NOVPUBHis inquiry sounded like a death sentence coming from his mouth, with all the dominating aura oozing out of him.
The five testers instinctively got scared. They were veterans who faced countless life-and-death situations, some of them even fighting and escaping with their lives against an S Rank.
But this was the first time they felt the urge to run away as quickly as possible.
And their opponent wasn't even doing anything yet. He was just standing there.
Asher noticed their hesitation, closed his eyes for a moment, and then vanished.
He reappeared behind Rix, so fast that the insect-like trainer didn't even realize what happened.
SWOOOSH!
Rix spun around, trying to slash him, but Asher was already back in his original spot.
"Teleportation…" Rix thought, his mind racing. He couldn't believe how quickly he moved. He hadn't even seen him leave.
But the training room was equipped with scanners designed to detect the use of space related items. It should've triggered an alert .
The scanners remained silent.
This meant only one thing—it was just his boosted speed.
He was so fast that none of them had the reaction time to see him, making it seem like he had teleported.
SWOOOSH!
He moved again. This time, they all jumped back, afraid he would target them, but they were hit all at once, sent flying in every direction.
They didn't even know what hit them.
Meanwhile, Asher reappeared in his original position as if nothing had happened.
Contrary to their belief that he was simply too fast, he had actually cast a light bending spell, making him appear faster than he really was.
It was more like he turned invisible the moment he moved.
They forced themselves to get up. They couldn't allow this humiliation, so they began attacking him again.
But it was useless. The gap in their abilities was just too wide; not even thirty of them would be enough to win.
"Enough. You've already proven your point."
A voice echoed from the speaker above. It was Astra, who had been watching the whole time.
The five immediately straightened, sighing in relief. At least now, they wouldn't have to fight.
"Come to my office. I have something to discuss with you," Astra spoke up again.
Asher nodded. He already got what he came for. His strength was now clear, and that was the goal.
With that done, he could now move faster—closer to what he really wanted. The permit to use the Hyperion Teleporters.
When he stepped out of the test room, Shery was already there. She stood by the wall with her arms crossed but quickly uncrossed them when she saw him.
Her mouth opened slightly like she wanted to speak but wasn't sure how.
"Boss, congrats. By the way, sorry. I didn't believe you when you said you were an S-Class."
She smiled awkwardly, avoiding eye contact. "I thought you were just joking. Guess it's true that some experts like to act lowkey."
"Don't worry. I don't really care," he said, brushing it off.
Shery opened her mouth to say more, but someone else approached.
A woman in silver formal clothing walked up to them. She gave a small nod and stopped in front of them.
"I'm the guild leader's assistant. I'll be taking you to the office now."
Without waiting, she turned and gestured for him to follow.
Shery walked alongside them at first, trying to stay close. But halfway down the hall, the assistant turned her head slightly.
"Sorry, but you'll need to wait in the lobby."
Shery slowed her pace. She looked to him, waiting for a decision.
"Go ahead, and wait for me there."
She didn't say anything else—just turned and walked off.
Moving on.
They continued down a sleek hallway toward the office. The floors were shiny and smooth, reflecting soft lights. Everything looked clean and efficient.
Holographic screens on the walls displayed maps and data, a reminder of how big and organized the guild really was.
"Please. The guild leader is waiting," the assistant said, opening the office door.
Asher stepped through. She closed it behind him, cutting off the noise outside.
The room had a simple design—metal furniture, glass surfaces.
But what caught his attention was the window. It took up the entire wall.
Astra stood near it, back turned, hands behind him. He didn't need to look to know who entered.
"You can sit anywhere you want."
He pulled the nearest chair back and sat, arms resting on the sides.
Astra slowly turned around.
There was no warmth in his eyes—just doubt. His gaze scanned Asher like he was searching for something hidden.
"Tell me," Astra said, voice low and careful. "Who sent you here?"
He didn't wait for an answer.
"I don't believe for a second that you just showed up to join Starfront. I checked your identity twice. You're from an underdeveloped corner of the universe, and you just registered today. You can't really expect me not to be suspicious."
"No one sent me." His voice stayed steady.
There was no reason to lie.
The guild leader didn't react, so he continued.
"I came to Starfront because I want to climb ranks fast. That's it."
Astra raised an eyebrow, still doubtful. "And why do you want to do that? There are plenty of organizations that would be more than happy to take you in. Why ours?"
Growing impatient, Asher decided to be more direct. He no longer wanted to go in circles.
"I need clearance to Hyperion Teleporter as soon as possible."
Astra sat down, fingers tapping lightly on the desk. "Access to Hyperion?"
"Yes. I need to go to the center of the universe quickly, and the Hyperion teleporters are my best bet."
"And what's waiting for you there?" Astra asked, his voice curious and calculating. He didn't detect a single lie in Asher's words, but it only made him want to know more.
"It's a personal matter. So I'd appreciate it if you didn't ask any more questions. And don't worry—I'm not planning to get the clearance for free."
