As Oscar stepped forward, he felt something incoming. He quickly brought up his buckler to block it. Even though it was imaginary, he felt the sword scrape across his buckler. This real sensation was what made him feel pain many times.
The sword intent reacted to Oscar's block, and another slash came forth. Fighting against this imaginary sword was like fighting a real person.
Oscar managed to block that as well, but it started to get tough here. The pace increased. The sword intent became more refined and far more agile. Oscar could do little to block all of it.
He felt the imaginary blade cut through his stomach, causing him to reel in pain, lurching down to the ground. It wasn't a matter of toughness or Ein. Once the sword hit its mark, it would cut through as if Oscar was a helpless mortal.
'Not a single Reis to collect because it's not real, and it's meaningless to use 'Ein Awaken'. Am I just too slow? No. I reacted to that sword, but it still managed to get past my defense.'
Oscar let out some air to recollect. This was similar to when Phillip bombarded him with continuous 'Second Step' with its many feints. There was something he wasn't seeing.
Robert was standing as usual with his arms crossed. He looked at Oscar, trying to figure something out but shook his head with a sigh. Suddenly, the sword intent slashed out at him, but it was shattered instantly.
Meanwhile, Oscar finally got up and tightened his stance. He concluded that he needed to be smaller and more compact to defend properly.
'Not a bad answer. But it's too shallow.'
Oscar managed to last longer with his modified stance but was defeated all the same. This senseless sequence continued for hours.
Oscar would take a break now and then to ponder on his mistakes. But the result always ended with him down on the ground.
'What am I not doing right?' He stared up at Robert, sitting down and resting in meditation. 'What am I not doing? You said I was too arrogant to think of it, but what?'
This continued on until the end of today's training. Oscar limped back to the estate and took a nice bath to cleanse off all the dirt and sweat.
In his bed, Oscar took out one book he borrowed from the library and began to read until he fell asleep. He hadn't slept the night before and was thoroughly exhausted.
He woke up early in the morning and washed his face. Looking in the mirror, he saw bags under his eyes and sunken cheeks from overworking himself. It was nothing new for him to overwork himself, but this was the first time he saw no results.
'I'm not getting stronger. I'm not improving at all.' Oscar cursed at himself while fending off the sword intent on this new day. But again, he was mercilessly slashed.
'Speed? Strength? Form? Reaction? What is it?' The swirling divisive thoughts muddled Oscar's mind. These inconclusive thoughts, compounded with the negativity brought forth by his many losses, caused a lapse in his judgment.
The sword intent did not care whether their enemy was ready. It cut down mercilessly, slicing through his arms.
"Damn!" Oscar let go of his buckler from the pain. It rolled around the ground until it stopped by Robert's feet. Oscar tried to retrieve it, but the sword intent cut through his legs. He fell flat to the ground on his face in a single moment.
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The dirt stuck to his face and hands, together with his sweat. His hair was ragged, and his breathing was weak. He lay there on the ground, in the dirt, like a weary beggar.
He felt it was the most humiliating thing he had ever been through. Up there with the time when Isabella chastised him and when he was beaten up in prison.
There was confusion written all over his face. He struggled to look up at the indifferent Robert. His tired black eyes locked gazes with Robert's powerful and uncaring stare.
"Please." Oscar said through dry lips. He didn't like it, but he had no other choice.
"Hmm?" Robert grunted. "Speak louder."
"Please tell me what I have to do. I can't get through this. I need your help. Please." Oscar begged. He had been beaten and battered.
"Sure." Robert answered immediately, shocking Oscar as he stared blankly at the Knight Exalt.
"Just like that?" Oscar trembled in his speech.
"Just like what?" Robert picked up Oscar's buckler, dusting it off.
"I thought you hated me. Wouldn't you take this chance to insult me or berate me?"
"This is the first time you did something right. I said at the start, feel free to ask any questions." Robert scoffed at Oscar.
"Couldn't you have just said you'd teach me how to do it? What was the point of all this? I didn't need to waste my time the past three days." Oscar let out his grievances.
"So it's my fault? You were the one who rushed in without asking me anything. You were the one who stubbornly tried to keep at it alone while I was here the entire time. Who's the one that really wasted his time?" Robert rebuked.
While Oscar was silent, stewing over this, Robert sighed and approached.
"Tell me. Why did that thought never cross your mind? Were you so averse to asking for guidance?" Robert said.
Oscar thought back to the time he came to the Pavilion. He remembered asking Elder Saul for any advice on meditation without reserve. He recalled annoying his master, Draven, with questions all the time.
"So you realize now." Robert sighed. "As you grew stronger and went through more trials, so too did your arrogance inflate. You appeared open and smart, but there was a seed of isolation in your heart. Rather than asking me for aid, you turned to books to teach yourself. You sought to find the way yourself without having an idea of what you were doing."
"Is that so wrong?" Oscar asked.
"Only if you are truly driven into a corner, or there is no one to turn to. But here, with the resources at your disposal? It is arrogance to think you can do without."
Oscar remained silent. He knew Robert spoke the truth. Deep inside him was the poison of arrogance that made him deaf to the people around him. Blind to the truth that was in front of him.
What kind of Middle Apprentice Exalt would rush into an Elite Exalt mission? What sort of hardheaded fool would attack the Rainbow Didus head-on to lose an ear? He could have tried to run off with Nicholas even in the night.
Had he learned nothing from Draven? Nothing from his loss against Phillip? Nay, he only learned that he needed to be stronger but not the humility that was required.
And as he did, he had been blinded by the powers he had gained. He had even forgotten his promise to his parents to survive no matter what.
"Please train me." Oscar bowed and pleaded. There was no anger or grievance. There was only acceptance.
"What you were doing before wasn't determination or resolve. You blindly jumped into the throes of battle without understanding your powers or the consequences, leaving you as a burden. You charged ahead without thinking of any other options. You believed in your strength when it was clearly lacking."
"Determination. Resolve. It is to understand your capabilities and do everything you can within them to achieve your goals. To think and ponder on every tiny detail of what you can do. It means lying in the mud for 100 years for a single opportunity to strike. It means reaching out for help if necessary. You grasp at the straws and achieve your goal by any means necessary."
Robert walked toward Oscar and brought the boy up from the ground to his feet. "If what you have isn't enough, then you persevere and improve yourself until you are ready. No matter what shame you bear. No matter what it takes. That is determination."
Oscar recalled what Phillip had said about Robert. The black sheep with the grade three, someone who had endured all the criticism and slander yet was unbothered. Lying in wait for 100 years…is that what he was doing?
Robert knelt and pointed to Oscar's chest. "You have heart. I can see your tenacious spirit, but an immature mind clouds it." He pointed at Oscar's head. "The mind of a rash young man, not a determined warrior."
He clasped Oscar's arm and brought him up to his feet. He nodded and gave Oscar his buckler.
"You have been humbled and laid bare, calling for aid, and I will answer." He unsheathed his claymore. The aura around it made the air colder than before.
"Are you ready?"