Absolute Cheater-Chapter 548: Anomaly

The cave narrowed as Asher moved forward. 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

The smell grew stronger. Blood. Rot. Old kills layered over new ones.

He kept his steps quiet.

Deeper inside, the tunnel opened into a wide chamber. Bones were piled along the walls. Broken weapons and torn armor were scattered everywhere.

At the center of the cave, something large lifted its head.

It was bigger than the others outside. Much bigger.

Its body was covered in thick black fur, scarred and hardened. Two curved horns rose from its skull, and its eyes burned with a dull red glow. Its claws scraped against the stone as it stood.

The pack leader.

Asher didn’t rush.

"So you’re the reason," he said calmly.

The beast roared and charged.

Asher stepped aside at the last second. The creature slammed into the stone wall, cracking it.

Asher struck immediately.

His blade cut into the beast’s side, but the fur and muscle slowed the strike. It wasn’t enough.

The beast swung its tail, catching Asher in the ribs and throwing him back.

He rolled, stood, and adjusted his stance.

"Tough," he said.

The beast didn’t give him time. It charged again, faster this time.

Asher waited.

When it leapt, he moved forward instead of back and drove his sword straight up into its chest.

The blade went deep.

The beast screamed and crashed down, shaking the cave.

Asher twisted the sword and pulled it free.

The creature tried to rise again, but its strength failed. It collapsed, breathing heavy, then went still.

Silence returned.

Asher stood there for a moment, then wiped his blade clean.

"That should solve the caravans," he said.

He checked the cave one last time. No more movement. No hidden tunnels.

Task complete.

Asher left the cave and returned to the road. The forest already felt calmer.

He activated the transport gate and headed back to the Association.

This one really had been easy.

Compared to a lich emperor, at least.

Asher arrived back at the Association not long after.

He went straight to the task desk and placed the mission token down.

The receptionist looked at it, then at him. "Already?"

"Beast nest," Asher said. "Pack leader eliminated. Route is safe."

She checked the report that updated on her screen. No delays. No casualties.

"...Verified," she said after a moment.

She looked up, surprised. "That really was fast."

Asher shrugged. "They weren’t smart. Just hungry."

She slid a small pouch across the counter. "Full reward. Caravan guards will be sent to confirm, but this one’s basically done."

Asher took the pouch and nodded.

She hesitated, then smiled slightly. "You know, after handling a lich emperor, most people would take a break."

"Later," Asher said.

She shook her head. "Of course."

He turned away from the desk and left the Association building. The city felt normal again—people talking, merchants shouting, life moving forward.

Asher walked for a while before stopping near a quiet street.

He thought about the construct from the Grey Hermit Area. About the distant presence he had felt through the soul link.

"That wasn’t random," he said quietly.

Someone was collecting soul fragments on purpose. Slowly. Carefully.

And now they knew someone had noticed.

Asher tightened his grip slightly, then relaxed.

"If you move again," he said, "I’ll find you."

He headed back toward his lodging to rest for the night, already certain that this peace wouldn’t last long.

Asher returned to his lodging as the sun started to set.

He closed the door behind him and sat down, letting the silence settle. For the first time in a while, there was no pressure from a mission or an enemy nearby.

He checked the reward pouch. Enough supplies, some currency, nothing unusual.

Then he focused inward.

The death token from the lich emperor was still there, sealed and stable. The devourer bloodline he had taken earlier was also quiet, locked away and under control.

"No problems," Asher said.

He lay back and rested, but he didn’t fully sleep. His senses stayed half-aware, trained by habit.

Hours passed.

Near midnight, Asher’s eyes opened.

He felt it.

Not danger.

Movement.

Far away, but familiar.

That same faint pull he had felt through the construct.

"They’re active again," he said calmly.

He stood and put on his gear.

"This time," he added, "you won’t be able to hide behind proxies."

Asher stepped out into the night, already deciding his next move.

Asher moved through the quiet streets without drawing attention.

The city was mostly asleep. Lanterns burned low. Guards stood at their posts, unaware of anything unusual.

The pull he felt was weak, but steady.

"It’s not close," Asher said. "But it’s clearer this time."

He stopped on a rooftop and focused.

"Absolute Appraisal."

The response came slowly.

Signal type: soul transmission

Method: indirect relay

Direction: northeast

Asher opened his eyes.

"You adjusted your method," he said. "Smarter than before."

He moved again, jumping from roof to roof until he reached the outer district. From there, he left the city entirely and headed toward higher ground.

An hour later, he stood on a rocky ridge overlooking the plains.

The pull was stronger here.

Below, faint lights flickered in the distance. Not a town. Too scattered. Too controlled.

Asher narrowed his eyes.

"A mobile setup," he said. "Not staying in one place."

He crouched and examined the ground.

Tracks.

Boots. Heavy equipment dragged across the soil.

"These aren’t cultists," Asher said. "Too organized."

He followed the trail carefully, keeping his presence low.

Soon, he saw it.

A temporary camp hidden between rock formations. Formation poles were placed in a wide circle. Soul conduits ran between them, faintly glowing.

At the center stood a tall frame of metal and crystal.

Another construct.

But this one was different.

It wasn’t active.

It was waiting.

Asher stayed hidden and observed.

"This is a relay station," he said quietly. "You’re collecting fragments, then moving them somewhere else."

He scanned the area again.

No guards.

No beasts.

Only one person stood near the central frame, adjusting runes.

A human.

Alive.

Asher watched closely.

"You’re not the mastermind," he said. "But you’re closer than the last one."