CLEAVER OF SIN Chapter 690: Teaching Seems Fun

Asher couldn't help but smile; he was pleased that he didn't need to spell everything out for Williams as though the boy had no understanding of the sword. Although he had told Williams about his grip, he had simply mentioned it briefly so that Williams could discover his own mistakes as he attacked, and the boy had done just that, and not only that, he had done more, surpassing even what was subtly expected of him, refining the correction in real time and applying it with a natural instinct that could not be taught through ordinary instruction alone.

‘Teaching seems fun, no wonder instructors or professors, or any form of teacher, have a soft spot for geniuses or smart students; they are simply a marvel and easy to guide,’ Asher mused to himself before the attack devoured him whole, his thoughts lingering for only the briefest of moments before instinct reclaimed full control of his body. Although Instructor Jane taught the class as a whole, she might never give instruction in the way Asher was doing at this particular moment; after all, she wasn’t there to hold any student’s hand, she was simply there to impart as much knowledge as needed to survive outside while allowing the students to also learn on their own, forcing them to adapt, to fail, and to rise again through their own understanding rather than reliance.

‘Did I get him this time?’ Williams thought to himself, as he hadn’t seen Asher dodge in time, a faint glimmer of anticipation forming within his chest despite everything he had already witnessed. But the next moment, he felt a light weight on his sabre that was pointed forward, and there Asher was, standing on the flat side of the sabre with his hands still behind his back, his posture relaxed, his balance flawless, as though the very concept of weight did not apply to him in that instant.

Williams couldn’t help but break into a smile at his own arrogance; the mere fact that he thought he might have landed an attack against a monster like Asher was pure arrogance in itself. ‘What kind of movement technique is this? He basically has no weight despite standing on my sabre, as though he isn’t even there aside from the moment he landed on it,’ Williams thought to himself, his mind racing as he tried to comprehend what defied his understanding.

Asher stared down at Williams, a smile appearing on his lips, a genuine one. ‘Honestly, I will give you an A for effort,’ Asher began to speak, ‘but I’m afraid I will have to reduce that score to a B.’ As Asher spoke, he vanished from atop the black sabre, his body reappearing a couple of meters away, the transition so smooth it seemed as though space itself had shifted rather than him moving through it.

‘While you are here to spar and listen to my corrections, it doesn’t change the fact that you are here to learn; you don’t always have to wait for words to leave my mouth before you adjust and then make an improvement. You should also watch your instructor: how are they moving, how hard are their muscles contracting, which muscles are contracting, how are they conserving stamina, how much motion and force do they put into their evasion, be it a step back or a side step,’ Asher paused for a moment as though allowing Williams to understand his meaning, his gaze steady, giving space for comprehension rather than rushing the lesson.

‘You aren’t just here to learn how to swing your sabre; motion too is part of that lesson. While your speed is commendable, speed without agility, control, and dexterity is incomplete, lacking the harmony required for true mastery. If your upper body doesn’t align with your lower body, then you might need to start learning about the sword again from the beginning,’ Asher stated with calm ease.

It wasn’t that Williams was moving without control, no, he had control, he had finesse, he had dexterity; he was a genius after all, but... Asher was simply setting too high a standard, as though he believed Williams could do better than he currently was, as though he knew Williams had more talent he could tap into but was wasting it on things like women and brothels, diverting his potential into fleeting indulgences rather than long-term refinement.

Of course, Williams knew he was already good in the aspects of speed, dexterity, and agility, but if Asher said it wasn’t enough, then it wasn’t. Besides, he knew nothing about the muscle contractions and stamina conservation Asher was talking about; although he didn’t know, he would try to learn as much as he could at this moment, because he knew the type of person Asher was, after today, Asher might not give him any other lessons unless he felt like it or was simply bored, making this opportunity something he could not afford to waste.

"Feel the wind, read its flow, move with it, ride it, embrace it," Asher declared, his voice carrying the wisdom of his words, yet he himself had seemingly vanished and reappeared, standing directly before Williams as if by teleportation. However, Astra energy was unavailable at this moment, indicating his movement was achieved with such overwhelming speed that perception struggled to follow.

Williams was immediately thrown into a state of alarm by Asher's sudden presence. His sabre became a blur of rapid strikes. Perceiving the imminent assault, Asher simply lifted a single finger. A metallic clang erupted, as if two pieces of metal had violently collided. But this was not metal on metal; it was flesh meeting sabre in a way that defied all expectation.

Williams' eyes widened in utter astonishment. Asher had halted his attack with just a finger. The reality was difficult to comprehend. Even if Asher possessed superior strength, shouldn't his sabre have sliced through Asher's skin like a hot knife through butter, instead of being stopped so easily?

"How?" he couldn't help but question aloud, his voice laced with disbelief, confusion, and a touch of awe.

This scene mirrored the earlier event when Asher had used a low-grade dagger against Blue, only for the weapon to shatter upon impact.

Asher had already reached the Swiftstar Life Rank. Consequently, any weapon of lesser quality that Williams wielded was essentially futile against him. Moreover, with his Absolute Physique, his naturally formidable Wargrave body, and his Limitless Physical Growth ability, Asher's physical form was simply beyond compare. He could have pulverized Williams' sabre with a mere flick of his finger if he had so desired, but he chose to merely stop the blow. This restraint wasn't born from necessity, but from a sense of consideration.

The reason? Simply because Williams was not wealthy and had invested his academy points in that sword. Destroying it would serve no purpose other than an unnecessary loss.

Asher flicked his finger forward. Williams felt his sword rebound as if striking a solid wall, the force returning to him in a controlled yet undeniable manner. Yet, for a moment, he seemed compelled to test the reality of what he had just witnessed. He attacked again, this time aiming for Asher's ribs, but Asher blocked it with that same finger and the same composed stance.

"In a predicament where you face an insurmountable opponent like me, and escaping is impossible, what would you do, Williams Canestane?" Asher inquired. His question was rhetorical; he didn't truly expect a verbal response from the young man, but rather hoped to provoke thought.

After all, if he himself, Asher, were in such a situation, he would simply escape using Virelass's ability, prioritizing survival over pride without a second thought. Because on a true battlefield, survival was the only victory that held any real meaning.