CLEAVER OF SIN

A few minutes passed before the rest of the team finished dealing with their respective enemies. The forest gradually fell into an uneasy silence, broken only by the faint rustling of leaves and the distant echoes of battle finally fading away.

Asher's figure suddenly vanished from where he stood, his presence disappearing without warning. In the very next instant, his form reappeared beside Norman. Reacting purely on instinct, Norman attacked the moment Asher closed the distance. His sword flashed upward, tearing through the air as it aimed directly for Asher's neck. Yet just before the blade could make contact, space itself bent to Asher's will, rippling unnaturally as he simply phased through the attack as though it did not exist.

The sword passed harmlessly through empty air.

Realizing his mistake, Norman immediately halted his movement. He exhaled and shook his head, letting out a small sigh. "I'm sorry for that," he said calmly. "I was caught in the heat of battle."

Asher stared at him for a brief moment, his expression unreadable. Then, without dragging the matter any further, he simply nodded, accepting the apology without a word.

Moments later, William, Finch, Daniel, Samuel, Clara, and Aiden regrouped with the others. Among them, only Finch and William bore several injuries. Their bodies were marred with deep wounds and torn flesh, blood still dripping steadily to the forest floor. Daniel also carried injuries, but his were comparatively light, scratches and shallow cuts that everyone assumed were the result of his careless attitude toward dodging weaker attacks.

"We need to get you both healed," Norman stated as his gaze settled on William and Finch. They were bleeding profusely, though given their supernatural physiques, the bleeding would stop within minutes. Still, their condition was far from ideal.

"None of us have healing abilities," Clara spoke from the side, her tone serious. Her eyes shifted toward William and Finch, but even as she spoke, her gaze constantly darted around the forest, scanning the shadows. She was clearly wary, half-expecting assassins to leap out at any moment.

'We can only heal them at the frontier,' Asher thought silently. However, he did not voice the thought. He knew that everyone else had already reached the same conclusion.

With that unspoken understanding, the group nodded among themselves.

"Does anyone have the carriage?" Norman asked calmly. Outwardly, his expression remained composed, but internally he was anything but calm. He had spent an enormous amount of gold coins, and even a few platinum coins, on it. Losing it now would be unacceptable.

Asher didn't reply verbally. Instead, he raised a hand and waved it casually. With a soft rumble and a gentle thud, the massive carriage appeared out of thin air, settling firmly onto the ground. During the battle, Asher had stored it within his system inventory. Since no one else could place the carriage inside their space rings due to its sheer size, he had decided to take responsibility for it rather than leave it to fate.

Relief immediately washed over Norman's face. He let out a long sigh and stepped forward, placing his hand against the carriage to ensure it hadn't suffered any damage. He then checked its contents carefully. Questions surfaced in his mind, questions about Asher's space ring, but he chose not to ask. If not for Asher, the carriage would have undoubtedly been destroyed during the battle, as none of them had the luxury of protecting it while fighting for their lives.

With that matter resolved, the group shifted their focus to the larger issue at hand.

"Does anyone know why they targeted us specifically?" Norman asked. Though his tone was calm, the gravity of the situation was evident. The attack had been far too precise and well-organized. Given the level of power and coordination displayed, it was obvious that this wasn't a random ambush for resources.

Everyone shook their heads. Even Asher shook his, despite knowing the true reason. He chose to lie through omission. The truth wouldn't help anyone, and neither would a lie, but Asher saw no reason to stir unease without offering solutions. Since none could be offered, he remained silent.

Seeing the lack of answers, the group frowned. However, Clara, Norman, Aiden, Samuel, and Daniel all shared a similar thought. In their minds, the assassination attempt was likely connected to Asher, William, and Finch. Given their noble status, it wasn't difficult to believe that someone had come after them. Still, none of them voiced the suspicion.

Norman's black eyes lingered on Asher for a moment longer than necessary. He knew that the leaders of the assassination were two in number. He had battled one and emerged victorious, but he hadn't expected the Tenth Sun to be capable of matching a Swiftstar Life Ranker. Though he didn't know how the battle had unfolded, the fact that the Tenth Sun stood before them completely uninjured spoke volumes about his strength.

Asher felt Norman's gaze and understood its meaning. He could tell the man had countless questions he wanted to ask, but Asher wasn't about to speak unless asked.

"I sensed a huge amount of malice," Samuel spoke thoughtfully. "Then, in the next moment, it vanished."

"Same," Aiden added. "I think it was either a Rank Five or Rank Six Emovira."

William and Finch shook their heads. They too had felt the overwhelming malice, but during the battle, survival had taken priority. They couldn't afford to concern themselves with an Emovira that wasn't directly in front of them.

"So throughout this entire battle," Norman asked slowly, "we know nothing… absolutely nothing?"

No one answered. The silence lingered heavily in the air.

Norman sighed and shook his head before turning his attention to William, Finch, and Asher. "How much stamina do you have left?" he asked.

William and Finch responded immediately.

"Enough to run for a couple of hours," they said, their voices steady. Despite being bloodied and filthy, they stood upright, looking ready to move at a moment's notice.

Norman nodded. "The Tenth Sun will transfer the carriage into his space ring," he said. "Then we sprint toward the frontier. We'll only rest at night, or when one of us can't go any further." He paused briefly before continuing, his gaze sharpening. "William and Finch, you'll use Astra Augmentation to boost your speed. We can't afford to slow down anymore."

Everyone nodded in agreement. The Enduron horses were long dead. Even if they weren't, protecting the carriage would have been impossible. Running was their only option, and their saving grace was the distance they had already covered before the assassination attempt began.

With that decided, the group resumed their mission. Astra energy surged through William and Finch's feet, illuminating the ground beneath them. In the next instant, the entire group shot forward, their bodies blurring as they vanished into the forest at terrifying speed, leaving nothing behind but disturbed air and fading echoes.

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AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hey everyone, thanks to y'all's support and love, I was able to get this far and win an award. And the award... Well, it's a Comic Adaptation. Yes, Cleaver of Sin, Asher Wargrave, the Tenth Sun will now be adapted into panels by the year 2026... Look forward to it.

Also, I should be in my country by the 23rd, so by the 24th, expect stable updates, and I will try making up all missed chapters before December runs out... Thanks for the love and support, and I hope you don't stop, after all, we've stepped onto a bigger stage, and I need you now more than ever.

Thank you once more. Love y'all to the abyss and back.