The Exalt [Cultivation Fantasy]

Isabella had just finished her training session overnight, absorbing her Ein in peace. The Grand Gathering was coming up, and she wanted to cinch a victory over Celestina and Aurora no matter what. Although she was one of the powerhouses of her year in the Inner Hall due to her Grade Eight Anima, the difference was still blatant between her and the other noble children from the start.

Thankfully, she caught the attention of several elders who instructed her, allowing her to bridge the gap and pose a challenge. But posing a challenge wasn't enough for her; she wanted to dominate and overpower her rivals. She felt quite good this morning from a fruitful session and exited the room in high spirits, but she couldn't believe who she saw right outside, her childhood friend, Oscar.

"Oscar?" Isabella said unintentionally. She wanted to be rid of and forget her lowly past but seeing Oscar here was shocking that she forgot to act as though she didn't know him. She didn't have any expectations for Oscar, but the Pavilion's increased resources meant he would come here eventually, but she didn't expect it to be so soon.

Oscar, likewise, did not expect to meet Isabella so soon. He thought about finding her later so they could talk, but this was out of the blue. However, he wasn't going to let this opportunity slip by; he had the promise to keep with Uncle Carlson. "Long time no see. Do you have a moment to talk?"

Isabella narrowed her eyes and sighed. "I don't know how you managed to get here as a Greater Apprentice Exalt, but do you think you should speak to me so casually? I am a Middle Elite Exalt, far above you."

"That doesn't matter," Oscar said coldly. Right now, he was fuming inside from her attitude and demeanor. But for the sake of their past relationship, he held it in. "I have some words from Uncle Carlson to tell you. It is entirely up to you whether they will be his last words to you."

"Still being the runner boy for others. You take a great deal of joy in doing tasks for others." Isabella sneered. "I told you that to be strong, some relationships are unnecessary, but you cling so dearly to the ones holding you back."

"There's a difference between helping others and being taken advantage of. Not that I expect you to understand." Oscar's heart and eyes grew colder the longer he looked at Isabella. "But you will listen to your father's message. You owe him at least that."

"Who are you to order me around?" Isabella's tone dropped to a frightening chill.

"Excuse me." Charles interrupted, breaking the tension. "I don't know what is going on, but you should at least listen to what your father has to say to you."

Isabella was about to snap at the newcomer, but her eyes trembled slightly, seeing the silver hair and golden eyes. She bowed and said, "I greet your highness, the prince."

"No need for such conduct in this place," Charles spoke with majesty as a regal air surrounded him like Celestina when she spoke seriously. "Oscar, you can say your piece."

Oscar bowed and said, "Thank you, your highness."

He looked at Isabella, who seemed irritated but remained quiet due to the pressure from Charles. Oscar blinked to compose himself. Uncle Carlson's face appeared in his mind, of the one who had been through so much, worn down and weary but with some hints of liveliness.

"Uncle Carlson wanted me to tell you that no matter what you do or say, where you go, or how you feel, he will always love you and that you will always be his daughter." Oscar didn't want to hear any more of Isabella's rude tongue and walked ahead past her. Charles followed by his side.

"Is that all?" Isabella didn't look back but still said her words indifferently, as if Oscar's words didn't affect her in the slightest.

Oscar stopped his feet but didn't turn back. Like Isabella, he talked with indifference. "That's all. There's nothing else to be had between you and me. I won't bother you, and you won't bother me."

Isabella didn't respond but walked away in the opposite direction.

Oscar and Charles continued making their way down. Charles looked at Oscar as if he had something to say.

"What is it?" Oscar noticed and asked.

"It's fine if you don't want to tell me, but what is between you and that woman?" Charles felt awkward the entire time Oscar and Isabella talked. The last exchange between the two was the strangest thing to get through.

"Nothing. There's nothing anymore." Oscar looked tired, as if he had gone through many battles. "The only reason I needed to see her was to pass the message. There's no need for anything else with her."

Charles nodded. "I understand. I won't pry any longer." He quickly changed the topic. "So tell me, does next week sound good for another bout? We should get trained up for the Grand Gathering."

Oscar returned to normal and scratched his head in embarrassment. "Sorry, but I won't be attending the Grand Gathering."

"Why not? With your Reis and Prinstyct, you'll get far." Charles was puzzled.

"I would like to, but I have to watch the Clash of Metal at the Foundry," Oscar explained. One of the orders from his master, Draven, was to watch the Clash of Metal to see his fabricator rivals in action.

"That's right. You mentioned you were a fabricator. Now that I think about it, that's even more shocking. It's a shame I won't be able to fight you on the main stage, but good luck in the Clash of Metal."

Oscar didn't correct Charles on the fact he wasn't participating. They separated after Charles had more questions about Reis and its applications. Back in his new home, Oscar dropped to his bed with fatigue written over his face.

"Fighting the prince and talking to Isabella. It's too draining." Oscar complained to himself. His breathing was uneven, and he began to have cold sweats. His hand reached toward the inhibitor in his new ear. "It's healed, but the effects are still there."

He removed the inhibitor, feeling the sharp pangs of pain that made him curl up in his bed, clutching his head. "This blasted thing."

After the pain subsided, Oscar's body was deathly pale. He started a hot bath in the bathroom pool to warm up and keep his blood flowing, dipping his head in and out in a breathing exercise. After drying up and wearing a fresh uniform, Oscar stepped outside to feel the fresh air of the afternoon.

Oscar moved along the new route toward the Foundry. The entire Inner Hall was like a beautiful garden with arched bridges and streams of clear water. Oscar felt at peace along the way until a loud commotion kicked up from a certain gathering of people.

"What is going on?" Oscar wondered. He squinted his eyes to see further. At the center of the crowd was a handsome man with a face that looked as though it was sculpted by a master artisan, short blue hair that flowed heroically with the breeze, and a pair of sapphire blue eyes that one could lose themselves in. "Are you kidding me?"

The man was Gilbert Lockwood. Gilbert was laughing with a girl with pink hair and blue eyes, Aurora Bellwood, and others who were most likely Gilbert's friends and followers.

Oscar quickly turned about to hide his face, not knowing if Gilbert would see him and remember him as the person from the library with Celestina. He ran away and quickly entered the area of the Pavilion with the Foundry and Palace of Whirlpools. Seeing that no one followed him, Oscar sighed in relief.

"I thought today would be a good day, but this is too much." Oscar walked normally. "But as I am Celestina's friend, eventually, we'll collide."

Putting aside Gilbert for the moment, Oscar arrived at the Foundry. He changed into his uniform and entered the refinement workshop. Here, the students worked on refining various raw materials to be used for the Pavilion's use.

"Hey, Oscar! How was your exam?" William Andora, his junior in the Foundry, ran up to Oscar. Both wore fabricator uniforms, but the badge on their chest identified them.

"Good afternoon, William. I passed." Oscar lifted his hammer in his hand and walked over to an ore.

"You did?! That's amazing. I can't see myself passing until I become an Elite Exalt." William followed along. They started hammering down on their ores after heating them in the furnace.

"If you get to the Elite Exalt realm. You shouldn't dilly-dally on that." Oscar hammered down with Reis and Ein in extreme concentration, removing the impurities from the ore. "Though I have to stay as an Apprentice Exalt longer for personal reasons, nothing is holding you back."

"I know." William pouted. He swung his hammer anima onto the molten ore; sparks flew all over the ground. "Will you be attending the Clash of Metal?"

"No, I'll be watching." Oscar shook his head.

"Why not compete?!" William shouted. "Your refinement of materials is incredible. With such pure refined materials, the formations don't need to be as complicated to create an armament. I'm sure you can get far with that."

Oscar stopped his hammer. He turned to William. "Do you think so? But even with the boost of pure refined materials, I still botch up the formations a lot."

It was an embarrassment to Oscar that after all his training, he was still at a level to succeed with armament creation once every ten tries. He was barely able to scrape by the one-star examination.

"Don't worry. We still have around two months. I'll help you get as good with formations as possible." William pumped his fist. "I want to compete together with you."

Oscar chuckled under his helmet. "Alright. Let's do that."

Although it wasn't what Draven wanted, Oscar thought some disciple mischief was a long time coming.

The two months passed by past as Oscar spent most of his time training in Adamasreis or the Foundry, putting his Ein training aside because he wasn't ready to be an Elite Exalt. Luckily, he hadn't run into Gilbert or Isabella because Celestina and her group knew to avoid them well.

The days passed until it was finally time.

Oscar stepped in front of the Foundry with a determined look, gripping his hammer.

The Clash of Metal was about to begin.