Rion's eyes snapped open, and he thrust forward.

His spear reached Haden's arm, and he parried it with a clean strike right above Rion's grip.

Rion's spear flew aside before he pulled it back, planted his left foot a step forward and drove the spear towards Haden's side.

Haden watched him with a calm gaze and struck his spear to the side, throwing it away from its path.

Clang!

Sparks flew as the shafts of their spears clashed with one another.

Rion's palm stung, and the muscles of his arms strained as he twisted them in a way they had never been twisted.

Crack!

Spiderweb fractures raced across the stone beneath Rion's feet as he lunged for Haden's chest. Yet before Haden, the attack was no more than a worm's futile wriggle.

Clang!

He countered as easily as before.

Rion didn't care and attacked again.

He ignored the sting in his palms and the searing in his arms. He ignored everything. He just swung, slashed and thrust — over and over.

Sweat drenched his body. His throat burned, and his breathing grew ragged, but none of it mattered. The only thing that mattered was the spear and its movement.

'It's just a bit of pain, not like it will kill me!' He screamed inwardly and swung his spear at Haden's free arm.

Time blurred as he continued to attack, yet he failed to twist his spear at the right time.

A jolt tore through him when he spun the spear too early from the clash.

But he didn't give up, he learned from the pain and swung again.

Another shock followed when he waited too long — missing the chance to block the rotative force of Haden's attack.

His muscles ripped apart under the strain, yet his eyes were ablaze with determination.

Pain had always been his best mentor. Every bit of it taught him something, and the same was happening now. His timing was drawing near perfection, and his strikes were beginning to resemble a veteran's.

His feet picked up, and he lunged forward.

Haden thrust in response.

However, this attack was different from before; the weapons collided with each other but Rion didn't feel any shock or vibration.

He slid a few steps back and announced with a wide grin, "I did it."

Haden looked down at the ground and admitted, "I was sent a step back."

Joy filled Rion's heart, and Haden stated, "Let us start the lesson."

Rion's smile dropped into a frown, and he questioned with a puzzled expression, "What do you mean...?"

Haden furrowed his brows and questioned, "Have you not warmed up enough?"

Rion's lower jaw nearly touched the ground at the absurdity of his words.

'Is this how the strong usually are?' He questioned himself before he shook his head and answered in a determined tone, "Let's start."

Haden nodded and took a step forward before he swung his spear at his head.

Rion's eyes widened. The attack was much faster and deadlier than before.

"Blasted Hell!" He cursed and quickly raised his spear to strike back.

The two spears collided with one another, but Haden's spear didn't stop; instead, it slid free and continued to chase Rion.

Warning bells rang in Rion's head; he jumped back and parried it with all of his might.

Haden smiled faintly and struck again.

Clang!

Rion blocked it, and the skin of his palms tore under the weight of Haden's attack, but he didn't focus on them... he couldn't.

Haden lashed forward, and his spear rolled around Rion's spear before shooting towards his heart.

Clang!

Rion repelled it at the last moment and jumped forward.

"Good," Haden praised and hearing that, a wide smile appeared on Rion's face.

"We should go faster," Haden commented, and Rion's smile vanished.

Rion stared at him with a deadpan look, and Haden snorted before his volley of attacks began.

Rion countered a few, but soon he couldn't keep up with Haden's speed and strength.

Haden's spear left cuts all over his body, and a few drops of blood slid out before the immortal body's healing kicked in.

The cuts stitched themselves, but under Haden's restless attacks, Rion couldn't even move, let alone strike back.

The old wounds healed, and new ones appeared. He forced all of his might into blocking his next attack, but just as he was about to block it, the spear turned away and struck him from a different direction.

"Ugh!?" He groaned and focused on Haden's spear, but his naked eyes weren't enough for him to read his attacks.

"Agh!!" Another pained cry left him, and Haden's words echoed in his head.

"Use your Will."

He took a deep breath and let go of all of his thoughts, he let his will flow freely.

Just as he stopped looking for the answer, everything around him changed.

The world seemed to slow — not because it truly did, but because his mind was no longer lagging behind his body.

Everything became clear, and he could sense every small detail of anything around him. He felt a leaf fall and a pebble roll across.

'Is this the Zone?' He wondered, and just a moment later, a surreal sensation of oneness filled him as his body acted on its own and blocked Haden's attack.

Clang!

Haden halted, a proud smile cutting across his face. "You have reached the Zone."

Rion stayed silent, and Haden attacked in agreement.

His spear spun and lashed forward like a serpent, but Rion, who had entered the zone, stopped it before it could even slither at him.

'Heh. He is using it as if it isn't his first time.' Haden couldn't help but be proud of his son's monstrous talent and growth.

He swung his spear, and it seemed like three spears were lashing at Rion.

Rion ignored the feints and parried the real one. Then he launched an attack at Haden's left shoulder.

Haden diverted it away from himself and swung at his lower abdomen.

Rion stepped to the side, Haden's spear turned towards him, and he blocked it.

Seeing that, Haden lowered his spear and asked with a puzzled expression, "You are already in The Flow?"

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