Cleaver Of Sin

Chapter 1070: Peak Wickedness

Asher didn’t threaten Viscount Raymond by raising his voice; real power didn’t need to do that. Only someone with insufficient power would raise their voice, flare their killing intent, and put on a show.

People with real power simply said whatever they wanted to say unapologetically and carried out their promises.

So, Asher’s voice remained normal, calm, yet condescending as he spoke to the Viscount.

Viscount Raymond sat like a volcano ready to erupt. One could see the vein snaking across his forehead, as one didn’t need to look too closely to know he was holding back his true emotions and words out of fear of the Wargrave family.

After all, it was rare that someone like Viscount Raymond, who had oppressed so many people, now sat on the other end of the table.

Viscount Raymond’s eyes shifted toward Lyra, who was standing before him. He had heard from his guard that there was a woman at the Radiant Soulstar Life Rank, but he was already guessing that Lyra was a Crownstar Life Ranker.

While he, Viscount Raymond, possessed a Soulstar Life Ranker as his Knight Commander, unfortunately, he didn’t have a Crownstar Life Ranker in his army. After all, Crownstar Life Rankers weren’t pebbles on the road.

Only the Marquises, Dukes, and the Imperial Family had them under their service.

A minute passed, then two, then three, then five minutes. Yet, Viscount Raymond still hadn’t made a choice, as though his obsession with sleeping with Teo Swig weighed above his family, but he couldn’t bear to say it out loud.

Asher, who seemed tired of waiting, simply spoke.

"Lyra," his voice cool.

The next instant, an oppressive pressure slammed into Viscount Raymond’s body. Although the man himself was at the Voidstar Life Rank, he had no hope. The couch he was sitting on immediately shattered under the sudden pressure as his knees slammed to the ground. He used his hands to support himself as he knelt on all fours like a dog.

But before Asher could even say anything, the door burst open as the Soulstar Knight Commander burst into the room. The man didn’t slow; the moment he saw Viscount Raymond on the ground, he attacked without a shred of hesitation, his spear screaming through the air as he aimed for Lyra’s head.

But unfortunately, the Knight was just a Spark Soulstar, and Lyra was a Radiant Soulstar. He was three sub-Life Ranks too far behind to warrant any real effort from Lyra.

Lyra’s black eyes snapped toward the incoming attack, her expression calm. She simply leaned backward without taking a step to evade the attack from the side. As the attack missed her completely, her right hand blurred upward as her palm met the elbow of the attacking Knight before he could even react.

The sound of bones snapping like a twig resounded within the room as Lyra broke the Knight Commander’s elbow. As the Knight Commander’s Astra energy was about to flare and tap into an awakened ability, Lyra moved first.

Her fist connected with the Knight Commander’s stomach, knocking the air from his lungs. And with a heavy thud, the Knight Commander collapsed to the ground like a random pebble without even putting up a fight.

The difference between sub-Life Ranks was simply too great.

Asher, whose perception couldn’t even follow what had happened, could only remain expressionless and seated without moving an inch. Seeing Lyra handle the Knight without causing too much noise, he spoke.

"It seems you’ve lived quite the peaceful life recently that you think that beyond the recurring Monster Tide Invasion on all Nobles’ territories, nothing can really threaten you, Viscount Raymond," Asher spoke as he rose to his feet ever so slowly.

Raymond’s black pupils trembled in fear as he saw how easily Lyra had taken down his strongest man. He hadn’t expected things to escalate like this; he just hadn’t expected the Tenth Sun to act so openly and with such disregard for the Empire’s Laws.

Asher walked over toward Viscount Raymond, who was on all fours.

With a thought, Virelass appeared in Asher’s hand, the blade rising upward as he spoke, "Since you’ve already chosen your family’s death, I might as well start with you." His tone remained calm.

With a faint trembling voice, the Viscount spoke, "If you kill me, all evidence will be linked to you. You won’t be able to get away with this, Tenth Sun."

A smile appeared on Asher’s lips as he replied, "Is that so..."

The moment those words left his lips, his Astra energy stirred. The next moment, the Photon Clone of Viscount Raymond appeared within the room, standing right before the Viscount.

"When I kill the real you, the clone will replace you," Asher spoke with a smile, Virelass still in his hands. "That way, the Wargraves can take control over the Raymond Territory... or better yet, I will have the clone wipe out your family and let the world think you’ve gone crazy before escaping." Asher’s explanation was delivered with an almost casual calmness. "Perfect, isn’t it?"

Viscount Raymond could only kneel in pure shock as he looked at the ’thing’ that stood as though it was him. His eyes trembled with fear as he couldn’t help but imagine what damage the Tenth Sun could cause using his name if he decided to truly go overboard.

Asher’s rapier came down in a blur as he aimed for Viscount Raymond’s neck without a shred of hesitation. But as the sword was about to tear through flesh, Viscount Raymond spoke.

"Wait!" His voice urgent.

Asher’s rapier came to a stop just as it drew a drop of blood that slid down Viscount Raymond’s neck.

"I will bring the Swig family," he stated as he gritted his teeth, his willingness to live overcoming his obsession.

Asher stared at the man for a moment before he spoke, "I’m giving you three minutes."

As he said that, he turned around and walked to the couch he had been sitting on earlier. Lyra removed the pressure on Viscount Raymond, allowing him to stand and go bring Teo Swig’s family.

The man wore a huge frown as he walked out of the room and gave a few guards some certain instructions. Asher was sure the Viscount wouldn’t do anything stupid with Lyra standing here and with his strongest subordinate already handled like it was nothing.

Soon, two people walked into the living room. One was a man with black hair and eyes, while the other was a woman with blue eyes that matched Teo Swig’s and black hair. The woman could be seen carrying a baby that seemed no older than one in her arms as she walked weakly, fear filling her eyes.

They were both dressed in tattered clothes that were literally rags. Around all four of their limbs were marks that told they had been chained, and not recently, but for a couple of months at the very least. Their bodies were covered in dirt as they smelled, as clearly, they had not been allowed to take a single bath. Their bodies were thin from malnutrition... no, starvation that was meant to break anybody’s mind.

Even the child, whose eyes were supposed to be filled with curiosity about the outside world, didn’t contain that light, as though the child had cried himself into realizing the severity of his parents’ situation. And within these three pairs of eyes, one could see nothing but fear, longing, hatred, spite, love, all mixed together.

It was pure wickedness at its peak.

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More Chapters coming, but I’m settling something at the moment IRL; which is why this came so late.