CLEAVER OF SIN - Chapter 266

Chapter 266: 00:00
Asher sat with his eyes gently closed on the smooth, polished ground of his training chamber, his legs folded neatly in a lotus position. He was not someone who simply ended a training session the moment his physical practice ceased; no, he had a habit, almost a ritual, of silently reviewing everything he had done throughout the training session. He would train, then sit down, shut out the world, and mentally go through every motion, every technique, every breath, as though engraving them deeper into his being.

The silence stretched on as the moments passed, wrapping around him like an invisible cloak. He remained in that meditative position, his breathing calm and perfectly rhythmic, each inhale and exhale measured with precision, as though he were in a trance detached from reality. His presence felt still, controlled, tamed by sheer discipline. Soon, his eyelids slowly fluttered open, and the moment his deep purple eyes greeted the world again, the familiar cold chime of the system echoed in his mind.

[Host, it is 00:00 AM]

As the system’s notification chimed, Asher felt a faint vibration coming from within his space ring. It resonated like a pulse, subtle yet clear. Without hesitation, he lifted his hand, and a sleek Star Academy point card materialized in his palm with a faint shimmer. He sent a small wisp of Astra into it, the energy flowing through his fingertips like a gentle current, and immediately, glowing text appeared.

Point Balance: 12,500.

Asher stared at the figure for a moment, his expression unreadable. He did not know whether it was considered a lot or barely anything, especially since he had not spent a single point ever since stepping foot into the Star Academy. He had simply accumulated points without using them, not because he wished to hoard them, but because he refused to waste them thoughtlessly.

The total of twelve thousand five hundred points consisted of several parts: the initial five hundred points given to every admitted student, the one thousand five hundred points awarded to the student who secured first place in ranking, the seven thousand points he had earned yesterday during the award conference, two thousand points from Melissa’s class, and finally, the one thousand five hundred points that had just been credited to his account at this very moment, which was what caused the vibration earlier.

‘So the weekly points are distributed every Friday,’ Asher thought to himself, calmly analyzing.

He remembered clearly: 1,500 points were given to the rank 1 student, 1,000 to rank 2, and 500 to rank 3. The academy rewarded excellence, and the higher the rank, the greater the benefits.

‘I guess my training ends here,’ he murmured internally. He had instructed the system beforehand to set an alarm for exactly 00:00 AM, marking his personal endpoint for the day’s training. Since the time had come, Asher rose to his feet in one smooth motion, dusting off his training attire as he prepared to return to his room.

‘I will have to check out those training facilities now that I have enough points. There is no reason to delay any further,’ he thought while walking, his gaze steady and thoughts composed.

He had deliberately delayed using any of the Star Academy’s advanced training facilities because they consumed points at a terrifying rate. He did not want to walk in, train for a fleeting few minutes, and then be forced to leave, accomplishing almost nothing. He needed a substantial amount of points so that if he chose to go, he could stay for at least one or two hours, perhaps even longer if his points allowed it. That way, he could extract true value from the experience, as he despised brief, ineffective training sessions that ended before any real progress could be felt.

Upon entering his room, Asher removed his trousers and made his way to the bathroom for a night bath. His body was slightly damp with sweat from his prolonged training session, and he preferred the comfort of cleanliness before resting. Within moments, he finished bathing, dried his body with practiced ease, and changed into a fresh set of clothes. Leaving his room, he walked through the quiet living room and stepped onto the balcony.

He lifted his gaze, his purple eyes locking onto the night sky above. The dark blue expanse stretched endlessly, adorned with silver constellations and shimmering stars scattered like fragments of cosmic crystals. The gentle night wind brushed against his skin, causing his hair and clothes to sway softly, as though the world itself had paused to breathe with him. He simply stood there, silent, allowing himself the rare moment of stillness.

Asher couldn’t help but recall an idiom from Earth as he gazed upon the celestial display: “There are more stars in the sky than grains of sand in a desert.”

He did not know whether to take it literally or view it as just another poetic expression meant to describe abundance. But if one were to take it literally… was it not terrifying? A single Star Fragment had brought unimaginable changes to Crymora in just twenty thousand years. If countless stars existed beyond imagination, how many more fragments? How many more powers? How many more worlds?

Unlike most people in Crymora, Asher firmly believed in life beyond his world. After all, he himself was proof of something beyond Crymora, having once lived on Earth before his transmigration. But he was not thinking about planets like Earth, where mystical energies like Astra, Mana, Miasma, Ki, or Spiritual Energy did not exist. He was thinking about worlds similar to Crymora, worlds where energy thrived, where cultivation flourished, where power shaped reality.

What if one of those worlds decided to invade? After all, such things were common in vast galaxies where survival of the fittest dictated law and existence.

Even if no invasion happened, Asher knew deep within himself that the moment he reached the peak of Crymora, he would not like to remain within. He would love to step beyond, walk the cosmic paths, and challenge the unknown.

“These are thoughts for another time,” Asher murmured softly, the wind carrying his voice into the night. He continued gazing at the star-strewn sky, allowing his mind to drift while the cool breeze whispered against his skin.

‘Tomorrow’s class begins at 9 AM. I still have enough time to rest,’ he thought. Thanks to his Absolute Physique, four to five hours of sleep were more than enough to restore his condition completely. There was no need to rush to bed.

The quiet sound of a door opening disrupted the silence. Asher’s purple gaze shifted slightly to the side. A girl with soft pink hair stepped onto her own balcony, the moonlight outlining her calm silhouette.

She needed no introduction. Asher immediately recognized her. She was one of the very first people he had spoken to outside the members of the Wargrave estate.

Darissa Camber, the seventh-ranked student among the first years.