Absolute Cheater-Chapter 205: Dragons III

Asher and Serena moved like shadows through the dimly lit corridors of the underground auction house. The masked buyer and their guards exited through a side passage, away from the main crowd.

"We need to see where they're taking the egg," Asher whispered, his eyes glowing faintly as he activated Sanguine Supreme. A faint crimson aura pulsed from his body before completely vanishing—both he and Serena faded into the darkness, their presence erased from sight, sound, and even magical detection.

Serena glanced at her now-invisible hands and muttered, "This ability of yours is honestly overpowered."

"Shh." Asher nudged her forward. "Stay close."

The masked figure and their guards moved through a labyrinth of tunnels, the torches casting long, flickering shadows on the stone walls. The passageways led deeper underground, past locked doors, rune-covered barriers, and silent sentries stationed at key points.

Eventually, they emerged into a heavily fortified chamber. The ceiling stretched high, reinforced with dark steel and enchanted barriers. At its center stood a teleportation circle, etched in glowing crimson runes. The dragon egg rested atop a pedestal, pulsating faintly with raw, untapped power.

Asher narrowed his eyes. "They're planning to move it out of here."

Serena whispered, "Where? Can you tell?"

Asher focused, his Absolute Appraisal flickering to life. Text and details filled his vision as he analyzed the magic circle's properties.

"Damn," he muttered. "They're using a randomized teleportation sequence. No fixed location."

Serena frowned. "So even if we follow, we might get sent somewhere completely different?"

"Exactly." Asher clenched his fists. "This complicates things."

As they observed, the masked figure turned to one of their subordinates.

"Prepare the gate," they ordered.

One of the mages stepped forward, pressing their hands onto the runes. The teleportation circle began to hum, its energy rising.

Asher exhaled. We either act now or risk losing the egg forever.

Serena tugged at his sleeve. "We should get closer."

He nodded, stepping forward carefully, making sure the magic around them kept them undetectable. But as they moved, the masked figure suddenly stopped.

"…Something is off," they murmured, scanning the room.

One of the guards hesitated. "What do you mean, sir?"

The figure's aura surged. "A presence… faint, but there."

Serena stiffened. "No way, can they—"

The masked figure turned directly toward them.

Asher barely had time to react before their eyes locked onto his exact location.

"Found you."

In an instant, the entire room erupted into chaos.

The masked figure didn't hesitate. With a flick of their wrist, a surge of energy erupted from their palm—a shockwave of pure force tearing through the chamber like a storm.

BOOM!

Asher reacted instantly, grabbing Serena and twisting their bodies just in time to avoid the brunt of the attack. The sheer pressure shattered the stone floor where they had just been standing.

"They can see us?!" Serena gasped as they tumbled into the shadows.

Asher gritted his teeth. Sanguine Supreme was supposed to make them undetectable. But this enemy… they had a way to bypass it.

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The guards unsheathed their weapons, forming a defensive perimeter around the egg while the masked figure took a step forward.

"I don't know who you are," the figure spoke in a cold, calculated tone, "but sneaking around in my domain is a mistake you won't live to regret."

Asher narrowed his eyes. This one's dangerous.

Serena was already shifting into a battle stance, her chains slithering around her like hungry beasts. "So much for stealth," she muttered.

"Change of plans," Asher whispered. "We take the egg before they can teleport it."

Serena smirked. "Now that's more my style."

Without another word, Asher vanished—his speed so intense that even the air didn't have time to react. He reappeared behind one of the guards, his blade flashing as it slashed through their armor with terrifying ease.

Serena followed suit, launching her Executioner Chains. They whipped through the air, wrapping around the nearest mage's staff and crushing it into dust.

"INTRUDERS!" one of the guards roared, charging toward Asher with a heavy axe.

But Asher was already moving. Million Steps activated, his footwork shifting into a blur as he dodged three attacks in an instant. His counterattack was brutal—a palm strike to the chest that sent the guard flying into a stone pillar, breaking it in half.

The teleportation circle flared—its activation nearly complete.

The masked figure raised a hand. "Too late."

A pulse of magic surged, preparing to whisk the dragon egg away.

No you don't.

Asher clenched his fists, channeling his blood energy into his veins. Sanguine Dominion. His aura surged, filling the room with an oppressive weight. The teleportation circle flickered—its magic corrupting, distorting, and finally failing.

The masked figure's eyes widened. "What?!"

Asher grinned. "Told you. Change of plans."

The teleportation circle flickered to life, engulfing Asher and Serena in its glow. In the blink of an eye, both of them vanished from the room.

"They ran away?" the masked figure muttered in disbelief before turning to check the egg—only to realize it was gone.

Their hands trembled with rage.

"Bastards!!!!" they roared, their voice shaking the entire chamber.

****

While in the middle of an unfamiliar desert, an elaborate magic apparatus sat in ruins before three figures—Asher, Serena, and...

"Hmm, we aren't dead," Asher muttered from the sand, taking a deep breath as he checked himself. Then, he looked at Serena. "Serena, you okay?"

A strange feeling washed over him as he saw a tiny hand poke out from one side of the sand.

"...What's that?"

Serena's face paled as she noticed it too. Then, she let out a gasp. "Why are we in a pile of Sand?" she asked as Asher yanked her out. But the small hand still twitched.

"What the hell is that?"

Gritting her teeth, Serena reached out, brushing off more of the sand and carefully lifting something small—a baby.

A human baby.

The child, barely a year old, had soft black hair and deep red eyes. He was wrapped in a strange black sheet, his tiny hands grasping at the air.

Then, the baby blinked up at Asher and, in a tiny voice, mumbled:

"Papa."

Asher froze.

Serena's expression twisted into horror as she clutched him by the collar. "Asher, you bastard—whose kid is this?!"

"FUCK YOU, WOMAN!" Asher shot back, trying to pry her hands off. "Do you think I just made a baby out of thin air?! That's the dragon egg! It hatched!"

Serena's jaw dropped. "Wait, what?!"

"It must have been due to the chaotic mana from the Spatial Transfer," Asher said, rubbing his temples. "No wonder my barrier never was struck even once. The egg absorbed all that excess energy and hatched."

Serena looked between him and the baby. "But… he has the same eyes as you," she pointed out.

Asher rolled his eyes. "Are you dumb or just playing dumb now? Red eyes aren't that rare."

The baby, still staring at Asher, suddenly reached out and touched his face.

Then, with sparkling eyes, he squealed, "papa"

An invisible arrow struck Asher's heart.

"...Shit," Asher muttered. "This is not happening."

But he still held onto the baby. "What should we do now?" he asked as Serena looked at him.

"We need to feed him, but I don't have any milk," she said.

Asher's gaze instinctively drifted to her chest.

She immediately smacked his head. "You ass! I can't produce milk yet!"

He coughed and quickly averted his gaze.

"Baby dragons don't feed on milk," he explained. "They feed on Mana Essence—the condensed liquid form of pure mana."

Serena nodded. "Got it."

Without hesitation, Asher activated his Eternal Creation, manifesting a pure sphere of mana essence in his palm. The baby, still resting in his arms, instinctively latched onto it and began drinking.

The moment he finished, a radiant glow surrounded him.

His human form melted away, shifting into a tiny pitch-black dragon cub with smoky black wings.

"...He was a human baby just now, right?" Serena asked, staring in disbelief.

"He thinks of me as his father," Asher muttered. "That must have triggered his subconscious to take on a similar appearance."

Serena frowned. "And what kind of dragon is he exactly?"

Asher gulped, his face paling. "...He's from the Ancient Nether Dragons."

Serena froze. "...The Kings among dragon species?"

He nodded slowly.

For a moment, silence hung between them.

Then, Asher's entire body shuddered as he clutched the tiny dragon cub.

"If his mother finds out he called me 'Papa'..." he whispered, dread creeping into his voice.

Serena smirked. "What? Worried she'll be a possessive mother?"

"No," Asher said, his face pale.

"She'll roast me alive with Nether Fire and then eat me."

"...That I can imagine the real father doing," Serena added.

Asher shook his head furiously. "No, he wouldn't just kill me. He would burn my soul in Nether Fire until he was satisfied with my punishment."

Serena whistled. "Oof. Yeah, that sounds way worse."

Asher slumped into the sand, groaning. "That bastard... This is all Genevieve's fault. Why the hell did she give me this hellish job?"

The baby dragon, who had shifted into his tiny cub form, suddenly glowed and turned back into a human baby.

"Papa," he called again, his tiny hands grabbing at Asher's clothes, his mouth making smacking noises.

Asher stiffened.

Serena chuckled. "I think he's hungry again."

With a sigh, Asher extended his hand and conjured ten more blobs of mana essence, handing them to the baby.

The little one eagerly latched onto them, drinking with shocking speed.

Serena raised an eyebrow. "You sure you can keep up with his appetite?"

Asher groaned again, rubbing his temples. "No. And that's another problem..."