At around the same time, a person stood in the middle of a forest. It was far enough in the wilderness that there were barely any settlements nearby. Of course, this was not the 'true' wilderness, but an area within the Alzar Kingdom. Nevertheless, the place offered an excellent sense of seclusion, perfect for hiding from curious eyes. And this person needed every bit of secrecy as a light began glowing underneath his shoes. He flexed his body, readied, and jumped! Boom! The accumulated energy exploded, creating a thunderous noise and a thick dust cloud. However, the person was missing. No… He actually appeared far in the sky! With a single step, he propelled himself above a ten-story tall tree! It was unthinkable!
But it was not over yet. The person unsheathed his sword which radiated a frighteningly monstrous light of destruction. The blade was being empowered by Martial Energy! It looked like a miniature sun was forming! Looking down on the forest, he was like a messenger of a deity. He thrusted his sword forward and the Martial Energy instantly blasted out into a magnificent shower. The ten-story tall tree was bathed in the light.
However, it was not as gentle as it looked. Upon closer inspection, that light was formed of thousands of tiny raindrops, as sharp as a needle! The thousands of attacks poured onto this poor tree and obliterated it in a horrific slaughter. Even branches as thick as human torsos were pierced with ease. Nothing could resist! Every attack reached the ground simultaneously and burrowed into the dirt before finally stopping. Just how fearsome was this attack? Judging from the pure penetrative power, every needle could likely kill a plate-armored soldier instantly. With the sheer number of attacks, it could kill hundreds of people in one move. Its might was easily superior to the Ten Dawn's large-scale tactical spells!
The person raised his sword toward the sky and dove down. A breath later, he crashed into the ground with a frightening explosion. Electricity was crackling from his blade. Looking up, this ten-story tall tree with a width equivalent to a large carriage split perfectly in two! The trunk was charred as if lightning struck it. With electricity was dancing in the air, the man chuckled in satisfaction at his raging Martial Energy. Rising to the skies in one step like a dragon, showering the land in a thousand strikes like a storm, and then crashing down in a thunderous explosion like lightning itself… This was the Cloud Sea Style, the legendary swordsmanship style created by the Sword King Sin Quelldown himself!
Yet it was not the Sword King who performed this supernatural feat, nor Benedict. It was done by Lanar, the second oldest disciple! Boasting the greatest aptitude for Martial Energy, the man sneered towards one corner. There was poor Benedict, staring with a slacked jaw and disbelief written over his face. Before, this boy had no real clue on the power of the Sword King and his disciples. Sure, their master split the lake and a boulder in half, but that was a casual attack. On the other hand, Lanar exerted his maximum effort to intimidate Benedict… and it worked. Benedict was terrified. He was hoping to gain some insight into how to use Martial Energy, but how could he learn anything from this? This was… pointless.
"I think you scared him," Hidek shook his head. "Our master instructed us to assist him in his training, not to terrorize him."
"Don't play the gentleman with me," Lanar barked back and sheathed his sword. "All of us are fighting for the title of Sword King. He's lucky I showed him this much." Hidek smiled bitterly and said nothing. Instead, he glanced at Benedict, who politely bowed and walked away.
Contrary to Hidek and Lanar's expectations though, the fancy display was not entirely useless. Benedict memorized every subtle movement that Lanar performed, down to the very last details. Benedict quickly learned how to sense Martial Energy, but manipulating it became a titanic challenge. He looked at the tree in front of him. It was much smaller than the one Lanar destroyed, and yet it remained an insurmountable wall for Benedict.
Recreating Lanar's motions in his head, the boy pulled his fist back as his muscles bulged. He might not be able to project Martial Energy out, but he could do this much. Fist back, arms pulled, heel ready, legs spread, back twisted, and concentration at its highest. His heart pumped blood crazily as his mind steadied. It felt like his entire being was dedicated to this! Then, Benedict finally began sensing the flow of Martial Energy building in his fist, an incredibly unsettling feeling. He felt his body burning up as his organs churned, his muscles ached, and his mind strained.
Even though he boasted an extraordinary life force, that did not translate perfectly to Martial Energy. A normal body would restrict the person from overexerting themselves. It was a biological safeguard because the risks involved were too great. However, to tap into Martial Energy, this was unnecessary. One had to utilize the energy hidden within the body to its maximum potential! So, Benedict really had to push himself to the limit!
When he could no longer hold back, like a spring unwinding, his fist shot forward as all muscles released at once! He slammed into the tree with a resounding bang. A very subtle shockwave emanated from the source, brushing up Benedict's dirty and sweaty hair. Although he punched with his bare fist, an impact which should have normally shattered his knuckles and hand, he was unharmed! This was the power of Martial Energy! Unfortunately, his expression was gloomy. The tree sustained a nearly imperceptible dent on its thick bark, one amongst hundreds endured from Benedict. Well, that was not too surprising. Punching a tree down did not exactly fit common sense…
Suddenly, as if all tension were released, his body slacked and slumped to the ground. Fatigue and hunger hit him like a carriage. Benedict wiped his nose and a long bloody trail appeared. His muscles began locking up and resisting his command. Even his thoughts started slowing down. This feeling was all too similar to death! This was the problem with training Martial Energy. It was literally transforming the body into a weapon! And in doing so, there would undoubtedly be difficulties, especially in the beginning when the reserve of Martial Energy was low. It was very easy to push too far and knock-on death's door. Despite the hundreds of attempts, Benedict's fear remained. Who knew if he would die the next time?
Because of that, for a while, he considered giving up. It was really a horrible feeling being so close to death all the time. Any normal being would instinctively flee so his resolve was really tested to the breaking point! And yet… he did not stop. Benedict was sick and tired of failing and losing. If he wanted strength, then he needed to do this! Furthermore, he could sense himself growing stronger. It was only a matter of time before he met his family's expectations. Pulling himself together, he forcefully stood up, spat out some blood, and shook away his hesitations. Taking a deep breath, he focused on the tree and only the tree. Everything in the world drowned out.
Again! His body repeated those same motions and this time, his stance was practically identical to Lanar's during the rain attack. From the outside, they were indistinguishable! Movements were not enough to train Martial Energy though. Benedict poured Martial Energy into his fist wantonly. Every bit of his body was screaming in protest and his heart was on the verge of exploding! Nevertheless, he did not stop, pushing beyond his previous limits. In fact, he did not even notice it himself. He just kept repeating Lanar's motions over and over again. His fist became his sword. His body became his weapon!
Right before he went too far, he struck! A light flashed in his fist, the light of Martial Energy! Boom! This time, the shockwave was ten times stronger and tried shoving Benedict back a step. He kept looking though as the attack propagated through the thick wood. Instantly, the energy ruptured out from behind! The back of the tree was shredded, following a loud explosion. It was crude, nothing close to the sublime Cloud Sea Style, but it was enough as the tree began to fall over. This three-story tall tree was destroyed! And with it, Benedict spurted blood and spasmed uncontrollably. His mouth formed a faint grin though while he too fell unconscious.
"What a problematic kid," Hidek sighed, having seen everything.
On the surface, Benedict might not have accomplished much, but his speed was truly frightening. It took years for Hidek to do what Benedict did in a month! Due to this, the thought of plucking this threat now crossed Hidek's mind. One less competitor for the title of Sword King, the better! As killing intent began rising, he shook his head. While their master might appear absent, the Sword King maintained a close eye on all of them. The Instinct Realm could not be underestimated! Therefore, he stretched out his hand and a warm shimmer formed. This was the same healing technique that the Sword King once used on Benedict. The pained expression on Benedict's face gradually disappeared alongside Hidek, leaving the boy in the quiet forest again.