The next morning, Ash was already at the training grounds before the sun had fully crested the mountains. Dew still clung to the grass, and the sky was painted in soft hues of gold and lavender.
He stood shirtless, his breath steady, dressed only in his black lower robes. His toned young frame was already showing the beginnings of strength beyond his years.
Across from him stood his instructor — Selene Dorne, silent and unreadable as ever.
"Alright, Fifth Prince," she said, her voice firm. "Today, we ramp things up."
---
Selene clapped once, and several wooden training devices emerged from hidden compartments in the ground — weighted stones, balancing platforms, sword targets, and a mana-infused gravity circle.
"Body before blade," she said. "If your foundation is weak, your sword will betray you."
Body Tempering Phase.
-100 Weighted Push-ups (with enchanted gravity stones on his back)
-50 Handstand Holds (on shifting elemental planks)
-Timed Sprinting Drills (under increased gravity, 10 rounds)
-Endurance Run through a low-pressure mana field designed to exhaust mental focus
-Stone-Strikes — punching mana-hardened wooden poles to increase muscle density and pain tolerance
Sword Training Phase.
-Form Drills (1-20) — basic sword slashes, parries, and recovery stances drilled on repeat
-Precision Cuts — slicing falling leaves in half mid-air
-Deflection Training — blocking pebbles launched from pressure traps at random angles
-Footwork Maze — navigating a shifting platform while maintaining balance and blade position
-Controlled Sparring — one-on-one guidance with Kaelithra using a wooden sword (with soul-pressure infused swings)
---
The training lasted all day.
Ash's limbs trembled by midday. Sweat soaked his skin. Bruises had begun to form on his forearms from the pole strikes, and his legs ached with each step through the maze.
But he didn't stop.
Every time he faltered, he pushed forward again.
Every time his form broke, Recursion activated — subtly adjusting his stance, refining his movement, replicating his best attempts and correcting the worst.
It was barely noticeable to an outside observer. But Selene saw it.
He was improving... faster than anyone should.
By sunset, the training field was cast in orange-gold light. Ash stood in the middle of the yard, his chest rising and falling, his eyes still sharp despite the fatigue.
Selene sat cross-legged in front of him, resting her blade across her knees.
"You're impressive," she said at last. "I've trained some of the most powerful individuals in this world. And only a few had that fire — the kind that doesn't go out even when the body begs it to."
Ash flopped onto the ground, breathing heavily.
"Hmph. I don't even know how I made it through myself."
Selene lip quirked upward in the faintest of smiles.
"You know, I trained all your siblings."
Ash turned his head to look at her.
"And what does that mean?"
"It means you've got a long road ahead. The Crown Prince, the Eldest Princess, and even little Nyssari… they were just as impressive at your age. Perhaps even more."
She leaned back slightly.
"They're what we call cultivation geniuses. They command power and presence that outclasses most of their generation. When they fight… few, if any, in the same rank will be able to stand against them."
Ash grew quiet.
His thoughts drifted to his sisters. He missed them more than he expected. Their warmth, their voices, their protective presence. But at the same time, a fire stirred in his gut.
"I see," he murmured.
He stood up slowly, sweat still dripping from his brow. He picked up his wooden sword — hands aching, knuckles bruised — and faced her again.
"Then I guess I'll just have to catch up."
"Oh?" Selene raised an eyebrow.
Ash grinned.
"Well then, my dear master~ why don't we keep going?"
Kaelithra burst into a rare, full smile.
"GOOD!"
And once more, the sound of wood striking wood echoed across the field.