Cleaver Of Sin

Chapter 698: Five Thousand Points

Asher, William, Finch, and Lior, who was on Finch’s shoulder, walked out of the training chamber as they returned to Asher’s living room. Upon getting there, William collapsed upon a couch as though he was about to die; he was really too tired to walk around for long, his legs and hands felt as though they were about to fall out from his body, his entire figure weighed down by deep exhaustion.

"Urgh, with my current state, even an unawakened might be able to kill me in one hit," William spoke with a groan, his voice heavy and strained from fatigue.

Asher didn’t reply; he simply sat on another couch and crossed his leg on the table before him with an expressionless face, completely indifferent to William’s complaints and state.

"At least you got to improve, the gap between us has simply increased again," Finch commented, still sad about missing out on the sparring lesson; if he could rewind time or go back in time, he definitely would, without even the slightest hesitation.

"I will give you a few hours to catch up since I will be resting for a few hours," William replied with a smirk, clearly pleased with himself despite his worn-out state.

Finch snorted as he replied, "Stop being all high and mighty as though you are Asher or even a Wargrave to begin with," his voice mock-irritated, though there was a faint trace of sincerity hidden within his tone.

William ignored Finch’s words, but a smile hung on his lips regardless. He unsheathed his black sabre as he gazed at it; he stared as though he could now see all his mistakes just by looking at the sword itself, as though every flaw and imperfection reflected back at him. The smile on his lips curved even higher; if he had enough Academy points, he would have entered the Training Facilities Building immediately after resting, too bad he was too poor at the moment.

His sword spun in his hand as he sheathed it with a satisfied smile, his mind running through every detail and word that left Asher’s lips during the sparring lesson, carefully analyzing each piece of advice. His eyes turned to Asher as he spoke, a certain idea forming in his mind at the spark of the moment.

"Hey, Asher, I have an idea," William stated as his black eyes turned to Asher, carrying a hint of anticipation.

Asher, who had been staring at the ceiling as though he had hidden his treasures there, turned his gaze to William as though asking; what do you want, his expression remaining calm and unreadable.

"How about we make this lesson a twice a month thing? Even once a month is fine if you are simply too busy," William started to speak. "Of course, it won’t be for free; I’m willing to pay a thousand Academy points or even more if you are willing to guide me," his tone low and suggestive, clearly serious about the proposal.

Hearing William’s words, Asher broke eye contact with him, simply uninterested in the deal. "You have Instructor Jane, and I can’t be bothered with such a task," he stated with an indifferent tone, as the points were simply too meager to make his lazy side work.

"I know, but I’ve gained so much from you in a single spar than I’ve ever gained from Instructor Jane in a single lesson," William spoke with an exasperated tone. "Of course, I’m not saying Instructor Jane can’t teach or anything like that; I’m just saying I like your lessons more, and so many students are meeting Instructor Jane. After all, I’m not the only one who wants to get stronger," he paused briefly, then added, "Besides, I’m one of the only two people who are able to gain from your knowledge, if you are willing to pass it out, of course." His voice wasn’t desperate; he was simply stating his thoughts, calm and composed.

Finch at the side was also ready to make his own offer if Asher agreed to William’s proposal; he couldn’t miss out this time, not again, not after already missing once.

"I’m simply too busy to help either you or Finch," Asher spoke lazily. "But of course, if you can cough up like five thousand points or more, I will be willing," his tone unbothered and flat, as though stating something entirely ordinary.

While William had suggested a thousand points, which was huge by first-year standards, to Asher, who could gain forty thousand points in a single mission, the offer wasn’t attractive, as it only made him work when he wanted to laze around. Of course, he would help William and Finch once in a while, but that’s when he wanted and on his own terms, not another person’s terms or expectations.

Hearing Asher’s words, William frowned immediately; even Finch’s face twisted, as five thousand points was simply insane, and Asher was demanding it without hesitation or compromise.

But was Asher worth it? The answer was a resounding yes. But did William have it? The answer was a huge no, a reality that weighed heavily on him.

William didn’t reply; his lips stayed sealed as his mind ran various calculations. His mind ran through how many points he got per mission, how many he actually kept after dividing it into three parts between him, Finch, and Lucifer. He thought of ways he could save points and minimize spending, like halting his miscellaneous expenses, such as buying wine, alcohol, new clothes, or even taking his clothes to the laundry department to reduce costs.

But William couldn’t help but ask himself, even if he agreed, how often could he cough up five thousand points? Once a month? Once every three months? Or even longer than that? The thought lingered heavily in his mind, refusing to fade.

"Is this offer available anytime?" William asked, his eyes fixed on Asher, who kept gazing at the roof as though nothing else truly mattered to him at the moment.

"Not anytime, only when I want to. Whenever you have the five thousand points, just tell me you do, and I will tell you when I’m free, that’s if I’m free to begin with," Asher replied without a change in expression, as he couldn’t halt his training or anything like that simply because William decided to text him that he had five thousand points ready.

William stayed silent for a moment, then nodded, a smile appearing on his lips. To him, this was progress, regardless of how long and how often he could gather such points, even if it took significant effort.

"I’m also in," Finch stated from the side, his tone somewhat determined. "I can even pay right now if you want," his tone a bit serious, showing he wasn’t joking in the slightest and was fully prepared.

Asher turned his gaze to him; he wasn’t surprised that Finch had such an amount of points on him. Finch seemed more like a businessman and less of a warrior from the very first time Asher had met the guy. Finch was probably one of the top ten richest first-year students if anyone actually counted; the boy was simply too good and eager when it came to anything regarding money or anything that had purchasing power or currency, always ready to take advantage of opportunities.