Asher walked out of the chaos that had tried to kill him with calm, steady steps, each footfall oddly gentle compared to the devastation he had just endured. Smoke drifted behind him in thin streams, the air still trembling from dying shockwaves. His mind replayed the entire challenge from beginning to end, analyzing every instant, every reflex, every unconscious choice he had made.

He dissected each moment carefully, searching for anything he could have done better, after all, nearly everything he executed within that survival challenge had been a split-second decision. He hadn't had the luxury of thinking, planning, or strategically evaluating. He simply reacted. He moved instinctively, his body creating solutions faster than his mind could fully process them.

'I guess it also teaches or tests decision-making,' he mused inwardly, the blackened soot over his face cracking slightly as his lips curved into a small smile. His purple eyes lifted, bright despite the grime, landing on Instructor Elowen who stood ahead waiting for him.

Arriving before her, he asked without hesitation, "Is this place alive or somewhat conscious?"

Although such a thought might seem absurd to an outsider, Asher was completely certain it was possible. After all, the Wargraves each possessed innate, sentient weapons. Finch possessed one too. And there were individuals scattered across Crymora who awakened sentience-related abilities.

To Asher, the way the training field reacted to his every choice during the survival challenge, how it adjusted, adapted, and countered him with chilling and lethal accuracy, felt far too natural, too fluid, too intentional to be simply mechanical. It was either alive or being controlled in real time. And since Instructor Elowen was here with him and not actively manipulating anything, the answer was obvious: it was the former, not the latter.

Instructor Elowen smiled, amusement flickering in her gaze as she replied, "Talented and smart."

She said nothing else, simply watching him with the expression of someone observing a rare, fascinating specimen. Asher wasn't bothered by the intensity of her gaze; he had long grown used to such reactions. And although she hadn't answered his question outright, he already understood what her words implied.

His eyes drifted around the training field, examining every inch as though searching for something specific. After a moment, he asked, "Anywhere I can take a bath around here, or do I have to return to my room?"

Instructor Elowen laughed softly, the sound light and almost musical as she answered, "It seems you are still human and still have much to learn."

With a simple snap of her fingers, the Astra energy lingering in the air immediately responded. It wrapped around Asher's soot-covered body in a shimmering golden sheen. A second later, the energy dispersed, and Asher stood completely clean, his skin spotless, his hair restored to its usual soft, striking purple sheen, his entire appearance returning to pristine perfection.

'It seems I hadn't considered this method of Astra application,' Asher thought. Meeting Instructor Melissa had opened numerous doors for him regarding Astra manipulation and control, but Asher was never arrogant enough to assume he had seen every possible technique or application. Crymora was a vast world. The Astra application and manipulation were endless.

'Although it could never beat the feeling of bathing, it comes quite in handy,' he added internally.

Not bothering to walk away, Asher simply changed into fresh clothes right there beside Instructor Elowen.

Soon, Finch and William stepped out of the observation zone, walking calmly toward Asher. The moment their eyes landed on his now-clean and fully dressed appearance, both boys sighed, part relief, part resignation. Even though William avoided comparing himself to Asher, admiration still came naturally at times.

Instructor Elowen finally broke the silence, her voice warm yet regretful. "Although I would love to stay here and marvel at your talent, or let you try another survival challenge with a different scenario, I still have a few trainees to teach."

Finch, Asher, and William nodded. Instructor Elowen had responsibilities, after all.

Together, the four stepped out of the hidden training field. The moment they left its boundaries, the ground trembled faintly, almost like a low growl. Then, as though reality itself was being rewritten, the destruction from Asher's challenge slowly faded.

Cracked stone sealed itself. Scorched earth returned to its natural color. The warped beam poles straightened. The broken terrain stitched itself back to perfection. Bit by bit, every trace of chaos vanished until the training field looked calm, clean, and untouched once more.

It was as though the destruction had never happened.

Asher, William, Finch, and Instructor Elowen retraced their steps through the concealed corridors, returning to the normal movement and balance training room they had originally come from.

"It was nice seeing you again, Tenth Sun," Instructor Elowen said as they walked. "You have broadened my horizons yet again."

"It was nice catching up with you, Instructor Elowen," Asher replied with a faint smile. Finch and William also offered their thanks for her time. Then, the three young men continued forward toward their next destination.

"I'm kind of looking forward to the next training ground," Finch admitted, excitement shining in his eyes.

"The real question is whether every training ground has something like Instructor Elowen's hidden chamber," William added thoughtfully.

Hearing their speculation, Asher only shook his head before saying, "Not everyone here is like Instructor Elowen. As you saw earlier, the first instructor, the one responsible for Physical Conditioning, only nodded at us. And the next instructor we're heading to now might not even nod at us."

Finch and William nodded immediately. Asher's explanation made perfect sense. Asher was the one familiar with these instructors, having trained with them before. He understood their personalities far better than either of them.

Passing through several doors and corridors, the trio arrived at another training ground, noticeably smaller than the massive areas used for Physical Conditioning and Movement and Balance training.

As they stepped inside, they immediately noticed a figure above them.

Standing upside down. On the ceiling. A book in hand.

Instructor Virek.

He was completely absorbed in his reading, so lost in the pages that he didn't even acknowledge their presence. Finch and William stared up at him with matching expressions of disbelief, wondering what sort of normal person chose to read upside down from the ceiling like that. Seeing Instructor Virek's lack of response, Asher simply smiled and stepped back out of the training chamber.

He had expected exactly that reaction.

"Who was that?" Finch asked, curiosity clear in his tone.

"That was Instructor Virek," Asher answered calmly. "He's responsible for Astra control and manipulation. Throughout my time here, before each training session begins, he's always reading. And when it ends, he goes right back to reading. After the trainees finish with Instructor Elowen, their next destination will be here."

Finch and William nodded, though the excitement in Finch's eyes dimmed significantly. Instructor Elowen's warmth wasn't something they'd experience at every training chamber. But neither boy was upset; experts and high Life Rankers were known for ignoring weaker individuals or carrying themselves with a certain airs. It was normal. Together, the three headed toward the next training ground.

"How many training chambers are left?" William asked.

"Only two," Asher answered. "The next instructor we'll meet might be welcoming, but he won't be as eager as Instructor Elowen."

"Only two, huh… I wish there were more," William sighed dramatically.

Asher shook his head. "There are only twenty-four hours in a day. You can't spend all of it training in ten different things." He paused, his purple eyes drifting toward William before adding, "Besides, I know you just want to figure out how many training chambers you can sneak into."

William smiled without denying it. He fully intended to take advantage of their presence in the First Training Ground before returning to the Star Academy, or as Asher called it; The Point Sucking Academy.

"Well," Asher continued with a soft smile, "the instructor we're meeting next might allow you to join him, just like Instructor Elowen agreed to train both of you."

"If your words are true, then walk faster," William muttered. Asher shook his head but increased his pace.

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