Phew, I finally understand Crowe's angle…
Marcellus let out a sigh of relief.
He slowly turned around and savoured the cool breeze and the tranquillity of the afternoon as he relaxed in the garden.
He had spent a significant portion of his morning with Edwin, sorting through his concerns and the mysteries that had unfolded.
From what I can tell, Captain Crowe is a jinx. As a person who has ventured onto the path of the supernatural, he must have acquired the formula or potion from somewhere. My guess is that he obtained it from the governor and entered into some sort of binding contract with them. Yes, this makes sense. Naturally, he can't break this contract without facing severe repercussions.
What I do not understand is how I come into play?
Marcellus pondered this question as he gazed at the lush greenery in the garden. It had been a whirlwind of events, and he couldn't help but feel like a pawn in a much larger game.
In any case, I must deal with snakes as they rear their heads.
Walking through the Hallways without a single person in sight and taking in the cold air, Marcellus had an inexplicable and amazing feeling. It felt like he had a few more hours than others. This caused him to hasten his pace.
In a similar state of mind, he opened the door to his room and before he even stepped inside, he saw a silhouette sitting back against the wall facing his bed.
It had harsh-black hair, deep dark eyes, and a soft childish, appealing face. Undoubtedly, he was Finn!
"Blackeye, where did you go?" Finn asked curiously as he relaxed his dark eyebrows.
Without waiting for Marcellus' reply, he added, "Since Dawn, I waited for you in the yard, you did not come. I searched the whole mansion for you, I even met a strange lady"
It was as if he wanted to scream 'You can't just do whatever you want'.
Without a need to lie, M arcellus replied "Edwin called me to help him with something, surely you do not think I am staying here for free."
Marcellus muttered under his breath 'And who told you it was ok to enter my room, How did you even get in?'
Finn stood up, took a glance half-heartedly and deliberated for a few moments before saying, "What should I do if you are not around, can I leave and go to the market district?"
Marcellus fell in a predicament, he had never encountered such a situation. most of his teachers were always present from the priestess in Wisbech to Leon in his dream.
Does this mean I am an irresponsible teacher? I cannot babysit him till I leave Mythralis.
Marcellus nodded his head in understanding and then turned his gaze towards Finn, his expression intense, "I want to make something clear, Finn. I did not abduct you, at least not in the formal sense. What I did was give you an opportunity, a chance to learn. You have seen the breathing technique, you have the potential to master it, but it won't be easy."
He continued, "It will likely take you six years of dedicated practice to become proficient with it. If you cannot master it within that time frame, the chances of ever doing so become slim, unless you possess exceptional talent, as I do then it will be 4 years or less. I will guide you in the beginning, but I won't be by your side forever."
Marcellus's tone grew more serious, "Once you have become proficient with the sword, you will be on your own. If I'm not around, you must practice diligently. I have one condition for you: when I'm not here, you must perform 100 perfect downward slashes every day. This is non-negotiable. After that you can go anywhere you like, but if i have to look for you"
He did not finish the sentence.
"Okay," Finn's response was simple.
Marcellus spun around abruptly and said, "We haven't practised today. Let's not waste any more time. Come, let's continue your training."
With a sense of purpose, he led Finn. The afternoon sun cast long shadows as they began their rigorous training session.
"Today, Finn, we will focus on perfecting the downward slash technique," Marcellus announced, his tone serious. "Simple right, but here's the catch, if your swing is not perfect, you must start again from the beginning. Precision and consistency are the keys to mastering this skill."
Marcellus provided a demonstration of the technique first. His movements were fluid and precise, the sword cleaving through the air with a practised ease.
"Now, it's your turn," Marcellus instructed, his voice steady and encouraging.
Finn nodded in understanding He took a deep breath, steadying himself, centring himself, and began to execute the downward slashes. Marcellus watched closely, offering guidance and corrections as needed.
With intense concentration, he executed the first downward slash. The motion needed to be flawless—perfect balance, perfect form, and perfect control.
However, as he swung, Marcellus observed a slight deviation in Finn's technique. Without a word, Marcellus signalled for him to reset and start again.
Finn nodded, he went back to his starting position and initiated the downward slash once more. This time, he focused even harder on each detail of the movement.
Again, Marcellus noticed a minor flaw in Finn's execution, and once more, he signalled for Finn to begin anew.
The cycle continued, with Finn repeatedly attempting the downward slash and Marcellus meticulously assessing each one. Whenever Finn's form wasn't perfect, he had to reset and start from scratch.
As the training session progressed, the sun dipped lower in the sky, casting a warm, golden glow over the both of them.
The repetitive nature of the training was gruelling, hours passed, and Finn's muscles. However, he continued to persevere.
Finally, as the evening shadows lengthened, Finn executed the 100th perfect downward slash. He lowered his wooden sword, his chest heaving with exertion, clothes drenched.
Marcellus looked at him with a sense of pity he looked even worse than when I beat him. How can he even physically perform this?
"You've demonstrated remarkable discipline and commitment today, Finn," Marcellus praised.
"I truly did not expect you to complete more than ten, how are you healed so quickly is this an ability of an apprentice"
Finn heaved and answered, "No, I am still injured" finn cursed. "how many did you complete during your first time"
Finn's admission about his injury surprised Marcellus.
He raised an eyebrow and inquired, "You're still injured? I didn't realize it was so intense. How did you manage to complete so many repetitions with an injury? Is this some ability of an apprentice?"
Finn's breaths were heavy as he replied, "No, as an apprentice I don't have any special ability to heal. It's just that..." He couldn't help but mutter under his breath Who knows if you will hit me if I did not swing?
Marcellus nodded in acknowledgement of Finn's determination. "I see,"
Finn, still catching his breath, couldn't resist asking, "How many downward slashes did you complete when you first learned?"
Marcellus considered the question for a moment. "It's hard to say exactly because I never had to repeat a single one. I practised relentlessly for 10 days until I could perform the downward slash flawlessly, and I estimate it was around 1000 repetitions each day before I felt confident in my skill."
Finn's eyes widened in astonishment. A thousand repetitions without a single mistake seemed almost superhuman to him. This is ridiculous he was not joking about being talented.