Alphonse has just felt the new sense of incoming dangerous thirst coming at him. Alphonse finally began to understand what his father was talking about. He felt sense of accomplishment and taking the first step in evasion. Herald is looking at Alphonse bewilderingly. He could not believe what has just happened. Was it his imagination of Alphonse just dodged one of his hits? He looked at Alphonse again and confirmed that his has missed. Alphonse was able to evade for the first time.
"You have just evaded for the first time. Are you able to sense things now differently? I think you made a start.", said Herald.
"Yes, dad, I was able to sense swing coming at me and avoided it. It is kind of like deja vu, I can't tell how I did it but I am sure that I wasn't observing you at all.", said Alphonse.
"Yes, I know. Listen now, Alphonse." Herald sat on the ground and gestured Alphonse also to sit. Alphonse followed his father and sat opposite him cross legged. Herald seemed to be thinking of something. Herald was silent for couple of moments and said:
"This is one martial art I wasn't able to master. I came to know about this art much later in life. I wasn't able to master it because I have already taken up the path of swordsmanship before. I will explain why. When warriors and martial artists however talented and pugnacious they are starts training under swordmasters, they eventually lose their self-confidence and become self-conscious. They get to know all the technical possibilities in which life may be endangered. They soon realize the way to win the battle, stay alive is to pay utmost attention to the opponent and their technique. They parry the thrusts and make effective lunges which I thought was good for swordsmaster but it isn't. When you do that, you are at the mercy of everyone who is more stronger, more nimble and more practiced than you. You will then have no other way than to practice ceaselessly surpassing others. Most people don't realize this trap. They acquire brilliant technique and with endless effort, they regain their self-confidence. Do you understand Alphonse?"
Alphonse was thinking about what his father said and he understood what he meant. He has been making the non-observation of the opponent so strict that sometimes he feels he has detached himself from the world. Technically he isn't swordsmaster and his father is lot more faster and skilled than him but he was able to dodge his father's thrust/swing.
Alphonse replied, "Yes father, I understood."
"Good, now this is just the beginning. Until now you have disregarded the opponent but from now on you have to disregard yourself as resolutely as you have disregarded your opponent. In a radical sense you have to become self-regardless or purposeless.", said Herald and stood up.
Alphonse was thinking. If he totally disregarded himself, wouldn't that be put him in dangerous situations? How can he totally disregard himself when he values his life. While Alphonse is still thinking, Herald looked at his son and he could tell that his son is in confusion. He values his life and not the kind of person to disregard his life. For this to happen, he has to put Alphonse to much serious and heart breaking practice.
Alphonse didn't know that he is about to go through hell. Herald broke the silence and said, "Let us continue with the training. I have controlled my strength a lot until now while I hit you. Now I am increasing my strength to push you to the limits. Focus on your senses."
Alphonse didn't say anything, he just stood up and closed his eyes. If it was previous Alphonse, he would have gritted his teeth, complained a bit and would have worried. Alphonse now knows what it means to master this technique. He isn't scared of getting hurt anymore although he is still afraid of death. He should overcome this fear of death and have total disregard if he wants to master this. Herald has nodded his head in approval to Alphonse's calm. Alphonse has changed. He wondered if Alphonse realized that he has changed. This time Herald picked up the wooden sword and with a flick he disappeared in the wind and swung the wooden sword at Alphonse's shoulder. Alphonse wasn't able to sense it and got hurt.
The training continued. At first Alphonse could only sense two out of every ten thrusts but after a month of training like this he improved a bit. He could now sense three out of ten thrusts. Herald now pushed Alphonse more. His thrusts have become more and more dangerous as training continued. Alphonse realized after three months that he values his life too much. Alphonse tried to disregard himself and totally focus on the senses. He thought, 'If I die, let it be. If I get badly injured, let it be.' but just a thought like that doesn't immediately change one's mind. It was still hard to disregard his life. The training continued and on one day Alphonse came to the point where even the most dangerous swing which could kill him would not even make him twitch. He isn't scared anymore. His total focus is on his senses and to sense the incoming where the thrust is coming from.
This continued like this for another three years. On one fine afternoon, Herald and Alphonse were at the back garden. Herald is holding an actual sword, not wooden sword, tree branch or some stick. Alphonse looks serious and calm. He isn't particularly looking at Herald. He was staring at the sky. Herald smiled and with a flick he disappeared and appeared on the back of the Alphonse. Alphonse is still looking at the sky. Herald swung the sword from side to Alphonse's torso. As soon as the sword has taken the swung, Alphonse quickly stepped couple of steps forward and evaded the hit. Herald didn't stop and continued. He has a smile on his face and the thrusts have become more and more dangerous. Alphonse continued to dodge them without even seeing where they are coming from.
It has taken six years of hardship, heartbreak, depression and lot of things but Alphonse was finally able to do it. He has mastered evasion. The last three years have been brutal. Herald has put Alphonse under tremendous pressure with his power and Alphonse suffered a lot of injuries. Couple of the injuries were serious where Herald has lost his control but Alphonse was able to recover faster than normal people because he was also cultivating his body and he is no ordinary child. Alphonse has unique bloodline but it hasn't yet activated yet. Sophie had the most hard time in these last seven years seeing Alphonse hurt.
Alphonse is now ten years old. He is about 155cm tall and sports a pony tail for the hair. He is slim and muscular. Even though Alphonse is having hard time with this peculiar training from his father, his training in other areas are going very well. Alphonse has improved his mana cultivation. His body has absorbed lot of violet mana and he has increased the density of the violet mana in his body by ten fold.
Herald said, "You are doing so well. Very good Alphonse. You have mastered yourself. You have become self-regardless and purposeless. Let's start dueling with sword."
"Dad, you haven't shown me any sword moves.", said Alphonse who thought his father might have forgot.
Herald smiled and said, "No, you don't need them. Just let your sword go where it wants to go and that will be good enough for you."
Herald told Alphonse to wait and went inside. After a couple of minutes he was back and in his hands is a sword that is similar to Katana. Herald gave the sword to Alphonse. It is still inside it's scabbard. Alphonse began to examine the scabbard.
Alphonse was about to draw the sword and Herald stopped him. Herald said, "Now listen, don't just draw the sword. The first rule you have to follow is to only draw the sword if it is essential. The second rule to remember is, don't control the sword. Like how a spider lays its web and how our blood circulates naturally, let the sword take its move naturally. Do you understand?"
Alphonse listened and nodded his head. He got the gist of it. It is to use the sword but not control it. 'Let sword take its move naturally.', Alphonse doesn't know how to do that. He was thinking but Herald has started. Alphonse dodged first and tried to counter his father's move with sword.
Herald stopped and said, "You don't need to evade and then counter. Since you know where the thrust is coming from, you can improvise and directly counter. You are still controlling your sword."
The training continued. Alphonse soon cached on he understood that he doesn't need to completely evade and hit the opponent. He could simultaneously hit the opponent and dodge the move from opponent. He couldn't get not controlling the sword part. Alphonse trained all afternoon till evening but still couldn't do it. He continued the training next day. He has improved a bit in countering the opponent with sword while evading but no progress at not controlling sword.
Alphonse is not disappointed. He trained at the same pace every day. The days turned into weeks. He is making progress but he is still controlling the sword. The weeks turned into months and still no progress at not controlling the sword. Finally one day almost an year later Alphonse has let the sword go. The sword moved on it's own accord as if it has mind of it's own. Usually this is very hard for normal swordsmasters to do but Alphonse was able to do it because he can let go of himself, disconnect himself from the world or even from himself as he wants. Alphonse had just let go of his hand and let the sword move naturally.
Herald looked at Alphonse approvingly and said, "You did it Alphonse. You have mastered in letting the sword go by itself. I don't think there is anything more I can teach you. All you have to do now is to improve your speed and power then you can survive anything."