Shattered Sanity

A few hours later, around sunrise, Garron finally arrived at the training grounds, as the atmosphere that had remained tense and restless throughout the morning instantly shifted the moment his figure appeared on the distant road.

Almost immediately, dozens of heads turned in his direction, while conversations died mid-sentence and children who had been sitting, pacing, or arguing suddenly rose to their feet as though responding to an invisible command.

”The instructor is here! The instructor’s finally here!”

Several students shouted excitedly, as the announcement spread through the crowd faster than wildfire, causing recruits from every corner of the training grounds to begin moving toward the usual distribution area.

Within moments, the gathered children had already fallen into a long orderly queue without being instructed to do so, as after three miserable days without receiving a single Red Aether Pill, most of them cared far more about obtaining their next dose than they did about preserving their dignity.

Naturally, Riven was no exception.

As while he tried to remain calm on the surface, the moment he saw Garron approaching, he felt an overwhelming sense of relief wash over him, because after enduring three days of agitation, sleeplessness, frustration, and increasingly violent thoughts, even the sight of the recruiter felt strangely comforting.

However, contrary to everyone’s expectations, Garron did not immediately begin distributing pills.

Instead, he slowly walked to the center of the training grounds before folding his arms behind his back and carefully studying the faces of every recruit standing before him.

His gaze lingered on them one by one.

On the restless students who could barely stand still.

On the children whose eyes constantly drifted toward the sack hanging from his waist.

And especially on those whose expressions carried the unmistakable look of people enduring withdrawal.

Only after several moments of silence did he finally nod in satisfaction.

”Good. I can see the hunger for Aether in the eyes of every single one of you,” Garron said, as a faint smile slowly appeared on his face.

”That means you are all walking the correct path toward Ascension.”

He continued, as his voice carried clearly across the training grounds.

”For those of you who have felt as though these past few days without Aether have been among the most difficult days of your lives, I have a solution that will ensure you never need to experience such suffering again.”

Garron explained, as the moment those words left his mouth, the attention of every recruit sharpened noticeably.

Even those who had previously seemed distracted or exhausted immediately focused on him completely.

Because after enduring the previous three days, there was not a single child present who did not want to hear what he was about to say next.

”I can teach you how to absorb Aether directly from the environment around you,” Garron revealed, as a visible ripple spread throughout the gathered crowd upon hearing those words.

However, before the excitement could properly take hold, Garron immediately raised one hand to silence them.

”However, unfortunately for you lot, I am not going to teach you that skill for free,” Garron said, as the excitement visible on many faces immediately froze.

”If you want me to teach you how to absorb Aether from your surroundings, then I expect something in return.”

He continued, as his gaze gradually shifted toward the Ultra Trash group.

”Over the past few weeks, I have spent an unreasonable amount of time listening to complaints from slave owners, parents, and village elders who insist on informing me about the increasingly troublesome behavior of some of my students.”

Garron explained, as his eyes narrowed slightly.

”In fact, the primary reason I disappeared for the last three days was because I could no longer tolerate the village chief visiting me every evening to complain about your conduct back home.”

He added, as several students instinctively lowered their heads.

The members of the Ultra Trash group in particular seemed especially uncomfortable, because most of them understood perfectly well that many of those complaints had originated because of people like them.

”I am not teaching you to become stronger so that you can cause problems for everyone around you,” Garron said, as his voice gradually hardened.

”Strength without discipline is worthless, because an undisciplined warrior is nothing more than a dangerous animal with bigger teeth.”

He continued, as several students visibly swallowed nervously.

”If you cannot control yourselves at home, then I have absolutely no interest in teaching you how to absorb Aether independently.”

Garron stated bluntly, as he slowly swept his gaze across the assembled recruits.

”So what will it be? Will you learn discipline and obedience, or would you rather spend the rest of your lives dependent upon the pills I provide?”

He asked, as an uncomfortable silence immediately settled over the training grounds.

For many members of the Ultra Trash group, the question felt deeply unfair.

After all, most of them had originally pursued strength because they dreamed of escaping their circumstances by standing up to abusive masters, or carving out a better future for themselves with their own strength.

However, Garron was now demanding the exact opposite.

He wanted obedience.

He wanted restraint.

He wanted them to become stronger while continuing to endure the same treatment they had always suffered, and so naturally, many of them hated that reality.

Yet despite their resentment, almost nobody voiced an objection, because after experiencing three days without Aether, the thought of permanently losing access to it felt even worse.

And hence, eventually, all the heads began nodding throughout the crowd, as just like that, using their growing dependence on Aether as a leash, Garron succeeded in bringing the students under control once again.

”Excellent. Now that we have all reached an agreement like honorable future Ascendants, there is one final thing you should understand,” Garron said, as a cold smile gradually appeared on his face.

”If any of you choose to violate this agreement, then the punishment will not be a beating, confinement, or expulsion.”

He continued, as a strange unease immediately spread through the crowd.

”The punishment will be the destruction of your Soul Vessel.”

Garron revealed, as the training grounds instantly fell silent.

”I will personally break it and ensure that you never store Aether again for the remainder of your lives.”

He explained calmly, as though discussing something completely ordinary.

”The emptiness you felt during these past three days will become permanent.

And the weakness, frustration, agitation, and longing you experienced will never leave you for the rest of your lives.”

Garron warned, as several students visibly paled upon hearing those words.

”So if any of you wish to test my patience, then do so knowing exactly what is at stake.”

He concluded, as nervous gulps spread throughout the crowd while many recruits instinctively lowered their eyes.

Only after allowing the warning to settle properly did Garron finally relax his posture.

”Alright, now come receive your Aether Pills,” Garron said, as the tension hanging over the training grounds immediately shifted into excitement.

”For the first two hours we will focus on physical exercises, and after that I will begin teaching you the foundational theory behind Aether Absorption so that you may eventually learn how to gather Aether naturally from your surroundings.”

He explained, as the announcement caused a visible surge of anticipation to spread through the gathered recruits.

Almost immediately, the queue began moving forward.

Children stepped toward Garron one after another while eagerly accepting their pills, as the desperation visible on many faces made them resemble starving men finally receiving food after days without eating.

The moment the pills reached their hands, many recruits immediately placed them into their mouths without hesitation, while expressions of relief gradually spread throughout the crowd as the familiar warmth finally returned to their bodies.

Across the training grounds, the change in mood was almost immediate, as children who had spent the entire morning looking restless, irritable, and exhausted suddenly appeared noticeably calmer, while many unconsciously smiled as the uncomfortable emptiness that had plagued them for days finally began to fade away.

And standing among them, Riven found himself doing much the same, as he briefly closed his eyes while feeling the first traces of warmth spread through his chest once again, with the sensation bringing him a degree of comfort that felt almost embarrassing to admit, because after three miserable days of withdrawal, it no longer felt like medicine, but salvation.