Chapter 16: The Weight Of A True Aura
"A C-Rank mage type Awakener?"
The words echoed in the minds of everyone present, as they stared at Asher in shock. The oppressive, golden aura rolling off his body was undeniable. It wasn’t just raw power; it was a refined, overwhelming pressure that made it hard for the mob to breathe.
Sara stared at him, her eyes wide open in disbelief. Even with her shattered core and suppressed emotions, the sheer impossibility of the scene rattled her mind. Who else knows Asher more than the three wives? He had been with them every single day, only going out to search for menial jobs, cook their meals, and sleep... How did he suddenly jump from E-Rank to C-Rank without even entering a single dungeon?
While Sara was lost in her thoughts, calculating the variables of his hidden potential, a completely different reaction occurred beside her. A smile appeared on Juliana’s face: ’Hehehe... Seems this husband of mine is hiding his strength all along. I love strong men.’ She thought. The bloodlust that usually drove her was temporarily replaced by a twisted admiration.
"You... You... Aren’t you a useless son who can’t cultivate? How did you increase your rank?!" The Guild Leader stammered, his previous arrogance entirely shattered. Panic leaked into his voice as he stepped back, and turned to Fat pig:
"I thought you said he was a pushover!!!"
"I... I thought."
"Shut up!!" He snapped, desperately trying to regain control of the narrative, and turned angrily to Asher:
"We are both C-Rank Awakeners! We should settle this peacefully, just accept my offer, and kneel down here! I might even take you in as my guild member. You see!" He stretched his hands wide, plastering on a fake, diplomatic smile that didn’t reach his terrified eyes:
"You see, I no longer want you dead... Accept my offer and become my Subordinate."
Asher couldn’t help but chuckle at his words: "Become your Subordinate?"
He took a step forward, a cold, merciless glint in his eyes. He didn’t just unleash his energy; he targeted it. Activating Killing Intent, instantly, his Aura burst out, violently moving towards the men like a physical tidal wave of pure dread.
"This?"
BAM!!
The force of the attack smashed into the group, bypassing their physical defenses entirely, sending them all flying backward, falling heavily on the ground. Groans of pain filled the yard as the thugs writhed on the grass.
"What the?!" The Vice Guild Leader gasped, shocked, he was also a C-Rank Awakener, but he couldn’t even defend against the attack. The golden energy felt ancestral, heavy, and infinitely superior to his own.
’This?! He... He held back.’ The Guild Leader thought, staring at Asher in disbelief. His heart hammered against his ribs. This wasn’t a standard C-Rank; this was a monster masking as a human.
"Iron Guild... I also have a very good offer for you. Mine is more understandable, and respectful."
With each step Asher took, his Aura multiplied, forcing the whole 32 Awakeners to the ground. Gravity itself seemed to bend around his newfound physique, grinding the thugs’ faces into the dirt.
"First, Kneel down before my wives and apologize, while slapping yourselves. Two; Break one of your hands each. Three; Destroy your own core. Four; Transfer the ownership of your Guild to me. Fifth; All your assets, liquidate everything, and transfer the money to me, and sixth: I don’t ever want to see you in this country... Either you complete these simple offers, or die. Choose."
"....?"
The Guild Leader, Fat pig and the men were dumbfounded, staring at Asher like he had gone completely mad. The absolute audacity of the demands left them paralyzed. How the hell are those understandable and respectful offers?? He was asking them to cripple themselves, bankrupt themselves, and go into exile!
"You bastard!!"
The Guild Leader clenched his fist, as his red energy flared up again, fighting desperately against Asher’s golden aura. His survival instincts kicked in, fueled by wounded pride.
"We are both C-Rank Awakeners!! I don’t believe I can’t defeat you!!" He yelled, standing upright under the immense pressure, preparing to launch a suicide strike.
WHOOSH!!
"....?!"
Asher was stunned, as a heavy object flew past him with terrifying speed. Before he could even think to react or command the situation, the sword hilt smashed right into the skull of the Guild Leader with a sickening crunch.
Although Juliana was weak, an F-Rank Awakener, that sword wasn’t a weak weapon. Driven by the Heaven-Tier weight and her unhinged street-brawler instincts, the projectile was a lethal missile.
BAM!
The sound of a lifeless body hitting the ground rang out, as the Guild Leader of Iron Guild collapsed on the ground, dead. A pool of blood quickly formed under his shattered skull.
".....?!!"
Not only Asher, everyone was stunned, even Sara was completely speechless. The violent, abrupt end to the standoff broke all logic. They all turned their heads to Juliana, whose hand was still stretched forward in a perfect throwing posture.
’Did she just kill a C-Rank Awakener with the hilt of a sword? And she threw it.’ Asher thought, a slight frown forming on his face. The sheer absurdity of the execution derailed all of his careful planning.
He only wanted to scare the leader so he could transfer ownership right to him, using fear as leverage. But Juliana just had to throw her sword, treating a priceless Heaven-Tier artifact like a common brick.
’My god, who throws swords at their enemy? And she killed someone, This won’t end well.’ He thought, the legal ramifications crashing down on him, and looked over his shoulder at her again, a deep angry frown on his face.
Seeing Asher’s expression, Juliana stood upright, immediately turning her gaze to the side, completely ignoring what she just did. She whistled a tuneless note, acting like an innocent child caught stealing cookies rather than a woman who just committed a brutal murder.
Sara stared at her, then turned to Asher. Her mind quickly assessed the disaster. In their world, the law is absolute, but this absolute law only affects those below S-Rank... Asher wasn’t an S-Rank awakener, nor was any of his wives. How will he dodge the law? The Starfire family certainly wouldn’t bail him out.
Asher sighed, forcibly suppressing his panic, and gestured to Fat pig with his fingers: "Come here."
The trembling woman, who had just witnessed a murder, shakily crawled towards him, completely broken by the sudden, terrifying display of violence.
"You called him honey, so he must be your real husband, right?" He asked, looking down at her with cold, apathetic eyes.
"Yes. Yes."
"Good, you should have his assets’ right?"
"The documents and everything is at the house! I even know the pin of his safe, and I have the right to his assets." She quickly answered, stretching her hand towards Asher’s leg, begging for her life.
He simply kicked her back to the ground, disgusted by her cowardice, and nodded his head: "Alright then. All of you, take me to the house... I want to see this safe." He squatted down, picking up the sheathed sword from the grass, wiping a speck of blood from the pristine scabbard.
"As for this sword, I will be holding onto it."
"Hey!! That’s my sword!!" Juliana snapped at him, instantly abandoning her innocent act. Before she could take a step forward to snatch it back, Asher’s voice sounded again, thick with fake authority:
"I gave you this sword as a gift, and for protection, but instead, you used it in an unruly way, what if it breaks?" He asked.
".....?!"
Juliana was stunned, staring at her beautiful white sword. She blinked a couple of times, and asked in a low, concerned voice: "It can actually break?"
"Of course it can!! This sword is as weak as a stick... If I hold onto it for now, it won’t break, after some days, I will hand it back to you, then, it would be as strong as a titanium... How is that?" He asked with a gentle smile, blatantly lying to Juliana.
That was a fucking Heaven-Tier weapon. Only weapons of higher tiers could scratch it; it could even cut through titanium like butter, let alone be broken by hitting a man’s skull.
"Um... Alright, take care of my sword! But when will you return it?" Juliana asked, entirely unaware she was getting cheated out of her weapon for her own good.
Sara stared at the two. She knew Asher was lying through his teeth, recognizing the indestructible aura of the blade, but she simply turned around, and walked back inside. It wasn’t her problem, and quite frankly, the deception was a practical necessity.
"One week." Asher answered, watching the thugs slowly getting up to lead the way:
’I can’t bring out my Devouring sword, if the world discovered I have a Mythic-Tier weapon, I won’t make it past tonight... As for Heaven-Tier, I can still mask its energy with my aura, so we are safe... After one week, I believe I can protect my wives with the resources from Iron Guild.’ He thought, cementing his master plan to turn this messy murder into their stepping stone.