Cleaver Of Sin

Chapter 445: Hundred Times Over

In a forest a few kilometers away from the Whale Manor, Asher stood with calm ease at the center of a wide area. His cape fluttered gently in the wind, swaying in slow, deliberate motions, while his expression remained completely unchanged, serene to the point of indifference. His posture was relaxed, almost casual, as though he were not standing before a spar at all, but merely observing a tranquil landscape.

Surrounding him were Finch, who held his black chain loosely in one hand, William, who had already drawn his silver claymore and rested it against his shoulder, both of them wearing expressionless gazes devoid of hesitation or doubt. Caldor stood with his spear firmly gripped, its tip angled forward, while his sister, Annabelle, held her twin daggers tightly. Unlike the others, Caldor and Annabelle wore determined expressions, their eyes sharp and focused, as though they were about to face something truly calamitous rather than a simple spar.

Watching from the sidelines were members of the Whale, Rivelle, and Canestane Barony families. Several healers stood among them, their expressions solemn, their focus sharp, ready to act the instant the spar reached a definitive conclusion. The anticipation in the air was thick and oppressive, pressing down on everyone present as silence descended upon the forest. Only the soft rustling of leaves and the gentle creaking of trees swaying in the wind could be heard.

Baron Whale, Baron Rivelle, and Baron Canestane did not dare blink. None of them wanted to miss even a single detail. Among the three, only Baron Rivelle had witnessed the Tenth Sun in action before. Yet even with that experience, his anticipation was no less intense than that of Baron Whale and Baron Canestane.

The next moment, a calm voice echoed from the side.

”Begin.”

No rules were set for the spar, as there was no need. Everyone present already understood the unspoken boundaries, fatal blows and critical injuries were strictly out of the question. There was no need to explain what all of them instinctively knew.

The moment the word echoed through the forest, Caldor moved without hesitation. His spear tore forward like a streak of lightning. Annabelle followed instantly, her steps light and swift as she closed the distance. Finch blitzed forward despite his chubby frame, his chain snapping through the air, while William surged ahead, his claymore cleaving through the wind with sheer force. All four of them converged on Asher, who stood unmoving at the center, perfectly positioned between them.

In the next instant, Annabelle’s daggers met Finch’s chain in a sharp clash of metal, while Caldor’s spear collided with William’s claymore in a thunderous impact. The air shrieked as their weapons met, showers of sparks exploding outward in every direction. Then, in a blurring motion too fast for the untrained eye to follow, all four of them vanished from their original positions.

Annabelle versus Finch.

Caldor versus William.

Asher remained exactly where he stood, unmoved and unperturbed. He turned his head slightly, watching the four battle one another, then shook his head faintly. Without a word, he turned away and began walking toward the sidelines where the spectators were gathered.

Baron Whale, Baron Rivelle, and Baron Canestane were utterly confused as they watched Asher approach them so casually. Upon arriving, Asher didn’t speak. He simply waved a hand, and a chair materialized from his space ring. Sitting down comfortably, he produced a jug of juice, poured himself a glass, and took a slow sip. In the blink of an eye, Asher had gone from the center of the spar to a mere spectator.

”It seems they’re all under an illusion,” Baron Canestane spoke from the side, his tone thoughtful. His words caused the others to nod in agreement. As people who had spent nearly their entire lives on various battlefields, they recognized illusion-based skills immediately.

And indeed, Asher had placed them under an illusion the very moment the spar had begun. Using Astra energy infused into the surrounding air, he manipulated the light photons within the forest itself, feeding their senses and minds false information. At that moment, to Finch, William, Caldor, and Annabelle, they were all fighting Asher together.

”I didn’t know the Tenth Sun possessed an illusion ability,” Baron Whale intoned quietly as he watched his son clash against Annabelle.

’It must be another ability of his soul-bound weapon,’ Baron Rivelle thought to himself. He already knew that one of Asher’s rapier abilities involved regeneration. Still, Asher didn’t bother correcting anyone’s misunderstanding. He continued watching the battle from the side, at one point even joining the Barons and their wives in casual discussion.

Although Asher had technically ”attacked,” that single move alone had already demonstrated the overwhelming difference between him and those meant to spar against him.

”I wonder if we’re under an illusion too,” Lady Isabella joked lightly, earning a round of laughter from those nearby.

’I suppose it’ll be boring to watch them battle like this the entire time,’ Asher mused to himself. He finished his glass of juice, the cup vanishing into his space ring. Turning toward the spectators, he spoke calmly, ”You might want to take a couple of steps back.”

They nodded without question. In the next instant, they vanished in a blur, fully aware of what Asher was about to do. As they moved away, Caldor, William, Finch, and Annabelle’s battles gradually shifted toward Asher’s direction, their movements subtly guided by the illusion he controlled.

The moment they drew close enough, Asher canceled the illusion entirely. Instantly, William, Finch, Caldor, and Annabelle froze in place. Their weapons halted midair, their eyes widening in shock as realization struck them like a thunderclap. A heartbeat later, their heads snapped toward the side, where they sensed another presence entirely.

And there, they saw him.

A boy no different from their own age sat calmly on a chair. One leg was crossed over the other, his head resting on his fist, his purple eyes gleaming faintly as he watched them with detached amusement, like an emperor observing children at play.

It was Asher Wargrave.

’When?’ William thought, his grip tightening unconsciously.

’How?’ Caldor wondered, staring at Asher as though he were a sovereign gazing down upon subordinates.

’I knew I shouldn’t have agreed to this suicide spar mission,’ Annabelle thought, her eyes never leaving Asher, terrified of missing his next move and falling into yet another trap.

’The difference between us is even larger than I imagined,’ Finch realized. Still, he didn’t overthink it. He had already known Asher was stronger, an illusion alone didn’t change that.

”If this were a real battlefield,” Asher’s voice came smoothly as he remained seated, moving nothing but his lips, ”the four of you would have died a hundred times over.” He paused briefly before continuing, his tone casual and calm. ”But since it’s gotten boring, I’ve decided to cancel the illusion and spar with all of you for real.”

His purple eyes shone slightly as he added, ”So show me the power you’ve gained since the day you awakened.” The way he spoke made it sound less like an invitation, and more like a final decree, as though he were the last boss standing at the end of a story.