Eternal Temptation: Awakening Sinful Desires

The trio, Asher, Cecil, and Scarlet, felt the pressure released by Rias the moment she disappeared from their vicinity and went after the Cutler family.

It was like a raging beast had awakened, and its murderous intent washed over everything in its path, bringing an instinctual sense of dread with it.

They glanced at each other with complicated expressions before Scarlet spoke up, "Humph... It looks like the Cutler's are about to receive some heavy beating before getting their punishment for hurting us."

Asher couldn't help but raise his brows in amusement at her statement. The moment he saw Rias, he already felt that she would be quite a fierce woman, yet he didn't expect her to be so aggressive and decisive.

She reminded him of those warriors who always charge into battle without hesitation and strike first before asking questions.

Her straightforward attitude towards life was admirable, but at the same time, somewhat reckless as well.

It was as if she acted without considering the consequences of her actions or thinking ahead, and instead she just followed whatever whim crossed her mind at that moment.

However, despite her hotheaded personality, Asher could tell that Rias possessed a keen intellect and sharp wit hidden behind those blazing crimson eyes of hers.

He also sensed a mysterious aura emanating from her body due to the orb, which indicated that she was far stronger than what she appeared to be.

That alone made him wary of her.

She seemed like someone who was used to fighting and winning against strong opponents, but it wasn't just that. Her confidence and pride seemed to come from her belief in her own abilities, which was probably why she never hesitated to take action before engaging in combat.

Meanwhile, Cecil's tears didn't stop raining down, even for a moment. She always knew that Rias treated her like a daughter, but when she called her a daughter out loud, it moved her heart even more. She thought to herself how lucky she was to have someone like Rias, who loved her, cared for her, and treated her like her own child.

As an orphan since her parents were murdered, Cecil always felt alone and empty inside, but Rias was different. She filled that void in Cecil's heart and made her feel like she had a loving parental figure in her life.

Asher saw her emotional state and put his hand on her shoulder to comfort her, "Hey Cecil, are you okay?"

"I'm fine." She responded with a sniffle before wiping away her tears. Then she gave Asher a warm smile and said, "Thank you. I'm just feeling happy to know that I have people who care about me."

"Cecil, what kind of nonsense is that? Of course, we care about you. After all, you're my sister." Scarlet declared as she embraced her with one arm.

"Scarlet is right, Cecil. Even though we just met each other recently, I already consider you my close friend." Asher added while patting Cecil's head with affection.

As the two of them comforted her, Cecil felt touched by their genuine concern for her. This brought a gentle smile to her lovely face as she leaned into Scarlet, closed her eyes, and enjoyed their company.

After she calmed down a bit, Asher asked them, "Should we go check out the situation?"

Scarlet nodded. "Let's go. I also want to see how that bastard Rick would suffer today!" She stated with a cold tone.

With that said, the trio made their way towards the residence of the Cutler family to witness the events that transpired.

Just as they were approaching their destination, Asher sensed a powerful aura erupting from the direction they were headed in. It was unlike Rias' aura, which contained an immense amount of fiery energy, but rather, it was more akin to a thunderstorm.

Soon, thunder rumbled in the distance, and lightning bolts flashed across the sky, illuminating the surroundings with a bright golden glow.

"That must be Elder William, the Core Elder of the Twilight Mist Sect and the father of Rick Cutler. He is a ruthless and arrogant man who believes that he is above everyone else." Scarlet said when she felt the powerful aura.

Cecil nodded, as she too sensed the same thing. However, she was more concerned about whether they were safe in their current location.

"If they're fighting with such intensity, then we won't be safe anywhere near them." Cecil expressed her worries to her companions.

However, the moment she finished speaking, a gigantic dome of translucent energy formed in the sky, enveloping the entire sect within its confines.

"See? The protective formation of the sect has already been activated. Nothing will be able to harm us while it is active. This will be our safest bet." Scarlet assured Cecil as she watched the formations surrounding the sect activate and generate a powerful energy field.

Meanwhile, Asher couldn't help but be intrigued by this formation and examine it closely with his eyes. It looked simple on the surface, but upon closer inspection, he realized that it consisted of a complex network of runes and symbols.

There seemed to be some sort of pattern etched into every single part of this formation, and the overall effect was far greater than the sum of its parts.

"Let's go," Asher said, deciding to head to their original destination after giving it a quick glance.

As they walked through the sect, they noticed that many disciples had gathered outside, watching the spectacle unfold in front of their very eyes.

Although they were curious about the ongoing conflict between the two elders, none of them dared approach any closer, as they didn't want to risk being caught in the crossfire.

So instead, they contented themselves with observing from afar.

When they were just about to arrive at the residence of the Cutlers, they could only see the faint shadows of the two individuals engaged in battle above the sky and hear the distant sounds of explosions coming from afar.

The scene was breathtaking, and everyone watching couldn't tear their gazes away from it.

BOOOOMMMM!!!!!!

With another explosive sound, a fiery figure descended from the heavens like a meteorite crashing down towards the ground below.

However, before it made contact with the earth, it crashed into the protective formation and bounced off it like a rubber ball.

After bouncing back up several times, the fiery figure stabilized itself above the formation and assumed a human form.

Once the flames dissipated and revealed their true form, everyone gasped in shock when they realized it was none other than William Cutler, who had a severely wounded face and numerous burn marks covering his entire body.

He didn't look good at all, and it appeared as if he was struggling to stay conscious.

A moment later, Rias landed beside him and looked down at him with a cold glare.

"The fight is over, William Cutler. You've lost and will face punishment for your crimes of obstructing my authority. I will show you no mercy." She declared with a voice filled with fury.

However, at that moment, a raspy voice resounded from within the protective formation, causing everyone watching to turn their attention towards the source of the noise. "I think you should ask this old man whether he agrees with your point of view or not."