Chapter 60 Sage Chanakya's Training
Time passed away in a blink and it was now time for Sage Chanakya's training.
Ashoka who was tired from training with Karguel in the morning cooled off his mind with the Enhanced art of the mana circulation method.
He rested enough in the break to recover his stamina and started to stride towards their usual training spot.
As Sage Chanakya was both the prime minister of the Mauryan empire and also the Tower master of the Tower of Wisdom, he was incredibly busy.
Sage Chanakya could only spend about an hour on Ashoka's training every day but even that was considered as extreme leverage.
As for the others are concerned, it was an incredible privilege from their perspective.
It was indeed so if we considered the fact that Sage Chanakya once refused the emperor himself when he was asked to train the crown prince.
But apparently, Ashoka was not so happy about the training...
Sage Chanakya's training was… It was pure drudgery, even for a training maniac like Ashoka, it was nothing but boring.
'Even princes and apprentice mages who envy me for receiving his guidance would immediately change their minds if they were in my shoes.'
Ashoka smiled bitterly in his heart before looking up at Sage Chanakya who was standing calmly.
"My dearest apprentice."
"Yes, Master?"
"Today's training will be the same as yesterday."
"I am aware."
"But you will have to change your approach and methods every day during this repetitive training."
"Yes."
Sage Chanakya walked towards Ashoka and closed his eyes. Ashoka copied him and also closed his eyes.
Then, the same line he had heard over and over during the past month resounded through the empty room.
"See that which is invisible to the eyes hear that which is void, Sense that which is non-existent, smell that which is odorless, and Savour that which is bland…"
This was the boring in question.
See that which is invisible?
Hear that which is void?
Sense that which is non-existant?
Smell that which is Odorless?
Savour that which is bland?
'What the heck is that even supposed to mean?'
Sage Chanakya's lessons weren't methodical, intuitive, and physically painful like the knight Karguel's lessons.
It was always about… Something he couldn't do!
"See that which is invisible to the eyes, hear that which is void, Sense that which is non-existent, smell that which is odorless, and Savour that which is bland…"
He would just repeat that.
"See that which is invisible to the eyes, hear that which is void, Sense that which is non-existent, smell that which is odorless, and Savour that which is bland…"
Again and again.
'This is driving me crazy.'
Ashoka had often heard the 8-star and above knights mention the 'Ethereal realm'.
But normally speaking, one would start training the 'Ethereal realm' after reaching the 7-star stage. And it wouldn't be through silent lessons like this, but… by trying to scatter aura in all directions naturally.
It was supposed to be a training to create a world around themselves using aura which would provide the utmost advantages for them in a fight.
It was something that everyone was aware of.
But there were only a few who could pull it off because it was often unknown how a person would unlock their ethereal form.
For some it comes from constant training, for some it is from the experiences they had in life, for some others it would be completely unrelated.
Although there have been attempts to learn the exact reasons and conditions for opening the ethereal form from very long ago, there were not any satisfying results so far.
A few experienced athough claimed that training one body to the extreme may help with the process, it was only speculation and not the definitive solution.
For example, the current training method of Sage Chanakya was very different that what they spoke of.
'Why doesn't the Sage do or say anything else? He always stands still, telling me to feel something I can't possibly.'
Ashoka was questioning if this type of training even had any meaning in the first place.
After all, he had never heard of a training method like this.
'As I thought, maybe Sage Sage Chanakya is going crazy due to old age, is he nearing his...'
"I assure you that I wouldn't die anywhere in the near future"
Sage Chanakya spoke as if he had read Ashoka's mind.
"Heik..!"
"For normal people, these all may feel pointless, but you are not normal Ashoka"
Ashoka didn't know what Sage Chanakya mean by that but he also agreed with that fact.
Leaving aside his identity as a prince, Ashoka was a reincarnator who was reborn into this world with the memory of his past life. He was anything but normal.
"Etheral realm or more commonly known as the Mental world, one would obtain the power to implement their mental imaginations in the real world when they achieve it"
Impleimenting thoughts into reality?
Just the concept itself was crazy!
"But obliviously there are limitations to that as an individual can't imagine what he hasn't experienced"
Humans had a very short life.
And the things they could experience in this short time were even shorter, so Ashoka could agree with what Sage Chanakaya said.
"The training we are doing now, it will all become a solid foundation for your mental world, your imagination must reach a level where your enemies could not keep up with your thoughts or they could predict your thoughts and to do that you must reach a level where you can imagine something that doesn't exist"
Imagining something that doesn't even possible?
is that really possible?
Ashoka had such thoughts for a movement.
But if think about it, it is indeed possible.
How do you think, humans believed in ghosts and gods? From the history?
You weren't there to watch the history.
From myths?
Do myths speak facts?
From the word of others...
Now that was a possible answer. We are imagining something doesn't even exist just because someone else who isn't even sure if that thing exists is telling us about that....isn't that funny?
Leaving that matter aside, Ashoka understood a bit about what Sage Chanakya was teaching him.
"You must see that which is invisible to the eyes, hear that which is unhearable to the ears, sense that which is untouchable, smell that which is odorless, and taste that which is non-existent…"
Although it made little sense to Ashoka who not to mention the Etheral realm but haven't even reached a level where he could have a glimpse of it, he nevertheless obeyed his master's guidance and kept his eyes closed.
Not because he had that much enthusiasm but knew his master's stubborn personality.
Moreover, he was widely known as the strongest in the whole Mauryan empire and it wouldn't seem right to deny an individual like him.
'I'm sure the day will come when I finally understand master's guidance.'
Even though Ashoka couldn't understand any of it now, he was sure that there would come a day when he would be able to implement all his teachings.
The insights from the 9th-star mage were very far too rare and important, Ashoka didn't know if could get any guidance like this in the future so he would try his best to learn as many things as possible even though he was questioning if Sage Chanakya was in his right mind.
'I heard that all the strong people would have some screw lose...maybe that was true...'
The two of them stood facing each other, eyes closed, until evening came.
Once their lesson ended, Ashoka wore a refreshing smile not sure why but was complimented by Sage Chanakya for it.
"You did well today. You can head back now, my dear apprentice."
Ashoka had absolutely no idea what he had done well, but he could only nod to his statement.
Ashoka began walking away and Sage Chanakya pondered as she watched his back.
'The incredible concentration he shows when he closes his eyes, and the tenacity to maintain that posture for several hours… With Ashoka's potential, he should realize it within a few years. Keep growing like this, Ashoka...The Great Mauryan is waiting....'
Ashoka who wasn't aware of her thoughts wore a satisfied smile and walked away.
Sage Chankaya who watched his back waited until he was no longer visible and disappeared from there, not even a single trace of his existence was left behind as he teleported somewhere where his presence was required.
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