The Exalt [Cultivation Fantasy]

Oscar looked at the younger teen with a blank expression, unable to muster a response because of the suddenness of the situation. He did not fail to notice the silver hair on Charles' head that exactly matched Celestina's; they were a carbon copy of each other if not for their eyes.

He glanced at Celestina, who seemed undisturbed, but her small smile seemed full of viciousness. Oscar couldn't help but bow and said, "I believe we may have gotten off the wrong foot. I do not have any ulterior motives or wish to take advantage."

"Charles. What do you think you're doing?" Celestina scolded her brother. "We are friends who read books together. Someone who enjoys such activities isn't some nefarious agent."

Charles looked shocked that his older sister was so trusting. He clenched his hands and said, "While I trust your vision, my dear sister, I must also see it for myself."

He turned to face Oscar with clear golden eyes. He was Charles Anholt Dragnar, the young prince of the Brilliant Drake Empire and half-brother of Celestina from another mother. Charles was currently a first-year in the Blue Ocean Pavilion and entered the Inner Hall directly, thanks to his Grade Eight Anima.

For so long, Charles looked up to his sister, who excelled in her lessons and martial skills. Ever since his sister went to the Pavilion, he yearned to join her there and fight by her side proudly. Charles understood that his sister often behaved distanced and detached, showing her open side only to those she was close with.

But he was shocked to hear that she was hanging around with some Grade Four Exolsia person, not even a noble. Charles believed that this person, Oscar, must have approached her with some goal in mind, taking advantage of her love of books that he knew was her one quirk.

However, Charles could never keep track of Celestina and could only hold it in. Finally, the opportunity came knocking when Oscar entered the Inner Hall. He didn't know how Oscar passed the promotion exam, but Charles knew this was the chance to see what kind of person Oscar was and to show Oscar's true face to his sister.

"So, fight me. You are in your third year, while I'm in my first. But with my Grade Eight Exolsia and resources from the Inner Hall, I'm also a Greater Apprentice Exalt." Charles ignored Celestina's piercing gaze. "Let me see your strength and who you are."

"Ch-ar-les." Celestina sounded out her brother's name like a horror story. She was about to grab him back.

But Eleanor quickly sidestepped in and stopped Celestina from approaching. "I also would like to see the strength of the one who passed the exam. Don't you have any faith in your friend, Celestina?"

"Oscar's strong," Celestina said as a matter of fact. She knew well about his training in Reis and Prinstyct and his insane schedule. "But this isn't the proper way to treat a guest."

"No, this isn't rude at all." Oscar took out his buckler and stared at Charles with eyes hungry for battle. "We are in a training room, so sparring is normal. I accept."

"Then it's settled." Phillip got in between Oscar and Charles. "I'll be the judge for this match. Princess and Eleanor, please back off to the sidelines."

"Let's go, Celestina." Eleanor slightly bowed before Celestina and moved to the wall.

Celestina sighed and backed off with Eleanor. She stared at her cousin with a hint of sadness, knowing that at the end of the day, Eleanor regarded her more as the princess rather than a close family. Although Eleanor's words seemed close, they were laden with respect and a hint of protective intent. 'You and Charles both.'

She shook her head and looked at the two, who were about to fight.

Oscar tightened his grip on his buckler, going back a distance away from Charles. This bout would be his first battle against a Grade Eight Exolsia Exalt, an opportunity he had never had before. But it was prudent to gain as much experience as possible, especially with Ashen Grove, where he may go against such monsters.

"Oscar Terr, Third-year, Grade Four. Nice to meet you."

"Charles Anholt Dragnar, First-year, Grade Eight. Nice to meet you."

'At least he has a cool demeanor and focuses before the battle.' Oscar thought Charles may have been impulsive because of how he disregarded his sister, but he changed entirely before the battle. No matter what, he was a member of royalty who had gone through intense training to excel as an Exalt.

By taking his stance, Oscar provoked Charles to do the same.

Charles raised his golden eye. "I'm curious to see what makes you so confident in yourself."

The air trembled as ripples of powerful silver Ein emanated from Charles. His silver hair flowed and whipped in the air as his eyes stared with powerful intent. His Ein focused and gathered to form a creature of awe-inspiring power, a monster with the body of a serpent and two batwings.

The Amphiptere, a powerful Exalt Beast, was said to be the lesser cousin of the great dragons. These great serpents did not have limbs but only one scaly serpentine body with two great wings that allowed them to fly. The head of the Amphiptere looked like a dragon's and roared at Oscar.

The draconic roar resounded across the training room, causing Celestina and the others to wince. The roar carried with it a terrifying pressure to suppress its foes. With a single flap of its wings, the winds went haywire in fierce gusts.

Oscar remained unmoved but with a single sweat dripping down his cheek. The Prinstyct allowed him to see Charles' movements, but the anima was different and was not foreseeable. Oscar responded and surged his Ein, summoning his fellow deer anima.

The deer anima stomped its hooves and stared at the amphiptere anima without a hint of fear. The deer anima grunted, letting out several puffs of hot air and brandishing its antlers.

"That's your anima?" Charles stared blankly at the deer anima. Although it was large, it was nothing compared to his amphiptere anima. He began to rethink this fight and that perhaps he was bullying the weak, which his sister would not approve of.

"Don't underestimate this guy." Oscar petted his deer anima. "Shall we begin?"

Phillip held his sword out. "The battle will start when I hit my blade upon the ground. Remember not to take things too far."

Charles reached into his space pocket and pulled out his double-bladed sword, a strange weapon with two blades extending out of opposite ends of the guard. He swung it around and spun with it, showcasing his martial prowess. His stance was wide and low, with the dual blade held near his shoulder.

Phillip swung down. The tip of his sword rang like a high-pitched bell against the metallic floor of the training room. The battle had begun.

Oscar rushed in with incredible speed, as did his deer anima, slipping by the large body of the amphiptere anima.

His speed shocked Charles, who couldn't see a hint of Ein under Oscar's feet. Ein quickly gathered around his feet as he moved away in a flash of light.

'Grade One Flash Step'

Charles flashed over in several steps around the room to Oscar's back; his dual blade glowed and burned with his Ein. His amphiptere anima followed up with a large swing of its tail; its flexible serpentine body made the tail into a deadly whip. The overwhelming pressure from the combined attack of Charles and his anima filled the room.

'Not a bad attack. Charles is already working in tandem with his anima and combining their power.' Oscar faced Charles, which surprised the young prince, who thought Oscar would be too slow to respond. What was more confusing was the gaze Oscar gave to Charles as if he were looking at a child.

'You dare look down on me?' Charles fumed and burned his Ein more, focusing on the tips of the tail and sword. 'Grade One Shining Spear', the grade one version of Celestina's 'Radiant Lance'.

"Let's go," Oscar spoke to his deer anima.

'Steel Drill'

'Adamsreis'

'Shattering Wave'

'Ein Awaken'

'Ein coated Antlers'

Oscar rode atop his deer anima and decided to try a new maneuver he thought of after riding his deer anima during the tundra trial. He leaned back and centered his 'Steel Drill' in between his deer's antlers; the Ein resonated between the antlers and the drill's tip, much like how Leon's 'Maelstrom Spike' combined with his shark's jaws.

'Charge'

Like a knight riding his horse into a joust, Oscar rode his deer anima as it bolted off its powerful hooves. He stared straight ahead at Charles and his serpentine monster.

In mere moments, they clashed. Shockwaves quaked across the room, trembling the floor and causing a massive blast. Tremendous amounts of Ein broke out in every direction that would have wrecked the room if it were not built to withstand such powers.

To Charles's shock, his anima's tail cracked, and his sword backed away. The full brunt of Oscar's blow landed on him and sent him flying to the other end of the room. He could feel his body reeling from shockwaves that shook his bones to the core, throwing up mouthfuls of blood.

Oscar coughed out some blood. His deer's antlers were completely devastated, and his 'Steel Drill' was cracked all over. The power of a Grade Eight Anima was truly fearsome, but he smiled upon seeing the damage on the amphiptere's tail and Charles' current state.

"Let's continue." Oscar rushed out with his buckler.