'Maybe I can still try to absorb more energy.'
That was the last thought that had come into Laz's mind before he jammed his palms to assume the popular position of bringing them to the Amen format before his eyes.
But it was already too late. He wasn't as fast as someone who had mastered mana absorption, just like the Scholars before him.
The water-form arrows they had sent against Laz were already inches from him, causing instincts to scream that he should open his shut eyes.
"Why should I open my eyes to face death?"
In that moment, the arrows struck.
Before anyone could imagine what would happen, the sky was torn in arcs of light as Good launched itself in front of Laz, coiling its vast body like a divine serpent around him.
The barrage of water-form arrows struck—not Laz, but the dragon.
BOOM!
It had saved him.
The impact of the hit was too impactful.
A shockwave of violent force blew outward, sending the Scholars staggering backwards. The arrows hissed and cracked before they exploded against Good's scales, leaving scorch trails and glowing sigils.
"Good!" Laz, whose head could only be seen sprouting upwards, shouted with eyes wide in horror.
The creature grunted, its massive coils loosening slightly. "It's a good thing you're still alive. You've been doing well taking care of these dwarves, put in more effort."
"Good?" Laz called out again, as its massive body kept loosening off the curls.
"Listen, Master has to take up his sword."
"But—"
"Failure is only when you have not tried." Good's voice sounded disgruntled out of weakness. "Master has to try experiencing combat with the sword Good forged for him."
"What if I die trying? What if I can't make use of the sword enough to survive? You will have no more Master."
"No. Good accepted Master because he is great. Master mustn't be weak," Good's tail began to sink into the sea.
"If Master survives, I will teach you how to make use of the sword."
If that was a promise the dragon snake had just made to Laz, it stung deeper than he expected.
He needed someone to teach him to make use of the sword, which was his last wish before they set out on this adventurous journey. He didn't expect that creature would be able.
'It forged the sword itself. So, why can't it?'
"You better stay alive to teach me, cause I will definitely survive," Laz resolved, clenching his left fist on his thigh, while the blue glowing sword materialized in his right hand.
"I will use Nagarion blade, effectively!"
At the last statement by Laz, Good's body slammed into the sea. In that moment, it vanished from sight, ice burst outward in wild fractals, freezing the sea surface solid.
The Nagarion blade pulsed once in Laz's hand. His feet hit the ice with no resistance.
"Thank you, Good, for creating the pathway."
In that distance, he dashed toward the Scholars.
GRUHH!!!
The surviving Scholars groped as they observed how motivation had spurred the little boy's movement.
Laz spun with a cyclone of movement, sliced and dashed across the frozen sea like lightning.
Before the opponents could react, the blade weaved in arcs through the air, dancing in zigzag motions from one Scholar to the next.
The movement was blurry, one strike able to tear through an entire boat. Another able to shatter a defensive barrier created by some other Scholars in a different boat, scattering them into shards that stung the opponents to their death.
Within intervals, lifeless bodies fell and broke into the sea, polluting its surface with the crimson fluid that gushed forth from their injuries.
Those who still had time to comment on this wonderful performance screamed.
"What is this madness?!"
"Who controls that blade?!"
"He's a demon!"
Before they could even complete their comments, their bodies joined that of their brethren into the sea.
Then, a gentle voice came from one of the boats.
"A demon? Tsk," the voice belonging to the lonely man, cross-legged in the boat, cursed. "It's just a little boy powered by motivation without discipline."
Separating his joined hands and hitting them against the floor of the wooden boat, his body seemed to be raised into the air by a wave of energy.
Laz pulsed after giving out his last strike, his face looking downward.
"A sea of blood?" he muttered once he opened his eyes. "But, this sudden force I just felt now—"
His words hitched in his throat the moment he raised his head and realized.
Across the sea-frozen battlefield, Avaki moved.
"Right, Laz. Don't let your guard down, now," Laz told himself, and readied his stance to take on the approaching figure.
The dwarf didn't just run, or fly; it moved. One step, and cracks formed beneath his feet. Another step, and he was face to face with Laz.
Then—
CLANGG!!!
Their clash, the sound from the colliding steel, was too explosive.
Laz was flung backwards, tumbling over the ice, skidding until he slammed into a broken mast.
Slowly, he rose, sword in hand, panting, eyes blazing.
'He wasn't with any weapon when he approached me, so how did he get to take my strike to even make the steel sound?'
Laz watched closely and saw Avaki's palm glowing with pressure-wrapped mana.
'I see. Good once told me that I can create any form of object when I'm able to master the full process of absorbing my surrounding energies.'
'If only I can reach the peak of my Qi absorption in a go.'
Laz was distracted by the sudden laughter that came from the spot where Avaki stood.
"You see, the worst factor that can disengage one's determination is motivation. They can never go hand in hand."
"That's just the problem with you right now. Your failure comes from your lack of the right fuel to glow your determination—"
"Shut up!" Laz interrupted. "You talk too much."
"But, I'm not done yet—"
Before General Avaki could make more words form speech, Laz had thrust his right palm down, supporting his wrist with the left. Then, sliced his sword diagonally upward to form a bright arc.
"Spiral Ripples!" He screamed, making use of the similar attack he had used against other Scholars, but with collected energy from water.
The arc made by slicing the sword hit the frozen sea from below, rising with it broken droplets that curled as it traveled with speed towards General Avaki.
Avaki stomped, wrapping his hands around his body to anchor himself with a shield, and the wave from the attack shattered harmlessly against them.
The impact, although harmless to the target, spread fog all over the place.
"Did I succeed?" Laz asked, after getting silence from the attack he had made.
"Yes, you did."
Before Laz knew it, he was ascending through the air. Avaki jumped high enough to catch him mid-air, grabbed him by the leg, and slammed him to the ground. Ice splintered into razors.
Laz coughed, vomiting blood from his lips. He raised the sword again, but the blade shook and its glow dimmed.
"You possess great power, but you are yet to be ready to wield it," Avaki said coldly. "You think rage can ever replace discipline? Discipline is what should replace rage, and the motivation that comes from it."
Laz lay subdued on the ice floor, his hands brought behind his back, trapped in the hands of General Avaki.
"He's right."
Rage is a loud and violent storm that can make you punch harder, run faster, and even scream louder. It can keep you motivated for your actions, but the truth is... How long will it last?
It comes like lightning and leaves you with nothing but smoke. Until it's gone before you understand what it destroyed.
Unlike discipline.
The reverse of the case. It doesn't need a force to ignite its presence. It's always there, even when you're no longer angry.
"So, motivation is not what keeps determination after all, but discipline. It only appears in the emotional cycle to make one disciplined."
Tch.
"Did I fail?"