I Am Tired Of Being A Hero
Chapter 139: Training Asher (Part 2)

Chapter 139: Training Asher (Part 2)

What is the best way to train a child?

Alya’s words had caused cold dread to run down his spine those years ago. According to her, you should train a child with other children.

Then put them in a cage and let them fight, there would be only one remaining and that one is the child you want.

Ravi consoled himself with the knowledge that she is not human, most grim reapers aren’t humans or mortals of any form. Treasures and objects of the Netherworld had gained sentience before climbing over countless cultivators to become a coveted Netherworld Official.

He had no idea what her official form was, she never told him, Ravi doubted if she had ever told anybody.

The Sentinels did not really exactly train new Sentinels. There were training halls, and instructors but you needed points to access it all and if you did not want to die on a mission, then you had to train your abilities and combat skills.

What they did was to take the new Sentinels to a place called Heaven’s Gate.

Ravi would never forget it as long as he lived.

Floating above the roof, you would see a sight that would change you forever.

There was a myriad of shooting stars whistling past, numerous nebulas of bizarre shapes that revolved endlessly, and numerous oceans of stars that were glorious and continued on without end.

Just looking up at the stars while floating on the roof caused one to feel their hearts shake under its boundless expanse. At that moment, when Ravi stood there, the scene was so profound, and boundlessly vast to the point that the young Ravi was mesmerized.

He had grown up on Earth, a small and simple blue star but at that moment. His field of vision expanded like never before, and a desire aroused within his heart. He wanted for nothing more than to visit the end of the starry world to see what existed there and if it was a void or a strange and unusual world. Perhaps, this starry world had no idea.

"Sentinel West, do you understand? Before you were but a frog in a well, this world is beyond your imagination. How much you can see, how much you can be is up to you?"

That was not also a good way to teach a child, show them how large the world is and then leave them to grasp it on their own.

Should he just teach him combat? But he could recall some of his missions, those elites who had the best teachers and yet could not stand a single chance against their mates who grew up in the savage lands.

Their live combat experience was abundant, yet it lacked the aura of resolute slaughter that one must experience the baptism of bloodshed and battle to condense.

They were like flowers in a greenhouse. No matter how beautiful they bloomed, their vitality was unable to compare with the wildflowers that had experienced the baptism of storm and rain.

"Ravi?"

Ravi blinked, he just needed to make Ash very familiar with his own abilities, he could think of the rest later.

"So if you want to shapeshift now, how do you do it?"

Asher thought for a while, "I just think about the person and shapeshift. The more I remember the person, the better I can trick others that I am the person." He looked sneakily at Ravi who recalled the incident with the Hypnotist, and he chuckled.

"Like you did Arlen."

Asher nodded, "How long can you keep it up? The Mimic I mean, how long before you feel tired or maybe dizzy."

"6 months."

Ravi was beyond impressed, "That is good, Ash.":

Ash’s eyes sparkled with the praise, "For a cat, I can stay in that form for 5 years. Animals are easier to mimic than humans."

"Five years! How?"

Ash smiled, still showing off, "It was the first time I shape-shifted, Everyone was feeding the cat and they were ignoring me. I thought that it would really be good if I was a cat then I was surprised I became a cat. I was very young then, 2, okay maybe 3."

Ravi felt like there was a sharp blade in his stomach and it pulled out slowly, leaving trails of sharp pain behind as it moved but he schooled his face, not making a big deal out of what Asher just said, even though he wanted to know more. What does he mean everyone was feeding the cat or that he stayed as a cat for five years?

"So young, That is impressive."

Asher glowed at his praise.

"Really?"

"Which other animal can you shapeshift into?"

"Just a butterfly."

"You don’t like it." He noted the way the other lowered his head when he mentioned the animal.

Asher drew on the grass, he had been a butterfly whenever the Phantom needed someone to spy on someone else or to find out the code to a safe. He hated it.

He shook his head.

"Any other animal?"

Asher shook his head.

"Okay." Ravi took out a stone and it morphed turning into a stopwatch.

"That is amazing. What is your ability?"

Ravi placed a hand on his lips, "Secret."

"That is not fair."

Ravi chuckled, "Okay, turn into let’s say, me."

Asher’s body began to shift and contort, the cosmic energy bending to his will and reconstructing his body.

Soon in front of Ravi was another Ravi in blue lounge clothes, it was uncanny, everything was the same.

"Asher, take off your top."

He looked at Asher’s back.

"It seems your ability to shape-shift is dependent on how much you know the person or how you have seen. I have a mark here, you did not replicate it."

Ravi noted before looking at the stopwatch, that 80 seconds, it was too long.

"Okay, change into a cat next."

But Asher was not a Sentinel and he was already distracted with something else, "Ravi, you have a tattoo. Can I see? What is it?"

"It is not a tattoo, it is a Seal."

"Seal? What is that?"

Well, it had been a small birthmark when he was a human then he saw it again as a Sentinel.

An Honor Mark, they called it. He also called it that.

More like a Slavery Brand.

"It is something from my past. It is not pretty so don’t mind it. You became me in 80 seconds, do a cat let me compare the time."

Asher did not ask any more about them and morphed into the familiar animal.

Ravi’s lips twitched as he patted the cat’s head, he looked at the time.

20 seconds. The difference was very large.

"Asher. 20 seconds. Change back."

Soon the teen was standing in front of him.

"How long did you transform into a butterfly? Do you remember?"

He shook his head and his body began to morph. It did not take two seconds before the black butterfly morphed back to Asher.

Same 80 seconds, he noted. This should be his average time.

Ravi scratched his chin, "We are going to have two targets long term and short term for your ability."

"Targets?"

"If you break any of them, I would...a favor of your choosing."

Asher jumped up and held his arm, "Really, anything."

"Yes, anything. But you have to break them first."

"What is the target?" Asher was so excited, that he could not wait to begin training.

"Your average time for changing into a cat should be 40 seconds and your time for changing into a cat should be 10 seconds."

"That is easy."

Ravi almost laughed, that was what everyone about to start training thought, only to find out that it was more difficult than they had imagined.

"Wishing you luck. Then for the long-term target. Aside from a cat, you would choose three animals that you can change to in 10 seconds. Use my laptop to do your research and I would bring the animal here so you can take your time visualizing it. You would choose an agility-based animal."

"Agility-based, what is that?"

"Animals like the jumping spider, cheetah. No, wait. We would cancel the long-term target. Every day, I would get an animal for you to explore the form. So that you can know their strength and know which one you prefer. Let’s say, someone is attacking you, you can turn into a cheetah or a poisonous spider and fight back. You can become a crocodile for defense or turtle. You can use a bee to escape. Honestly, the animals here are very weak."

"Weak?"

Compared to the kind of beasts that he had seen in his mission, the lion, monkeys, and their friends are extremely weak. But he guessed they could start weak.

"Ravi, are you sure I can transform into all these animals?" Asher asked, a little puzzled and doubtful.

"Of course."

There was no hesitation in Ravi’s voice.

"This is just lesson one. You can do it. I believe in you, Ash. You can become a large alligator and prank Sage, wouldn’t you like that?"

His ward stared at him blankly, "Don’t you think Sage would shred me apart without giving me a chance to explain?