Warden's Dreadful Talent

"Lord Asher," One of them spoke. His voice thundered as it fell into Asher's ears.

Thud!

All 10 of them in the courtyard fell on one knee. They wore thick, thick breastplates, had huge layered pauldrons, and had a fur-made battle skirt above their black pants. Their steel boots glimmered softly as all of them lowered their heads.

The difference between these men and the other soldiers was that their armor didn't cover their bodies and because of that, he could see their muscles, which were like actual brass! Their streamlined muscles were packed with so much power that he knew a punch from one of them would endanger gold-ranked knights.

This was because these men had transformed their bodies into weapons of war. They had no need for Battle Force as they fortified their bodies with an ancient technique that forges the body!

Each and every one of them had raw power running through his veins. Their blood was thicker than normal, their senses were naturally sharper and their weights exceeded common sense.

They were legendary custodians, noble prison guards of the forgotten era!

Unfortunately, they were territorial troops. Their powers manifested within the confines of the prisonhold. Out of it, their uniqueness became their weakness. In the outside world, Battle Force and Magi Force reigned supreme.

The only exemption was the prison holds of custodian knights.

Asher came down from Sirius' back and looked around. He saw the barracks of the custodian knight and approached it with a curious expression. His BloodBlades were behind him as usual but they looked several folds weaker and lacked their steel-like discipline.

When Asher entered the barrack, he found Custodian Knights without their armor training. Two were clashing, their spears striking against the other, causing fiery sparks. One notable fact about the custodian knights was that none of them had hair.

They weren't bald either, as small sprouts could be seen on their scalps but they were not allowed to let the hair grow beyond that. Their concencration and reservedness made them like the monks from Asher's previous world: earth.

"Your Lordship!"

At the sight of him, everyone fell to their knees and lowered their heads. Seeing these huge, giant-like men kneeling at the sight of Asher passing by made Nero gasp inwardly. It seemed like his lord would never stop stunning him.

His lord was indeed powerful.

Although the system gave him knowledge about the prisonhold, he had no idea of the monstrous troop garrisoned within.

Asher kept nodding at them until he reached the transformation building, the exact position where the stele was.

The moment he placed his hand on the elevated floor, he received a notification.

[Custodian Knights: A terror-grade troop built and equipped to guard special prisonholds designed to nullify any kind of force. Their strength and speed are at its peak within the walls of the prisonhold.]

[Ding! Welcome to Silver Leaf Prison Hold.]

Asher puffed out.

Another terror grade troop!

He needed to start mining that gold mine. The money he gained from ransacking House Zebulun's Treasury was almost finished but the gains from Baron Rutherford and Baron Scarlet would be enough to keep him afloat until the end of the year.

Beyond that was a problem for his fast growth.

[Ding! Silver Leaf Prison Hold is available for upgrade. Criteria for upgrade: It is too small to accommodate future prisoners.]

'You're already thinking about the future this early.'

Asher's lips twitched.

'Upgrade it then.'

[Ding! Host, this upgrade will cost 1000 sacred gold coins.]

Asher clenched his teeth. 1000 sacred gold coins was equal to 3000 immortal gold coins, which he used.

'Why the cost?'

[Because the prisonhold is a magical structure. When you upgrade your cities to become underground cities or floating cities, they would also have costs attached to them.]

'Underground cities!'

Sensing Asher's excitement, the system threw more bait.

[There are also moving cities, mountain cities, megaship city outposts, and much more. You just have to grow to access them.]

Asher took a deep breath.

'I see.'

Swoosh!

Instantly, the prisonhold expanded; the walls rose to 15 meters and 7 meters wide. This wall couldn't be breached by just one diamond-ranked knight as it was terrifyingly strong.

Going out or coming in depended on the gates.

The prisonhold grew so wide that the walls were close to the edges of the mountain. From below, it looked like grand steel fortress

"Where is Aquilia?" He turned around and asked.

"The warden knows." A Custodian knight replied.

"Where is the warden?"

"At his office, Your Lordship." The custodian knight pointed at a building, which they all approached.

The custodian knight knocked and the door swung open after a couple of minutes. A big man the size of Alec walked out fully clad in his armor.

His helmet had a fan-shaped crest and a short crimson plume. The pauldron on his right shoulder was two times bigger than the one on his left.

His skin shone like gold. He removed his helm, exposing his short white hair and well-trimmed beard. He was the only Custodian knight with hair on his face.

"Your Lordship?"

He hurriedly fell on his right knee and bowed.

"It's an honor to be before your presence."

He drew his sheathed sword and held it before Asher.

"Lift up your head."

The moment the warden lifted up his head, his eyes met with Asher's, and panel popped up.

[Name: Geriant

Age: 41

Rank: Gold

Talent: Hybrid Dragon-lion Shifter (SS)

Job: Warden

Loyalty: 98]

[Talent description: Hybrid dragon-lion shifter is a unique talent that allows the individual to shapeshift into one of the lost mythical beasts, the hybrid dragon-lion. In this form, he is capable of facing higher-ranked foes.]

"Arise."

Geriant got to his feet, smiling. It seemed like, despite his mass, he was indeed pleased to meet Asher.

However, when Asher saw his canines, his eyes flickered.

'I knew there were always side effects to supreme grade talents.'

Unbeknownst to Asher, it was worse than just his protruding canines; Geriant loathed any meal that wasn't meat. Eating vegetables was like consuming poison and he also loved his meals without much spice.

This was something that shapeshifters of lower talents won't feel but because of his talent grade, the beast side had adverse effects on him.

"Well then, Geriant. Did a silver-haired woman enter this prison hold?"

Geriant nodded.

"There is one. Mage commander Aquilia."