NOVPUBThe sound of the digital alarm clock jolted Asher awake.
They went at it for so long last night, it lasted until morning.
If he didn't heal Shery after every round, she might've ended up with internal bleeding from how rough it got.
She looked fine now, peacefully asleep beside him, but he knew he pushed her too far. It wasn't just her.
Ever since being with Hailey, his body had changed. His desire, his need to dominate—it only gotten stronger. Even Mirelyn was not spared from it.
"Where's Pantheon?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. The ancient dragon had a habit of disappearing whenever something personal was going on.
He stood up and snapped his fingers, dressing himself in an instant.
Next, he made his way to the living room.
There, a suit of black and red moving armor sat on the sofa—Pantheon's other form. It was the closest thing he had to a humanoid form.
(Brat, you really need to control that impulse of yours. I could hear that girl crying all the way until morning.)
"I got carried away," he yawned, scratching his head. "By the way, why don't you stay in that form all the time? It looks way cooler than being a bracer."
(I told you already, I have a lot of enemies. I can't afford to be recognized just yet.)
"Ah, right. You pissed off half the universe with that temper of yours."
(Mind your words. And though there's some truth to that, I'm already a changed person.)
(In fact, your temper's worse than mine now. How immature.)
"I'm still young, so there's plenty of time for more enlightenment."
Pantheon's armor shifted slightly as it replied . (Enlightenment, huh? Don't you mean corruption?)
Asher had no answer for that. It was true—the more power he gained, the more detached he became from his old self.
People started feeling less like living beings and more like objects to him.
"By the way, do you have a plan to get your powers back?" he changed the subject.
Pantheon stayed silent for a good ten seconds, showing how sensitive the subject was.
(I do, but you can't help me yet. You need to be at least SS+ rank to get that item.)
"How about telling me more about it? It won't hurt to know at least its name."
The ancient dragon shook his head.
(Brat, knowing that item's name will only put you in danger. It's better to wait until you're strong enough.)
Just as he was about to speak, Pantheon transformed back into a bracelet and appeared on his wrist.
Seconds later, Shery stepped out of the bedroom, her eyes still tired and her hair a messy tangle.
"Good morning," he greeted her.
She blushed instantly but forced herself to act normal. "Boss, I'll get you some coffee."
She ran to the kitchen and pressed a few buttons.
In just five seconds, two perfect cups of coffee appeared—made from the best beans in the universe.
"Here you go, boss," she said, handing him one while taking a sip from the other.
The moment he tasted it, he was amazed by how rich it was. Like everything else in the room, it held a surprising amount of energy.
"Is Orion Hotel really the best in the universe?" he asked.
"Yes! It has branches on almost every popular and developed world. There are other hotels with similar quality, but Orion is the most famous because it's backed by the Truth Seekers."
"I see," he said, looking at the coffee before taking another sip. It was really delicious.
At this point, he wouldn't be surprised if the water used to brew it came straight from the fountain of youth.
"Boss, let's go to the hotel restaurant for lunch,"
"Sure," he nodded.
With no plans until his departure, walking around sounded better than staying locked in his room.
The sun rose higher, casting a warm glow through the hotel windows.
After changing into more formal clothes, they stepped out together.
Conveniently, the hotel had its own luxury clothing shop.
They didn't even have to visit it in person. They just ordered from a screen in their room, and someone would deliver the clothes right to them.
As they stepped into the restaurant, the high ceiling opened up to reveal a sweeping view of the city below.
Round glass tables filled the room, surrounded by chairs that looked like they were made of diamonds. At first, they didn't seem comfortable.
But when he sat down, the chair shifted and bent, molding itself perfectly to fit his bottom.
A truly universal level of service.
The servers were just as impressive. They arrived quickly, each one looking like a supermodel.
They stayed professional and polite, making sure every need was met.
After taking their orders, they placed a fine wine and elegant glasses on the table to enjoy while waiting.
Soon, the food arrived—dishes made from rare, exotic beasts. The rich flavors filled the air as they began eating, enjoying the moment and each other's company.
However--
Shery's eyes snapped wide open, her lips trembling. Asher caught the change right away—as if she'd just seen a ghost.
"Are you alright?" he asked, but she was too shaken to respond.
He turned around and spotted a group of five people entering the restaurant.
Their outfits were sleek and futuristic—black suits trimmed with gold and marked by royal insignias. They looked like nobles, maybe even royalty
But it wasn't just their clothes that made them stood out.
Their faces were sharp and elegant like elves, yet their skin was pale as marble.
Each of them has crimson eyes and stark white hair, giving them an undead look—closer to vampires than any normal race.
One of them, a man wearing glasses and holding a metal cane, turned to look at them.
His eyes met Asher's, and they stared at each other without looking away.
"Imbecile! How dare you look at Count Draz like that?" Another one snapped. He looked like a teenager, but the bloodlust in his eyes said otherwise.
"You're asking for death!" The vampire-like teenager vanished from sight, reappearing above Asher in a blink.
A blood-red dagger flashed in his hand, aimed straight for the head.
CLANG!
The dagger was blocked mid-air—by a fork.
Asher didn't even stand. He just tapped the dagger a little, and the attacker crashed to the floor.
"Stop moving,"
A force, invisible to the eye, pinned the attacker faced down.
"Let go of me!" he yelled, struggling against the pressure holding him in place.
The sudden commotion drew everyone's attention.
Conversations stopped, eyes turned. The hotel staff rushed over, moving quickly to de-escalate the situation before it got out of control.
"I apologize for the behavior of one of my subordinates. Please release him," the man with the crane, Draz, stepped forward.
Though his words were polite, his tone carried pride .
Asher didn't like the tone at all. And from the look on Shery's face, it was clear these people did something to her before.
"Why should I? He attacked me first. I have every right to deal with him how I want."
Draz narrowed his eyes, not please to hearing such response.
"My, my, where are my manners? I forgot to introduce myself."
"I am Count Draz Crimzahr. How about you give my family some face and let this go? I'll even compensate you for the damage."
Hearing his last name, everyone's faces went pale, revealing the weight of his background.
Asher sized Draz up, guessing he was no higher than an A+ Rank at best.
"Crimzahr? And why should I show your family any respect?"
His words hit like a slap in the face. Everyone nearby thought he was either very brave or downright stupid to undermine a powerful family.
Before things could escalate, Shery took action. "Boss, don't do this. Just let it go,"
"See, listen to your assistant. Let's handle this like civilized people. I'm willing to pay 50 million units for the damage."
Silence stretched between the two sides.
After about ten seconds, he released the attacker.
"You made the right choice. Give me your account and I'll transfer the money."
"No need for that," Asher said, brushing them off with a casual wave.
Draz smiled, clearly pleased with himself, convinced his family name had shaken Asher.
With that settled, the two parties parted ways.
Hotel staff quickly apologized for the incident and refunded all the fees as compensation.
Asher didn't really care, but the money was automatically sent to his account. There was no reason to refuse, so he just kept it .
More money never hurt anyone.
"You did the right thing, boss. Messing with that family just brings more trouble than it's worth."
"I'm not worried about them." He shook his head. "But I'm curious—why did you look so scared? Could they be the ones behind what happened to you before?"
She didn't need to answer. Her face said it all.
"Boss, it's been a long time. I've already moved on." She insisted, but her eyes told a different story.
Asher stayed quiet. If she didn't want revenge, then it wasn't his place to get involved.
Besides, he didn't want to make an enemy right now. He could handle them if needed, but dealing with constant attacks would be a real hassle.
Look at Pantheon—it had to take the form of a bracer because of all the enemies it made over the years.
Still, if they tried anything that would put him in a dangerous spot. Then, he wouldn't hesitate to take them out for good.
