CLEAVER OF SIN Chapter 623: Preparation For An All Out War

Upon Asher's sudden appearance, he clicked his tongue in frustration. ’Why do the Wargraves keep forcing teleports on everyone?’ he wondered irritably, growing weary of the constant disruptions. Malrik had dragged him back to the Wargrave Estate via forceful teleportation, and now the Great Elder had ejected him from the Library through a portal without any consideration.

Yet he understood it stemmed from his own weakness; had he been powerful enough, resisting the teleport would have been effortless.

He glanced at the Library entrance, his Omni Perception letting him peer clearly inside. Great Elder Morthen was gravely briefing the other seven Elders. In the blink of an eye, right before Asher, they all disappeared, as if gifted with instant teleportation powers.

Asher required no speculation; he knew they were either speeding to the capital or straight to Malrik’s present position, no matter where that was now.

Letting out a sigh, Asher pivoted and started walking off. This represented his limit. Contacting Azaron to warn him proved impossible; he could merely trust the news reached him promptly. Midway through his stride, Asher froze as a new presence materialized nearby—it was Yveric.

’Is teleportation a universal skill nowadays?’ Asher mused in faint astonishment. Yet Yveric hadn’t teleported; Crownstar Life Rankers moved so swiftly that to weaker observers with duller senses, it mimicked teleportation perfectly.

As soon as Yveric materialized, he inquired, "Tenth Sun, might I ask what is happening?" His voice stayed composed yet carried a sharp urgency. Though details escaped him, he had detected Asher’s compelled return alongside the First Sun’s golden-orange energy. Then Asher entered the Library for a meeting with the Great Elder, who called the others, and they all rushed away.

Even without overhearing, he grasped that a major event brewed, likely tied to Malrik. He suspected it linked to whatever felled Asher two days prior.

Asher exhaled and recounted the full story to Yveric without holding back. Yveric regarded him briefly, face impassive, then gave a subtle nod while saying, "The Elders will handle the matter. Thank you for the information, Tenth Sun. I will also make preparations," he declared steadily, before vanishing instantly from sight.

’Preparations?’ Asher pondered, puzzlement crossing his thoughts. What could this man prepare? He surely wouldn’t abandon the Wargrave Estate. But before deeper reflection, a colossal energy burst exploded over the whole Wargrave Estate.

Asher blinked away from his spot, reappearing airborne moments later. His gaze lifted skyward, beholding a vast golden dome shielding the entire Wargrave Estate, exuding a domineering aura.

Wargrave Knights leaped into readiness. Thousands materialized atop the golden dome, auras flaring as they soared toward the heavens, weapons unsheathed and primed for instant battle.

This action rippled across the vast Wargrave Ducal lands, stretching hundreds of kilometers. Panic gripped the populace upon sighting the huge dome over the Estate. If Wargraves fortified thus, disaster loomed inescapably.

That insight halted all pursuits; folk dashed homeward, barricading doors in terror. Yet shrewd, mighty, bold sorts opted otherwise—they kept stalls open, quietly hiking prices, betting on looming war and skyrocketing demand.

Naturally, merchants avoided blatant gouging, lest Wargrave Knights or the Duke himself descend uninvited.

A colossal blast thundered overhead anew, birthing yet another enormous golden dome that engulfed the full Wargrave territory. Knights by the thousands dotted the landscape; some hovered aloft, others perched on rooftops. At frontiers, they swiftly assumed identity checks from prior guards.

War engines and siege weapons rolled out promptly. Heavy cannons aligned with exact care, while gigantic mechanical crossbows anchored to earth with remarkable swiftness, as if Wargrave Knights had drilled this routine endlessly.

Asher hovered aloft, quietly watching the frenzy below. He wondered if the Wargraves overdid it. Yveric had mobilized for total war without pause or doubt.

Though no Emperor, Asher knew the Empire couldn’t stomach civil strife now. His mind recalled the Star Academy mission detailing a rival Empire posing as bandits to breach borders.

Indeed, any whiff of discord would draw not one, but all three enemy Empires to exploit it. They’d ignite chaos, striving to drown Zarethorn Empire in anarchy. Total destruction might elude them, but the havoc would render ’catastrophic’ a mild term.

’Sigh... I was meant to depart with Lyra in five hours. Hope this wraps up by then,’ Asher mused with a soft sigh.

His eyes dropped to the chaos: folk piling into carriages and carts, lashing Enduron horses and regular steeds in haste homeward. Parents gripped offspring in dread, fleeing desperately. A veritable stampede shook the earth from the frantic masses.

No proclamations issued, no clarifications offered—silence absolute. Still, Crymora’s denizens knew war and mortality too well to miss the omens.

Asher merely shook his head. He trusted no clash would erupt here. Yveric likely agreed, yet vigilance trumped all. After all, the Emperor might cast caution aside for a brutal Wargrave purge, heedless of fallout or bloodshed.

’Sigh... that’s why I skipped otaku dreams of reincarnation like other weebs. Every transmigration world drowns in slaughter, ruin, and devastation,’ Asher reflected with tired resignation.

Shaking his head lightly, he dissolved from midair.

As others geared for total war, he sought relaxation and a meal. Fighting hungry was no option, after all.

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