Absolute Cheater-Chapter 144: New Life IV

Lloyd was not just a B-rank adventurer—he was a monster in human skin. He possessed a terrifying ability known as Slaughterer’s Gift, a power that grew stronger with every life he took. The more he killed, the more his strength, speed, and durability increased. It was as if the act of slaughter itself fueled his existence, sharpening his instincts and pushing his body beyond normal limits.

However, his power came with a drawback—a cooldown period. After an extended killing spree, his strength would weaken significantly, forcing him into temporary dormancy. During this time, he would hide away in his luxurious mansion in Pallax City, indulging in his vices and waiting for his bloodlust to return. But when the cooldown ended, he would start all over again, hunting fresh victims to feed his insatiable hunger for strength.

Lloyd preferred to target isolated and faraway villages, places where defenses were weak and news of his actions wouldn’t spread quickly. He would wipe out entire settlements, leaving behind nothing but blood-soaked ruins and corpses. The Adventurer’s Guild remained oblivious to his crimes, as he always covered his tracks, ensuring there were no survivors to report him.

To the world, he was an adventurer. To those who knew the truth, he was a butcher in disguise.

Lloyd sat in his grand estate in Pallax City, a place built on blood and deceit. His mansion, surrounded by high walls and guarded by men who feared him more than any enemy, stood as a testament to his cruelty. The air around him always carried a faint scent of iron—a lingering reminder of the countless lives he had taken.

He leaned back in his chair, fingers tapping against the polished wood of his desk. His golden eyes, sharp like a predator’s, stared at the map spread before him. Another village. Another hunt. His last massacre had weakened him, and now, after weeks of waiting, he could feel his power surging again. His body was itching to slaughter.

A man entered the room, bowing his head in submission. "Sir, the new batch of adventurers has arrived in Pallax City. Some of them seem promising."

Updated from freewёbnoνel.com.

Lloyd smirked, rolling his shoulders. "Promising, huh? Any of them strong enough to be worth my time?"

The man hesitated. "There’s one in particular… A newcomer named Asher. Rumors say he cut down a pack of Shadowfang Wolves with ease. Even Max, one of the village’s strongest, couldn’t compare."

Lloyd’s grin widened. "Asher, huh? A fresh face in the city, but already making waves?" He stood up, stretching lazily. "Good. I was getting bored. Maybe I’ll pay him a visit… after I finish my warm-up."

His fingers twitched as a dark red aura swirled around his body. It was subtle now, barely noticeable, but soon—soon, it would erupt into something monstrous.

Somewhere, far from the comforts of the city, a quiet village lay hidden in the forest. Peaceful. Unaware. Waiting for its executioner to arrive.

*****

Asher stood in front of the simple yet elegant mansion, his sharp eyes scanning its structure. The building was well-kept but not overly extravagant—just enough to show off wealth without attracting too much attention.

"So, this is the place?" Asher asked, his voice calm yet firm.

The old man beside him nodded. "Yes, this is Lloyd’s mansion. But..." He hesitated before continuing, "I don’t sense him here."

Asher narrowed his eyes. His Absolute Appraisal ability confirmed it—Lloyd wasn’t inside. The mansion wasn’t empty, though. Several guards and mercenaries were stationed throughout, each radiating a decent amount of strength. Nothing he couldn’t handle.

Serena, standing beside him, crossed her arms. "So what now? Do we wait for him to return?"

Asher smirked. "No need. If he’s not here, we’ll make him come to us."

He stepped forward, his hand resting on the hilt of his weapon. "Let’s knock on the door."

But before he could even take another step—

A sharp killing intent flared from inside the mansion. The guards had noticed them. The front gates swung open, and armed men rushed out, weapons drawn, their leader stepping forward with a sneer.

"You shouldn’t have come here, kid."

Asher’s smirk widened. "Funny. I was about to say the same to you."

Asher didn’t know why these guards were even bothering to argue with him—but who cared? He came here to kill, and that’s exactly what he was going to do.

Without another word, he vanished from sight. A moment later, the sound of metal clashing against flesh echoed through the air. Blood splattered as the first guard’s body hit the ground, his throat sliced cleanly.

The others barely had time to react before Asher moved again. A blur of movement, a flash of his blade, and more bodies fell. Serena watched from the side, unimpressed. These guards were nothing.

In less than a minute, the entrance to the mansion was painted red. Asher stood amidst the carnage, his blade still dripping. He turned to the old man.

"Where is Lloyd?"

The old man, who had been watching with wide eyes, swallowed hard before answering. "H-He left for a nearby village. Probably hunting for his next victims."

Asher’s expression darkened. A village? That meant innocent people were at risk.

Without hesitation, he turned and rushed off, his body flickering as he activated his movement technique. Serena followed close behind, her eyes sharp.

They had wasted enough time. If Lloyd was in that village, then they had to get there before the slaughter began.

Asher moved like a phantom, his speed tearing through the wind as he rushed toward the village. Serena struggled to keep up, her mana flaring as she enhanced her movements.

"That bastard… He’s already started, hasn’t he?" she muttered.

Asher didn’t respond, but he could already smell the blood in the air. It was faint, carried by the wind, but unmistakable. The village was under attack.

By the time they arrived, the scene was worse than they expected.

Bodies littered the ground. Men, women, even children—lifeless, their corpses twisted in unnatural ways. Some had been hacked apart, while others looked like they had been crushed under an invisible force. The entire village was bathed in red.

And in the center of it all…

A man stood grinning amidst the carnage.

Lloyd.

His clothes were drenched in blood, his hands trembling—not with fear, but with excitement. His body radiated raw power, as if he had just ascended to a higher level.

"So, you’re the one who’s been chasing me?" Lloyd licked the blood off his fingers, his grin widening. "I was hoping you’d take your time, but it looks like you made it just in time for the finale!"

Asher’s gaze locked onto him, his expression unreadable.

Lloyd’s ability—Slaughterer. The more he killed, the stronger he got. But it came with a drawback.

A cooldown period.

After every rampage, his body needed time to stabilize. And right now… Asher could tell. He had just reached his limit. Continue your journey on novelbuddy

"This is the part where you run," Asher said coldly, summoning his scythe in a flash of violet energy.

Lloyd’s grin didn’t fade. Instead, it twisted into something even more deranged.

"Run? Now, why would I do that?" Lloyd let out a laugh, his bloodlust filling the air. "You think I’m done? No, no… I just need a few more kills. And guess what?"

His gaze flickered to Serena.

"You’ll do just fine."

In an instant, Lloyd lunged forward, his entire body exploding with speed as he aimed straight for her.

But he never reached her.

CLANG!

Sparks flew as Asher blocked the attack effortlessly, his scythe stopping Lloyd’s blade mid-swing.

"You made a mistake," Asher said, his voice cold. "You should’ve run."

And then—he counterattacked.

Lloyd barely had time to react before Asher’s scythe came down like an executioner’s blade. He twisted his body at the last second, but the weapon still tore through his side, carving a deep gash across his ribs.

"Gh—!" Lloyd stumbled back, his grin faltering for the first time. Pain. He wasn’t used to it. Every battle before this had been a slaughter—he was always the predator, never the prey.

But Asher wasn’t just some prey. He was a hunter.

"You don’t seem as excited now," Asher said, his gaze locked onto Lloyd. His mana pulsed, dark and suffocating. "What’s wrong? Feeling weak already?"

Lloyd gritted his teeth, forcing himself to straighten up. He had lost a lot of blood, but he still had strength left. He just needed one more kill. Just one. If he could slaughter even a single person, his strength would spike again, and the cooldown would reset.

His eyes darted to Serena.

But Asher was faster.

CRACK!

Before Lloyd could even move, Asher’s foot slammed into his chest, launching him back with enough force to shatter the ground beneath them. Lloyd crashed through the remains of a broken house, sending splinters and rubble flying everywhere.

Serena stepped beside Asher, gripping her sword tightly. "He’s desperate," she muttered. "If we let him kill anyone, this will get worse."

Asher nodded. "That’s why we won’t let him."

From within the rubble, a laugh rang out.

"Keh… keh keh… Hah… Hahaha!"

Lloyd slowly rose from the debris, blood dripping from his mouth, his expression twisted in a manic grin.

"You think you’ve won?" he rasped, his voice laced with something… off.

Then, his body started to tremble.

Not in fear—but in excitement.

"I was saving this for later… but I guess I’ll have to use it now," he chuckled, his blood beginning to boil, his veins pulsing with unnatural power.

Asher’s eyes narrowed. "What the hell are you—"

Then it happened.

A massive surge of bloodlust erupted from Lloyd’s body, thick and suffocating. The air itself seemed to vibrate, filled with a dark, ominous energy.

Serena staggered back. "What… what is this!?"

Asher’s grip on his scythe tightened.