CLEAVER OF SIN Chapter 675: Return

With a flash of white light, Asher materialized within the Logistics and Missions Operation Hall. He stood still for a moment, taking a deep breath as if acclimating himself back to the Star Academy's environment after his absence. The mission had granted him a full month, thirty days, to complete it, yet he had managed to achieve the objective in just ten days, a mere third of the allocated time.

He then turned and proceeded towards his Facilitator, who exhibited his usual nonchalant demeanor, displaying a relaxed posture and an indifferent air. However, upon noticing Asher, a flicker of alertness ignited in his eyes, his professional side instantly surfacing and dispelling the sluggishness with keen attention.

"You've finally decided to grace us with your return," the Facilitator remarked, his tone casual yet carrying an understated acknowledgment, as if he had anticipated Asher's arrival.

"You speak as if my return was expected," Asher responded composedly, stopping before the Facilitator's desk. His gaze was steady, his expression inscrutable.

"Indeed, especially since you left fifteen villagers in our care and then promptly disappeared," the Facilitator replied, extending his hand to request the mission scroll, his fingers rhythmically tapping on the desk in anticipation.

"The mission entailed not only the rescue of the villagers but also the eradication of the perpetrators behind their abduction. My immediate departure was to address this very issue. Had I remained, the mission would have been incomplete," Asher explained, handing over the parchment. His explanation was brief but thorough.

The Facilitator nodded, accepting the scroll from Asher. He calmly affixed his stamp to the document with smooth, practiced movements, as if performing the action habitually.

Asher observed the Facilitator, sensing an unusual level of engagement compared to the man's typical detachment. It seemed as though this particular mission had genuinely captured his interest.

After a short pause, the Facilitator announced, "We have received confirmation of mission completion. The reward includes thirty thousand academy points, supplemented by one thousand points for each villager rescued, totaling forty-five thousand academy points." His voice was even and measured. As he spoke, his hand moved towards an orb, and moments later, Asher felt his Point Card vibrate within his space ring. He knew without a doubt that the Facilitator was crediting him with the forty-five thousand academy points.

Asher retrieved his Point Card, his eyes briefly scanning the familiar interface.

---

Name: Asher Wargrave

Class: ★

Rank: 1

Points: 45,700

---

Before embarking on this mission, he possessed approximately seven hundred points. "This amount should suffice for the time being, though I must continue to take on more missions, amass a substantial number of points, and then train diligently for months, emerging only for crucial exams or designated rest periods," Asher mused internally, his mind already charting a course of calculated actions.

"Thank you," he expressed to the Facilitator as his Point Card disappeared from his hand and was returned to his space ring.

"You are most welcome," the Facilitator responded neutrally, his attention already drifting elsewhere.

"One question: where are the villagers?" Asher inquired. He had entrusted them to the Facilitator's care before rushing off to aid Debro and his team, and thus was unaware of their current location.

"They are at the Healing Department," the Facilitator stated without hesitation, his response immediate.

Asher nodded wordlessly and turned, walking towards the exit of the building. Emerging from the Logistics and Missions Operation Hall, he encountered two students deeply engrossed in conversation, their laughter filling the air. Completely oblivious to Asher's exit, one of them accidentally bumped into him. The impact was so forceful that the student, as if colliding with a solid wall, stumbled backward and landed heavily on his posterior, the jolt reverberating through him.

The student immediately looked up, preparing to reprimand whoever had bumped into him, irritation already contorting his features. However, the instant his gaze fell upon Asher, his words caught in his throat, silenced by an overwhelming wave of fear that instantly seized him.

Asher's eyes drifted downward, observing the student on the ground. His recent activation of the Limitless Physical Growth ability had once again increased his height, now reaching an imposing six feet and nine inches. Compared to the student, who stood at six feet and two inches, Asher appeared colossal, his sheer presence alone capable of inducing intimidation.

"Te... Ten... Tenth... S... Su... Sun," the fallen student stammered, his tongue and throat seemingly held captive, preventing coherent speech.

The second student, who had narrowly avoided colliding with Asher, bolted immediately, forfeiting his friend rather than facing the ire of a Wargrave. Though they were companions, they were not bound by a loyalty that demanded mutual self-sacrifice.

"I... I... apologize... Tenth Sun... please... sp... spare my... family," the student pleaded, tears streaming down his face, his voice cracking with fear. Before Asher could utter a word, the student succumbed to overwhelming terror and fainted, his body collapsing limply.

Asher remained still, bewildered by the bizarre turn of events. He recognized them as classmates, and having spent nearly three months at Star Academy, he assumed students were accustomed to his presence and extraordinary talent. They neither cowered before him nor actively avoided him.

Yet, this sudden display left him perplexed, a rare sensation for him.

Unbeknownst to Asher, rumors and intelligence traveled with a speed unmatched by any known contagion. Despite the Wargrave Ducal family's assault on the Imperial family occurring less than twenty-four hours prior, the news had already infiltrated the Empire and reached Star Academy through myriad channels.

As for the remarkable celerity of this information's dissemination, Asher wasn't the sole individual undertaking a mission; students from the first to the third year were all engaged in their respective assignments. With numerous individuals returning within the last few hours, all bearing the same intelligence, the account had spread like an epidemic.

This explains why, out of the two students, one had instantly fled, using his friend as a diversion, while the other had collapsed in sheer terror. After all, if the Wargraves dared to attack the Imperial Palace, their own families were insignificant pawns, easily extinguished without repercussion.

Asher dismissed the incident with a shake of his head, choosing not to dwell on the peculiar encounter. He simply stepped over the unconscious student, leaving him on the ground, and resumed his journey to the Healing Department. His footsteps remained steady, his mind already disengaging from the event as if it held no lasting significance.