I, the slave boy, awaken with the most potent seed!!

Chapter 178: Sit...dog

Malachi's laughter echoed through the mansion, a sound as cold and unyielding as the stone he commanded. "Come now, gentlemen. Surely you can do better than that? Or have I overestimated even your meager abilities?"Gustavo gritted his teeth, fighting against the weight of the stone slab pinning him down. His muscles strained, veins bulging as he struggled to push himself up. But his body betrayed him, movements sluggish and uncoordinated. 'Damn this poison,' he thought bitterly. 'Of all the times for it to flare up...'

Mordred, his legs still encased in rock, thrashed wildly. His eyes darted between Malachi and Gustavo, confusion evident in his gaze. 'What's wrong with him?' Mordred wondered, noticing Gustavo's uncharacteristically slow movements. 'I've never seen him this... off.'

Malachi approached Gustavo, each step causing ripples in the stone floor. "I must say, I expected more from the infamous Gustavo. Your reputation clearly exceeds your abilities." He crouched down, meeting Gustavo's furious glare. "Tell me, does it sting? Knowing you've led your men to their deaths for nothing?"

Gustavo spat blood, a glob of red splattering across Malachi's pristine shirt. "The only death here will be yours, Vex."

Malachi's eyes narrowed, all traces of amusement vanishing. With a flick of his wrist, the stone slab lifted, suspending Gustavo in mid-air. "Let's see how long you maintain that bravado."

The slab began to spin, slowly at first, then faster. Gustavo's world became a dizzying blur of pain and disorientation. He clenched his jaw, refusing to cry out even as his insides threatened to tear themselves apart.

Mordred, seizing the moment of distraction, summoned a blade. It materialized in his hand, gleaming with deadly intent. With a grunt of effort, he brought it down on the stone encasing his legs. Sparks flew as metal met rock, but the prison held firm.

Malachi turned, his eyebrow raised in mock surprise. "Oh? The little dog thinks he has teeth?" Another gesture, and spikes of stone erupted from the floor, surrounding Mordred in a cage of razor-sharp points. "Stay. Good boy."

Gustavo, still spinning, fought against the rising nausea. His mind raced,

Gustavo pressed his advantage, his blade whistling through the air. Though his movements were still sluggish, the element of surprise lent strength to his attacks. Malachi was forced on the defensive, hastily erecting barriers to block the onslaught.

Mordred joined the fray, his summoned blades a whirlwind of steel. He and Gustavo fell into a rhythm, their attacks coordinated despite their earlier tension.

Malachi, finding himself suddenly outnumbered and outmaneuvered, snarled in frustration. "You think this changes anything? You're still nothing but vermin scurrying in my house!"

He slammed his foot down, sending a shockwave of stone rippling outward. Gustavo and Mordred leapt back, narrowly avoiding being swallowed by the shifting floor.

But as they regained their footing, they saw something that made their hearts leap – uncertainty in Malachi's eyes.

"What's the matter, Vex?" Gustavo taunted, his voice ragged but determined. "Not so confident when the odds are evened?"

Mordred grinned savagely, twirling his blade. "Perhaps the great Malachi Vex isn't as invincible as he thought."

Malachi's face contorted with rage. "Enough!" He raised both hands, the very foundations of the mansion trembling in response. "I'll bury you both in the rubble of this house if I have to!"

As stone and debris began to rain down around them, Gustavo and Mordred exchanged a glance. Despite their earlier friction, a silent understanding passed between them. They had gained an edge, however slight, and they weren't about to let it slip away.

With a shared nod, they charged forward, blades at the ready, towards a Malachi whose eyes now burned with a mixture of fury and the first flickering of fear.