Chapter 125: Accept
The rest of the day swiftly went by with Asher doing absolutely nothing of significance, and before long, nighttime arrived. After a quick meal and a soothing bath, Asher changed into his pajamas. The former pair had been destroyed during the intense battle of the True Awakening.
Asher laid on his bed, a pristine white duvet covering his frame as he drifted off to sleep early. He had training scheduled for the following day, and he needed to be well-rested.
Time blurred forward, darkness slowly beginning to recede.
The moon, once high and majestic in the sky, began to dip below the horizon, making way for the arrival of the sun, which rose to bless the world with its radiant light.
Asher awoke precisely at 6:00 a.m., his system functioning as a dependable alarm. He rarely ate breakfast before training sessions, as doing so wasn’t optimal for his performance. On the rare occasion that he did, it was always something extremely light, just enough to give a boost but not weigh him down.
After a quick shower and a short session of light exercise to limber his body, Asher stepped out of his room and made his way toward the First Training Ground, just as he had done consistently over the past six months. His steps echoed softly as he moved through the hallway, emerging shortly after into a vast clearing where the day’s first training would commence, Physical Fitness.
There, he saw familiar faces, trainees he hadn’t seen in three days. They sat around, waiting in anticipation for Instructor Harold to arrive, their eyes frequently shifting toward the entrance. There was less than a minute left on the clock. The moment Asher stepped into the field, heads turned toward him. People looked at him differently now, markedly so.
They hadn’t seen him for days, and many had heard about the True Awakening. Most of the trainees had speculated on whether he would survive the ordeal. Some believed he would endure due to his outrageous talent. Others, however, predicted his downfall, citing his pride and perceived smugness as his greatest weaknesses.
But they all knew one undeniable truth: after each True Awakening, both Suns and Moons returned changed. Altered. Different. Facing a life and death situation at the age of fifteen was bound to transform anyone, whether physically, mentally, or emotionally.
As Asher walked further into the training ground, he felt the lingering gazes on his back, curious, cautious, and filled with intrigue. His eyes shifted to the right where Tom, Ella, and Hito sat. They smiled at him, offering a silent greeting.