'Hmm. Still not one? But I will finish it today nonetheless. No, I have to because the gap is escalating day by day and it is getting harder to hold up.' Shin said while huffing.

He had completed a one-kilometer run just now and was relaxing for a bit. While Shin was recharging his batteries, Adel entered the field.

"What's going on, little champ?" He asked Shin cheerfully.

'Nothing Dad, I just did my running. Do you need something?' Shin asked.

Now that Shin had a transcriber with him, it made his life a lot easier here. He had been using it for the last three years and had gotten used to it.

"I just came here to see you and was wondering why my cute little kid's going so hard on himself. But well, you are my son so it's expected." Adel answered.

'Dad, now that I am four years old, maybe you can train me with some basics.' Shin asked.

"Of course, you can. I was waiting for those words, my boy. Now, hurry up and come to the garden."

'Well, that's not what I meant. Can we delay it for an hour or so because I just finished my exercises and am really-'

"Don't worry about that. After all, your body is more than active right now, and it's the best time to do some more training." Adel said. He then grabbed Shin's hand to take him to the garden.

'Curses' Shin thought.

They entered the garden and saw Claire watering the plants. Wayne was not present there but as he heard the rushing footsteps of Adel, he came out from his room to check what was going on?

"Okay. Now we are all set. Wayne, do you still have your old wooden sword?"

"Huh? Yeah, I have it." Wayne answered blankly.

"Give that to Shin so that he can practice with it."

"Heh, so the time has come. Wait I'll bring it to you quickly." Wayne said giggling.

'Is he laughing at me pitifully? Did I say something I shouldn't have, to Dad?' Shin thought.

"Yup, yup. I got it." Wayne said while coming out of the house with a wooden sword, smaller than a normal one.

"Here, take this Shin and go fight," Wayne shouted and threw the sword towards Shin.

'O, to..to..to.' Shin tried to catch the sword and grabbed the sword with his left hand.

'It was dangerous. I am still a four-year-old. And how the hell is this wood stick so heavy?' Shin thought and dropped the sword due to its weight.

"Come on, pick it up. We have to start our first practice match, after all." Adel said looking all excited. He then picked a small piece of branch from the tree.

'Hmm, so it has come to this now. I can't get away with it, can I?' Shin thought.

"Hey, what are you doing giving out little son a sword to fight with? He is still too green for all of this." Claire shouted at Adel.

"You don't have to worry. Just sit and watch. After all, Shin was the one who requested it, isn't it Shin?" Adel said.

'Ye-yeah. I was really itching for a fight, you know. haha...ha...ha.' Shin said while regretting his decision.

"So let's get started. I will tell you what you have to do. You see this stick I am holding. You just have to split it with your sword." Adel said.

'Eh! I just have to break it. Isn't it too easy?' Shin asked surprised.

"Of course it's easy. These are the basics, after all. Just remember that when you cut this stick, the surface should be smooth, i.e, you have to focus on sharpness instead of raw power." Adel explained.

'I knew something was amiss. I have to split a small stick with this blunt sword and that too without any irregularity. Well, there would be no fun if it had been easy.' Shin thought and started focusing.

Adel was sitting holding the wooden stick in his hand vertically. Shin attacked the stick one time, two times, three times, and continued attacking for the next ten minutes until he got tired. The stick didn't even break so the talk of cutting was still far-fetched.

"What happened? You can't even cut it. Come on, concentrate or you will be left behind, you know. Adel said looking at Shin seriously.

'Hey Eve, what's going on? Why can't I cut this stick? It doesn't look that durable.' Shin called out Eve.

'He is not holding back, is he?'

'Yeah, I know. It was just a figure of speech you know. Just a figure of speech.' Shin said to Eve.

'Now what approach should I use?' Shin thought while thinking of a different course of action.

'Hmm, let's go with this.' Shin mumbled.

He backed few steps away from his father and formed a serene stance. He held his sword's tip towards the backside of his body and created a constant balance.

"Hoooo." Adel let out his voice after seeing the concentration of his kid.

Shin backed his right leg a little and then took a long step forward. Then he twisted his sword and turned the tip towards the stick. With a significant union of precision and focus, he slashed the stick, or so he thought.

'Ouch, ouch, it hurts. Why didn't it break?' Shin shouted after getting shuddered due to the rebound.'

"It's simple. It's because you lacked force."

Both Eve and Adel said the same thing to Shin at the same time.

'They are really in sync, aren't they?' Shin thought.