"Tenth Sun, please stay within the territory and don't step out," Baron Rivelle began, his voice stern and composed, yet carrying an edge of gravity that could not be ignored. "I wouldn't be able to explain anything to the Wargrave Ducal Household, or to Duke Azeron himself, if his child were to die within my territory," the Baron continued flatly. Even as he spoke, he did not turn to face Asher; his gaze remained fixed on the two monstrous figures, the Goblin and the Minotaur, whose presences weighed upon the battlefield like thunderclouds before a storm.

Asher stayed silent for a moment. He didn't need to be told what the Baron meant; he understood perfectly. Although he had undertaken the mission on his own accord and was responsible for his own safety, that reasoning would mean little to the Wargrave Ducal family.

He knew that if anything happened to him, Azeron and Malrik would not hesitate for even a heartbeat. They would descend upon the Rivelle Barony with fury unlike any the land had seen, and if they even caught the faintest whiff of foul play, they would not think twice before burying the city beneath its own rubble.

As for the Emperor stepping in to defend the Baron, that was nothing but wishful thinking. Though the laws of the Empire existed on parchment, in practice they were nothing more than fragile words before power. Would the Emperor truly offend one of the most dominant Ducal Houses, the Wargraves, just to protect a mere Baron, someone he could replace with a single decree? Hardly.

And even if the Emperor wanted to intervene, he would first need evidence, something the Wargraves were far too clever to ever leave behind. They erased their traces as though they had never existed at all.

Even if the Wargraves chose to do nothing to the Rivelle family directly, the damage would already be done. Other noble families would distance themselves immediately, cutting off ties and trade out of sheer fear.

After all, what sane person would willingly associate with someone who had drawn the ire of the Wargraves? Friendship? Loyalty? Standing together in times of life and death? Those were fantasies fit for children. The truth of nobility was far simpler, stand together for benefits? Yes. Stand together in death? Never.

"No problem, Baron Rivelle," Asher finally replied after a brief silence, his tone calm and even, betraying neither irritation nor concern.

"Also…" The Baron's voice softened slightly, though it still carried the weight of his station. "I'm not in any position to ask this, but if anything happens, please try to save my children as you strategically retreat." His final words were spoken with restrained emotion, a subtle plea hidden beneath his otherwise composed tone.

Asher didn't know whether to laugh or sigh. The phrase 'strategically retreat' was an amusing euphemism. The man could have simply said 'run away,' but clearly, he preferred to preserve the Tenth Sun's dignity even in moments like this.

"I won't be able to promise anything, Baron Rivelle," Asher said calmly, without a hint of hesitation or guilt. Although he respected the Baron and acknowledged his courage, he had no intention of risking his own life to save Caldor and Annabelle. If danger threatened his existence, he would not hesitate to grab Finch and William, activate Virelass's Position Marker ability, and vanish from the battlefield entirely.

The Baron nodded silently, neither disappointed nor offended. He understood perfectly. After all, what right did he have to demand another man's life in exchange for his own family's safety? Besides, Asher hadn't outright refused, there was still a sliver of hope buried in that uncertain response. Turning his gaze toward his Knight Commander, Baron Rivelle gave a single nod, and without another word, the two of them leaped from the towering city wall.

Their capes billowed violently in the wind as they plummeted, their hair whipping and dancing in rhythm with the rushing air. A deafening boom followed as they landed with enough force to crater the earth beneath their feet. The ground shuddered under their combined weight, cracks webbing outward in every direction. Then, in an instant, their figures blurred, both of them surged forward in a burst of motion so swift that the air itself split around them as they charged toward their monstrous foes.

Asher watched their departure with calm understanding. He wasn't surprised that they had chosen to leave the safety of the city's walls; it was the only logical decision. If they fought within the city, the resulting devastation would be catastrophic, an apocalypse of their own making. The collateral damage would annihilate everything the Baron had sworn to protect. His choice was one born of necessity, not pride.

Asher's purple eyes drifted back toward the city below. The chaos was far from over. People were still fighting, others were fleeing, and the air was thick with the scent of smoke, blood, and fear. Some of those Asher had previously saved still floated in the sky, suspended within the protective shimmer of golden Astra barriers he had conjured. Although the Rivelle Barony was considered small by imperial standards, its population exceeded two million, a vast number of lives resting precariously in the balance.

He exhaled slowly, his breath carrying the weight of the situation, then propelled himself into the air. A translucent foothold materialized beneath his boots, supporting him effortlessly as he ascended higher. Reaching a suitable altitude, Asher tapped into one of his most used abilities, Perfect Astra Control.

Instantly, the flow of Astra within the entire Rivelle Barony halted. It was as though time itself had frozen, the shimmering motes of golden energy suspended midair like stars caught in crystal. Under his silent command, the Astra energy began to expand outward from him in rippling waves. To the untrained eye, it appeared as though the energy were dispersing beyond the city, but in truth, it was converging, interlocking and merging with itself in flawless harmony.

Within moments, an enormous golden dome began to take shape. Its radiant form shimmered across the sky, expanding steadily until it enveloped the entire Rivelle Barony. The dome stopped roughly fifty meters beyond the city walls, sealing everything inside within a shimmering fortress of light. The structure hummed faintly, its runes glimmering like living veins across the barrier's surface.

Asher studied his creation silently. He had no certainty how long such a barrier could withstand an assault from monsters of Grave Rank, but that didn't matter. What mattered was time, precious seconds, perhaps even minutes, for the people below to prepare or escape. In battle, even a single second could mean the difference between life and annihilation.

On his waist, Virelass emitted a low hum, the sound indicated that she had completed restoring her Astra reserves. Without hesitation, Asher commanded her to transfer the gathered energy into his Astra veins. The response was immediate; he felt a powerful surge rush through his body, threading through his limbs and body like liquid fire.

'Sixty percent now,' he thought silently, his mind calmly assessing his reserves as Virelass resumed drawing Astra from the environment to replenish herself once more.

Unlike Asher, whose Astra energy replenishment required moments of stillness or at least minimal movement, Virelass possessed no such limitation. She could devour Astra energy continuously, even in the heat of battle, with relentless efficiency. That made her invaluable in drawn-out conflicts. Within mere minutes, she could recover her entire reserve, something Asher himself could not achieve even with focused meditation.

It was a relationship of perfect synergy, one he had long planned to exploit during large-scale engagements such as this. Wars and monster tides demanded not only power but endurance. Those who recklessly burned through their Astra energy early often sealed their own fate. In such chaotic battlefields, every ounce of energy conserved was a lifeline. Nobody ever truly knew when a battle would end, or whether they would live long enough to see it.

It was why people always started with physical fights, then gradually used their abilities. Astra energy couldn't be immediately replenished here.

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AUTHOR'S NOTE: Extra chapter coming soon.

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