Asher stared at the corpse of the Grave Rank Goblin before him. For a few moment, he couldn't believe that he had actually slain such a creature, a monster far beyond his level, as a mere Dust Blazestar Life Ranker.

Yet, despite the overwhelming feat he had just accomplished, Asher neither rejoiced nor felt any sense of pride. He simply stood there in silence, his expression calm and unreadable as his gaze lingered on the lifeless body sprawled before him.

Defeating a monster, in his eyes, was nothing to boast about. It was merely his duty, what he was meant to do. If anyone else could hear Asher's thoughts at that moment, they would probably have slapped him for being absurdly humble. After all, an eighteen year old who had reached the Blazestar Life Rank was already something unheard of.

And for that same eighteen year old to defeat a Grave Rank monster, one standing at the very peak of its rank and on the verge of transcending its current limitations, was nothing short of a miracle.

But Asher understood reality too well to let arrogance take root in his heart. He knew that his victory hadn't been achieved solely through strength or superiority. The Goblin had momentarily let down its guard, foolishly believing that it had already killed him. That lapse, combined with Asher's calculated use of the element of surprise, had ultimately turned the tides in his favor.

To Asher, a trump card didn't have to be a grand or devastating attack that shattered mountains or burned the sky. A true trump card, in his opinion, was something simple, an ability or tactic the enemy had no knowledge of, something hidden and unexpected. That was the real essence of a trump card.

During the intense battle, when Asher had seemingly been defeated, his Star Form exhausted and his body flung against the hillside, he had seized that fleeting moment of chaos to his advantage. As the thick cloud of dust rose into the air, obscuring vision, Asher had silently called upon his light element to create an illusionary clone. It was that clone which Baron Rivelle had later rushed to save, believing it to be the real Asher.

Asher was no fool. He had predicted the Goblin's movements with startling accuracy. The creature would definitely attempt to finish him off first, considering his Star State posed a greater threat than the already-wounded and exhausted Baron. After that, the Goblin would no doubt move on to slay the Baron next.

So despite his injuries, the searing pain in his body, and the ache weighing on every muscle, Asher acted decisively. He used his light affinity to render himself invisible, suppressing his presence and concealing his presence entirely. Even his footsteps were erased from the earth beneath him.

Then, with chilling patience, he waited, for the perfect moment, the instant when the enemy's confidence would become its downfall. And when that moment came, Asher struck without hesitation.

It was the first time he had ever used his illusionary skills in actual combat, and it had allowed him to end the life of a Grave Rank beast.

The sound of rushing wind drew Asher's attention as Baron Rivelle descended from the sky. The Baron's figure blurred forward the instant his feet touched the ground. His breathing was ragged, chest rising and falling in rapid succession as he panted from exertion. He had witnessed what he thought was Asher's death, the Tenth Sun struck down before his eyes, only to discover that the one who had fallen was nothing more than an illusion.

"Tenth Sun, are you alright?" Baron Rivelle asked immediately, concern evident in his tone. He cared more for Asher's well-being than for his own injuries, which were severe and numerous.

Asher turned his head slightly, his violet eyes meeting the Baron's. "I'm fine, Baron Rivelle," he replied evenly. "You should tend to your wounds first, immediately."

The Baron looked down at himself, noticing the trails of blood running across his armor. His control over sand, his elemental affinity, was being used crudely to patch and seal his bleeding wounds.

For a moment, Baron Rivelle simply stared at Asher in silence. He had heard countless rumors about the Wargrave family, their terrifying bloodline, their monstrous potential, but hearing about them and witnessing one firsthand were two vastly different things.

When that figure wrapped in brilliant white energy had appeared earlier to save him, he could never have imagined it was the Tenth Sun himself. How could such a young man possess that kind of power? Yet now, seeing Asher standing tall and remembering how he had faced a Grave Rank monster head-on, the Baron could only feel as though his entire understanding of strength had been shattered.

He wanted to ask. He wanted to know how an eighteen year old could possess such maturity, such precision in battle, such deadly skill with the sword, and above all, such battlefield composure. But he held back. It wasn't his place to question. Even if he dared to ask, he knew the Tenth Sun would never answer. No one in their right mind would reveal their secret techniques or hidden powers, especially if those secrets were not already public knowledge.

Asher, unaware of the Baron's inner conflict, or perhaps simply indifferent, brushed off the dirt and dust that clung to his clothing and hair.

"Tenth Sun," Baron Rivelle spoke after a pause, "since you were the one who killed the Grave Rank monster, the corpse should rightfully belong to you."

Asher glanced briefly at the dead Goblin before shaking his head. "I have no need for it," he said simply. "You can have it."

The Baron raised a brow at that before nodding. The Wargrave Ducal Household was immensely wealthy, after all. A single Grave Rank corpse was likely beneath their standards. Moreover, Virelass, Asher's soul bound weapon, had already drunk the Goblin's blood, absorbing much of its energy. Asher had no further use for the remains.

"We should return to your territory, Baron Rivelle," Asher continued, his purple eyes drifting toward the horizon, where a massive golden Astra-forged dome shimmered faintly in the distance.

The Baron nodded and prepared to move, but then suddenly froze mid-step, his expression changing as he remembered something. "Tenth Sun, I will return shortly," he said urgently. "My Knight Commander, I need to assist him."

But before he could even take off, a deafening crash shook the battlefield. A figure dropped from the sky, slamming into the ground with a thunderous explosion that sent sand, dust, and fragments of stone erupting into the air.

"There's no need," Asher said calmly, his gaze fixed on the swirling dust cloud.

Moments later, a tall man emerged from the haze, the Knight Commander. Though his body bore several wounds, his stance remained steady, his presence unshaken. In fact, he appeared to be in better shape than the Baron himself.

Asher's eyes lingered on the man for a while. Something about him felt different, more dangerous than before. He couldn't quite place his finger on what it was, but his instincts screamed that the man had changed.

'Perhaps it's his awakened ability,' Asher thought to himself, before dismissing the notion with a mental shrug. Whatever it was, it had nothing to do with him. His mission was nearly complete, and that was all that mattered.

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