Cleaver Of Sin

Chapter 630: Throne Room

The Throne room was now thoroughly covered in dust, blood, and the corpses of two fallen Knights, alongside the scattered rubble of the destroyed wall and shattered door, and through the thick, swirling dust that lingered heavily in the air, Malrik stepped in with calm, unhurried ease as though he had not just forcefully intruded into the Emperor’s palace.

But the very moment he stepped in, the presences of two Crownstar Life Rankers erupted outward violently and collapsed upon the Throne room with maddening force, the entire atmosphere within the Throne room turning deathly cold as suffocating killing intent saturated every inch of the air.

In the next instant, the presences of numerous Imperial Knights exploded outward in response, all of them at the Soulstar Life Rank, all of them reacting instinctively to the destruction that had just occurred within the Throne room itself.

Malrik did not care in the slightest, nor did he utter a single word, he simply walked forward, passing by every Knight present without even sparing them a glance as he made his way down the long, richly woven red carpet that stretched across the Throne room.

There was only a single reason the Imperial Knights had not immediately attacked Malrik. Under normal circumstances, they would have done so without hesitation, as it was their sworn duty to protect the Emperor at all costs. However, at this moment, they were all standing within the presence of the Emperor himself, and the Emperor had neither spoken nor issued any form of command, leaving them with no choice but to remain still, vigilant, and restrained.

Within the Throne room stood a magnificent golden throne, positioned upon a slightly elevated platform that symbolised authority and dominance, upon which Emperor Zolthemir Lux Vanthelmor sat with composed and regal ease, his black eyes fixed calmly upon Malrik, who continued to approach with calm confidence.

Despite the fact that his Knights had been slaughtered and the very entrance to his Throne room had been destroyed, the Emperor did not react outwardly in the slightest, maintaining a calm and unreadable expression as though nothing of consequence had taken place.

Malrik came to a halt a few meters away from the throne, his cold blue eyes locking onto the Emperor’s with an intense, unflinching gaze, before his attention shifted toward the two men who stood beside the Emperor, one positioned at his left, and the other at his right. Malrik did not need to think to recognise them; they were none other than the Commander and Vice Commander of the Imperial Knights.

Although both men possessed the outward appearance of individuals in their early forties, Malrik was not deceived by such superficial appearances, he was fully aware that these two had lived for centuries. As the Commander and Vice Commander of the Imperial Army, they were naturally Crownstar Life Rankers, and individuals who had reached such a level possessed the ability to manipulate their outward age to a certain degree if they so desired.

However, such an ability was not without its limitations, as they could neither appear older than they truly were, nor could they reduce their appearance excessively to that of children or adolescents.

With that, a heavy and oppressive silence descended upon the Throne room, the two Crownstar Life Rankers focusing their immense and suffocating presences directly upon Malrik, who remained standing there with complete indifference, utterly unfazed by the pressing pressure being directed at him, while the remaining Soulstar Life Rankers stood ready, awaiting the Emperor’s command.

The Emperor and Malrik appeared to engage in a silent battle of wills, their gazes locked as black met blue, as though the first to break eye contact would be the one to concede defeat. After a brief yet tense moment, the Emperor was the first to look away, his gaze shifting toward the Soulstar Life Rankers who filled the Throne room. He did not speak a single word, yet his intent was conveyed clearly through his eyes alone; leave us.

In response to that silent command, the various Soulstar Life Rank Imperial Knights vanished from their positions as though they had never existed in the first place, leaving only the Emperor, Malrik, and the two Commanders within the vast expanse of the Throne room.

The Emperor’s gaze returned to Malrik as he began to speak in a calm, controlled, and authoritative tone, "Malrik Wargrave, son of Duke Azaron Wargrave, I trust you possess a most compelling explanation for killing six of my Imperial Knights and causing destruction within the Imperial Palace, while your butler remains outside, actively engaging my Knights. After all, the actions you have taken are more than sufficient grounds for me to charge you with treason," the Emperor stated, his voice steady and devoid of visible anger.

Although the Emperor outwardly maintained his calm demeanour, his mind was anything but still, as countless thoughts raced through it regarding Malrik’s sudden and uncharacteristic actions. While there had always been underlying tension between them, their conflicts had consistently remained hidden within the shadows, never brought into the open.

Malrik’s decision to appear here so openly and act with such boldness could only signify one thing, he had uncovered something significant. However, what exactly he had discovered remained unknown to Emperor Zolthemir Lux Vanthelmor.

Malrik’s response came instantly, without the slightest trace of hesitation or concern, "Charge me with treason then," he stated calmly, his tone carrying a quiet defiance, as though he were daring the Emperor to follow through with such a declaration.

At those words, the presences of the two Commanders surged violently, intensifying to an burning degree as disbelief and anger flickered within their expressions, unable to accept that the First Sun would dare to challenge the Emperor’s authority so brazenly.

The very Throne room began to tremble under the weight of their power, the ground fracturing as intricate spiderweb-like cracks spread outward, while the windows creaked under pressure before shattering violently, sending shards of glass scattering through the air. Despite this display, both men were still exercising immense restraint, for they were fully aware that if they were to release their full presence, the entire Imperial Palace would be reduced to ruins.

A tense silence lingered between them as the Emperor and Malrik continued to stare at one another, neither acknowledging the existence of the two Commanders despite the immense pressure they were exerting upon the surroundings.

"Why are you here, Malrik Wargrave?" the Emperor asked once more, his tone sharper, more direct, and far less patient than before.

"You know, it is almost amusing how you sit upon that golden chair of yours, feigning ignorance. If it were left entirely to me, I would have already taken your head right here and now," Malrik stated without hesitation, speaking of killing the Emperor as though it were an ordinary and insignificant matter.

"MALRIK WARGRAVE, WATCH YOUR TONE!!!" the Commander roared as he finally broke his silence, his voice cold and commanding, his hand moving toward the broadsword strapped across his back, his intent clear as he prepared himself to strike down the insolent figure before him at a moment’s notice.

"YOU DARE UTTER SUCH WORDS BEFORE THE EMPEROR!!!" the Vice Commander’s voice thundered throughout the Throne room, his hand shifting toward the sabre resting at his waist, both men poised for immediate action, their killing intent surging violently as it flooded the entire space.

Yet even in the face of such lethal hostility, Malrik paid them no attention whatsoever, completely disregarding their existence as though they were insignificant.

After all, there had never been any point in history where age alone dictated power or wisdom, and simply because they were Crownstar Life Rankers did not mean that Malrik would acknowledge them, nor did it grant them any measure of importance in his eyes, as far as he was concerned, they were nothing more than obstacles standing in his way, obstacles that could be removed at any given moment should he so choose.