CLEAVER OF SIN

Asher sat in his carriage… restless. His though unfocused, burned with anticipation. Every passing second felt like an eternity gnawing away at his patience. He wanted to get home quickly, no, immediately, and uncover the mystery behind the stone… the Star Core Fragment. The unknown power it might hold gnawed at his mind like an insatiable itch. He couldn't wait.

This was an opportunity to become even more overpowered, perhaps incomparably so. Though his eyes were closed in what might have seemed like calm repose, his foot tapped relentlessly against the carriage floorboard, the rhythm quick and impatient, betraying the storm inside him.

Lyra and the Vice Commander, seated across and beside from him, exchanged quiet glances. From their position, they watched the Tenth Sun's strange demeanor with mounting curiosity, wondering what thoughts could be occupying his mind so deeply.

'Should I just activate the teleportation mark?' Asher mused to himself. If he teleported now, he would arrive far sooner, bypassing the tedious journey altogether.

Lyra, unable to contain her concern after a long moment of silence, finally asked, "Young Master, is something the matter? I'm ready to help if there's anything I can do."

Asher's eyelids opened, his piercing gaze meeting hers briefly. He exhaled in a slow, measured sigh before speaking. "Nothing in particular. I'm simply restless. I just hope this Academy session begins soon."

Lyra hesitated, unsure of what else to say, and merely nodded in acknowledgment. She had already entertained countless thoughts about how she might follow Asher to the Academy, yet she realized she knew almost nothing about it. Even so, she had silently resolved to find a way.

With a slight shake of her head, she chose, for now, to set the matter aside.

At the side, Vice Commander Cassandra tilted her head slightly, his eyes narrowing as she stared ahead. Noticing this subtle motion, Asher asked, "What's wrong?"

The Vice Commander turned her head toward Asher, answering with practiced calm, "Nothing serious, Tenth Sun. Just some people from the auction already killing over items they couldn't afford with gold coins at the auction house."

Asher nodded gently before allowing his eyes to close again. He knew this sort of thing was not uncommon. Within the auction houses, there were always some who came not to bid, but to watch, and to mark wealthy winners as prey for an ambush on their way home.

A thought crept into his mind. What if the Orchid Auction House itself was orchestrating this? Imagine: they sell items to bidders, then send out men to rob and kill those very buyers on their return journey.

This way, they would reclaim both the gold coins and the valuable items they had just auctioned off. Of course, they would not dare to do this for every trinket, lest suspicion spread like wildfire. No, only the rarest, most precious items would warrant such a scheme.

They would be using chaos as a smokescreen to harvest more profit.

But that was just Asher's speculation, nothing more. Whether it was true or not ultimately had nothing to do with him, unless it became his problem.

Within minutes, the carriage rolled to a stop before the gates of the Wargrave estate. Asher wasted no time. He offered a brief farewell to the Vice Commander and Kent before striding quickly toward the entrance, Lyra trailing close behind, her steps quick and soundless.

Kent and Cassandra exchanged curious looks as they watched him disappear into the estate.

Then, a sudden thought crossed Kent's mind, unbidden and somewhat ridiculous. 'It seems the Tenth Sun urgently needs to use the toilet… perhaps I should have urged the horses to move faster.'

If Asher had heard that particular thought, he would have sighed deeply at the man's uncanny ability to overthink the most absurd possibilities.

Before entering his private chambers, Asher turned to Lyra and spoke in a low, firm voice.

"Do not let anyone in. No matter who they are. Even if Zarek himself comes, tell him to wait outside until I am out."

Lyra nodded, understanding the weight behind his order. She did not know the reason, nor was it her place to ask. She was a shadow at his side, and shadows did not question the sun they served.

With a wave of her hand, she summoned the square-shaped glass case holding the black stone, then extended it toward him. Asher accepted it without a word.

Once inside his quarters, he moved with urgency. Clothes were shed and discarded without care as he headed straight for the training chamber. The glass case never left his grasp.

Within the chamber's sealed silence, he lowered himself into a lotus position on the polished floor. Setting the glass case before him, he opened it and lifted the black stone into his hand.

'System. Don't keep me waiting. What can this thing do?' he thought, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. His mind was already alive with visions of the possibilities.

[Why talk about it, when the system can show you?]

The system's chime rang out in his mind, soft but crystalline.

'What do you even mea—'

Before he could finish his thought, the chime returned, this time carrying a far more serious tone.

[Creating a barrier to protect and cover the entire room, preventing anything from leaking out]

Without warning, Asher felt a surge of energy burst from his very being, spreading outward like invisible fire. It raced across the chamber's walls, ceiling, and floor, sealing everything with absolute precision, as though locking away the world outside from whatever was about to unfold within.

He remained silent, watching without interference as the system worked.

Then, as he examined the stone in his palm, a faint crack split across its surface. The sound was sharp, almost like the snap of breaking ice. The fissure branched rapidly, spreading in jagged lines until, with a soft pop and a burst of light, the stone shattered.

Instantly, a searing heat engulfed him. His vision was swallowed by blinding radiance, and pain like molten fire tore through every inch of his body. Before he could even open his mouth to scream, the agony vanished, erased as though it had never existed.

[Ding]

[Healing the Host back to peak condition. Defensive capabilities activated]

His breathing steadied almost instantly. Vision returned, though the moment his eyes opened, another wave of blinding light crashed against them. This time, however, the system's defensive protocols shielded his senses, allowing his sight to adjust in seconds.

What he saw before him froze him in awe.

Suspended in the air, no larger than a drop of water, hovered a perfect golden orb. It pulsed with a brilliance so pure and overpowering it seemed almost alive. Waves of overwhelming energy radiated from it, illuminating the entire chamber in a sea of golden light.

If not for the protective shield the system had deployed earlier, Asher was certain the sheer magnitude of this energy would have bled out into the world beyond, drawing countless powerful beings to his doorstep within moments.

He could feel the energy, its rhythm, its texture, its strange familiarity. And yet, it was distant, elusive, like a dream he could almost recall but never truly grasp. He didn't understand it, but that hardly mattered. He had the system, and the system would guide him.

'What now?' he asked silently.

[Merge?]