CLEAVER OF SIN Chapter 585: Distracted

Debro flickered through the air, artfully side-stepping every blow delivered by the Rank 6 Emovira. Although he held the advantage of being a Wavestar Life Ranker—a full tier above his opponent—this creature was far from ordinary. Possessing intelligence that far surpassed its peers, the beast demonstrated a rare aptitude for fighting beyond its station, pushing its boundaries well past typical constraints.

Yet, the true strain of the encounter did not stem from the monster's raw might or its relentless offense, but from the fact that this positive-type Emovira refused to flee. Debro understood the reason only too well. Traumatized by horrific experiments and consumed by a welling tide of fury, the creature had no desire for survival. It fought with a singular, suicidal obsession fueled entirely by its internal torment.

Had it attempted to retreat, Debro would likely have let it go. While the loss of a Rank 6 Emovira was technically a failure, he knew his superiors would not punish him. To the organization, such assets were merely replaceable commodities, ultimately insignificant to their grander ambitions.

His form shimmered, phasing out of reality before reappearing high above the canopy. Where he had stood a moment prior, a brilliant flash of energy erupted, vaporizing miles of forest with chilling efficiency. The ground buckled and groaned under the assault, with jagged chasms tearing through the terrain like brittle glass while deep sinkholes opened like hungry maws beneath them.

This skirmish paled in comparison to the carnage Asher had just navigated. Here, a singular exchange threatened to level a noble estate should either combatant decide to unleash their full, suppressed power.

Destructive potential skyrockets once one ascends to the Swiftstar Life Rank, the fifth tier in the hierarchy. It is at this threshold that the chasm between mere geniuses and true monsters becomes insurmountable. Below this, talent and skill often bridged the gap; beyond it, such feats are functionally impossible.

Only anomalies—monstrous existences like the Wargraves or the Vice Commander Cassandra—could hope to defy their limits at these heights. During Asher's brief conflict with the numbered individuals, the collateral damage had been strictly localized to a two-kilometre radius. Their innate abilities simply lacked the catastrophic scale required to reshape the earth, a display of force that looked trifling compared to the raw power currently clashing between Debro and the Emovira.

Debro hovered in the sky with unsettling calmness. Though distant from Asher and his subordinates, he could still perceive the echoes of their struggle. Yet, his focus remained fractured. Despite his best efforts, the image of that strikingly handsome youth persistently invaded his thoughts, refusing to be cast aside.

He had realized the encounter in the bunker was merely an illusion—a psychic trick rather than a physical tryst—yet he felt no resentment. To Debro, the simulation had been perfect. His body had responded with genuine hormonal fervor, and he had savored every fleeting moment.

You dare permit your mind to wander while you face me? the Emovira bellowed from below. Raging, it launched itself upward like a searing shaft of light.

Debro glanced down, his features heavy with boredom. He shook his head slowly. With that much hostility, one might mistake you for a negative-type Emovira. His tone remained detached. As he finished speaking, he vanished again, treating the creature like a tiresome plaything.

He felt no urge to hasten his victory nor any compulsion to assist his supposed comrades. The experimental facility was already compromised; the expendable lives of those within meant nothing to the organization now. Once the source of the destruction was eliminated, the mission would be considered a success regardless of the casualties.

The Emovira’s retaliatory strike tore through the atmosphere, forcing the skies to open and rain to descend. With a casual wave, Debro caused the droplets to evaporate instantly. I dislike moisture, unless it arrives via sweat during moments of pleasure, he murmured, his gaze drifting once more toward Asher's location, utterly indifferent to the creature before him.

The beast lunged, its claws whistling through the air, yet Debro swayed with minimal effort. He dodged with the precise, condescending grace one might show a misbehaving child. The Emovira intensified its barrage, but Debro maneuvered through the chaos with a vacant, unfocused gaze.

He was merely biding his time, waiting for Asher to conclude his business.

Each failed strike stoked the creature's rage. To Debro, the monstrosity's display was weightless. While the beast could transcend its own rank, Debro stood at the pinnacle of the Radiant Wavestar class. The creature’s struggle was nothing more than a tantrum.

Memories of the lab—the chains, the agonizing surgeries, the repeated harvesting of his organs—flooded the creature’s mind, driving its fury to a fever pitch. And yet, standing before his tormentor, none of it mattered. Intelligence and rage were futile against such absolute atmospheric power.

The Emovira erupted in a final surge of Astra energy, a stellar detonation that slammed into Debro’s chest. Debro merely raised a hand, erasing the impact as if flicking away a gnat.

All that anger, for nothing, Debro sighed as the energy flickered out. You may be a genius, but I am one as well. He paused, eyes wandering again. Continue to entertain me, until I decide I am ready to claim you. His voice remained final, the outcome of the battle already etched in his mind.