CLEAVER OF SIN Chapter 704: Fourth Day

The fourth day since Asher’s return to the Star Academy had now dawned. Today, William, Finch, and Lucifer Morningstar prepared for another mission, a day after their agreement. Asher, not being part of their team, offered no official input on their decisions.

Asher was well aware that missions undertaken by William, Finch, and Lucifer typically spanned several days, possibly a week, depending on their effectiveness. However, he also recognized that despite William's usual jovial demeanor, the young man possessed remarkable cunning and sharp intellect when Asher wasn't present. Thus, Asher felt confident the mission would conclude swiftly, within a couple of days, without undue prolonging.

Asher’s own objective for joining the mission was simple: to observe and relax. He had no intention of engaging in combat or direct participation. His role would be that of a hands-off Instructor, intervening only if challenges arose that were beyond William, Finch, and Lucifer's capabilities. He aimed to maintain a detached yet watchful stance, ensuring the situation never escalated out of their control.

He was determined not to deprive them of the growth opportunities afforded by battles and life-or-death encounters. His strategy for non-intervention was straightforward: upon the appearance of any adversary, he would simply turn invisible and observe from the concealment of the shadows. Furthermore, with his Omni Perception now extending nearly a kilometer, he could detect incoming threats long before they sensed him or his companions. Naturally, Asher would not issue warnings; he would remain hidden, allowing events to naturally unfold without his interference or direction.

Despite his intention to remain uninvolved, Asher donned his breastplate and vambraces, preparing himself with earnestness. While the mission's objective was considerably beneath his own level, he understood that the unexpected could always occur, and he was too wise to dismiss the inherent dangers lurking within seemingly straightforward tasks.

Although William possessed sufficient strength to commence solo missions, much like Ryaen and Asher, his exceptionally potent abilities paradoxically became his greatest vulnerability. He was required to acquire a new ability every twenty-four hours and was forbidden from replicating abilities consecutively. This necessitated the constant presence of at least two teammates to sustain his combat flexibility.

These were his inherent limitations, restrictions he could not disregard.

Certainly, he could still opt for solo missions, but he would be forced to fight without any special abilities, relying solely on his physical prowess – his speed, strength, resilience, and Astra energy augmentation. This path was considerably more perilous than it appeared and could easily prove fatal if miscalculated.

William was fully aware of this, but was he prepared to gamble with his life? Undeniably, no. He was no fool who would carelessly risk his existence, regardless of his confidence in his inherent capabilities and natural talent.

A knock echoed from Asher’s room door. Asher, who had been standing in his living room, lost in quiet contemplation while gazing at his reflection in the mirror, turned and walked toward the door, opening it. There stood William, Finch, and Lucifer, their expressions a mixture of anticipation.

“Are you ready?” William inquired, taking the lead.

“As you can see,” Asher responded, closing the door behind him and stepping into the hallway with composed, steady steps.

His gaze immediately shifted to Lucifer, who stood motionlessly, unarmed. The instant their eyes met, Lucifer stepped forward, speaking.

“I greet the Tenth Sun,” he said, his tone respectful and calm as he offered a slight bow. Asher was a noble, while Lucifer was a commoner. Naturally, he did not extend this courtesy to every noble, but individuals of the Wargrave lineage or the Imperial family possessed a vastly different standing and aura.

“Good morning, Lucifer,” Asher replied, his expression unchanged. Although he had never directly conversed with Lucifer before, he was aware of the young man's considerable strength, possessing the ability to phase through any substance as long as his Astra energy sustained him.

“And next time, a simple greeting will suffice; there is no need to bow,” Asher added with an indifferent mien, as Lucifer’s bow unexpectedly brought a faint recollection of Lyra to mind.

“I understand, Tenth Sun,” Lucifer replied, a subtle smile gracing his lips, seemingly unable to comprehend that he was conversing with an actual Wargrave.

Asher did not abruptly instruct Lucifer to use his given name; the privilege of using it was strictly reserved for his companions. All others were permitted to continue addressing him as the 'Tenth Sun.' Naturally, it wasn't as though Asher would transform into an ostentatious Young Master and mete out punishment if his name were spoken; he would merely acknowledge the address and continue on his way without undue fuss.

But as fate would have it, no one dared to call Asher by his name. It was commonly understood that only those individuals capable of matching a Wargrave—or those who arrogantly believed they could—would employ a Wargrave's given name, unless they were already friends or recognized equals.

"As I've stated, since Asher is accompanying us, we should undertake a more challenging mission this time. With his presence in our group, we are guaranteed to secure a substantial bounty of bonus points," Finch declared, his businessman's acumen seemingly detecting the scent of profit from afar, unwilling to let such a lucrative chance slip away.

William and Lucifer promptly acknowledged his statement with nods.

"I would advise against that," Asher interjected as they descended the staircase, a deviation from his usual conduct since his enrollment at Star Academy.

"Huh, why is that?" William inquired.

"Because I do not intend to intervene," Asher responded, proceeding to articulate his reasoning in a composed and direct manner, without any hesitation.

"I suppose that is understandable," William replied, his expression unchanged. "But at the very least, I can put the skills I've honed over the past three days into practice." A smile graced his lips, his eagerness to test his abilities and gauge his progress palpable.

"A mission posted by a noble or an individual of high standing would be most fitting for us, as they would recognize Asher immediately. While he might not be actively participating, it doesn't preclude us from benefiting from his reputation once we reach the mission's conclusion... hehehehe," Finch chuckled, his intentions thinly veiled.

Despite not voicing it aloud, Finch, who had previously shown a degree of hesitancy towards combat, found himself anticipating this particular mission. After all, as William had pointed out, this was the opportune moment to appraise the outcomes of five thousand points’ worth of dedicated training and effort.

Lucifer remained silent. He found himself unable to formulate an opinion or contribute words, as he felt unable to speak with such familiarity in Asher's presence. He chose instead to maintain a quiet, observant demeanor, absorbing all that transpired.

In a short span of time, they reached the Logistics and Missions Operations Hall. After meticulously perusing the available missions, they selected the most suitable one and then vanished from the Separate Dimension, embarking on their journey. They stepped into the unknown, each carrying a unique blend of anticipation and self-assurance.