CLEAVER OF SIN

The morning sun poured through the mildly thick curtain that failed to keep its brilliance at bay, basking the room in a warm, golden radiance that painted the space in soft hues of life. Dust motes drifted lazily in the beams of light, swirling in the quiet atmosphere as though they too were reluctant to wake.

Within the modestly furnished room, a boy no older than eighteen lay sprawled upon the bed, his chest rising and falling gently with the steady rhythm of sleep.

His breathing was so calm and controlled that it seemed as though even the act of slumber had been practiced and perfected, as if he treated rest like an art rather than a necessity.

Asher's eyelids fluttered open at last, the invading sunlight striking his face until his lashes twitched and parted. With a long, drawn-out yawn that echoed faintly in the stillness, he stretched his arms above his head, joints popping softly from the movement.

With practiced ease, he shifted into a seated position, his movements fluid and unhurried, betraying years of discipline and routine.

Unlike the day before, there was no need to rush to the building's lobby at the crack of dawn. Today, the candidates were expected to gather by ten o'clock in the morning, a far more merciful hour. For that reason, Asher remained still upon the bed, eyes drifting toward the window as his thoughts wandered.

"System, what's the time?" he asked, his tone casual, addressing the ever-present system that served as his personal alarm clock and companion.

[Ding]

[It is 8:03 a.m., Host]

"That's nearly two hours of free time. Guess I woke up earlier than expected today," Asher murmured, rubbing his eyes as another small yawn escaped him.

Unlike the previous day, when he had been tinged with anticipation, even a faint happiness at the thought of taking the entrance exam, today such emotions were absent. The excitement had dulled, replaced by a quiet indifference.

His thoughts drifted away from the present moment, back to Earth, to the schools of his former life as Ethan. In his early childhood, he had attended government-funded schools, the kind that admitted orphans free of charge.

Though the teachers often cared little for imparting knowledge, their half-hearted efforts had never mattered to him. After all, Asher could finish an entire textbook in a single day if he truly wished to apply himself.

He recalled how the manager of the orphanage would often lecture the children, telling them that education was their path to success, the only tool they possessed to survive and climb higher in life.

Those words had inspired many, igniting flames of determination in their young hearts. But for Asher, who already possessed both intellect and an uncanny ability to comprehend with ease, such words had little effect.

Effortless mastery left him detached.

To others, school had been a realm of curiosity and aspiration. They looked forward to discovering new concepts, studying until dawn, forming study groups, and supporting one another in pursuit of success. Asher, however, had been an observer on the fringes, unmoved by their enthusiasm. None of it appealed to him.

For him, school had been neither a source of joy nor of misery. It was not boring exactly, but neither was it engaging. He stood perpetually on the fence, watching with detached indifference.

Now, however, he found himself in a different world entirely, facing not mundane schools but an academy of immense strength, a place designed to forge warriors and beings of power.

He had expected wonder, grandeur, and fantastical trials. Instead, the Academy thus far had managed to disappoint him, reducing its so-called entrance examinations to nothing more than stiff, interview-like questions.

A dry chuckle escaped him. "Although I guessed some people might paint me as selfish for choosing my life over a baby in that scenario," he mused inwardly, "I don't really care. In the end, it depends whose baby it is. If it's mine, I'd sacrifice without hesitation. If it belongs to someone else… well, we'll see. Let adrenaline decide in that moment."

With a sigh, he let himself collapse back onto the bed, arms spread as he stared at the ceiling.

"Urgh… what kind of peaceful life is this? Can't the Demon Lord or Emovirae Lord or something just attack already? This mundane life doesn't match the standards of fantasy novels for crying out loud." His voice was a tired groan, though his eyes sparkled faintly with restless energy.

Asher's mind shifted to Jennifer, the one person from his past life who lingered stubbornly in his heart. He wondered what she was doing at this moment.

Was she still heartbroken over his death? Had she managed to graduate from medical school as planned? Had his sudden disappearance caused her grades to falter, or had she moved on entirely, perhaps already walking hand in hand with someone else?

Though he had sworn to himself more than a year ago, ever since his transmigration, that he would forget her, to let go of something, or rather someone, who no longer existed in his current reality, he had never truly succeeded.

Try as he might, he could not simply erase her from his heart.

'It seems even true love has the power to transcend the fabric of space and time,' he thought with a faint, self-mocking chuckle.

"If only she were here," he whispered, his voice heavy with longing.

Shaking his head, he forced himself to abandon the train of thought. There was no sense in clinging to things he could not influence.

He was not naive enough to believe that, should he somehow return to Earth, time there would have remained frozen, waiting for him to come back. Reality was not so forgiving. This was not a fantasy novel where the universe bent itself to his convenience.

With another sigh, he rose from the bed, deciding it was time to prepare himself.

Dropping down to the floor, he began a routine of calisthenic exercises, each movement executed with precise control. Since today's exam would test their combat abilities, it was only proper to awaken his muscles, to breathe life back into them after a day of idleness.

Minutes blurred into one another as he balanced on a single palm, lowering and raising his body with steady strength. Sweat trickled down his back, yet he maintained the rhythm without faltering. Shifting smoothly from one exercise to the next, L-sits, push-ups, pull-ups, sit-ups, he trained with sharp focus.

An hour passed before he finally stilled, exhaling heavily as sweat clung to his body like a second skin. Rising, he moved toward the bathroom, relishing the thought of cool water washing over him. Within moments, he was beneath the stream, the refreshing cascade soothing his muscles and mind alike.

Once he emerged, fresh and revitalized, he changed into loose, non-restrictive clothes suited for the day. After consuming a light meal, he left his room with calm, practiced strides, heading toward the lobby.

"System, what's the time?" he asked once more.

[Ding]

[It is 9:30 a.m., Host]

Asher gave a small nod, satisfied. Upon entering the lobby, his sharp eyes swept across the gathering. Already, more than a hundred candidates had arrived, each waiting anxiously for what was to come.

'Funny how everyone suddenly decided to arrive half an hour early,' he mused silently, leaning against a wall with arms crossed.

Before long, William appeared, approaching with his usual easy-going expression.

"Good morning, Tenth Sun," he greeted warmly as he stepped beside Asher.

"Morning. Honestly, I expected you to show up two minutes before the designated time. I thought punctuality wasn't your style," Asher replied, arching a brow.

"Ehhh… Instructor Jane seemed like a very serious person. Better to be on the safe side this time," William admitted with an awkward smile.

Asher offered only a faint smile in return, choosing not to press further.

"It looks like a lot of people were eliminated yesterday," William remarked, his gaze scanning the room.

Indeed, the difference was stark. Yesterday, there had been more than two hundred participants. Now, their number had dwindled to scarcely a hundred.

"Well, plenty more will be eliminated today. Let's just hope you don't die," Asher said lightly, though his tone carried a joking edge.

William frowned. "Come on, it's not like the Star Academy would allow students to die… right?"

Asher remained silent. In his past life, he had read countless novels where academies were ruthless, where students either passed their trials or perished trying.

He wondered idly how many here would abandon the test entirely if they learned death was indeed a possibility. After all, who would willingly throw away their life for the sake of a school?

It wasn't as though the Star Academy was the only path to strength. Power could be obtained in many ways.

Asher's gaze drifted across the room, pausing briefly upon the boy who had ogled Instructor Jane with unrestrained lust the day before.

"If teamwork is allowed, can I partner with you?" William suddenly asked, his tone uncertain.

Asher gave him a sidelong glance. "You really love overthinking simple matters. I can only pray for your girlfriend," he replied.

William's mouth twitched at the remark, but he chose silence, unable to refute the jab.

Minutes slipped by swiftly. As the clock struck ten, a brilliant white light enveloped the candidates, swallowing them whole. In an instant, they all vanished from the lobby.