Ghaster has the bloodline of Punishment Lightning and Destruction. With it came the resolution to ignore all else and be stubborn. He will be damned if he ever accepts defeat. His eyes blazed with the fire of determination.
He repeated the promise he made to his eldest.
"One day, I'll rise above you and I'll trample on you."
Then he left to forge his path while Soverick went to find Litori.
Soverick's meeting with Ghaster was less than pleasant but he still wants to complete this small errand, especially since it will have a bigger return when used against Mihila.
He went straight to the training room and found her exercising. She was focused more on physical training because that's the area she is lacking at. She has her advantage in the mind and focuses on the body, while Ghaster has an advantage in the body but chose to focus on his body.
He approved of Litori's decision more than Ghaster's. She is trying to fix her weakness while Ghaster is focusing on his strength. Each decision has its advantages and disadvantages but Litori has only her bloodline to help her, Ghaster also has an endless supply of life force.
Life force is precious and still useful up to the level of transcendent. And yet, Ghaster is complaining about something else. Such is the greed for power. It can never be enough. People pursue power for different reasons. For Ghaster, it is the need to come out victorious against all adversaries.
He was easily noticed when he entered the training room. His fur makes him stand out too much. Litori saw him and came over a few minutes later.
She waved to him. "Hey, Eldest. How have you been?"
"I've been fine. I came to check up on you. How is your progress in training?" Soverick replied.
"Did you come to check in on us so that you can get something from Mom?"
Soverick grinned. "I admit nothing."
Litori laughed. "That's so like you. You don't do anything without a purpose and that purpose must be beneficial to you."
"That's a baseless accusation."
Litori laughed harder. "I understand and don't hold it against you. It is who you are. I must say that your visit is appreciated regardless of the reason. I have been fine but the progress has been slow. Our bloodline is only focused on the quality but not the quantity of our life's order. We have to improve the quantity ourselves and it is not easy going. I am making less and less progress the harder I work. It has been 5 months already since we started the academy and at this rate, I'll not be done with the preparatory stage until a year as passed. It is so frustrating."
Soverick listened as Litori complained about her training. She had been pushing herself both for the physical and the spiritual preparatory stage. He compared how well she might fare in the second stage. Ghaster and her might not have a definite advantage over each other right now, but things will change in the second stage. Ghaster will have the advantage in willpower and determination but it won't be able to stand up to Litori's analytical mind.
Physical training needs as much Mental acumen as physical prowess. It is about the perfect control of the resources of the body and the ability to adapt to unfavorable conditions. To adapt, one needs to have an open mind. It is something that Ghaster is definitely lacking. Litori on the other hand will be able to make the necessary adjustments needed to overcome the challenges. The physical techniques stage aims to break bad habits and learn better ones. If Ghaster is too stubborn to break his habits, how does he hope to learn? No matter the outcome of the second stage, Soverick is sure that it will have a much greater impact on Ghaster.
Soverick listened to her talk for over an hour. He gave her some advice here and there but it was mostly Litori doing the talking. He excused himself a while later to start his third stage. He didn't tell her about his progress so she assumed he was still challenging the second. She was sure to find out if she talks to Ghaster or when he fights in the arena, but he doesn't care about what are reaction could be. He had no obligation to inform her of his progress and her thoughts about it is her business.
'No one can say I never tried. I visited them twice in less than 6 months. That's a pretty high frequency. Time to train" He thought in satisfaction.
He had spent more than 2 hours on his visits to them, enough time for him to finish some challenges. So it can be considered a lot of effort and time. Now that he has fulfilled his so-called duty as the eldest, he could concentrate on what he wants to do.
He followed the direction of his vision to a different part of the academy. There was almost no difference in the environment, the academy is all doors and hallways. But he could tell that this area is different because of the leftover aura of strong people. These auras indicated that this area of the academy is frequented by people that are at least transcendents.
He reached another door that looked similar to the others and swiped his wrist logger against it. The door beeped and he was informed to wait for permission. The room behind the door doesn't belong to him but to his new teacher. This person will teach him how to fight with a spear for the next period of his training. He didn't have to wait for long. The door turned green, so he opened it and entered.
He entered a large rectangular room with several doors that led to places currently unknown. There was a battle sage monkey in the center of the room. This battle sage monkey, male or female, had a yellow fur that paled in glory when compared to Soverick's golden fur. The thing that garnered Soverick's attention is that the battle sage monkey was somehow resting with its tail as support. The legs were folded and the battle sage monkey was meditating. The tail wasn't standing on the ground, it was standing on the butt of a vertical but inverted spear. The spear was standing with the sharp tip of its blade touching the ground.
Soverick could sense that this battle sage was somehow balancing its entire weight on his tail and the spear beneath it. There was no other force apart from the energy that is coating the blade preventing it from stabbing into the ground. He knew the principle of balance and what is necessary for it but he couldn't figure out how to make his center of balance align with his tail and the spear enough to attain such a feat.
'It probably has something to do with world harmonization.' he mused.
He had many guesses as to how it was achieved and was content in trying to parse it out when his new teacher didn't acknowledge his presence. The battle sage monkey knew he was here, it gave Soverick permission to enter. So for him to enter and yet be ignored is a game that two can play.
'Challenge accepted. Let's see who's patience breaks first.' Soverick thought to himself.
It isn't odd for teachers to test their students during their first meeting. The result of the test usually determines if the teacher will take on the student. So this scenario wasn't odd to Soverick. He wished they could get it over with. He is also determined to foil this teacher's plan, whatever it is.
He had acquired a new perspective on life after facing and overcoming the challenges of the training regimen. It became solidified after interacting with his siblings. He had decided to embrace his weakness and try to overcome them like Litori. That's what made him reincarnate. He found himself wanting and he decided to change it.
He had to become greater than he was to challenge conventions and overcome them. To be victorious against obstacles instead of being like Ghaster. Even though it is nice to bounce back after a defeat, it is better to never experience it. You will grow stronger on the spoils of war faster than the dregs of defeat. It is best not to experience a defeat because it might mean your end.
Soverick experienced defeat a lot in his past, but he remained alive because he could outlive his enemies, run away quickly and hide very well. But he realized that it wasn't enough to achieve excellence. So he set out to achieve perfection.
Ghaster may have determination but who doesn't? Determination can always be used to pursue victory and not only to return from defeat. Just like right now, Soverick is determined to one-up this teacher of his in a battle of patience.