The instructor paused for a moment, letting his sharp gaze sweep over the students. The classroom had grown eerily silent, the weight of his words settling on their shoulders like an invisible pressure. Some students were scribbling down notes hurriedly, while others sat still, absorbing the information as if their very survival depended on it—which, in truth, it did.
Hope leaned back slightly in his seat, his fingers tapping against the wooden desk, deep in thought. So, essence wasn't just some unlimited energy source—it had its limits, and if mismanaged, it could leave someone completely defenseless.
The instructor resumed pacing, his voice steady and authoritative.
"Essence can be replenished, but it is not infinite. You must always consider the cost of your actions. Recklessly summoning Memories, overexerting yourself, or using abilities that demand more essence than you can afford will leave you vulnerable."
He paused, then lifted a hand, pointing directly at a random student in the second row.
"Tell me—how do you replenish essence?"
The student, a wiry boy with sharp features, hesitated, then answered, "By… resting?"
The instructor nodded once, then immediately shook his head.
"Yes and no. Rest does help, but it is slow. In the heat of battle, you will not have the luxury of sitting down and meditating for hours. The fastest way to replenish your essence is by slaying Veil creatures. Their very existence distorts reality, and when they are destroyed, the Veil compensates those who did the deed. This is known as Essence Redemption."
He gestured toward the strange, glowing weapons at the back of the room.
"Every time you kill a Veil creature, a portion of its essence is transferred to you. The stronger the creature, the greater the reward. This is why the most powerful contestants—those who have carved their names into legend—are also the ones who have fought the most battles. They do not just survive; they hunt. They seek out their next prey, because they know that stagnation means death."
A shiver ran through some of the students.
The implication was clear. If they wanted to grow stronger, they would have to kill. There was no other path.
Hope exhaled softly, his mind piecing everything together. So, to gain more essence, you had to fight. And if you didn't fight, you'd eventually run out. Simple… but cruel.
The instructor clasped his hands behind his back, his gaze becoming even sharper.
"Now, let's talk about another major drain on your essence—using high-ranked Memories."
At this, several students perked up, eager to understand more.
The instructor smirked slightly, as if he could already see their misconceptions forming.
"Let me make this clear: anyone can wield any Memory—provided they have enough essence to sustain it. The problem is, the higher the rank of the Memory, the more essence it demands."
He took a few steps forward, then continued.
"Let's take an example. Imagine an Ascended contestant—someone who has refined their essence, strengthened their body, and reached a considerable level of power. Now, if this Ascended were to wield a Transcendent-rank Memory, they wouldn't be instantly crushed under its weight. They could use it. But at what cost?"
He let the question linger, his gaze scanning the room.
Hope already knew the answer.
Essence cost. The stronger the Memory, the more essence it burns.
The instructor nodded, satisfied that at least some students were catching on.
"A Transcendent Memory would drain an Ascended's essence at an alarming rate. They might be able to use it for a few minutes, maybe even longer if they were skilled in essence control. But the longer they wielded it, the more exhausted they would become. And once their essence ran out… well, I don't need to tell you what happens to a defenseless contestant in a battle."
The room was silent, the weight of his words settling heavily on the students.
Hope's expression remained neutral, but inside, he was calculating.
So high-ranked Memories aren't completely unusable—they're just a double-edged sword. If someone tries to use something beyond their level, they'll run out of essence too quickly and be left vulnerable.
The instructor then raised a single gloved finger, emphasizing his next point.
"**That brings us to another major mistake—**the reckless summoning of Memories."
Some students frowned, clearly confused.
One girl raised a hand.
"But sir, if Memories are connected to our soul, why does summoning them drain essence? Shouldn't they just appear when we want them?"
The instructor chuckled softly, shaking his head.
"An excellent question. The truth is, summoning a Memory isn't just about calling it into existence—it's about maintaining its form in the physical world. The moment you bring a Memory out of your Soul Sea, you are actively channeling essence to sustain it
The stronger the Memory, the more essence it takes to keep it stable."
He took another step forward, looking at the students with calm intensity.
"Now, imagine this scenario. You are walking through a ruined city, scouting for danger. You sense no immediate threats, yet for some reason, you decide to summon a full-body armor Memory, just in case."
He paused, letting them picture it.
"Minutes pass. Then an hour. Then two. There's still no enemy in sight, yet you are burning through your essence just by keeping the armor manifested. Then, finally, an enemy appears. But by then… you've already wasted half your essence on meaningless precaution."
The students shifted uncomfortably in their seats.
Hope let out a breath, shaking his head.
"So that's it… Essence isn't just about attacking or defending. Even keeping a Memory in existence costs something. Summon it too early, and you might run out before the fight even begins."
The instructor smiled grimly, seeing their realization.
"The biggest mistake you can make is wasting your resources before they're needed. Using a cloak-type Memory when there's no reason for it. Summoning a weapon when you're not in danger. These are the small, careless actions that will drain you faster than any battle. Learn to control your urges. Learn when to use your power, and when to hold back. Otherwise…"
His voice dropped slightly.
"You will not last long."
The silence in the room was heavy.
Some students swallowed nervously, finally understanding the gravity of what they were learning.
Hope, however, just leaned forward slightly, his mind whirling.
"So it's all about control. Managing essence, knowing when to fight, when to retreat, when to summon and when to wait. The strong aren't just powerful… they're smart."
The instructor took a final glance around the room, then nodded to himself, satisfied.
Hope hadn't written a single word.
He didn't need to.