Cleaver Of Sin

Chapter 482: Perfect Elemental Control

The clone started with a gentle attack, something Asher could even tank with his body with ease if his spatial manipulation failed. A light sword tore forward, its blade humming softly as it cut through the air, approaching Asher, who simply stood there with a calm smile, completely unbothered, but before it could touch his body, Astra energy bent to Asher’s will as he manipulated space itself, subtly twisting the surrounding coordinates and shifting the direction of the attack to the side with effortless precision.

The Light sword hit the wall of the training chamber behind Asher, but it did zero damage, as the attack was too weak, and the entire place was heavily fortified with reinforced materials designed to withstand far greater forces than that, the surface not even showing the faintest scratch or ripple from the impact.

A smirk appeared on Asher’s face, he had succeeded on his first try with ease, far easier than he had expected. He had basically applied the concept of gravitational flight to this moment. Gravitational flight involved controlling gravity around you, adjusting vectors and forces to alter movement and direction, but now, that same effect could be achieved if within the equation, gravity was changed to space itself and he was changed to the light sword, turning the incoming attack into the object being manipulated rather than himself, a reversal of roles that felt strangely elegant.

Although he had done it with ease, he also understood it was only the first try, and first successes were often deceptive. He had to continue without stopping. The first try didn’t mean perfection, nor did it mean stability. The clone fired off the same attack again, and Asher shifted it to the side once more, but this time in a different direction, experimenting with angles and response timing rather than simply repeating the same movement.

The clone didn’t stop, it continued endlessly. But this time, it fired off the same attack, except now two Light swords were launched at the same time, their trajectories slightly staggered to complicate his control. Asher remained ever so calm, Astra energy flowed through him yet again, bending under his control as he applied the same spatial manipulation with greater focus, both attacks shifted to the side simultaneously, one tearing past his left side, the other grazing past the right side of his face, missing him by mere inches.

But Asher had noticed that while he had achieved the goal, his control had slipped a bit. The deviation had been small, almost negligible, yet for him, it was unacceptable. Asher’s thoughts spun as he immediately started to identify the problem, replaying the moment in his mind with cold clarity, analyzing every fluctuation in energy and every microscopic delay in execution.

Channeling more Astra energy into his spatial control would change nothing, Asher understood this perfectly, brute force had never been the answer to precision-based techniques, he could only continue training diligently and calmly, refining control through repetition rather than excess power.

’Hey, system, you know it’s not too late to give me a Perfect Control over all elements. Although it will apply only to the Space, Gravity, Light, and Lightning elements now, if I can gain more elements in the future, with that ability I will also instantly master the newly acquired element without having to train from the beginning all over again,’ Asher thought as he joked to his ever-silent system, his tone light and teasing as though he were speaking to an old friend.

[...]

The system only sent an ellipsis, as though speechless at its Host’s ridiculous demand. If it could take a form and beat the crap out of Asher, it probably would. After all, how many people possessed the Absolute Physique? None. How many people possessed his ridiculous mind? Maybe a few. How many people possessed a ridiculous Perfect Astral Control ability? None. How many people possessed his absurd talent? None, again.

Yet, he dared to ask for more.

But after a moment of speechlessness, the system replied.

[The system has heard the Host’s words and recognizes the Host’s hard work. If the Host manages to achieve a Perfect Control over any affinity, the system might grant the Host his wish]

It replied with its usual mechanical tone, devoid of emotion, yet strangely heavy.

Asher froze for a moment the instant he read the system’s reply. He had only been joking with the system, teasing it as usual, after all, this wasn’t their first rodeo. He would ask the system for some ridiculous ability or a ridiculous system function, and as usual, the system would reply with an ellipsis, refusing to indulge him.

But today, he had gotten a reply. Asher’s heart beat out of rhythm at the sudden surge of excitement, his chest tightening slightly as adrenaline spiked through his veins. But the next moment, reality set in as he remembered the system’s words; perfect control over one element. Asher couldn’t help but wonder if such a thing was possible even for someone of his talent level.

Yes, he was talented and extremely intelligent, he took pride in these two things, but make no mistake, he wasn’t arrogant or stupid. A perfect elemental control wasn’t as easy as it sounded. Even if he achieved such a feat, who knew how long it would take, years, decades, or perhaps even longer.

But at the same time, it didn’t exactly matter how long it would take, after all, he was training until he stood at the absolute peak of Crymora, then he would break through that peak if there was something above even that, climbing endlessly without hesitation.

But at the same time, his mind settled on a particular word the system had used; "might."

Meaning it was all under probability, uncertain and conditional. Either his system had learned how to play around with words like a lawyer, deliberately leaving loopholes, or it was being serious and simply refusing to promise something absolute.

’Did the system pick up sarcasm after I’ve teased it so many times?’ Asher couldn’t help but ask as he stood in silence, staring into empty space as though expecting an answer to materialize in front of him.

’System, the words you just said, do you absolutely promise me this if I can achieve a Perfect Control over any element,’ he asked as he stood in complete silence, awaiting an answer, his thoughts racing despite his outward calm. He could already imagine what he would do with such a power. Destroy the planet? Shatter the entire solar system? Reduce the galaxy to nothing?

His mind couldn’t help but dance at the sheer absurdity and overwhelming scale of how overpowered such an ability truly was, the possibilities stretching endlessly like an open void.

But seconds passed, and the system never replied, its silence was its answer, as though saying: get to such a level and find out for yourself.

Asher sighed, a faint breath escaping his lips, he had gotten excited over nothing, the system was probably teasing him as a means of payment for his constant ridiculous demands.

But it didn’t matter, if he would get there, he would get there, with or without the system’s words, it didn’t truly matter. And if he got there and the system fulfilled its words, well... he shall...