CLEAVER OF SIN Chapter 751: False Advertising

A hush fell over the entire lower floor of the shopping skyscraper complex, a silence more profound than any graveyard. Every onlooker, rendered immobile, dared not to exhale or even flutter an eyelid. The collective shock stemmed from a simple, undeniable fact: they recognized the boy. He hailed from one of the prominent families within the Thalvorn Empire.

His name was Maximus.

While possessing a modicum of talent, he was vastly outshone by his own siblings. In a world where nobles placed supreme value on prodigious talent, he was a mere Nobody in the estimation of many. Lacking any constructive outlet for his simmering anger and frustration, he had devolved into a complete degenerate, indulging in the abuse of women, tormenting commoners, and eliminating anyone who displeated him.

Despite being a stain on his family’s name, they consistently swept his misdeeds under the rug. Moreover, virtually no media outlet dared to provoke the ire of a noble house. While Maximus rarely garnered significant online attention, he was nonetheless a recognized figure within specific circles.

Even though he fell short of his family’s lofty standards, any ordinary commoner would have considered his inherent talent a gift worth killing for. In comparison to the average populace, he remained a genius, standing leagues above them.

Maximus’s gaze was fixed upon the coin lying at his feet. He stood rooted to the spot, paralyzed by sheer astonishment. This was the first instance anyone outside his family, or other noble children his age, had ever addressed him in such a manner.

One of the three accompanying guards instinctively moved his hand towards the weapon sheathed at his hip, preparing to instantly decapitate Asher for his audacious insolence. However, Maximus merely raised a hand, a single gesture that brought the guard’s swift action to an immediate halt.

"Do you have any idea who I am?" Maximus inquired, his voice turning frigid as anger ignited within his chest like a burgeoning inferno.

"Did your mother and father fail to inform you?" Asher retorted, fixing the boy with an expression of utter indifference and haughty disdain. The considerable difference in their heights made it appear as though Asher was looking down upon the entirety of the world. Asher had grown remarkably, standing at a towering seven foot two inches after the past eight months.

His response deepened the chilling silence surrounding them. The stillness, reminiscent of a graveyard’s atmosphere, instilled a terrifying premonition in the onlookers that this shopping complex was on the verge of becoming an actual place of death.

As if sensing the imminent specter of death, a considerable number of people began to retreat, unwilling to be ens Wept into the ensuing crossfire. This was the Zero Rings, a stark contrast to the Outer Rings where rudimentary rules offered some protection to the unawakened from the awakened. Here, the law of the jungle prevailed; the strongest reigned supreme.

"If you prostrate yourself before me and sever your Astra veins, I may refrain from instructing my Father or Elder Brother to annihilate your family… no, your entire Empire," Asher added, his tone flat and utterly devoid of emotion.

The instant his words concluded, the guards ceased their hesitation and launched into action. Naturally, only one of them committed to the assault. After all, how could three guards engage in a coordinated attack against five unknown youths?

The guard arrived in a swift blur, uttering no words, no shouts, nor engaging in any pointless exchanges with Asher. His sole intent was lethal. As the sword arced towards Asher’s neck with terrifying velocity, Asher reacted instantaneously. He ducked deftly beneath the deadly slash, his palm darting towards the guard’s elbow, and with a sickening, bone-shattering impact, Asher snapped it in two.

The guard’s mouth contorted, preparing to unleash a scream of agony, but Asher denied him the opportunity. He promptly followed his initial strike with a second, a powerful uppercut that landed squarely on the guard’s jaw with immense force. The guard’s head snapped backward violently, his body succumbing to gravity and crashing onto the ground before his consciousness completely dissipated.

The remaining two guards converged with incredible speed, their movements becoming indistinct phantoms to the untrained eye. Yet, this made no difference to Asher. His hand blurred upwards, intercepting a spear thrust aimed directly at his forehead. With a convulsive clench of his fist, the spear instantly disintegrated into a myriad of sharp metal fragments.

Before the guard could even process the event, Asher's foot slammed against his jawline with calculated precision and effortless grace. The guard’s body was flung through the air like an uncontrolled projectile, violently colliding with a nearby storefront, his form shattering glass and wreaking havoc upon the establishment upon impact.

The final guard's attack was already in full motion, but Asher simply leaned backward, evading the lethal blow. The massive halberd sliced through the air mere inches from where his neck had been a split second prior. His hand shot upward, grasping the pole of the menacing halberd before yanking it forward with brutal force.

The guard lunged forward, but in a flash, a knee strike slammed into his chest. The immense power of the blow shattered his breastplate, sending his body hurtling through the structures behind him like a blur.

Asher’s gaze shifted to Maximus, his demeanor completely unfazed, his breathing steady. While it appeared effortless, those guards were all at the Swiftstar Life Rank. Though they might have been sufficient to fend off individuals Maximus encountered regularly, they proved utterly useless against Asher.

Even after Asher subdued his three guards with ease, Maximus maintained his composure, his eyes still blazing with hatred, refusing to plead for mercy.

Asher advanced slowly towards Maximus, remarking, "You know, I can never fathom why Young Masters can't simply remain at home and bask in their wealth," his voice calm and strangely nonchalant.

His hand lifted indifferently as he added, "Even if you are worthless, at least try to be a respectable kind of worthless." In a swift movement, Asher’s palm connected with Maximus’ cheek with crushing force, a thunderous slap resounding through the lower level.

Maximus’ head whipped to the left, his cheek instantly turning crimson while his lips split, blood trickling from them. But the instant his head stopped moving, Asher’s hand struck again, this time with a backhand slap.

Maximus’ head snapped to the right with even greater velocity, several teeth dislodging from his gums and mouth, blood erupting through the air. He collapsed onto his knees under the sheer magnitude of the second impact.

His eyes slowly lifted, fixing on Asher with a searing hatred. He grasped his inferiority and the defeat of his guards. He abstained from uttering arrogant words or issuing futile threats. He vowed to settle this score later, determined never to let this humiliation go unaddressed.

"You know, it's amusing how they call it 'face-slapping' yet often refrain from actually striking a face," Asher commented, observing the kneeling youth. "False advertising, perhaps," he added with a hint of amusement in his tone.

"From that venomous glare, I am certain you intend to involve your family against me," Asher continued, discerning the boy's intentions purely through his eyes. "And I shall be waiting. I am eager to witness if your family can force mine into submission," his voice resonating with a resolute curiosity.

With that final, audacious declaration, Asher’s palm connected with Maximus’ cheek once more, like a persistent connection, for a final strike that sounded even more resounding than the previous ones. The young man’s body finally succumbed to the immense pressure of the last slap, rendering him unconscious onto the floor.

Asher cast a brief glance down at the fallen, unconscious figure before stepping over him as if he were merely another insignificant stone on the path.

Ryaen, Finch, Vaelric, and William followed closely behind him, departing together without a backward glance.