Absolute Cheater - Chapter 528
Chapter 528: Bionics XXXI
He tried to grab the staff, but the machine twisted it away with perfect timing, keeping distance while moving smoothly around him, reading every shift in his stance.
It didn’t fight like the others.
It fought like something that studied every move he made.
“Asher,” it said, “predictable motion identified.”
Then it lunged.
The staff spun in a rapid combo—three strikes in one second.
Asher blocked the first with his forearm.
Dodged the second by bending his knee.
But the third caught him across the shoulder and forced him a step back.
The machine’s voice was calm.
“Adapting to your rhythm.”
“Yeah?” Asher spat. “Adapt to this.”
He rushed in again, this time ignoring the staff completely.
The Strategic Unit swung at his head—
Asher ducked.
It tried to jab his stomach—
Asher twisted.
It swept at his legs—
Asher jumped over it and grabbed the staff with both hands.
He yanked hard.
The machine held on, but its balance shifted.
Asher drove his foot into its midsection with a clean kick.
Metal groaned.
The Strategic Unit slid backward across the floor, still gripping the staff.
It adjusted its stance instantly.
“Force acknowledged,” it said.
“Countermeasures engaged.”
The red glow on its visor brightened.
The staff split into two halves—now a pair of short batons crackling with energy.
“Oh, great,” Asher muttered. “Now it’s got two.”
The Strategic Unit dashed forward.
Left strike.
Right strike.
Elbow.
Knee.
Both batons sweeping in tight, surgical arcs.
Asher blocked most of them, but one baton caught him across the jaw, snapping his head to the side.
He shook it off, wiped blood from his lip.
“Okay… you hit way harder than you look.”
The Knight’s voice echoed from behind, strained:
“Asher—hurry!”
Asher glanced back.
The Knight was being overwhelmed—powerful punches hammering him back while the Blade Unit slashed constantly at the gaps in his defense.
He didn’t have long.
Asher faced the Strategic Unit again.
No more playing around.
“Move,” Asher growled.
He charged.
The Strategic Unit swung both batons—
Asher stepped in and let the hits land on his forearms. Pain shot up both arms, but he didn’t stop.
He grabbed the machine by the chest plate and slammed it backward—
Straight into a metal support pillar.
The whole pillar shook.
Before the machine could recover, Asher punched it across the face.
A dent formed.
He punched again.
The visor flickered.
He punched a third time, putting his full strength behind the blow.
The Strategic Unit’s head twisted sideways, sparks flying from its neck.
It tried to lift its batons again—
Asher tore them out of its hands and smashed both into its armored chest.
The machine jerked once.
Then collapsed.
Its visor dimmed to black.
Asher dropped the broken batons and turned toward the Knight.
He didn’t even take a breath.
“Your turn,” he said, rushing to help him.
The Power Unit turned its glowing eyes toward Asher as he approached, fists rising like steel hammers.
Asher rolled his shoulders.
“Let’s finish this.”
Asher sprinted straight toward the Power Unit.
The machine reacted immediately.
It swung its massive fist in a wide arc, aiming to crush his skull.
Asher ducked under it and slid across the floor, coming up right beside the Knight.
“You alive?” Asher asked quickly.
“Barely,” the Knight grunted, blocking a slash from the Blade Unit. “Let’s end this.”
“Good plan.”
The Power Unit charged again—no finesse, just raw force—its footsteps pounding like a drum.
Asher stepped forward to meet it.
The machine threw a heavy punch straight at his chest.
Asher caught the fist with both hands.
His boots scraped across the floor as the impact shoved him backward, but he held on.
The Power Unit pressed harder, trying to force him down.
Asher growled.
“Big… but stupid.”
He twisted, pulling the machine’s arm sideways and throwing its balance off for a moment.
The Knight rushed in and slashed across the Power Unit’s elbow joint. Sparks burst out. The machine jerked but didn’t stop.
It swung its other arm blindly, forcing both of them to step back.
The Blade Unit tried to take advantage of the opening, leaping toward the Knight with a downward strike.
The Knight rolled aside, the blade slamming into the floor where he had been.
Asher didn’t let the Power Unit reset.
He rushed it again.
The Power Unit raised both arms to smash down on him like hammers—
Asher dove under the strike, grabbed the machine’s leg, and pulled hard.
The Power Unit staggered.
The Knight didn’t waste the moment.
He jumped forward and sliced clean across the back of the Power Unit’s knee, cutting deeper this time. The joint buckled.
The Power Unit dropped to one knee.
Asher moved behind it, wrapped his arm around its neck, and grabbed the plating beneath its chin.
“Stay still,” he hissed.
He pulled with all his strength.
Metal groaned… bent… snapped—
And the Power Unit’s head ripped off.
The machine fell forward and hit the floor like a collapsed wall.
Asher tossed the head aside and turned instantly—
The Blade Unit was already rushing him, trying to stab him through the ribs.
Asher caught the blade with his bare hand. Sparks shot out as metal ground against bone and skin.
He snarled, tightened his grip, and shoved the blade sideways.
The cheap move broke the Blade Unit’s balance.
Asher kneed it in the stomach.
The Knight took the chance and slashed across its back, cutting deep into its spine. The machine twitched.
Asher grabbed its head and slammed it into the floor—once, twice, three times—
Until it stopped moving.
Silence filled the bay.
Only broken metal and dim red lights remained.
Asher exhaled and stretched his fingers.
“That should be all of them,” he said.
The Knight lowered his blade and nodded. “For now.”
Asher looked around the ruined loading bay.
Then he noticed something.
A door at the far end—heavy, reinforced—was slowly sliding open.
A cold gust of air pushed through from the darkness beyond.
The Knight raised his guard again.
“Asher… something else is waking up.”
Asher wiped blood from his lip, cracked his neck once, and stepped forward.
“Good,” he muttered. “Let’s see what round three or whatever it is looks like.”