William looked at the cut on his hand and then at the blood-stained dagger in Mia's hand. "How did you injure me?"
"The Severing Time art," she replied calmly. "It attacks the target at different points in time, like how I attacked your past."
"I'm not going to introduce other moves just yet, but remember this: this art is one among the Supreme Arts. You should feel honored that you're being given a chance to use it," Mia continued.
"Not even your siblings were given this chance until they were ready for it and had proven their worth," she said, looking at William.
William nodded. "But weren't they trained with the same intensity as me?" he asked.
"Trained with the same intensity?" Mia raised an eyebrow. "They gave up the first moment they got the chance, unlike you, who sees it through to the end."
"I was also tasked with training others, but they gave up on the second lap and cried that they could no longer do this," she added.
"You are the first prince who even did the ten laps, even when I ordered the others to run only five laps," Mia remarked as she placed the suit in front of William once more.
"Put it on again. To use this art, you need a strong body and mind," Mia said. "We will start with the body first and then move on to the mind. Now, let's start training your body."
William nodded as he began to put on the suit. "Wait... why does this feel 70% heavier?" William thought as he looked at Mia.
"You had no problem running ten laps, so I increased its weight by 20%," she said, looking at him with same stoic expression.
As William strapped on the weighted suit, every muscle in his body screamed in protest. The suit, now 70% heavier, made each movement feel like wading through thick mud. Mia watched him closely, her expression unyielding.
"Now that you're ready, we'll move on to the next phase," Mia said, handing William a sword. "This isn't just about strength, but precision. You need to master every swing, even when your body feels like it's breaking."
"plus this also help you identify which muscle of yours needed for swing, slash and cut" She added
She walked him to a training area marked with various targets, some stationary, others moving erratically. "These targets represent the chaos of battle. You must be able to cut through them without hesitation."
William raised the sword, feeling its familiar weight, but the added burden of the suit made his grip falter slightly. He adjusted his stance, determined not to show weakness.
"Begin," Mia commanded.
William swung his sword at the first target, a stationary one, and sliced it cleanly in half. But as he moved to the next, a moving target darting back and forth unpredictably, his swing was slower, the blade barely grazing it. Mia was instantly beside him, her eyes cold.
"That was sloppy," she said, without a hint of sympathy. "Again."
She reset the targets, this time increasing their speed. William gritted his teeth, sweat pouring down his face as he pushed himself to keep up. Each swing of the sword felt like lifting a mountain, his muscles burning from the strain.
The targets whirled around him, a blur of motion that he struggled to keep up with. He managed to slice through a few more, but his movements grew sluggish, the weight of the suit dragging him down.
Mia watched as his attacks began to falter. Then, without warning, she stepped in, her own sword flashing as she struck William's blade, knocking it out of his hands. The impact reverberated through his arms, almost causing him to collapse.
"Your enemies won't wait for you to catch your breath," Mia snapped. "Get up."
William staggered to his feet, his body trembling with exhaustion, but Mia was relentless. She thrust the sword back into his hands and pointed at a new set of targets, these designed to release sharp spikes if not struck precisely.
"These will do more than just sting," she said, her voice cold as steel. "If you fail to hit them at the right angle, they'll tear through you. Swing with accuracy or suffer the consequences."
William swallowed hard but nodded. He raised the sword again, every muscle in his body screaming in protest. The first swing was a blur of pain and effort, but he managed to hit the target correctly, the spikes retracting harmlessly. The next was even more grueling, his vision beginning to blur from the exertion.
As he moved on to the third target, his arm faltered, the sword slipping slightly off course. In an instant, the spikes shot out, grazing his arm and sending a sharp jolt of pain through his body. Blood welled up, dripping down his arm, but William didn't flinch. Instead, he gripped the sword tighter, ignoring the pain.
"Good," Mia said, a hint of approval in her voice. "Pain is your teacher. Learn from it."
She reset the targets again, this time with a fresh set of traps designed to release searing flames if struck incorrectly. The heat from the flames could be felt even at a distance, their intensity promising more than just a singe.
"These will burn you alive if you fail," Mia warned. "Your body is strong, but your mind must be sharper. Focus."
William's breath came in ragged gasps, his body on the verge of collapse, but he raised his sword again. The first target was cleaved perfectly, the flames extinguished before they could erupt. He moved to the next, his mind and body working in unison, barely managing to avoid the flames.
Finally, he reached the last target, a small, swift-moving one designed to simulate an opponent's vital spot. William's vision blurred, the edges of his consciousness beginning to fray, but he steeled himself for one final swing.
With a surge of willpower, William struck, the blade slicing through the target just as the flames began to flare up. He barely had time to register the success before collapsing to his knees, the sword slipping from his grasp.
Mia walked over, her expression unreadable. "You've survived today's training," she said quietly. "But remember, this is just the beginning. Each day will be more grueling than the last. You must be ready for anything."
She knelt beside him, resting a firm hand on his shoulder. "You did well, William, but there's still much for you to master. Rest now. Tomorrow, we will push your limits even further."
As Mia rose and walked away, William lay on the ground, his body overwhelmed with pain and exhaustion.
The maids hurried forward to assist him, but Mia abruptly halted and turned to face them. "Leave him. On the battlefield, there will be no one to heal or help him. He must learn to endure on his own."
The maids hesitated, their hearts aching to see William in such a state, but a single, sharp glare from Mia was enough to stop them in their tracks, preventing them from offering any assistance.