exchanged glances, some impressed, others quietly strategizing, murmuring about Asher's prowess. They wondered if anyone in the academy would have the skills or endurance to surpass him in the trials ahead.