In the Practical room, a stunning display of speed and agility was showcased to anyone who happened to be watching, but no one was present.
In a blur of motion, Jaylen appeared before the training doll. His hand faded as he slashed horizontally, his blade slicing across the doll's synthetic surface.
Jaylen moved once more flashing towards the back of the doll. Lifting his sword once more, Jaylen swung it diagonally across the doll, the blade slicing through the air with a precise whoosh before striking its target.
Jaylen kicked off the doll and soared into a dazzling series of backflips, each rotation more flawless than the last. As he landed with poise on one knee.
His chest rose and fell with each heavy, labored breath; a single trail of sweat slid down the side of his face.
Rising to his feet, Jaylen fixed his stance before charging back at the doll. Each slash focused on the fundamentals, as he repeated the motions several more times.
At first, his form was perfect, and each swing was a textbook example of technique and control. But as he continued, the disciplined rhythm began to falter. His swings grew erratic, his control slipping away as the emotions he had been holding back surged to the surface.
With each swing, the dam inside him cracked further. His frustration and anger poured out, raw and unfiltered. He began to shout, each word a cathartic release of the grievances that had been festering within him.
"Oh, he's not good enough to be the heir," he mimicked, his voice dripping with sarcasm and bitterness.
"Oh yeah? Well, go to hell!" he yelled, his voice echoing in the empty room as he slashed the doll again, the force of his blow causing the practice sword to vibrate in his grip.
"Look at this white hair; it proves even more that you're a disgrace to the family." Jaylen mimicked this line with a mocking tone, then let out a bitter chuckle.
His next words were cold, laced with venom. "If anyone is a disgrace, it's that sorry excuse for a son you have, chasing skirts all day."
He slashed the doll with such ferocity that the impact reverberated up his arm.
"Everyone else can do it. Why can't you?" he shouted, his voice breaking with the weight of his pent-up emotions.
"Uhh, I don't know, maybe because you're comparing me to actual gods!" Jaylen slashed forth with even greater strength, his muscles straining, leaving a deep dent in the doll.
"Haa, Haa," Jaylen panted, his breaths coming in deep, labored gasps. He fixed his stance, his muscles trembling from both exhaustion and pent-up rage.
Preparing for a stronger strike, he screamed out the two things that haunted him the most. "What are you depressed about? Just deal with it. Well, I don't know, Father, maybe if everyone in this family wasn't so goddamn strong, I could!"
His voice echoed through the empty training room, each word dripping with bitterness and pain. Jaylen's grip tightened on the practice sword, his knuckles turning white.
His eyes burned with unshed tears as he relived the conversations that had cut him deeper than any blade.
"Sorry, Jaylen, I'd love to help you, but I'm busy right now. Maybe next time." His mother's dismissive words rang in his ears.
"I guess, Mother, you really like saying 'maybe next time,' knowing that there won't be a next time because you're always busy being someone else's role model instead of a mother!" The anger in his voice was so palpable it seemed to take physical form, surrounding him in a dark, oppressive cloud.
"And you know what? I will deal with it all, and I'll show you I won't need a next time!" With a final, primal cry, Jaylen lunged forward
As he advanced, a shimmering flicker of silver lightning began to dance around him, enveloping his figure until he transformed into a brilliant bolt of energy, crackling with power and vitality.
Arriving before the doll in an instant, Jaylen swung his sword with all his might. The blade cut through the air with a high-pitched whistle before striking the training doll.
The sound of a thunderclap rang out in the training room as Jaylen's figure finally came to a stop.
Looking back at the doll for a moment, it seemed as though the sword had passed through without any effect. However, the top half of the doll slowly slid off and hit the ground with a heavy thud, revealing a perfectly clean cut.
Breathing heavily, Jaylen stood there, staring at the bisected doll. His chest heaved with the effort, his heart pounding in his ears.
The room was silent, save for the faint hum of the training equipment. As he admired his handiwork, a voice broke the silence from behind him.
"You know, those dolls aren't exactly cheap," the voice remarked, a hint of amusement and reprimand woven into the words.
Turning towards the voice, Jaylen greeted with a respectful bow, "Miss Jevelyn."
There stood the elusive Headmaster Jevelyn Schwickrath, dressed in a black formal dress that hugged her curves just enough to be appropriate for school.
The dress was adorned with the emblem of the school staff, a green snake, coiling around her waist with its head resting on her left breast. This complemented her striking green hair and eyes.
A smile played on her lips as she looked at Jaylen. "You're supposed to call me headmaster during school hours."
"Sorry, Headmaster," Jaylen apologized, bowing his head briefly.
She sighed softly. "It's fine, don't worry about it. Now, why are you here and not in class?"
"Miss Xirenia told me to skip class today and cool my head," Jaylen replied, his voice still tinged with residual anger.
"Why is that?" she inquired, raising an eyebrow.
"Because I was frustrated and angry about not only my lack of progress in training but also managing personal relationships," he admitted, his frustration evident.
"Really, that's it?" Headmaster Jevelyn asked, her tone curious.
When Jaylen nodded, she continued, "Well, what were you training that got you this frustrated? I'm sure you know better than anyone that it takes time to see results."
"I was training to utilize Chaos energy after discovering I have the capability to use it instead of mana. But after having no results these past few days, it's been weighing on my mind," Jaylen explained, his voice heavy with the weight of his struggles.
"I see, to think you would be able to use Chaos energy," she mused, a thoughtful look crossing her face.
"Do you know something about Chaos energy, Headmaster?" Jaylen asked, a hint of hope in his voice.
"Hmm, not much. What I do know is that Chaos energy takes time to master. I could try to find more information for you if you'd like?"
"Really? That would be great. Thank you, Headmaster," Jaylen said, a glimmer of relief in his eyes.
"Now seeing as you probably won't be returning to class head out to the training field instead of staying indoors and destroying these dolls." With a graceful wave of her hand, she gestured toward the upper half of the doll lying abandoned on the ground.
"Alright, Headmaster." Jaylen nodded in agreement before asking.
"Do you know a spot that would be good for me to train at?"
"Hmm, The mountainous region should work well for you. There's this grove hidden by the peak of the mountain that would be perfect." Headmaster Jevelyn suggested, pointing out a place she believed would work.
"Thank you, Headmaster. I will head there right away." With that, Jaylen returned the practice sword to its stand and began heading out of the Practical room.
Headmaster Jevelyn watched Jaylen leave with a soft, sweet smile, her eyes following his figure closely. It was only after he left the room that her expression changed to one of remorse.
"Sorry Jaylen, I hope you can look after those two troublemakers for me" With a dramatic flourish, Jevelyn snapped her fingers, and in an instant, the shattered training doll vanished into thin air.
The air crackled with magic as she took a step back. Then, just as swiftly, she too disappeared, leaving only a shimmering echo of her presence behind.