Absolute Cheater - Chapter 530
Chapter 530: Bionics XXXIII
Asher’s groan echoed across the ruined bay.
The Knight tightened his grip on his sword, shoulders tensing as the heavy door rattled and slid open by a few inches—just enough for cold, pressurized air to hiss out.
The sound wasn’t like before.
Not a hum.
Not a mechanical whirr.
This time… it was a deep grinding rumble, like something ancient forcing itself awake.
Asher wiped a smear of oil off his cheek.
“Every time I think we’re done, this place throws another monster at us.”
The Knight didn’t look away from the widening door.
“We should be ready.”
“Oh trust me,” Asher muttered, “I’m painfully ready.”
The metal door fully retracted with a thundering slam.
Darkness filled the passage.
For a moment—nothing came out.
Just silence.
Then—
THUD.
Something heavy stepped forward.
THUD.
Another step, closer now, making dust fall from the ceiling.
A silhouette emerged—huge, broad, and built like a walking fortress.
Asher squinted.
“…How big is this one?”
The Knight whispered, “Too big.”
The creature stepped into the faint light.
It wasn’t sleek like the Strategic Unit.
Not armored like the Titan Unit.
Not fast-looking like the earlier ones.
This one was different.
Its frame was enormous and blocky, covered in thick, ancient plating that looked older than everything else in the facility.
Long cables hung from its arms like thick tendons, pulsing faintly.
Its visor burned a deep, molten gold, brighter than all the others.
Across its chest was carved a single label:
Ω-PROTOCOL // PRIME WARDEN
Asher blinked.
“…That sounds bad.”
The Knight nodded instantly.
“It is bad.”
The Prime Warden’s head tilted slightly, scanning the wrecked bay, the bodies of the fallen units, then finally locking onto Asher.
Its voice was deeper than the Titan’s—slow, cold, and heavy.
“YOU ARE… PERSISTENT.”
Asher pointed at it.
“That’s usually my line.”
The machine continued:
“ALL COMBAT DATA RECORDED.”
“ALL UNIT FAILURES NOTED.”
“ADAPTIVE RESPONSE: ACTIVATED.”
Panels on its arms slid open.
A dull red glow spilled out.
The Knight exhaled sharply.
“Asher… its systems are absorbing every fight we’ve had.”
“So it’s learning from everything?” Asher said.
“Yes,” the Knight replied. “Everything.”
Asher cracked his neck and sighed.
“Great. So this is the boss of the bosses.”
The Prime Warden raised one arm.
Energy gathered at its palm—swirling into a sphere of bright molten light.
“BEGINNING FINAL PURGE.”
Asher lowered his stance.
The Knight stepped beside him.
Both ready.
Both exhausted.
Both still moving.
Asher smirked.
“Alright then… round four.”
The sphere in the Warden’s palm pulsed.
The machine stepped forward.
And the bay shook again.
The Prime Warden stepped forward, each movement heavier than the last.
The glowing sphere in its palm grew brighter—hot enough that the air around it shimmered.
Asher felt a wave of heat wash over him.
“Yeah,” he muttered, “that’s definitely not something I want touching me.”
The Knight kept his blade up, voice low but steady.
“We split. Left and right. Don’t let it line us up.”
“Got it.”
The Prime Warden raised its arm higher, aiming the charged sphere at both of them.
FWOOOM—
A beam of molten energy erupted from its palm—fast, bright, and wide enough to cut the room in half.
Asher dove to the left.
The Knight rolled to the right.
The beam shot straight through the bay, carving a burning trench across the floor and melting through three metal walls before finally fading out.
Asher stared at the glowing red path it left behind.
“…Okay, that would’ve killed me.”
The Knight nodded quickly.
“It would’ve killed both of us.”
The Prime Warden slowly turned toward Asher first.
Its molten visor narrowed.
“THREAT PRIORITY: ASHER.”
Asher groaned.
“Why is it always me?”
The Warden moved.
Despite its size, it charged faster than the Titan—closing the distance in seconds.
Asher leaped backward as a giant fist smashed into the ground where he stood a heartbeat earlier.
BOOOOOOM.
A shockwave blasted out, pushing Asher off his feet and throwing him across the floor.
He rolled, skidded, and forced himself back up just as the machine tried to stomp him flat.
He dodged sideways, barely avoiding the massive metal foot.
The Knight ran in from behind, swinging his sword at the Warden’s spine—
CLANG!
The blade bounced off like it hit a tank.
The Knight staggered back.
“That armor… it’s even thicker than the Titan’s!”
The Prime Warden turned its head, scanning him.
“SECONDARY THREAT DETECTED.”
It swung an arm sideways.
The Knight blocked—but the impact still launched him several feet before he crashed into a crate.
“Knight!” Asher shouted.
“I’m fine!” the Knight called back, wincing. “Just hit it harder!”
“Yeah, because I wasn’t trying that already!”
The Warden charged Asher again.
He braced, then dodged left—but the machine predicted him this time.
It grabbed him by the chest plate with one massive hand.
Asher’s feet lifted off the ground.
“TARGET CAPTURED.”
“Oh no you don’t,” Asher snarled.
He punched the Warden’s wrist—once, twice, three times—
The metal dented slightly but didn’t break.
The Warden lifted him higher, its molten visor staring right into Asher’s face.
“TERMINATION: INITIATED.”
A glow built up in its other palm—another purge shot charging at point-blank range.
Asher struggled, twisting, kicking—but the grip was too strong.
Right when the orb reached full brightness—
A loud shout rang out:
“ASHER! DUCK!”
Asher yanked his head down.
The Knight flew in from the side, blade glowing bright from a charged strike—
SHIIIING!
The sword slammed into the exact gap in the Warden’s shoulder plating where the cable clusters met.
Sparks exploded.
The Warden’s arm jerked violently—and it dropped Asher.
Asher hit the ground, rolled, and sprang up instantly.
“Good timing!” he shouted.
The Knight landed beside him, panting.
“Please—don’t make me do that again.”
The Prime Warden stood still for a moment, its damaged shoulder sparking.
Then its visor flickered.
“ADAPTIVE UPDATE: COMPLETE.”
The gap the Knight cut began sealing—small plates shifting into place.
Asher stared in disbelief.
“It can repair itself?!”
The Knight shook his head.
“No… it’s changing tactics.”
The Warden turned slowly toward them.
Its molten visor sharpened into a thinner line.
“NEW STRATEGY:
REMOVE MOBILITY.
REMOVE ADVANTAGE.”
Panels on both arms opened wider.
Four circular ports glowed bright red.
Asher felt the hair on his arms stand up.
“…Knight?”
“Yes?”
“Those look like cannons.”
The Knight nodded grimly.
“They are cannons.”
The Warden spoke:
“AREA-WIDE CLEARANCE: INITIATED.”
Energy built up in all four ports.
The Knight whispered:
“Asher… run.”
Asher didn’t hesitate.
“Already doing it!”
Both of them sprinted as the Prime Warden unleashed—
BOOOOOOOM!
A massive blast wave that tore through the entire bay.