Cleaver Of Sin

Chapter 626: Monster Invasion

Knight Commander Yveric appeared at the border of the Wargrave Ducal territory, standing upon the towering walls that stretched for several meters in height, their imposing structure casting long shadows across the land below. The wind swept across the battlements, carrying with it a faint tension that seemed to cling to the very air. Seeing his sudden appearance, a Knight walked forward and saluted as she spoke;

"Commander," she stated with a respectful tone, her posture straight and sharp, though a subtle urgency lingered in her voice.

"Enemies are approaching, just not the expected enemies," Commander Yveric spoke before the female Knight could even ask any question. Without turning towards her, he issued his command, his gaze shifting to the people below as they were trying to make their way into the territory as quickly as possible, their movements hurried and disorganized, "Move everyone into the territory immediately, but keep them at a separate location since their identities haven’t been identified," he stated, his voice calm yet carrying an authority that brooked no hesitation.

The Knight nodded silently, her understanding immediate, she blurred as she vanished from the wall, moving with remarkable speed as she went to carry out Yveric’s orders, gathering the Knights that were now in charge of verifying people’s identities.

Yveric didn’t speak anymore; he simply stood in silence as he stared ahead, his expression unreadable and composed. A few seconds passed and the next instant, a figure appeared beside him, it was Asher.

"What are you doing here, Tenth Sun?" Yveric asked as his gaze turned towards Asher, his tone neither welcoming nor dismissive, but merely acknowledging.

"Well, I’m here for the enemies you went to engage," Asher stated as he looked around, finding zero enemies. Despite that, he was certain something was coming.

Yveric sighed as he began to speak,"the enemies aren’t soldiers from the Empire; it’s simply the usual Monster Tide, and it seems they couldn’t have had more perfect timing," he stated with a slight shake of his head, as though mildly irritated by the inconvenience.

Of course, there was no timing for Monster Tide invasions; it simply happened because it happened, an unpredictable calamity that defied logic and expectation, and no one truly knew why such occurrences took place or what governed their emergence.

Asher’s expression changed slightly; merely seconds ago, he had been anticipating a battle, his mind prepared for confrontation, but now it seemed he might have overthought things since Yveric hadn’t explained before he left, leaving room for misunderstanding.

’It seems I rushed over here for nothing,’ Asher thought to himself with a quiet sigh as he gazed into the distance, his anticipation slowly fading into mild disappointment.

"I thought Father was the one who normally handled the territory’s Monster Tide invasions?" Asher asked as his purple eyes shifted to Yveric. He could clearly remember a few commoners telling him this, their voices filled with both awe and reliance when speaking of the Duke.

"The Duke does, but at this moment, there is simply no time to wait for him," Yveric stated with an indifferent expression, as though the matter required no further elaboration.

Asher stared at the man for a moment, studying him carefully, then stated, "I thought you weren’t allowed to leave the territory unless ordered by Father to do so," his tone slightly probing, seeking to understand whether Yveric was about to disobey the Duke’s orders.

Yveric simply shook his head as he spoke, his composure unshaken, "The Duke’s orders could be interpreted like that, but his orders were to protect the Ducal territory, and me engaging the Monster Tide before they can reach here is simply part of that order," he explained with measured clarity.

Asher stayed silent for a moment, contemplating those words, then nodded. He understood that unlike lower nobles, the Wargraves didn’t battle the usual Monster Territory invasions within their own lands; no, they simply went to the Monster Tide itself when it was still hundreds of kilometres away. This was done to avoid damage and reduce casualties as much as possible, a proactive approach that reflected both strength and responsibility.

For a moment, Asher was tempted to ask Yveric if he could come to watch the battle, curiosity flickering within him, but his rationality didn’t allow him to ask such a foolish question. After all, this was a Monster Invasion of a Ducal territory; there might be monsters at the Void class or even End class present on that battlefield. He could die from the slightest mistake, and Asher very much valued his life and intended to keep it.

"What’s their lineup?" Asher asked with a calm tone. To him, the outer part of the Wargrave territory was extremely calm, and nothing seemed amiss, making the situation feel almost deceptive.

"Just a couple of flies, and five Void class Monsters and Beasts," Yveric stated indifferently, as though the numbers he mentioned held no real significance.

Asher’s lips couldn’t help but twitch slightly; the man was simply disregarding every monster and beast as flies. Although he had specifically mentioned the Void class monsters, his tone made it clear that he saw them no differently from insignificant nuisances.

"No End class Monsters or Beasts?" Asher couldn’t help but ask curiously, a trace of caution underlying his question.

Yveric shook his head, "They are called End class Monsters for a reason, Tenth Sun; they don’t make random moves and spend most of their time in hibernation or sleep, but if they do make a move..." he let his words trail off, as though unwilling to give voice to the devastation such beings could bring, the unspoken implication heavy enough on its own.

Asher nodded and said nothing else. He stared into the distance once more, disappointment settling in as the battle intent that had once burned within his eyes gradually faded away. The incoming battle, at least for him, was nothing more than a false alarm.

"Tenth Sun, although you are within the Dome, I would advise you to retreat deeper into the territory," Yveric stated with a calm yet firm tone, his words carrying a quiet warning.

Asher had already planned to leave; there was simply nothing for him to do here. He didn’t intend to stand around idly, waiting for an event he wouldn’t even participate in. With that, he vanished from where he stood, teleporting consecutively through the territory as he made his way back, his figure flickering out of existence in rapid succession.

Yveric, seeing Asher leave, spoke without directing his words to anyone in particular, his voice steady and commanding, "Form a ten-man perimeter, one hundred kilometres from the wall; if anything slips through the cracks, finish it off immediately," he stated with decisive authority.

The moment those words left his lips, ten Knights at the Radiant Soulstar Life Rank shot into the air, their movements swift and precise as they streaked across the sky to form a perimeter according to Yveric’s orders, each one understanding their role without hesitation.

Yveric stared behind him for one last moment, ensuring that everything was in place, his sharp eyes missing nothing. With a slight nod of satisfaction, he vanished from where he stood, his figure disappearing as he raced towards the location of the Monsters and Beasts that were meant to invade them, which lay a couple hundred meters away from the Ducal walls, where the true confrontation awaited.