CLEAVER OF SIN Chapter 730: Wishful Thinking [Castle Bonus - ]

Asher stood in a daze, clutching his neck as a trickle of blood seeped onto his skin. The wound was a mere shallow cut, drawing only a few drops of blood, not severe enough to necessitate aid from the Healing Department.

The Instructor had been careful, ensuring no fatal injuries were inflicted.

‘The sand earlier was a diversion for him to use his secondary weapon,’ Asher mused silently, his mind replaying the encounter. He hadn’t even considered the possibility of his opponent concealing a second dagger. Typically, those wielding daggers were dual-wielders; it was rare to encounter an awakener proficient with a single dagger.

‘I lost... so pathetically,’ Asher admitted to himself, remaining quiet as his mind relentlessly reviewed the entire fight. He’d never once gained an advantage, feeling treated like a child from start to finish.

His thoughts drifted to Instructor Jane. Even during their spar in the first class, she hadn’t made him feel this utterly helpless, nor had Instructor Jude, a specialist in hand-to-hand combat, left him in such a dire state.

However, Asher quickly perceived the distinction between those past encounters and the present moment.

He wasn't so naive as to believe he could rival Crownstar Life Rank Instructors in combat experience. Yet, during those previous lessons, both instructors had merely been assessing him based on their specific curriculum, not truly testing his overall combat instincts and adaptability.

Asher let out a soft sigh, shaking his head.

‘It seems I still have much to learn. Even Debro wasn’t this adept and formidable with sword combinations and attack patterns,’ he reflected deeply on the battle.

Battle experience isn’t something that simply grows with age, nor does it automatically increase alongside one’s Life Rank progression. No, it's termed 'battle experience' precisely because it can only be truly gained on the battlefield itself. This means the more one fights and risks their life repeatedly, the greater the combat experience they accumulate over time.

An individual of a significantly lower Life Rank could potentially defeat someone of a much higher Life Rank through sheer combat experience alone, provided both were brought to an equal footing in terms of combat readiness.

Consider, for instance, Adventurers and Mercenaries.

These are two groups who dedicate their lives to the battlefield, constantly transitioning from one perilous mission to another. They possess vast reserves of combat experience, typically only succumbing when overwhelmingly outnumbered or completely outmatched.

Well... bandits could technically be categorized here too... but they often relied heavily on ruses, deceit, and underhanded tactics rather than genuine combat mastery.

The Instructor turned his gaze toward Asher, speaking with a tone of curiosity, “Is this your first time wielding a polearm? You don’t strike me as a complete novice,” he inquired.

Asher’s train of thought was abruptly halted by the man’s words. He briefly glanced at the Instructor before giving a slight shake of his head, having no substantial response to offer.

“Sigh… you Wargraves are simply too gifted. Anyone else would have been completely defeated under such combat pressure, yet you persisted until I revealed my second dagger,” the Instructor continued, his voice laced with genuine amazement. “And to think you only awakened two years ago, yet you already possess this level of power and physical prowess, especially at the age of nineteen,” he declared.

Evidently, he had already reviewed Asher’s file, along with those of all other students, prior to the commencement of this training session. To him, it was genuinely baffling how Asher could exhibit such formidable strength, despite self-restraint and having only awakened two years prior.

‘Furthermore, his combat instincts and tactical acumen are simply astounding,’ the Instructor thought to himself, clenching his fist slightly.

While Asher had lost the engagement, it held little significance for the Instructor. What truly mattered was the potential for learning derived from the battle and Asher’s performance throughout the entire exchange.

This was precisely what he had been tasked with evaluating.

And candidly, the outcome had left him profoundly astonished. Asher had even mimicked some of his own combat maneuvers during their fight, and the fact that Asher had managed to hold out for so long against him left him even more stunned than before.

‘Sigh… truly a family of anomalies,’ he mused, shaking his head gently as a subtle smile touched his lips. ‘At least within this week, I should be able to impart a great deal to him,’ he considered inwardly, genuinely eager to teach Asher some of the techniques he possessed.

“May I inquire about your Life Rank?” Asher’s voice suddenly cut through the air, drawing the Instructor from his reflections.

The Instructor’s dark gaze flickered towards Asher as he responded with utter indifference, "Void Life Rank."

Asher offered a silent nod, remaining without further comment.

"Regardless, your defeat means you must descend the hill, then ascend once more to challenge me again. This cycle continues until you either best me or the week concludes," the Instructor stated matter-of-factly.

Upon hearing this, Asher’s brow lifted slightly as he inquired, his voice low and steady, "There is no period allocated for rest?" Typically, a break was permitted post-training, but he was now instructed to persist immediately, devoid of any respite.

"You may only formally rest once you have defeated me," the Instructor replied, then lazily gestured for Asher to depart. "You can head down now; I have another student awaiting my attention."

Asher acknowledged this with a nod and promptly commenced his descent. His injuries were not severe; the bleeding had ceased, and the shallow cuts were slowly mending.

As Asher made his way down the mountain, his thoughts remained fixated on his encounter with the Instructor. It was the first time he had experienced such a profound sense of powerlessness during a spar.

'There is so much I still need to learn,' Asher contemplated inwardly as he walked, his mind recalling a familiar adage from his previous life on Earth: The pursuit of knowledge is unending.

His stamina was nearly extinguished, a consequence of hours spent engaging the Instructor at his absolute peak, without holding anything back.

After more than thirty minutes, Asher finally grasped the Instructor's meaning regarding