Chapter 1067: Simple Death
"Why?" Rider couldn’t help but ask, his tone almost pleading, a rare crack in his usual composure. If Anthony required him to kneel down and beg, he would do so without even the slightest hesitation.
*Sigh* "It’s not that I can’t give it to you, but it’s for your own safety, Rider," Anthony stated as he shook his head slowly, a faint sigh escaping his lips, his expression carrying a subtle seriousness that had not been present before, one that hinted at consequences far beyond what Rider had initially imagined.
"Can you explain?" Rider asked, his brows slightly furrowed. If Anthony had said it was for his own safety, then he needed to understand how. Of course, he was aware of the dangers of the world, but in his mind, there were always solutions. He could simply make everyone present sign a mana contract, binding them absolutely, ensuring that no one would ever reveal this secret to the outside world, sealing it away forever.
"Unlike the Royal Grade Bloodline, which people won’t even know you possess unless it is actively measured, the Ancestor Grade requires no such condition," Anthony began, his tone calm yet carrying a quiet weight that made everyone instinctively pay closer attention.
"With an Ancestor Grade Bloodline, every Titan will know you possess one. After all, the moment you stand in their presence, they will feel their own bloodline react in fear, or even be passively suppressed," Anthony continued without pause, his voice steady and unhurried. "And no, you can’t simply turn this off. Every single time someone is in your presence, they will feel it, unmistakably. Depending on the difference in power between you and them, they may even subconsciously submit to you, their instincts forcing them into obedience without them even realizing it," he added, pausing briefly as he looked directly at Rider, as though giving him the opportunity to truly comprehend the magnitude of what he was asking for.
"Meaning, the very moment you step out of this aircraft, your life is as good as over. The Titan Elders within your Royal family would gladly ignore your father and tear you apart for their own benefit, carving you up like a priceless resource rather than protecting you as kin. And although I don’t know the exact relationship between you and the Titan Patriarch, it is a well-known fact that parents have betrayed their own children for the sake of power, ambition, and survival," Anthony continued after a brief pause, his tone remaining level yet undeniably heavy.
"And let’s assume, for a moment, that the Titan Domain protects you, that the Elders do nothing and everything remains stable within your family. Do you truly believe the other Domains would sit back and watch someone with an Ancestor Grade Bloodline grow unchecked? Even with your current Royal Grade Bloodline, you are already being targeted repeatedly. With an Ancestor Grade Bloodline, a full-scale war would erupt between all Domains, all of them coming together with a single goal, to eliminate the Titan Domain before it rises beyond control," Anthony said, pausing once more, allowing the terrifying scale of bloodshed, destruction, and chaos that would follow to fully settle into Rider’s mind.
"It won’t end in any positive way for you, Rider. Every single path leads to death, no matter how you try to navigate it," he concluded, his tone final and devoid of any room for argument.
Everyone remained silent as they processed Anthony’s words, the weight of reality pressing down on them. None of them doubted what he had said; based on their own understanding of the world, they knew he wasn’t exaggerating or dramatizing anything, he was simply stating cold, undeniable facts.
"So, think of something else, and I can help you achieve that, something that doesn’t lead to your own demise," Anthony added with another soft sigh, his earlier casual demeanor slowly returning.
The Second Supreme Monarch and the Blood Queen could defend an Ancestor Grade Bloodline if they possessed one, simply because they had the overwhelming power required to do so. Even if they didn’t, the galaxy itself was vast beyond comprehension; they could flee to some distant, unknown corner or forgotten planet, hide for years or even decades, and eventually return stronger, seeking revenge with accumulated power.
Rider immediately abandoned any lingering thoughts of acquiring the Ancestor Grade Bloodline. His mind shifted rapidly toward other possibilities, things he could realistically gain without inviting certain death. Perhaps he could ask Anthony to elevate him instantly to the Planetary level... but the next moment, he shook his head firmly, rejecting the idea himself.
Even if Anthony could grant him such power, Rider understood that he wouldn’t truly become a Planetary-level existence. He wouldn’t possess the knowledge, the refined control, the wisdom, the countless battles, the instincts forged through life-and-death struggles. He would have the mana, the raw physical strength, the enhanced perception, and everything else on the surface, but at his core, he would remain hollow.
He would simply become an empty vessel making the loudest noise, powerful yet fundamentally incomplete.
After a moment of internal conflict, unable to arrive at a satisfactory decision, he finally spoke, "I can’t come up with anything right now, so I’ll tell you later when I’ve made up my mind," his tone carrying a hint of reluctance.
Anthony nodded slightly before replying, "Then think quickly, because once I leave, that offer disappears with the wind," Anthony reminded him calmly.
"I understand," Rider replied with a firm nod, his expression now serious.
Anthony’s gaze then shifted toward Tiara as he spoke once more, "So, back to you. Since we’ve agreed to kill your two-faced lover, how do you want him to die? Any particular suggestions?" he asked, his eyes fixed on her with a calm, almost curious look.
Tiara fell silent at the question, clearly not expecting Anthony to act immediately, here and now, without delay or preparation.
"You didn’t think I would have to physically go there, did you?" Anthony asked, a faint trace of amusement slipping into his tone.
Tiara shook her head before replying, "I don’t have any particular method. Any method is fine," her voice flat and indifferent, as it truly did not matter to her how Drake died; he held no emotional weight in her heart, no lingering attachment or hatred strong enough to shape his end.
Anthony fell into thought, briefly entertaining various possibilities as he absentmindedly considered different methods. He recalled the curse he had received merely by hearing the Demon King’s name for the first time; with that, he could easily curse Drake to death without lifting a finger. The next moment, however, he dismissed the idea with a slight shake of his head, it wasn’t his style, too indirect, too impersonal in a way he did not prefer.
’What about killing him through chaotic energy, framing the Demon in the process?’ Anthony mused internally, the thought lingering for a brief second before fading just as quickly.
After a short moment of contemplation, Anthony ultimately chose the simplest method possible... simple death, clean and easy.
With a mere thought, the Authority Of Severance activated, and reality itself transformed before his perception into a vast and intricate tapestry of threads, each one shimmering with different hues and colors, representing existence in its most fundamental form. Anthony had never met Drake Bloodmoon, so he shifted his gaze toward Tiara and, through her connection, traced the thread that belonged to the two-faced Vampire.
Anthony observed Drake Bloodmoon’s thread for a brief moment, his expression calm and unmoved, and with a single, effortless thought, he selected the life thread, the one that shone with a deep, ominous blood-red hue. In the very next instant, it snapped cleanly in half, severed without resistance, as though it had always been meant to break.
After that, Anthony deactivated the Authority Of Severance, and reality returned to its normal state within his perception, the threads vanishing as though they had never existed.
"He’s dead," Anthony stated flatly, his voice devoid of emotion, as though he had merely brushed aside an insignificant insect rather than ended the life of a powerful individual.
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AUTHOR’S NOTE: I’ve come to announce that I will be burying my aunt (my mom’s sister) on the 14th of this month, so there might not be any Chapters from the 13th to the 15th due to preparation and the event. I will try releasing one Chapter a day during that time if I can, but can’t promise anything. Hope you all can understand. Thanks for reading.