The constant flux that they were fumbling altogether reverberated. They didn't even flinch for a second. No one can ever finish a session until one of them succeed.
In regards to who manages to go first, this kind of training is pretty essential for them as it is not abstaining from different kinds of approaches that enhance their overall stability. they are most likely to be ultimately configured at the end of the week and before the start of the class.
Huck reached the first bridge at the area of the stepping stones, Aran immediately followed on to the other direction to collide with him. He slid using the vines thanks to his nimbleness and managed to reach the stepping stone area without any problem. However, even with his quick follow-through movements, Huck still managed to cross the path swiftly, thus leaving Aran behind the stones.
"Damn it!"
Annoyed by the view, Aran leaped as he stepped on the floating stone. Knowing that it is pretty dangerous because of the spikes, he began to get cautious which is a deficient outset for he will lose speed and won't be able to reach Huck in time.
He can't help but feel anxious on the plain sight waiting for him to get struck by the spikes. His expression formed a distraught.
Huck was able to gain momentum and distance at the same time.
Aran finally got over the stones and dashed his way throughout the next course. Judging from the way it looks, the third area which consists of mazes made by large bushes and trees was pretty vast and it would pretty much take time for them to cross it.
The maze's paths are randomly coordinated on each turn. The moment they turn around, it will be hard not to sway at your own pace because of its complex design. Attesting to this, Huck entered the left entrance of the maze wherein he was greeted by numerous bushes.
Aran saw where he went, he figured that it would be okay to use the other entrance. Instead of going to the center, he took a detour and went on the right path. He was heading towards a c connection of tall grasses and peculiar stones hinging from the ground.
"There's a lot of things to consider here, If I need to beat Aran I should memorize my path and go back until I get the right side." Huck formed one kind of strategy that will enable him to point out the correct direction.
A trial and error approach wherein he needs to try all of the path and strange places then go back to where he belongs in order to list them down and avoid making the same mistakes of going in it.
The path that connects the maze on the other side of the course has three intertwining sub-paths:
The main path has five more sub-paths and it directly connects to the river from the end of the second course. The other side of it connects on a dead-end wall of bushes.
The second main path, on the right side which Aran has taken, has three other paths and six consecutive narrow alleys. All of it is considerably difficult to assess and there's a lot of stones that obstruct the view.
However, even with a lot of alleys, there is an obvious artifact that serves as a guide that contributes a certain pattern and connection throughout the whole maze.
(Knowing Huck, if he is stuck on the third path, he will do anything like a trial and error method. I have to figure the right pattern so I won't have to waste my time on doing the same as well.) Aran moved again considering all possible angles.
Without stopping in his tracks, he noticed something on the other side of the bush.
A couple of stones embarked with various lines that connect horizontally and vertically.
"What is this?" At first glance, the lines seem to be intact and randomized. Analyzing it on the first side gives Aran an idea that it might be a great reference to how the maze work. He turned around and tried to look for other stones which have the same pattern and was surprised to find one.
"There's another one here."
Memorizing every little detail and connection, he made his way onto the first narrow alley in accordance with the first reference he has seen. The first alley took him on the center path of the maze where an additional ten sub-paths can be found.
Meanwhile, far from where Aran is, Huck finished venturing the first path that leads to the river. The travel is pretty long that it took him too much time before he can even return. That being said, he is pretty good at memorizing the path and the environment itself. He heads on to the second path that connects on the backside and up to the center of the maze.
"There's no more sign here, I'm guessing that there are only three reference signs as a pattern on which path should I go to. Now, remember..." Aran stopped in his tracks and closed his eyes for a brief moment.
The void caved to his own body again.
Using his Perceptiveness and memory execution, Aran gained access to whatever possible paths are accessible. Following the first horizontal line from where he came from, the center field of the maze is surrounded by many narrowed alleys and only a few of them are directly connected.
"I need to start there!" By pointing his finger at the narrow alley on the left side, Aran made his way to that particular area.
As he head inside, Huck suddenly appeared on the left side of the path, missing Aran's movement.
"I have to hurry!" He huffed.
Aran took a detour on the right until he reached the turning point of the second path. While maintaining his composition, he eventually reached the fourth narrowed alley onto the next symbol.
The lines that are connecting each other formed a singular path prior to the end of the maze.
However as he ventures the last path, Huck suddenly dashed his way across it. He noticed Aran's presence and so do Aran. They exchanged glances at each other and started their racing again.
"So how did you figure out the reference?" Aran asked him while they are running.
"Reference? I didn't see anything, I just realized that there's a lot of footsteps coming from in here so I knew that you will be taking this path as well." Huck answered confidently.
"Heh... Not bad you big oaf!" Aran spun himself to dodge the coming stone that is blocking the path.
Since it is a split area, there's a lot of obstructions to keep in mind including a bunch of dangling vines and some mud that are slippery. Huck stuck his way on the right side to keep his pace.
Both of them have escaped the maze and come through the end of the course.
They reached the fourth course wherein there are logs floating on the muddy water. The twist is that there's no way to balance the bridging of the logs. Leaping and skipping is the most optimal choice they have since being cautious might persecute their balancing ability.
"The finish line is just up ahead, I can already see the hill. If we fall in this thing, we might lose the race..." Aran made a comment as he looked around for other ideas.
"Yeah this might be the last one, but it is pretty difficult." Huck agreed.
"We might get ourselves stuck in this if we fall. Perhaps a quicksand, those logs won't be able to withstand our weight."
Not listening to him, Huck suddenly leaped out of his place and stepped on the first log. It created a ripple effect as he tried to balance himself. He wavered his arms back and forth while he sticks his legs. After stabilizing his position, he leaped again on the other logs, reaching the second one.
He glanced at Aran with a smug, provoking him.
"Hah! You won't get anywhere if you keep on goofing and thinking like that. You need to start progressing now, Aran!" He screamed as he leaped on the third log.
Since there's only a couple of wood, leaping on it caused the logs to deconstruct and flow their way in a random direction. It would be difficult for Aran to leap on the same log that Huck took and there is a chance that he might fall down.
"Hey!" Aran called him but he can't reach him. At this point, Aran might lose the first race.
He tried to look around for another path but he cannot see anything aside from the vast pool of mud. It makes it harder for him to concentrate knowing that Huck is trying to win the first place without struggling.
(Think... there must be a way to get over this course without using the logs that are scattered. If I use the logs and jump out there, it will just flow and it will be hard to leap on the other side without losing balance. On the right side of the pool, there are some vines but they are pretty far. While on the left side, there's nothing but twigs and branches. What should I do? Huck has already made his way to the center of this muddy lake. Calculating the distance from here, hmm...)
"I got it!" Aran squeaked as he pumped his body. He managed to think of some ways of hovering around the quicksand.
He started gathering some logs and twigs on the left side of the muddy lake. Huck saw him gathering the materials.
"What is he doing?" He wondered.
"By making a pulley out of this, I can create a simple machine that would let me launch myself in the sky. A seesaw ramp!" Or so he calls it.
By creating a slanted ramp and dropping a heavy object on the other end of the plank, Aran can launch himself twice the power with the use of mass. A commonly found machine found in seesaws wherein it uses the force of the other end to gain momentum.
Aran didn't waste his time, there's only a distance left before Huck can reach the end of the muddy lake.
Using the logs that he collected, he buried them under the sand to create a foundation. The vines he tied on the center will serve as the pulling system, it will hold the heavy object in place while placing yourself on the other end, in the opposite direction.
The twigs will provide friction to avoid rolling. Finishing his setup, Aran goes on the top of the tree to push a large heavy rock at the end so that he can pull it off after he sets himself up. Huck was distracted by this view that he immediately forgot to leap on the next log.
"That guy literally created this under a tense situation?" he was dumbfounded. Considering his strength, there's no way that he can pull of something like this while under the impression of losing. A competitive genius boy versus someone who likes to suddenly jump without any thinking at all. That's their nature, and it is pretty different from Aran who wants to try different kinds of solutions.
"Here we go!" Aran positioned himself downwards on the other end of the log, sitting with his legs intact on the side. The front was slanged upward, waiting for the heavy rock to fall down. Setting himself up, Aran pulled the vines and the heavy stone fell. With precise and accurate landing, the heavy stone fell on the log, its mass lifted Aran's light body on the other end.
"Huh?! Impossible!" Surprised by the change of event, Huck quickly moved.
However, Aran reached the other side of the lake in an instant. He rolled and landed safely.
"See you at the finish line!" He shouted, followed by a run.
"You!" Huck leaped on the final log and reached the end of the lake as well. He tried to run as fast as he can to catch up.
"Damn it! that hill is an inclined plane, my body is already on its limit!" Aran whispered to himself as he runs towards the center hill.
Seeing the two on the other end, William approached the end line.
"They're finally here..." He said. Distracted by this, Lisa used that advantage to strike him near the face but it was immediately countered as William is fast enough to know what she is covering.
"Whoop! That was close!" he said in remark as he stepped back to dodge the other swing.
Lisa's expression was dead serious, she quickly swing her sword while trying to maintain her distance. William can see that she had improved her rapid intuition.
She swung her sword vertically a few more times, but the latter just hit the end of the blade. This caused a lot of sparks, dissipating into the air.
Their clashing continued to invoke a crash. She stumbled on William's side but then used that momentum to coerce another thrust. It scrapped a little bit of William's suit.
"What the? Hey, you're getting faster!" He was surprised by the sudden change of pace.
William finally used his other arm to grab Lisa's hand. However, her speed managed to counter William's grasp and she did another rotating slash. He took damage near his left arm.
Being cautious finally summoned William's ability to step back.
"Heh... that is pretty good." He commended her.
"I'm sure I mentioned I am the granddaughter of Master Himawari. There's no way that I will stay behind my old self. That is the reason why I want to learn his style while embracing my own combination as well." She replied.
Lisa made a forward slash, and then a second swing on the back. She plundered any type of angle and didn't let him escape. They clashed multiple times, blades banging at each other. Her rotated forward slash and triple thrusts on each shoulder somehow managed to hit William.
(I see, so the first chain has been released huh... She's leveling up. An incompatible woman is able to wield her ancestor's noble art. She is evolving at a high-speed level.) William ran away to get some distance and to terminate their point-blank combat range. Their battle continued. The rustling of clothes, the squeak of their boots on the grass, and the power-up of each hit resonated throughout the battlefield.
"This is bad..." William dodged the strike on the ground causing him to slide off the mark. Still, within her grasp, she launched herself forward and owned the range that she mastered.
A session of never-ending strike finally depleted their stamina.
William was forced to take her seriously for the first time by using his body and magic power to become quick.
(What?) Shocked by the sudden speed, William finally took the lead and started attacking her one by one with the blade. He returned every hit that he received from Lisa and enabled himself to quickly strike her with precise speed and accuracy.
The moment she took the damage, Lisa was forced to become defensive and started parrying him. As she leaped backward, a rain of blade inhibited her ability to counter.
"Hey... Are you sure this is still training?" Veldrey questioned the intensity of their training but the two didn't abstain from their session. They continued overwhelming each other with an intensive amount of strikes being able to draw each one's strength.
(He is getting faster, but I can still keep up!) In guard to William's speed are Lisa's quick and extensive reflexes. She didn't dodge the attack but rather, she went by and returned it one by one. Every sound of the tingling metal coming from their blade came by.
While they are busy with their own clash, Veldrey noticed the two other members who are on the verge of finishing their race.
"Hey! They are here!" Veldrey stood up from the chair and ran to approach the ending line. Lisa heard his call.
Both of them have stopped their clash and started walking towards the end line.
"Now then... Who will be getting the first place?" William asked.
Aran, despite the pain that he had received yesterday, kept on pushing himself. Since it is an inclined plane, their legs are going to be sour after this training.
While persisting from the pain and numbness of his muscles. Aran's nerves suddenly popped out.
(What is that?) William noticed something.
Both of them are on par with each other.
In the final moment, Aran leaped through the grass with a quick and unimaginative reflex. Huck was eclipsed by Aran in an instant.
"There is no way... I will let myself be the same!" He shouted as he jumped. Lisa heard him and she suddenly got goosebumps over his words.
Aran won the race and Huck gave in the end. All of them were not expecting the outcome. They fell to the ground while panting really hard.
"Hahahaha! That was really fun..." Aran said.
"Yeah... I had fun as well... Even if I lose, that was a great experience..." Huck replied as he slowly dragged himself on the hill.
"That was a great job, Aran. Since you won the race, we will now proceed with the next part of our training. Both of you, you have my respect and regards. It is very clear and good, especially you, Lisa." William commended each and everyone as they have progressed in their own individual nature and properties.
***
Five days have passed.
Both Aran and Huck were able to train their body by conjoining the agility and physical workout. Doing multiple push-ups, sit-ups, running drills, some stretches, and other strenuous exercises that provide a muscle improvement remedy. They spent the rest of the days working out while Lisa is sparring with William. Even with the slightest free of time, they weren't able to take a rest.
Aran gained a few muscles in just a span of a week while improving his stamina. Huck became more fast and agile. Both of which have gathered an improvement. Lisa on the other hand was able to continue her connection with her blade. She mastered William's training and she was able to beat him in one go.
Finally, the last day of their training. All individuals have returned to their own practicing routine.
William and the others have gathered on the center field, they were watching Lisa perform her art.
"Alright, why don't we compare our strength when we first came here versus now? Lisa, you have reached an excellent level now with your Sunflower Technique. In the beginning, you were hesitant about which sword style you are wielding for various reasons. You were trying to develop something that locks both of your nature's talent and potential but it didn't work quite well because you don't have a practical implementation. But now, you were able to identify and distinguish each style and you've made your own strategy. Using that, I want you to destroy that big rock in front of you." Willaim instructed.
"Will do!" Feeling confident, Lisa agreed as she unsheathed her sword. All of them watched her while making her stance and kneeling down slightly. She closed her eyes for a brief moment.
(That's right... The reason why I raised this sword is not just because I want to be stronger... It's because I want to protect my loved ones... I have been so selfish in my desire... Getting stronger is the only thing that I have thought of for such a long time without appreciating my own ancestor's style... To be the inheritor of this new style. To protect and to save people...)
A mere thought would be the price for all of the training she went to. Not knowing that her potential wasn't made to hone as it is and failing to realize the genuine objective for that is the reason why she can't be compatible with it.
Using an ample amount of her magic power... comes with the great extent of her strike.
A slash that rendered a lot of ripples.
A lethal move that can instantly kill someone.
"Alliere's Sunflower Sword Technique, the First Sword: Achene Strike!" Using all of her core strength. Her blade suddenly infused with the pure energy of heat.
Lisa forwardly thrust her sword with a force. The effect crumbled the stone and broke into pieces.
She finally did it. She finally perfected her craft in her own way while keeping her style.
"I... I did it!" She exclaimed with happiness. Everyone clapped and Lisa returned back to her position with a smile.
"Aran, come here..." After that, William finally called out Aran.
"Eh? Me?" William nodded and made his way to the center.
Behind the stone that Lisa destroyed, is another stone that is bigger than the first one. Aran followed William and he started instructing him.
"On the first day of our training, you have done well. But your body wasn't able to withstand your magic power and the imbued Spiritual Form. So for the second time today, I want you to call your Spirit, and try to execute the first Penumbral Sword Technique, Moon Strike. This will test whether you have obtained the right physicality and attributes." William backed off.
"Hey, shouldn't we get out of here? The aura that he is emitting the first time was really impactful." Huck raised a question.
"That's alright. Aran! I want you to control your magic power and resist the flow of it. Leaking it out won't do anything well, concentrate only a small percentage of it. You don't need to use all of your magic molecules for such a simple strike!" Before anything happens, he warned Aran about resisting his chains.
"Alright! Got it!" he responded.
Seeking out the power he sought, the very moment of truth is finally out here. Did Aran actually manage to improve his ability? Or the opposite of it?
He goes on the front, leaning and pressing his body over the top of the ground with a slight bent on his knees. He unsheathed the blade that Veldrey made for him.
Aran closed his eyes. Activating his perceptiveness by a level where he finally managed to see the whole light energy dispersing around the environment.
(I'll use my magic power... By 10%. I need it to flow not to leak. Once I feel it, I need to use my own Spiritual Form.)
While he was concentrating, the blade generated a white and blue particle.
It is igniting an aura that the black blade has.
It morphed into its original source and the blade was awakened.
"Hey... What is that light?" Huck asked in concern.
"There's a lot of particles on it... What is happening?" Lisa followed.
Veldrey smirked on the backside. He gripped his fist and his expression was totally disguised with joyfulness.
"Come forth, Apollyon!" Bearing the holder of its art, Aran's aura has integrated into his blade.
The wind started to ripple and circulate around his area. Charging by itself, Aran opened his eyes and said the following:
"Jzerein's Penumbral Swords, the First Sword: Moon Strike!"