Serathen walked to the center of the hall, and activated a training dummy.
"Let's try a stage 1 difficulty first," he muttered.
While he was setting it up, Aurelia was looking at him with excitement.
The dummy whirled to life as green light lit up around its body.
Serathen looked at it with a smirk, and headed for the weapon rack.
He carefully checked all the weapons there.
The weapons ranged from swords, spears, bows, and even guns were available.
After checking continuously, he picked a bow.
He did not bother to take the quiver of arrows with him.
What is he thinking? What use does a bow have if there are no arrows? Aurelia thought.
"Let's start," he screamed to the dummy.
The dummy made a slight noise, and slid towards him.
Serathen grinned, and pulled the bow string.
Instantly, a glistening blue arrow appeared on it.
His gaze shifted slightly, from the moving dummy, to its core.
He drew in a calm breath, trying to still his mind before the shot.
As the dummy got into a 25m range, something sparked in Serathen. Now.
He released his hand quickly, launching the arrow into the dummy.
The arrow hit the dummy in its central core.
The dummy stopped in its tracks, its core glowing brighter with each passing moment.
Then with a loud explosion, its body erupted, scattering its pieces around.
"Huh!" Aurelia's eyes widened in surprise.
"He actually created an arrow from pure energy, and it was strong enough to destroy the dummy," she whispered beneath her breath.
Serathen smirked when he saw the destruction his attack caused.
"That was easier than I thought," he muttered.
But this weapon mastery is really crazy, my first time with a bow was a clean hit.
He went to another dummy, and increased the output to 5.
"After how easily I destroyed the previous one, I don't think an increase of one will make much difference."
He activated the dummy, and created some space between them.
The dummy whirred to life, and slid towards Serathen faster than the previous one.
Serathen smirked, and drew his bow again.
This time, 3 arrows appeared on the string.
As the dummy reached him, he released the arrows, sending them flying at a tremendous speed.
The dummy stretched its arm, and caught the arrows with ease.
Serathen grinned when he saw this.
"This is better," he said with a low, unsettling laugh
He drew his string again, and released another arrow, as it closed in on him.
The dummy broke the arrow easily, and swung its sword at Serathen.
"Watch out!" Aurelia screamed from her spot as she jumped up in fear.
He raised the bow quickly to block it, but the force still made him skid back slightly.
Without calming, Serathen whacked his bow on the dummy's head, causing it to stagger slightly.
With that brief moment, Serathen jumped back to make some distance between them.
He shot another arrow at the dummy, breaking its arm slightly.
The dummy looked towards Serathen again, its red eyes glowing faintly.
It lunged at him at a tremendous speed.
Serathen's eyes narrowed as he saw the dummy make a thrust towards him.
Without thinking, he hit the edge with his bow, pushing it down.
He flipped back, to avoid another slash to his leg.
He looked at his bow, now sliced cleanly in half by the dummy's sword.
He smirked, and threw the bow to he ground.
"I was never comfortable with the bow in the first place," he said as spiritual energy began to coil on his hand.
"What is he doing now?" Aurelia could not help but ask herself.
"I think he is creating a sword, probably the same way he created the arrows," a voice said beside her.
"I see," she said slowly.
Then she froze.
"What are you doing here?" She asked cautiously.
"Obviously, I am watching," the person said with a soft voice, a slight chuckle escaping her lips.
"I know that," Aurelia retorted.
"Shush, let me focus on him," the person said, her eyes gleaming with anxiety.
Aurelia squeezed her palm, her face showing discomfort, but she still decided to leave the person.
A long katana formed on Serathen's hand.
He raised his hand slightly, and pointed the blade's tip at the dummy.
Then he took a foot back to anchor his stance.
Spiritual energy began to cover his body, making his body glow blue.
With a calm smirk, he charged at the dummy.
The dummy also reacted, lunged towards him.
They clashed in the centre, sending sparks around the place as their swords collided.
Serathen broke from the bind, and made a quick slash at its previously damaged arm, severing it completely.
He quickly blocked a strike. At the perfect moment, he leaped, spinning mid-air as he swings the katana in a wide arc, slashing the dummy's other arm clean off.
His momentum carries him into a roll behind the dummy, where he thrusts the katana upward with brutal precision, piercing the dummy's core.
The dummy explodes in a shower of sparks and shattered steel, leaving only silence.
Serathen heaved slightly, his breath heavy with exhaustion.
The sword dispelled, the spiritual energy spreading out in a gust.
He looked towards Aurelia, then slightly to her side.
His gaze narrowed as he saw the person.
He walked up the Colosseum.
His steps were heavy, but still carried the grace of a noble.
He walked up to the person, and asked a simple question.
"What?"
A flicker of fright flashed in the person's eyes, but still, the person maintained a calm posture.
"Sorry for bothering you," the person stood up, and bowed.
Serathen nodded, but did not speak.
"I came with an offer," the person said.
"And what is that?"
"I want you to assist me in creating my path."
Serathen blinked slightly when he heard this.
"Why should I," he asked with a cold voice.
"I would join your squad," the person said with a bitter smile as if what they said was the most difficult decision they had ever made.
Serathen looked at the person, his eyes moving between them and Aurelia.