"Dragon?" Asher asked as he faced Genevieve. It had been two years since he last met her.
After their last meeting, he completed the two War God Trials she had given him, gaining more techniques. Among the six possible locations she provided, only three turned out to be legitimate War God Trials. However, finding them was easy with his Absolute Appraisal ability, which allowed him to see hidden things as if they were in plain sight.
Using that skill, he even uncovered another War God Trial location, which he later sold to the Guild, earning a hefty sum.
And now, after all this time, she had called him back once again.
"What do you mean by 'Dragon'? I thought those lazy lizards didn't care about anything," Asher said, crossing his arms.
Genevieve nodded. "Yes, normally, they don't care about anything besides hoarding money and sleeping on their piles of it," she said. "But recently, a dragon egg has been abducted."
"What? Which fool did it?" Asher asked.
Dragons were the pinnacles of power in this world. All dragons started at the Transcendent rank, the highest stage of the Second Realm of power. As they aged, they grew stronger and eventually reached their peak.
There was even a theory that the most powerful dragons had already left this world in search of an even greater one to conquer. That was how broken their species was—they could grow stronger simply by sleeping and eating.
And yet, someone had dared to steal a dragon egg.
Asher leaned back, rubbing his chin. "So, who was dumb enough to pull this off?"
Genevieve sighed, crossing her arms. "That's the problem. No one knows. The dragons are furious, and they're not exactly patient creatures. If that egg isn't found soon, they might just start burning down entire kingdoms looking for it."
Asher whistled. "Yikes. So why call me?"
Genevieve smirked. "Because you're one of the few crazy enough to take this on. Your abilities, your knowledge… you have a better shot at tracking it down than most."
"Fair point," Asher admitted. "Any leads?"
"Just one," she said, sliding a map across the table. "The last known location of the egg before it vanished—an underground black market run by some of the most dangerous criminals in the world."
Asher grinned. "Now this sounds fun."
After two years of intense training, Asher himself had reached the Phantasmal Rank, just one step short of the peak of the Second Realm of Power—the Transcendent Realm. After entering it, he would have to climb through ten stages, from First Transcendent to Tenth Transcendent, before reaching the peak.
Now, he was also close to reaching his goal of the Third Transcendent Stage, allowing him to pass through the Void of Space—a crucial milestone for those who wished to venture beyond this world but for him its simply a way to return back to his world.
"Who knew I'd get an assignment so soon after the dragons," Asher muttered, cracking his neck. "Well, I'll be going."
Genevieve nodded, watching him with a smile.
As he turned to leave, she leaned back in her chair, shaking her head. "This kid… he's gotten too strong," she murmured. The first time she met him, he was just another promising adventurer. Now, he stood as one of the Rookies powerhouse with potential to become the strongest in the world.
Asher stepped out of the guild, the fresh night air cool against his skin. The city was alive with the hum of adventurers, merchants, and street performers, but his mind was elsewhere.
The stolen dragon egg was a mystery—one that shouldn't exist. Dragons were prideful beings, nearly impossible to steal from. Either the thief was unimaginably powerful, or they had knowledge that no one else did.
"Well, let's see who's stupid enough to mess with a dragon," he muttered, summoning his Void Strider Cloak and vanishing into the night.
At the city's outskirts, Serena waited, arms crossed. "Took you long enough," she said.
"Had to get the details," Asher replied. "We're heading east. The last known trace of the egg was somewhere in the Forsaken Wastes."
Serena's expression darkened. "That place? You're telling me someone stole from a dragon, then ran to the most cursed land in existence?"
Asher shrugged. "Guess we'll have to knock on their door and ask why."
Without another word, the two vanished into the night, setting off toward the next great challenge.
Like Asher, Serena had also grown stronger. She had reached the Legend Rank, two ranks short of Asher, but still an incredible feat.
Back in Volarisa, the household where Asher once belonged, a Legend Rank warrior was powerful enough to serve as a royal guardian. In simple terms, if Serena were to return to Volarisa with him now, she would be considered one of the powerhouses of that world.
She had trained relentlessly, honing the abilities Asher had granted her, mastering her Death Dagger, Elemental Mastery, and Executioner Chains. She wasn't just following Asher anymore—she was carving her own path as a warrior.
As they moved toward the Forsaken Wastes, Serena smirked. "You know, back then, I used to think I was just trying to keep up with you. But now… I think I might actually be catching up." This chapter is updated by Novel~Fire. (n)et
Asher chuckled, eyes flashing with amusement. "Oh? Then prove it. Let's see if you can keep up with me in this mission."
Serena grinned, cracking her knuckles. "You're on."
The Forsaken Wastes stretched before them like an endless expanse of desolation. A land where even the air was laced with lingering traces of ancient battles, where remnants of long-forgotten titans lay buried beneath the cracked, scorched earth.
Asher and Serena moved swiftly, their footsteps silent against the eerie stillness. The mission was simple: recover the stolen dragon egg. However, both of them knew that things were rarely as simple as they seemed.
"Do we have any leads?" Serena asked, her chains coiling lightly around her wrist like living serpents.
" just an underground black market" he said as he pointed at an Rock.