Absolute Cheater

And now—now that she was crying, calling him her son, reaching for him like a mother who had always cared—it was too late. He couldn't accept it. He wanted to… but he couldn't. He had moved on.

Or at least, he had tried to.

But the raw edge in his voice, the trembling of his shoulders, the way his anger cracked through his calm—it made one thing painfully clear.

He hadn't truly moved on.

He had forced himself to move on. Forced himself to bury that longing deep, layer by layer, through years of silence and solitude. Every triumph, every breakthrough, every realm conquered—it was all part of that effort to leave the pain behind. To prove he didn't need her.

And yet…

He had wanted her.

He had wanted this. Her tears. Her regret. Her arms open, not to claim his power, but to welcome him.

And now that it was finally in front of him, it felt like a cruel joke.

Because he no longer knew how to reach for it.

His voice caught in his throat. He turned fully away, breathing deep, trying to keep the whirlwind from swallowing him.

Valeris placed a hand on his shoulder, grounding him. Veyra moved to his other side, quiet but watchful.

Behind him, Selene was still crying, her hand half-raised, trembling in the space he had just stood.

"Asher," she whispered. "I was wrong… I was so wrong."

He didn't respond. Couldn't.

Because deep down, some part of him still wanted to believe her.

And that part… hurt the most.

"Okay," the old man—Arnold Magnus, Asher's grandfather—finally said, breaking the heavy silence. He stepped forward, his voice deep and steady. "Asher… enough for now. Later, we'll talk about your mother and everything else."

He placed a firm hand on Selene's shoulder as she stood frozen in her tears, and turned to Asher. "She hasn't been herself since the day we lost you," he said. "She didn't lose just a son… she lost the last thing she believed in. All she had left was revenge."

"But as broken as she became, she never stopped watching over you in secret," Arnold continued. "She siphoned her own lifeforce into the Life Lamp—just to stay connected. Every day, she lit that flame. Just to make sure you were still alive, somewhere."

He sighed. "She didn't always show it the right way. And maybe you can't forgive her right now—I wouldn't blame you. Just… don't hate her, Asher."

The old man then stepped closer and embraced him. It was strong, warm, and oddly familiar.

"My grandson has returned," he said quietly. "And today… that's all that matters."

Asher felt his chest tighten. His eyes stung. It was strange—after everything he'd been through across worlds, galaxies, and horrors unimaginable… it was this old man's embrace that made him feel like a child again.

Valeris and Veyra watched from the side, their expressions soft. They both smiled faintly as Asher's face turned slightly red from the emotional weight of the moment. Even Selene, though still crying, managed to let out one shaky breath—as if something long frozen in her heart had finally cracked open.

And Asher… for all his fury and grief…

He accepted it.

'No matter what… she is my mother,' he thought.

Then, without looking at her, he spoke gently.

"I don't hate you," he said. "And I don't resent you either. I'm just… not sure how I feel. Give me time."

He turned and quietly stepped away. Arnold gave a subtle nod to one of the attendants, who immediately moved to escort Asher back to his old quarters—though much had changed. The room had been renovated, expanded, and improved with finer materials, likely in anticipation that one day he might return.

But Asher moved alone.

Before leaving, he had gently told Valeris and Veyra to stay behind—to explain things in his absence. They had gone through so much together. It was time his family understood who they were… and what they had all survived.

Valeris spoke first, her tone calm and composed as always, though her silver eyes glinted with memories of fire and ruin. She told them about their journey across shattered realms, their battle through cursed worlds, and the enemies they had overcome by Asher's side. She spoke of loyalty, of trust, and of the countless moments that shaped their bond.

Veyra was more blunt. Her words carried the edge of truth honed by pain. She spoke of how Asher had saved her—not just physically, but from a life of despair. How his blood had healed her dying body, and how he had never once treated her as anything less than equal. She didn't sugarcoat anything; she laid it bare, letting them know exactly why she followed him. Why she loved him.

They also spoke of the trials they had endured together. The legends they had unraveled. The ancient dungeons they had cleared. Through countless battles, Asher had used his powers—particularly his Blood Ruler ability—to guide, empower, and protect them. And in turn, both women had risen in strength.

Hearing that both women were officially recognized as his grandson's wives, Arnold let out a soft sigh—less of weariness and more of relief—as he gently patted them on their shoulders with his broad, calloused hands.

"Good… not only has my grandson returned, but with him came two worthy daughters-in-law," he said with a rare, genuine warmth in his voice. "You've stayed by his side through storms and darkness… then tell me—when will I get to meet my great-grandsons?"

Both Valeris and Veyra flushed slightly at the question. It wasn't embarrassing in itself, but it was the kind of comment that made the future feel suddenly real and tangible. Still, by tradition and custom, once a marriage was acknowledged by the family elder, their place as daughters-in-law was sealed.

"We'll make sure your great-grandchildren are strong, wise, and worthy of the Magnus name," Valeris said firmly.

"We'll protect them just as we've stood by him," Veyra added quietly.

Arnold smiled, then gave a curt nod. "Good. Now go rest. Let him recover his strength. We'll talk more later."

With that, he sent them to Asher's room. When they entered, they found him lying on the bed, eyes closed but clearly not asleep—his breathing calm, his presence still.

Without speaking, the two women slipped in and joined him, lying at his sides, wrapping around him like anchors to a storm-tossed soul.

Elsewhere, back in the Magnus estate's control chamber, an old steward stepped into the room holding a mana-recorded report.

Elsewhere, back in the Magnus estate's control chamber, an old steward stepped into the room holding a mana-recorded report.

"Now that Young Master Asher has returned," he said cautiously, "I assume the other Supreme Families… already know?"

Arnold didn't look up from the table. His fingers tapped against the wood, slow and steady.

"They don't need to be told," he said grimly. "Not when the seeds we once shared with them—those old agreements, those bloodline ties—are still active."

He finally raised his gaze, sharp and certain.

"They would've sensed it. Just like we did when the chalice showed he is Asher."

Another elder, face lined by both age and battle, leaned forward. "So… you think they'll come here? To see if it's really him?"

Arnold nodded once. "They'll come. Not all at once. Some will send envoys. Others might come in person, cloaked or hidden. But they'll all want to know the same thing."

"…If it's real," Ryder muttered. "If the lost boy of Magnus has actually returned."

He paused, then gave a dry, bitter laugh. "Heh. And here I thought I'd get a week of peace. Just last week, the Sulbian Empire sent an envoy demanding answers about whether we will submit to them or not."

Arnold's expression didn't shift. If anything, it darkened further.

"They'll know soon enough," he said. "And when they do… they'll realize something far more dangerous."

Ryder glanced at him. "Which is?"

"That if Asher reveals even a fraction of his current strength," Arnold said slowly, "he won't just match the younger heirs of those families…"

"He'll dominate the entire world."

A heavy silence settled over the chamber.

"What do you mean, Sir?" one of the other elders asked cautiously.

Arnold's eyes gleamed as he leaned forward. "When he was angry earlier… he unintentionally let his aura leak."

"It was small," he added, "but unmistakable. That wasn't a Transcendent's aura. It was Peak World Rank—compressed and refined."

Immediate murmurs rose among the elders.

"That's impossible," Elder Lede said, his voice uneasy. "He's so young. Not even we have reached that level yet."

Liam and Ryder exchanged silent glances, the tension between them growing.

But Arnold simply raised his hand, silencing the room again.

"I'm not making assumptions," he said. "Just let him rest for now. We'll confirm everything later."

"Still… to reach such heights…" one of the elders muttered, shaking his head.

Another elder added, "And he already has two wives with him… are we sure about their backgrounds?"

"We can't check them, after all they are from different worlds and those worlds are even in another galaxies, but I have checked them they do love him genuinely so there is nothing to worry about that" he said as other nodded.