"I think you should stop this…"

"What?"

I looked straight into the old man’s eyes and all I saw was pity… not those eyes! Why? Why are you looking at me like that too? The reason may be different but those eyes are almost the same! So stop it!

The old man felt my slight build of frustration and started to explain why…

"If you haven't been able to feel your Will then this won't work even if you try for a hundred days. We have to find another way for you to feel your Will. It’s a pity that you don’T feel Will like usual Awakened do but this won't go on forever. It is a part of you so eventually you will feel it."

So that’s the reason. Even if this explanation calmed me down a bit, the frustration when being looked at with these eyes still stayed. I didn’t know what I was supposed to say. I didn’t feel my Will even when I tried to change positions or ways of entering a meditative state. But in the end nothing changed…

I felt like my footing was slowly vanishing. I had Will which was supposed to be a part of my body and soul and yet… where was it? Why couldn’t I feel it? Why did I had such problems with it?

'What's wrong with me? Why can I do something that takes others months yet can't do stuff that takes others mostly a moment?'

My frustration started to corrupt my mind, disturbing my determination. I never thought that just a setback would crumble my Will this much. Was I really determined enough to face the dangers ahead? Thinking thus far, I remembered the bet I had with the principal and his wish.

‘If you lose, you’ll stay low, not showing yourself in the public and stop searching for your parents’ was it? Was this maybe the better option? I did all this as the old man yet nothing happened… absolutely nothing!

My eyes turned dangerously empty. There was no golden light, no slight dark green glow, no shine full of determination. Just pure black. The Spirals in my mind reflected on my eyes showed how much my mind was in disarray. I fell into an eternal darkness.

Was all I did… all I did so far… pointl-

SLAP

“ARGH! YOU DAMNED… fuc…huh…”

The old man slapped my face. It hurt like a bitch. But just that. This didn’t send me flying, this didn’t make my head spin like a circus attraction nor was my face the perfect red. But that bitch slap hurt just like it sounds. And this was enough. My mind slowed down, backtracking on what I actually thought. Was this really enough to shake my true determination? Was this really pointless?

The old man had an angry face. He was pissed off at me for even doubting myself. Grabbing me by the hem of my shit, he pulled me closer as his bloodshot eyes were deeply looking at my black eyes.

“You fucking bastard! You always talked about having such great determination yet one little shit is actually enough to make you give up? Are you only talking and not acting? Is this what you should do? Get yourself together! You have amazing talents! The gods would slaughter just to have your talent! The Devil would try to tempt you in any way possible and every faction would love to have you on their side! So stop whining about it like a little kid and grow up! Never and I repeat NEVER lose that determination that set it’s goal to find your parents. Unless you want to truly disrespect them, never lose this true determination, got that brat?”

He was right… This training was never pointless. I got carried away thinking that I am some hotshot with amazing talent but that wasn’t how I was before. I may only want to become strong but this will take time and I have to acknowledge that. Like the old man always says.

The universe is fair to everyone. If my talent is that high then the hurdles I have to get over are just as hard. And this should never shake my determination. Nothing should!

"Yeah… you are right!"

Seeing the slight gleam in my eyes return, the old man released his grip on my shirt. That hurt a bit but he was right at that point so complaining was out of the question. And I’d not do it in the first place. This was a wake up call. If I stay still waiting to be carried forward by my talent alone, then I can wait long enough. And seeing my determination return slowly, the old man started to speak again.

"Good. Now sit down while I think of a way. Like I said before, every Awakened is different. Just because we can feel it while meditating doesn't mean you will have to do it that way as well. The important part is the finish line, not the path."

“Yes… you are…right?”

‘Wait… not the same path but the same finish line…’

Something clicked in my head when I thought this far. This was the point! I was such an abnormality to this point that I completely forgot that I was using a method that others used. And all these abnormalities had one connection. Now I just had to figure out if I’m right

'It’s not the way I need to do but the line I have to reach. Some may cross the sea by swimming, some by using a boat and some flying over it while there are those that walk around it. But at the end they all get to the other side. So if I can not swim towards the other side, I will have to choose another option. Only question is if I’ll be crossing this ocean by boat, plane or around it by foot.'

I was as calm as I could get at the moment. The excitement that was taking every cell of my brain made me forget my previous blunder of determination, analysing every thought that could lead me to the control of my Will. If I used a way that won’t work on me for hours to get results, I may try another that will get me results in seconds. And so far that’s exactly what I did. Just wasting my time with a method I didn’t know would work on me.

"Old man. question. "

"Answer , stupid brat"

I ignored the remark and continued with my guess. If I was right, I knew where my answer lay. It may be as far as mountains away or it may just be

Right in my hand, ready to be grasped at any moment.

"What did you feel when you first felt your Will?"

"What I first felt?"

I nodded at his question. The answer lies in the feeling in my opinion. If I can recreate that feeling, I can guess what method I should do or which I shouldn’t use. The old man pondered for a while. It seemed this was a very long time ago. Maybe even all over seven centuries ago.

"I'd say I felt nothing else around me. Like I was in a Trance. As if nothing around me mattered. What only mattered was my Will and myself. None of my senses worked besides the feeling of Will at that moment. You have an idea, don’t you?"

I didn’t answer the old man’s question just yet. I wasn’t so sure and had to use all of my mind at that moment. I sat down on the couch, pondering with the words the old man spoke in my mind for a while. Until it hit me.

‘Trance! This is it! I felt something similar already twice. But even if those two times were not on the same level as the old man’s trance, I can still reach that far if I get into such a situation again.’

My eyes opened wide after this realisation. It was obvious yet wasn’t at the same time. This ‘Trance’ should happen after feeling every part of your body because you don’t feel anything else at that moment. I never felt anything else but my senses were always picking up something even if my mind was truly empty. This means meditation wasn’t going to do it.

But something else can! And when I thought about it, I couldn’t help but smile like a certain madman as I looked at the madman in front of me.

"Master! Let's fight!"

“Oh~! I see~ so you figured out a way to get into a ‘Trance’. But what do you want me to do exactly? Stay on the same level as you?”

“I want you to actually start low and increase your power with every 5 seconds. Fighting style doesn’t matter.”

“I see… fine then. Let’s go outside for now. But are you sure?”

“Yes! Trust me on this one, old man!”

The old man sighed seeing my determination. I could understand why he was doubting my confidence in this scenario but I was almost sure about this. And trying won’t hurt anyone so he had to comply. Okay maybe this will hurt me a little in the process but no pain no gain, right?

We stood in front of the hut , face to face. We were about five metre apart but I am sure this distance meant nothing to the two of us now. A 190 cm tall boy that had a smile that of a madman while on the other side a 194 cm tall monster with a body and might that god’s would envy. This was a crazy fight to ask for but I had to. No matter what!

“Wait… I am not ready…”

When I said those lines, the old man looked at me weirdly. I could understand why. It would look stupid if someone asked for a fight only to then chicken out or saying they are not ready yet. But in my case, I just didn’t have the most important piece in my hand. Stretching my right hand towards the hut, I just said one word.

“Keyser.”

And a golden light shot out of the hut, flying towards my right hand. The moment I catched the beautiful blade, it showed its true form of a Kilij. Seeing what I did, the old man understood why I said I wasn’t ready and nodded. But he still looked like he wanted to ask something.

"Are you sure about this, boy?"

"I've never been more sure in my life! Now!"

SHING

"Hit me with your best shot!"

VUUM

I felt the pressure coming from the old man. It was still manageable as it was on the same level as mine. But there was a quality that couldn’t be changed no matter what and the old man probably knew it.

‘Ugh! This feels way different then the other time. But that doesn’t matter! Let’s do this!’

As if a switch in my head was flipped, I started to run towards the old man. Every step felt a bit more heavier than usual but this was fine. And then I fell down.

Almost.

And in a matter of moments, I was just beside him. Ready to move Keyser at that moment, I looked at the old man with a strong gaze. The latter only replied with his distorted smile.

And I swung my Kilij. The old man stepped back and shot what I presume to be magic. A rock the size of a basketball was now flying towards my face. It was fast. Dodging would be hard without getting injured.

And then they appeared again. Those lines! Telling me to cut through the rock and keep moving forward. And so I did.

But unbeknownst to me, an black energy with slight golden and dark green accents was forming around my blade. And then I slashed.

Cleanly. This rock was formed with crude Will so slicing through it with my concentrated Will on my blade was easy. And then I stepped forward. To get to the old man and fight him!

Another step. And then another one! And before I knew it, I was running towards him with such speed that I completely forgot I had.

The old man jumped back while facing me with a grin on his face. I rushed towards him at the same speed and we soon vanished into the forest. All this while cutting the projectiles the old man shot at me. And with each swing of Keyser, one projectile will get cut in two before dissipating.

‘With every step I take, he takes two. This won’t work with normal running. I have to get faster’

I thought about how to approach a monster with chains on better. His current limitation was that he had to slowly raise his level from zero. I had to get the feeling of danger. And I don’t know where I should start. But not now. I had to get to him first.

I take another step. I see the old man shoot projectiles. I cut them apart.

Another step. See projectile. Cut apart.

Step. See. Cut.

My only thoughts were about getting to that old man no matter what. And even with the pressure from the old man growing with each second, I was still closing in slowly but surely. And when I saw multiple shots coming at me all at once, my thoughts stopped.

Dodging them was impossible. And so was tanking each shot that I couldn’t cut apart in time. This was it. Checkmate. I can not do anything with what I could normally do. Even with or without lines.

But then it hit me. And right after, my mind went blank. No thoughts in my hand. No feelings in my head.

Pitch black darkness. All my senses were gone. All but the feeling of Keyser in my right hand. And then I could see light. The golden threads that would usually tell me where to cut, how to stab and where to dodge were now moving towards Keyser, spiralling around it. As if they were helices that were spinning around my blade, they formed a structure with power. I feel like something similar happened before. But I can’t remember it.

I felt nothing else than that raw energy that were the golden threads. And I concentrated on the only thing I could feel. The blade and those threads. I made them thicker, longer, sturdier. And then I thought about creating more and so it happened. Now shining dark green and black threads the same size as the golden ones were accumulating not only over the blade but also around my body.

It felt true. Like I was finding something I had all this time but couldn’t recognise. So this is Will. And with my closed eyes, I felt more and more threads that were originally leaving my body surrounding me. And I finally understood what they were before.

My Will was, before I could even concentrate and use it, guiding me by instinct. Like it was in my very being to be able to understand how to use my weapon in that moment.

So I swung my blade horizontally, erasing the pitch black darkness that was clouding my senses. All of this because I finally do not need guidance from my Will.

It is part of me. I could understand this feeling better than getting elad by my own Will. and so, I should do exactly what feels the best to do in this situation.

I could see, hear, smell, taste and feel normal again. And what I first saw was the cut of multiple projectiles in front of me. Not all were cut. About four. But this was perfect. Because if I can cut more with one swing.

I’ll do it as much as I can.

I swung and swung my blade, cutting multiple projectiles with less motions. My swings became more efficient, sturdier, more balanced and they now held my Will with it.

‘An opening!’

A small gap was created between the wall of endless spells. And my only response was to lower my centre of gravity, bend my knees, pumping my legs with the most amount of strength possible and letting my whole body flow with the surge of not just my physical strength but also my Will.

SWOSH

There was no sound coming from my movement. The wind was the only thing that made a sound. And with me practically flying through the gap and towards the old man, who had now a crazed grin on his face with eyes telling me that he enjoys this moment to the fullest, with immense speed.

Spinning in the air after getting through the wall of projectiles, I was now on the left side of the old man. My right arm raised and eyes bloodshot at the old man. Every part of my body was already bleeding. This was probably the pressure of a higher existence.

But this won’t be the first time for me. And I won’t let this be the last either!

And with my focus unwavering, my eyes glued at the old man and my right hand falling down, I swung at the old man. My only thoughts were to cut him. With everything I have!

My Will spiralled around my blade, creating a display of three colours while almost burning in that energy. I knew that this was a mesmerising sight even without looking at it myself. But I only thought about cutting him.

I didn’t want to kill or hurt the old man even if I could, but this feeling. It was addicting. Pushing myself through my limits and becoming stronger with each push is very addicting. And I wanted to push myself yet again!

And what better way than to land a hit against the person who is the strongest Awakened in this world!

The old man raised his left palm towards me, releasing an onslaught of Will that was about the level of an [Illustratus]. And we both clashed. His Will only had the intention of pushing em away while mine had the genuine intent of cutting. But in comparison, the old man’s push hurt bad, like it was actually going to rapture my insides away from me.

‘JUST… GET… CUT… ALREADY!!!’

And then finally… my blade cut through that push for a moment. And then silence. I couldn’t hear anything. And only then did I realise that I was most likely falling unconscious…

But right before I hit the ground , I let out only one sentence.

“I… told you…”

THUD

“I… told you…”

THUD

And like that, the boy who bled from every orifice fell down to the ground only to be held back up in the arms of a middle aged looking man. With his hands that could crush mountains in mere moments, he held onto Laith like he was the most fragile thing in the world. This may not actually be far from the truth since the boy yet again pushed himself too much, damaging his body in the process.

“You stupid brat… at least I have to acknowledge that you were right…”

Bringing him onto his bed in seconds and taking out a bottle of liquid with different colours, Akira poured the contents into the young boy’s mouth, forcefully making him swallow the potion. The potion wasn’t of the highest grade but it was enough for the boy to heal from every injury with no after effects.

Sitting on his armchair in the living room after taking care of the boy, Akira was mumbling to himself. Mainly about how the boy actually felt the Will. or to be precise…

“The boy already mastered how to use his Will. this is a bit too much, which won’t be good unless I help him to fix future bad habits. But besides that…”

Akira felt a tremble when he thought about his disciple and how he achieved this. If he was going to be honest, feeling Will so fast was only possible for the prodigies that actually had abilities surrounding the massive use of Will like Akira himself. Everyone else could only feel their Will after a certain amount of time passed. This didn’t usually tell anyone about their talents, only which direction their ability will grow. And Akira had now a better understanding of Laith’s growth.

“This boy is a monster… it is pitiful though. If he has to be constantly in danger to advance, he can become the strongest being ever inside a battlefield. But he will never be able to advance his strength like everyone else can with just training. And putting someone through battlefield after battlefield will only make their mentality weak… I have to find a way to fix this… or a way to make him advance without the constant dangers…”

The old man sipped a bit of his tea from his glass while mumbling to himself. The growth of his disciple was like that of a monster, which made Akira’s heart only tremble in excitement. But saying he wasn’t worried that his one and only disciple will have to constantly risk his life to get stronger would be a big lie.

“I hope you can find a better way than this…”