Weeks slipped by quickly, blending into a routine that, in most respects, felt familiar. Even Theo adjusted to his new life—though it was nothing like what he had expected.
Robin treated him almost the same way he treated Caesar.
Theo's confidence grew by leaps and bounds after Caesar outfitted him with sleek black clothes and a pair of long daggers. At first, he had bristled at the thought of a child like Caesar being responsible for his training and guidance. But soon he realized how foolish he had been. Caesar's knowledge and experience far outstripped his own, despite Theo having spent much of his life surviving in the Dark Ruins.
The cultivation technique Caesar taught him was nothing short of miraculous. With it, he could train at astonishing speed even without energy stones—simply by sitting in meditation and circulating the art. Within mere weeks, he was already brushing against the threshold of the sixth level. He had been stuck at the fifth for what felt like forever, yet this single technique multiplied his speed several times over.
Theo's days quickly found their rhythm. Each morning he meditated, asking Caesar questions whenever he encountered difficulties. Then, in the afternoons, he helped Robin with his strange experiments. Whenever he noticed a woodpile about to burn down, he would replenish it with the same type of fuel, silently keeping the flames alive.
He never tried to ask what Robin was doing. He didn't need to. Watching the man plunge his hand into fire without injury—or sit calmly on a burning heap of wood as if it were a cushion—was enough to convince Theo. This Robin was no ordinary man, and whatever he was doing was not a waste of time. So he carried out his tasks faithfully, without complaint.
There were perks as well. Theo never had to cook; Robin was constantly grilling day and night as part of his fire tests. All Theo needed to do was bring salt and spices, and Robin did the rest.
As for Robin himself, his progress in the Fire Path accelerated. Though producing a truly pure flame was impossible, he discovered a promising direction. He realized that much of a flame's pattern remained constant regardless of the fuel, while the variable elements could be separated out through careful observation and reconstructed piece by piece.
If a certain pattern shifted across most fuels but remained identical in two or three, Robin marked that unchanged fragment as part of the true constant. Over time, he memorized the fundamental pattern of the Major Heavenly Law of Fire—the part that appeared in every burning thing—and began filling in the variable gaps with the constants he identified.
Each time he uncovered a new constant, he rewarded himself with a few hours of rest. During these intervals, he quietly advanced his own cultivation, soon reaching the third level of energy training.
Meanwhile, Caesar practically lived in his room. Even the roasted meat Theo delivered was eaten quickly before he returned to his meditation. His obsession was paying off: in just five months, he had broken through to the fourth level.
"Caesar, Theo—come here!" Robin's voice boomed one day.
In moments, the two stood before him. Caesar spoke first. "What do you need, Big Brother?"
"As I recall," Robin said, tapping his fingers against his chair, "today marks the beginning of our sixth month in the institution. How much money do we have right now?"
"Our expenses have been light," Caesar replied. "Other than your fuels, Theo's daggers, and a few extra Energy Stones, we haven't spent much. We've got… around three hundred and fifty gold coins left."
"Good. Take Theo with you, withdraw this month's two hundred, and add it to the total. That'll be enough to get you a proper weapon. Then head to the library and buy a martial art suited for that weapon. And get a dagger art for Theo as well."
"Huh? But I've never used weapons in my life—my fists are enough! And Theo already knows how to use daggers; he doesn't need a scroll to tell him what he already does. Wouldn't it be better to spend the money on Energy Stones instead? The higher we go, the faster we'll burn through them." Caesar frowned, confused by his brother's decision.
"You'll need a weapon to channel the Major Heavenly Law of Fire properly. Do you think you'll only fight dumb beasts forever? Choose something that matches your overwhelming style. And Theo—his fighting is reckless, a hit-for-hit gamble. That's not dagger mastery; it's suicide. Teach him properly. I won't waste my time on him just for him to throw his life away against some rat."
The two exchanged a glance, then turned back to Robin. They nodded and left, surprised but also excited by the command.
This marked the second time Caesar and Theo went out together—a picnic of sorts, though hardly a joyful one. Their destination was the nearest weapon shop tied to the Bradley Military Institution.
Caesar spent nearly half an hour browsing. Swords of every shape and size lined the racks. They were common, practical, and popular, yet none stirred anything in him. Dissatisfied, he kept searching.
Bows… cleavers… hammers… and even iron fists.
His eyes lit up at the sight of the iron fists, but Robin's words echoed in his mind: You need a weapon that can channel the Fire Law. Iron fists were little more than his bare hands dressed in metal. Disappointed, he moved on—until he came to the spears.
Spears were ideal for channeling brute force at range, making them a strong candidate for wielding the Fire Law. But Caesar frowned. Something about them irked him. "Uncle," he asked the shopkeeper, "spears are strong, but they demand too much precision. That doesn't suit me. Do you have something with the same reach, but built more for raw strength?"
"Oh-ho! Then you're looking for a halberd," the man said, brightening immediately. "Not many youngsters are drawn to them these days. Come, I'll show you the collection." His tone was pleased—halberds were among the shop's most expensive wares.
Caesar had never even heard the word. But when he saw them, his eyes widened. Long like spears, but crowned with massive cleaver-like blades instead of pointed tips. Power and reach combined in one. He examined them carefully, then pointed to the thickest of the lot. "I'll buy this one."
"Haha! Excellent eye, young man. This halberd is the finest I have—and naturally, the most expensive. One hundred and twenty gold coins."
"…Too expensive," Caesar admitted. Then he smirked. "But I'll take it—if you throw in those two iron fists outside for free."
"Deal!" the shopkeeper agreed instantly.
Caesar left the shop smiling, halberd in hand, iron fists in tow. Theo followed at his side, both of them heading straight to the library to purchase their new martial arts.
But when they finally returned home, both bore bruises and scrapes… and Caesar's halberd lay broken in three pieces.