CLEAVER OF SIN

Asher's gaze flickered upward to the sky when his system, his ever-present clock, which had been dutifully keeping track of time informed him that an hour had passed since the trial began.

The glowing interface shifted, displaying the leaderboard for the ongoing battle exam.

BATTLE EXAM RANKING

1 / Asher Wargrave / 3045 Points

2 / William Canestane / 2983 Points

3 / Vaelra Lux Vanthelmor / 2979 Points

4 / Vaelric Lux Vanthelmor / 2975 Points

5 / Caelan Stormveil / 2845 Points

6 / Ryaen Silvershade / 2830 Points

7 / Beryon Ravencroft / 2827 Points

8 / Darissa Camber / 2434 Points

9 / Michael Morningstar / 2234 Points

10 / Oliver Twist / 2229 Points

TIME REMAINING: 3 HOURS 59 MINUTES

Asher's eyes gleamed faintly as he scanned the top ten rankings. A small, amused smile graced his lips when he saw William seated firmly in second place, just one rank beneath him.

William wasn't trailing far either; the difference was a mere sixty-two points.

'It seems I might have to pick up the pace. If I don't, that overanalyzer might actually overtake me,' Asher mused inwardly, his thoughts tinged with amusement.

His gaze shifted to the third and fourth spots, occupied by the royal twins Vaelra and Vaelric Lux Vanthelmor. Their presence came as no surprise. Their bloodline was nothing short of monstrous, overflowing with power and privilege.

They weren't simply any students; they were the crowned prince and princess of the empire. From birth, they had been groomed in strength, honed in battle, and nurtured with resources that even nobles could only dream of. Training before the awakening of their bloodline abilities had already placed them on a higher pedestal than most competitors.

But still… William had managed to surpass the two of them. That detail alone sparked Asher's curiosity. 'What exactly was that boy's awakened ability? What kind of power allowed him to push past such overwhelming opponents?'

His lips curved further into a thin smile at the thought.

"Fifth through seventh being gatekept by Ducal families, no surprise there," Asher murmured softly to himself.

His attention settled momentarily on the sixth spot. 'Ryaen Silvershade. The twin sister of Ryan Silvershade…' He had heard the stories. She had inherited all the talent, all the potential, while her twin brother had been left with almost nothing. Nature's cruelty was as merciless as it was selective.

When his eyes landed on the name ranked eighth, his smile returned.

Darissa Camber.

The memory of their first meeting resurfaced, at the Royal Party, the same event where he had crossed paths with Ryan and the twin royals. She had been calm, steady, and yet unafraid to speak her mind in the presence of those far above her social status.

"Who would have thought she was this good? Although, considering she's the daughter of a Marquis, perhaps it shouldn't be surprising," Asher reflected.

He shifted his gaze to the ninth and tenth places, reading the names Michael Morningstar and Oliver Twist. Neither rang a bell. He didn't know whether they belonged to noble households or if they were commoners who had clawed their way up the ranks.

Not that it mattered. Asher had little interest in memorizing names and titles, his mind was reserved for things far more important than trivial aristocratic records.

With a dismissive breath, Asher shoved all thoughts of the rankings aside. They no longer mattered. His objective stood directly before him. Within minutes of steady movement, he arrived at his destination.

A jagged abyss stretched downwards before him, a pit so massive and dark it seemed to descend endlessly into the bowels of the earth itself. The sheer vastness of the chasm gave the impression that it was not a mere pit, but a gateway into the hellscape.

Asher's gaze fell to the ground's edge. Below, a suffocating darkness consumed everything. It was as if the pit rejected light entirely, as though whatever creatures dwelled within had long since adapted to, or perhaps even thrived in, eternal darkness.

He could not see the bottom. He could not discern what horrors lurked beneath, nor could he measure their strength. Yet, he felt no hesitation.

His muscles tensed; he prepared to leap.

But then something interrupted.

A sharp whistle cut through the air, slicing the atmosphere at remarkable speed. Asher's head snapped to the side instantly. His eyes narrowed. A figure was approaching, moving with startling swiftness.

Recognition dawned as the figure closed the gap. His expression softened into something akin to amusement. A smile tugged at his lips.

She came to a halt just a few meters away, her boots scraping lightly against the rocky ground. She stood tall, five feet nine inches, her posture calm. Her hair, a striking shade of pink, was tied back in a neat ponytail that allowed no strand to hinder her vision. Her green eyes gleamed, vivid and alive, carrying a brilliance that seemed to have been bestowed by nature itself.

Darissa Camber. First and only child of Darian Camber. The heiress of the Camber Marquis household.

'Haven't seen her in a year… looks like she's grown extra two inches,' Asher noted silently.

But something was different.

At the Royal Party, she had smiled freely at him, spoken openly, even leaned closer in familiarity. Now, she stood at a deliberate distance. Her eyes were watchful, her expression guarded.

She understood that the present moment was vastly different from the carefree nights of noble festivities. This was not a ballroom, it was a battlefield.

"It's been a while… Darissa," Asher intoned with a faint smile.

"I wouldn't have thought the Tenth Sun would remember me," Darissa replied, her tone careful, her body still radiating caution.

Asher's smile deepened, but he offered no direct reply. He hadn't come here to exchange pleasantries. His purpose was fixed: whatever lay beneath this pit was about to be annihilated.

"Here for this as well?" Asher asked, gesturing toward the gaping maw in the earth, the pit that seemed to lead into another world entirely.

Darissa exhaled slowly. Then, without a word, she moved closer. She knew observation from a distance would yield nothing. She stopped at the edge, gazing downward. Darkness alone met her piercing green eyes.

"Do you know how deep it is?" she asked suddenly, her head turning toward him.

"I don't," Asher answered simply.

Darissa nodded once. Then, with practiced ease, her Astra surged. It flowed through her Astra veins, gathering in her legs, and then expanded outward as she invoked one of her unique skills.

Echolocation

The world shifted. The air trembled faintly. In an instant, sound waves stretched outward, ricocheting into the pit before rebounding. They painted images in her mind, replacing the darkness with vivid contours, mapping what sight could not pierce. The pit unfolded for her alone, and with it, the truth of its depth was revealed.

'Sound manipulation…' Asher observed quietly, his keen senses perceiving the subtle alterations in the air caused by her Astra. Others might have missed it, but not him.

'Is this their bloodline ability… or just her personal awakening?' he wondered.

"One hundred meters," Darissa declared, her voice cutting cleanly through the stillness. Her eyes turned back to him.

"Then I'll be happy to cooperate in wiping them out," Asher replied evenly, his calm smile returning.

"Let's begin quickly, before someone else comes to share the points," Darissa said, nodding firmly.

Without hesitation, the two of them leapt forward, diving into the pit of darkness together.