Cleaver Of Sin

Chapter 450: Infinite

As they all continued to stand and watch in absolute silence, Asher remained where he was, unmoving. His gaze rested calmly on the Rivelle siblings, who stared back at him with expressions frozen in shock and disbelief.

Yes, they had already known, at least intellectually, that there was a vast difference between themselves and the Tenth Sun. Yet none of them had expected that difference to be laid bare so ruthlessly, so completely, and without even the faintest hint of effort. He had crushed them while sitting down, treating the spar as though it were nothing more than a passing distraction. And when he had finally stood up, he had demolished them even further, as though what he had done before had merely been restraint.

At that moment, Caldor’s vision blurred, and a strange image formed within his mind. He saw a colossal wall rising before him, so immense that it tore through the clouds and stretched endlessly into the heavens above. He did not need to be told what it meant. His subconscious had already translated the sight into understanding, the difference between him and the Tenth Sun. And the worst part of it all was that he could not even see the end of that wall. It appeared infinite, unreachable, as though it existed beyond the limits of reality itself.

Yet paradoxically, he could see Asher.

Asher sat atop that immeasurable wall, his posture relaxed, his demeanor calm and absolute, like that of an Emperor gazing down upon the world from the highest throne. His eyes looked down at Caldor from the heavens themselves, indifferent yet overwhelming.

’The difference between us is... infinite,’ Caldor thought. The realization hitting him hard. The very next moment, his consciousness slipped away, and his body collapsed as he passed out cold.

Annabelle did not experience the same revelation as her brother. She did not need to. Unlike Caldor, she had never wanted to participate in this spar to begin with. From the start, she had known how it would end. But the peer pressure within the room had been suffocating, she could not allow her family to lose face. And so, she had stepped forward alongside her brother, even though every instinct within her had told her not to.

Now, with the spar over, her body finally gave in. She fainted quietly, falling unconscious beside Caldor, the two siblings lying still on the forest floor.

Asher’s eyes shifted to the side, where Finch lay unmoving. He too had passed out. And yet, even in his unconscious state, his soul-bound chain continued to act on its own, forming a barrier around him. It was almost ironic. Asher had already rendered that black chain barrier completely meaningless by simply teleporting into it earlier, yet it stubbornly persisted, clinging to its duty as though refusing to accept reality.

Asher let out a soft sigh.

Yes, William, Finch, and he were friends. But that did not mean he would hold back to the point of lying to them. Nor did it mean he would go out of his way to coddle them. If anything, they should be grateful. He had not blasted them with lightning attacks, nor had he used light-based techniques capable of inflicting far more devastating and lingering damage. Instead, he had overwhelmed them purely on a physical level. It was painful, certainly, but far less destructive, and far easier to heal.

As he took a step forward, several blurs suddenly entered his vision.

"We greet the Tenth Sun," multiple voices spoke in unison.

Asher turned his head slightly. The newcomers were the healers, accompanied by a few Knights. They bowed respectfully the moment they arrived. Asher did not speak. He merely gave them a slight nod of acknowledgment before continuing to walk away, his footsteps gentle and unhurried, echoing faintly through the forest as though he were not the cause of the devastation left behind.

The healers immediately got to work.

One moved toward Caldor, another toward Annabelle, another toward William, and another toward Finch. Astra energy began to hum as it flowed through their Astra veins, their abilities activating as they channeled controlled streams of power into the wounded.

Skin began to knit itself back together at a visible pace. Torn flesh shifted and reconnected, blood vessels rejoined as though guided by unseen hands, and new ones formed where damage had been too severe. Within minutes, the Rivelle siblings’ healing session was complete. The healer lifted them carefully from the ground, then bowed briefly toward a particular direction before vanishing in a blur, taking them away.

William’s case was handled next. His severed arm was not reattached, the healer did not even bother attempting it. Instead, he simply regrew it entirely, his control and skill so refined that the process took only minutes. William’s shattered teeth were restored, and his broken jaw, damaged by Asher’s swift kick, was flawlessly repaired as well.

As for Finch, the situation was slightly different. The healer practically had to plead with the soul-bound chain to withdraw its barrier. The chain resisted at first, unwilling to lower its guard, but after some insistence, it reluctantly complied. Once it did, the healer finished his work swiftly and efficiently. With that done, both Finch and William were taken to the same location as Caldor and Annabelle.

And just like that, the forest fell silent once more.

By the time the aftermath was fully settled, Asher had already regrouped with the Barons and Ladies of the various Baronies. He walked alongside them with composed, flawless noble etiquette, his presence calm and dignified. For a while, no one spoke. Only the sound of boots pressing against the earth dared to break the quiet.

"I didn’t know you were this powerful, Tenth Sun," Baron Canestane finally said, breaking the silence.

Asher remained quiet for a brief moment before replying, "It’s understandable that you wouldn’t know. After all, you haven’t truly seen me in action before." His words were simple, logical, and free of arrogance.

Baron Canestane nodded. He had seen Asher spar with Ryan Silvershade before, but no one in their right mind would count that as a proper measure.

"I didn’t expect the spar to go in that direction," Lady Vie said from the side as she walked. "But at least the children have seen what they must chase."

Asher did not respond. He continued walking, his expression unchanged. There was nothing he felt the need to say. When faced with an insurmountable wall, people reacted in many different ways. Some gave up. Some turned away. Some tried to break through or climb over it. Others simply accepted their limitations and remained where they were.

"It seems my son, William, copied the Tenth Sun’s affinities," Baron Canestane said carefully. "I hope the Tenth Sun isn’t offended by this."

"If I were going to be angry," Asher replied calmly, "then I would have been angry from the Star Academy exam day. After all, William copied my affinities then in order to pass the battle exam." His tone was flat, and he did not turn to look at the Baron, his gaze remaining fixed ahead.

Baron Canestane’s lips twitched. His son’s audacity truly knew no bounds. Still, seeing that the Tenth Sun held no resentment over the matter, he chose not to pursue the topic further. Not everyone appreciated having their abilities copied, after all.

"Personally," Baron Rivelle added with a chuckle, "I find it amusing that the Wargrave Bloodline only allows its members to awaken a single affinity, yet they somehow end up possessing many anyway."

Laughter rippled through the group as they began listing various Wargraves as examples, including Asher himself. Asher merely smiled faintly for a brief moment before his expression returned to its usual apathetic calm.

And with that, they finally arrived at the Whale Manor.