It has been a week since he started training with his father. Herald has increased the training time of Alphonse and now he making Alphonse run instead of walking. Alphonse is getting the hang of training after a week. He is now somewhat used to the routine. He has also improved mana cultivation time by around ten minutes and after a week of practice, he is bit more relaxed during mana cultivation.
Four months has passed like this. Alphonse is still training at the same pace. His body has improved from the rigorous training he is doing daily along with mana cultivation. He is no longer the cute chubby boy as he was before. He is slim and has grown a bit tall. His muscles are developing at a steady pace. Herald has been increasing the gravity spell whenever necessary so that Alphonse got a bit stronger and is used to the training. So Alphonse is pushed over the limit constantly with his training.
It is around 5PM, Herald and Alphonse are at the back garden and they had just finished the training. Alphonse is exhausted with the training. Herald checked Alphonse's body and he noticed the muscles have developed. He could start training with the sword. Alphonse guessed that his father is checking the growth of muscles. He wondered how long he has to train before he could start learning martial arts.
Herald looked at Alphonse approvingly and said, "Alphonse, you have grown enough muscles to practice martial arts." Alphonse looked worried. He is already tired from the training before. He needs some rest. Herald could tell what Alphonse is thinking and said, "Don't worry, we won't start training now. From tomorrow you train the body in morning and from afternoon you will learn martial arts."
Alphonse replied, "Alright dad. What kind of martial arts will you teach me? Do I also learn swordsmanship?" Alphonse is excited. He is finally learning something new apart from mana related stuff. Alphonse has always thought of leaving this small village when he grows up and from his mother he has learned about the place he is living at. Their village is ironically called Broken Shield which is on top of the mountain and there are relatively lower number of beasts up here. The village is ironically called Broken Shield because the first person who discovered this place has found a broken shield here. The mountain is located in the forest of Eldham. To go go anywhere he has trek across the forest which is a dangerous place.
While Alphonse was imagining about going outside, Herald cleared his throat and said, "Concentrate son and yes, you will eventually learn how to handle sword but that is a small part. If you want to study swordsmanship and martial arts, there are numerous schools out there but what I will teach you is much more than simple martial art or swordsmanship. It is a way of life. When you master this, art becomes artless and yourself is selfless."
"Woah, that sounds very interesting dad, what is it called?", Asked Alphonse.
"It doesn't has any name. Asking for it's name and talking about it is losing this art. So, I won't talk much but only guide you to do it."
Alphonse is puzzled. He has no idea what his father is talking about. He just said, "Alright dad, I am looking forward to it."
Alphonse walked to home in the silly manner and was excited about what his father will teach him next day. Next day, he woke up early morning for the training after the training he practiced mana cultivation, lesson with mom and in afternoon he went to back garden for training martial arts with his father.
Herald is already at the back garden. He has prepared a small wooden sword for Alphonse. Alphonse greeted his father as soon as he entered and he is eager to know what he will learn. Herald looked at Alphonse and said, "Welcome Alphonse. From today I will guide you in swordsmanship. Before we begin, let me ask you, what is the most important thing in swordsmanship?"
Alphonse thought for a moment and replied, "technique".
Herald said, "Sure, that is one way of thought and it definitely has succeeded and it has it's shortcomings which you will soon understand. What is more important in swordsmanship is evasion. Those who masters evasion, masters the battle. Now, how does one become better at evasion?"
Alphonse thought for a while, in his past life he had seen fair amount of martial art movies. He said, "Observing the opponent."
"That is exactly what you shouldn't do and that's where we will start training. In this training, you shouldn't observe me. You have to make this no observation very strict rule and then only you will truly able to master evasion.", said Herald.
While Herald was speaking with Alphonse from the start of conversation, he held a small wooden sword in his hands which Alphonse thought was for him. After Herald finished saying that last sentence, he suddenly swing the sword at Alphonse but didn't hit him. The swing was a straight one and it missed Alphonse by hair's breadth. Alphonse fell on his knees from the shock. He didn't even had time to scream or observe the opponent.
Herald seriously said, "What happened to observing the opponent Alphonse?"
"Why did you do that dad? It was so close to me. if it had hit, I would have been seriously injured.", said Alphonse.
Herald looked at Alphonse and said seriously, "Do you think, I don't know that? I purposefully missed. I had to show you why observation is futile. You have to develop a new sense or to put it in other words you have to rise the alertness of all the senses which will enable you to avoid dangerous thrusts coming at you. Get up now"
Alphonse listened and he was scared of this new training. It is just too much but he is stubborn to admit defeat. Alphonse got up. Herald looked at Alphonse and he is impressed that Alphonse didn't cry. He is still a small child but learning this at early age is best.
Herald said, "Now, I am gonna do it again. Don't be sure that I will miss the swing. I won't kill my son but I don't mind hurting for the purpose of training. Don't even try to observe my moves. Forget about me standing here. You need to focus on your senses alone." Herald swung the sword again at Alphonse and this time also it missed Alphonse.
Alphonse wasn't standing in the same position as he was. As soon as his father started swinging, he jumped backwards. Herald looked at Alphonse, "That is unnecessary movement. That swing isn't gonna hit you. You have just moved away because of fear. Concentrate on your senses. Don't let fear cloud your senses."
Alphonse couldn't help but dodge it. Even if it is wooden sword, it is more dangerous if it is in the hands of competent person. Alphonse replied, "but dad, you are using so much force in those movements, I can help but be afraid."
Herald sighed. Overcoming fear is hard. He said, "You have overcome your fears son. It is lot easier to say than to follow. I can't help but put you through intense situations so that you can overcome this fear. If you keep dodging without sensing, I will use more force. Focus Alphonse, focus on your senses."
Alphonse gulped. This training is insane. His father wants him not observe him but dodge all the hits that came at him by sensing. What kind of sense would help him dodge the opponent without even observing the opponent.
Alphonse replied, "I will try but can you change your weapon?"
Herald replied, "It doesn't matter what weapon I use. In the hands of martial artist, even an ordinary tree branch is dangerous weapon. I will change the weapon to this stick here." Herald picked up a small stick on the ground there and as soon as he picked he disappeared. Alphonse is surprised. Previously he could see his father and could guess where the hit is coming from. Then suddenly he got a hit on his back. It was not light hit but not heavy hit either. Herald has controlled his power as much as possible when it it about to hit Alphonse but it still left a bruise on Alphonse.
Alphonse couldn't tell where the hit came from. He couldn't sense anything. It was first time his father has hit him though it is all part of training. Alphonse gritted his teeth. He doesn't even know what kind of sense he is supposed to develop. Herald saw Alphonse's gritted teeth and was worried if he had hit hard.
Alphonse silently replied, "I am ready father"
Herald smiled. He liked the courage of his kid and they continued again. The training went on for days. Herald has not limited this training to just training time in the afternoon. Alphonse used to get hit lightly on head from nowhere even when they were not training. Herald only stopped during Alphonse's cultivation and lessons with Sophie. The days turned to weeks and still there was no progress. Alphonse is feeling impatient, he hasn't made any progress at all. Herald has noticed how impatient Alphonse has got and on one fine day said, "Alphonse, you are getting very impatient these days. If you want to make any progress, you have to relax. I have told you this more than hundred times, don't focus on me! You need to work on your senses, perceive where the danger is coming from, maximize your senses."
"It is so easy to say those words but it is very hard to do", replied Alphonse.
Herald only said, "relax" and continued training. The weeks has turned into months and still there wasn't any progress. Alphonse is depressed now. He consulted his mother and she said to just follow his father. She doesn't know about this training method. Alphonse continued the training. More weeks have passed without any progress in this training. The weeks has turned into months. After bout of depression and feeling like a failure for over a year, Alphonse is renewed now. He has become very calm and doesn't talk much.
His mana cultivation has improved a lot. His body internally has absorbed lot of violet mana and Alphonse has increased the density of violet mana for cultivation. There are also other improvements like his physical body which has improved a lot. Alphonse seems like he is still struggling with exercises but that is because of the increased gravity spell. Herald has been adjusting the spell whenever his body has improved.
Alphonse is now slim muscular kid with blonde hair. He has been growing his hair for over a year. In the past year, he hasn't been able to make any progress with the special training he has been receiving from his father although he is making every effort to not observe. To be sure that he isn't observing at all, he has blindfolded his eyes and stuffed his ears so that he couldn't hear anything. Alphonse continued to train like this relentlessly and with week after week with no results, Alphonse is no longer impatient. It took another year for Alphonse to totally relax and learned to disregard himself as he disregarded his opponent (father). Soon he lost the last trace of his self -regard and was able to feel this new sense for the first time with which he sensed the incoming thrust from his father and avoided it. It took him little over three years but Alphonse was finally able to take first step in evasion.