CLEAVER OF SIN Chapter 734: Harsh Reality [Golden Gachapon Bonus - ]

Over an hour had elapsed with Asher in a deep sleep when a knock suddenly reverberated through the room, jarring him awake. His eyes flew open, and with a weary sigh escaping his lips, he stood and approached the door. Upon opening it, he was met with the sight of William, Finch, Ryaen, and none other than the Royal Prince himself, Vaelric Lux Vanthelmor, waiting outside.

Asher harbored no surprise at their arrival; he had anticipated their visit eventually. However, Vaelric’s inclusion did cause a slight flicker of astonishment.

‘It appears he merely tagged along,’ Asher mused internally.

It was evident that the Prince was making a concerted effort to foster a friendly rapport with Asher.

Before Asher could utter a single word, Finch strode into the room as if he were the master of the house, with William close on his heels. Ryaen followed suit, offering Asher a brief nod before proceeding after Finch and William. The Prince, too, entered without a word.

Asher could only let out another sigh and shake his head, closing the door behind them. What exactly was he expected to do now? Physically remove them from his residence?

With that thought, he moved towards the living room, where the others had already made themselves comfortable. William and Finch had collapsed onto a couch, lying face down, while Asher took a seat on another, observing them in silence.

"Urgh, even after sleeping for so long, I still feel utterly drained," Finch grumbled, rolling onto his back with a look of exhaustion.

"It’s simply mental fatigue, that’s all," William responded, mirroring Finch’s action by shifting onto his back and gazing at the ceiling.

"You two seem to be in much better shape," William then remarked, his gaze shifting towards Ryaen and Vaelric.

"Physically and mentally, I am already restored to my peak condition," the Prince replied promptly.

Ryaen, meanwhile, remained silent, offering no verbal response. She sat quietly, detached from the conversation as if she were not present, a behavior that caused no one any concern, given her naturally reserved disposition.

"So, are any of you feeling any stronger?" Asher finally inquired, deeming it the opportune moment following their training session the previous day.

Finch immediately perked up, a smile illuminating his face as he exclaimed, "Just as Instructor Sam mentioned, while we didn't achieve a breakthrough to Life Rank, we are now capable of defeating our past selves from a month ago." A discernible hint of pride laced his voice; who wouldn't relish the feeling of becoming more powerful?

A collective glance was cast towards Finch, followed by slight shakes of the head. He was, by all accounts, the least powerful individual in the room, so the others simply offered gentle smiles and no further comment.

"Your Highness, do you possess any specific details concerning this Inter-Empire Competition?" William inquired. Despite sitting directly opposite Vaelric, he still hesitated to address the Prince with casual familiarity.

"Kindly refer to me as Vaelric henceforth; titles are unnecessary," the Prince replied, a slight shake of his head accompanying his words. "As for the information you seek... well, the only certainty is that it will be broadcast live across the entire globe and all the Empires. Beyond that, my knowledge is quite limited." His tone remained consistently calm and composed.

William fell silent. Although Vaelric had granted him permission to use his name, a sense of unease persisted. Curiously, this hesitation was entirely absent when Asher had similarly requested he drop the use of honorifics.

"Well, Finch had already surmised as much. I suppose this essentially confirms it, especially coming from the Emperor himself," Asher commented calmly.

Ryaen paused, lost in contemplation for a moment before finally speaking. "I do wonder how many exceptionally talented and formidable individuals I shall have the opportunity to contend with." Her voice was soft and barely audible.

"I am certain we are in for quite an exciting experience," Finch chimed in with a broad grin. Despite being the least potent among them, his enthusiasm for participating in such a prestigious event was undeniable.

"I wonder if there exists anyone with a talent as outrageous as Asher’s," Ryaen mused again, her gaze drifting towards Asher.

Before anyone else could offer a response, Vaelric interjected, "I find that highly improbable. After all, even within the Wargraves, the Tenth Sun is recognized as the most exceptionally gifted." His delivery was casual, yet his words clearly conveyed profound admiration.

Asher’s eyes briefly flickered towards Vaelric, a fleeting thought crossing his mind about the Prince potentially developing into a devoted admirer. However, he offered no verbal acknowledgment.

"I genuinely hope to encounter someone capable of pushing me to unleash my full capabilities," Asher declared without hesitation.

Despite possessing overwhelming power for his age and cultivation rank, Asher held no particular concern. He was not the sort of individual who would deliberately conceal his strength by feigning weakness. There was a distinct difference between strategically hiding one's trump cards and intentionally projecting an image of frailty.

"Sigh... I truly hope not. The pressure from Asher’s mere existence is already immense. I certainly don’t want more individuals like him to suddenly appear everywhere," William responded, shaking his head. Personally, the thought of such a terrifying possibility was beyond his comprehension.

"Consider if someone even more exceptionally talented than him were to exist," Finch mused, letting the idea play out in his mind.

Silence fell afterward as they all collectively shook their heads. If such a peerless individual truly existed, the Inter-Empire Competition would, in effect, be rendered null and void. All rewards ought to be directly awarded to that singular person. After all, why would anyone else wish to publicly humiliate themselves on a global live broadcast? It would only bring shame upon themselves, their families, and their respective Empires.

"Speaking of excitement, as Finch brought up earlier," Asher interjected, smoothly shifting the conversation, "shouldn’t you actually be concerned, Finch?" Asher inquired, his gaze turning towards Finch.

Finch’s eyebrow arched in bewilderment, unsure of Asher’s implication.

Observing Finch’s confusion, Asher elaborated, "The Prince has just affirmed that the competition shall be broadcast live across all nations and Empires. Are you not worried about Rachael, your dear little sister? I can only wonder what expression she will wear when she witnesses the performance of her most accomplished elder brother." His tone was distinctly teasing and lighthearted.

Upon hearing Asher’s words, Finch instantly froze. His mind, by instinct, gravitated towards his little sister—her innocent smile, the cherished nickname she had bestowed upon him years prior, her boundless enthusiasm, her aspirations, her cheerful disposition.

Every cherished memory and hope was on the verge of shattering the moment Rachael tuned into the live broadcast.

Finch’s face contorted in distress as he found himself utterly lost, unsure of what action to take or even what words to utter. He, who had been genuinely anticipating the competition mere moments before, now felt an overwhelming desire to withdraw from it entirely. He appeared to be overcome by instant despair.

A fleeting thought surfaced in his mind, ‘I wonder if my ability, Good Luck, can at least help me avoid being chosen to represent Star Academy,’ he desperately pondered, yearning to safeguard his little sister’s happiness and her untainted innocence.

But alas, could his Good Luck ability truly exert influence over such a matter? He possessed no genuine certainty.

The ability typically activated at its own whim, and predominantly when his life was in peril. Beyond those instances, Finch was essentially left to his own devices.

Little, dear Rachael was poised to confront the stark realities of the world firsthand.

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