CLEAVER OF SIN Chapter 719: Too Cheeky

Asher remained quiet during this time, his purple eyes simply observing with a touch of surprise. It was his first encounter with an Instructor quite like this, yet he acknowledged that individuals possessed a wide spectrum of personalities and temperaments. He recalled how Instructor Jane, typically reserved and taciturn, had once seized a student candidate's eyes approximately ten months prior to the entrance examination, simply due to an indecent and lustful stare directed her way.

Naturally, the student was entirely at fault; how could anyone be so unbelievably foolish as to cast such a disgraceful and improper gaze upon a Crownstar Life?

"From this moment forward, my designation is Instructor Mira, and I will oversee this phase of your training. I have no patience for idlers," the Instructor announced, formally introducing herself. "As our time is limited, let us commence immediately," Instructor Mira declared. With a mere wave of her hand, various garments materialized from the sky, clearly summoned from her spatial ring.

Asher caught one such item, his purple gaze shifting from the Instructor to the clothing now in his hand. It was a form-fitting training jumpsuit, a style he recognized from numerous anime he had watched before this very moment.

"You have precisely two minutes to don these," Instructor Mira stated impassively, maintaining her position floating above, her expression utterly unchanged and indifferent.

Upon hearing her command, the expressions of numerous students shifted almost instantly. To wear the training jumpsuit, they were required to remove their current attire; the thought of stripping in front of everyone was understandably daunting.

The female students appeared most distressed. They glanced at the male students, who merely returned their gazes, as if all were contemplating the exact same dilemma. However, no one voiced any complaint. While unstated, they had already inferred the existence of some form of penalty for failing to change within the stipulated two minutes.

Some of the male students showed no concern; they proceeded to change then and there without any hesitation. Already clad only in their undergarments, modesty was hardly a consideration for them. The more astute ones, however, swiftly employed their abilities to erect various forms of cocoons, barriers, partitions, and shields, subsequently changing within the privacy of their self-created enclosures, demonstrating both resourcefulness and swift thinking.

All students had completed their changes within the two-minute timeframe, the sheer pressure emanating from the Instructor's presence ensuring not a single second was squandered.

Instructor Mira briefly surveyed them before offering a slight nod, resuming her address. "These are specialized training suits, and their functions are straightforward. One such function is this." She snapped her fingers, as if demonstrating was far more impactful than a lengthy exposition.

The instant she snapped her fingers, Asher felt it: an overwhelming weight descended upon his entire body, as though the force of gravity had intensified manifold. Asher's expression contorted into a deep frown. Possessing a natural affinity with gravity, he discerned almost immediately that gravity itself was not being manipulated.

'It's the jumpsuit; it appears to possess some form of weight-altering capability,' Asher deduced internally, his body growing so heavy that merely standing felt like a strenuous and irritating effort. In the subsequent moment, another constraint engaged; his Astra energy, which typically flowed unimpeded through his Astra meridians, suddenly felt obstructed, as if an invisible barrier were clogging its pathways, hindering its free passage or effective manipulation, though he could still faintly perceive its presence within him.

"Gravitational alteration and Astra energy restriction," Instructor Mira stated in a flat, almost devoid-of-emotion tone. "And there is a third function, essentially self-cleansing. This means that whenever the jumpsuit becomes soiled, it automatically purifies itself," she explained calmly. "Effective immediately, this training jumpsuit becomes your second skin. You will wear it constantly, sleep in it, bathe in it; in essence, you will engage in all activities while wearing it, without exception."

At her declaration, expressions shifted once more, this time with far greater intensity. Despite the training jumpsuit's self-cleansing attribute, the prospect of wearing a single garment continuously for an entire month seemed excessive, bordering on unreasonable. Yet, once again, their discontent could only be confined to the recesses of their minds; not a single word dared to escape their lips or breach their throats.

Instructor Mira remained indifferent to their thoughts, discomfort, or shifting expressions, continuing her lecture precisely where she had paused. "Most of you have neglected physical training and conditioning, reaching only this meager level you currently inhabit. Your physical parameters only improve through the stress endured during ordinary weapons training, physical combat, and breakthroughs in your Life Ranks," her voice was flat, yet her words struck with sharp precision.

Her statement resonated with undeniable truth. Following the basic physical training mandated upon their initial awakening, the overwhelming majority had abandoned it altogether. Their physical strength advanced only passively through the methods Instructor Mira had just outlined; nearly everyone present was undeniably guilty of this oversight.

Dedicated chambers for physical training existed within the Training Facilities Building, yet they saw infrequent use. During the initial year, only individuals such as Asher, William, Ryaen, the Royal Twins, and a select few consistently utilized these facilities. Despite their affordability and accessibility, people opted to bypass them, pouring all their energy into refining their weapons, enhancing their Astra control, and mastering various abilities, all while their foundational physical conditioning languished.

"Therefore, I will be your Instructor for physical training, and I expect each and every one of you here promptly at five o'clock sharp, always. You are granted a single warning; any transgression thereafter, being late by even a minute will result in immediate expulsion without any discussion," Instructor Mira declared with a composed expression, her words conveying an unshakeable resolve.

At her pronouncement, a collective frown creased their brows once more, more times than they could easily recall. Expulsion seemed excessively severe and somewhat ruthless. However, individuals like Asher grasped the underlying rationale; in a world like Crymora, time was of paramount importance, and tardiness was an unaffordability. After all, the squandering of mere seconds could precipitate the demise of comrades or even hundreds of innocent lives in critical situations.

Fortunately for Asher, he possessed the system, a reliable means to ensure he wouldn't oversleep.

'System, awaken me every day at 4:20 a.m.,' Asher commanded internally.

[Affirmative, Host]

Asher offered a subtle nod, but a thought immediately surfaced. The system had been unusually playful in recent days; what if it decided to wake him at 5:20 a.m. instead? The mere contemplation caused his eyes to narrow almost imperceptibly.

With this possibility in mind, he promptly implemented a safeguard, instructing Virelass to also rouse him at the same hour, just in case the system attempted any mischief. One could never be too cautious when dealing with the system; it had demonstrated an excessively cheeky disposition of late.