'Steel Drill'

The spell index noted this spell made Ein harden into steel and protrude out of the arm to form a drill. The entire arm would be encased in this heavy steel drill that extended into a singular sharp tip.

Oscar judged this spell highly for its penetrating power. It worked similarly to Celestina's 'Radiant Lance' with a higher penetration power but a lack of speed and range.

But Oscar was already physically powerful, especially with his Reis training, so moving around with the drill was no issue. There was also his Prinstyct which would help greatly in landing his spell.

'If this spell is combined with my Reis, how powerful can it be?'

A close combat offensive spell. Oscar's fighting style was well geared towards close combat with the occasional shield throws. He felt it was better to highlight his strengths first.

"This one, please!"

After everyone finished selecting their spells, they gleefully exited the Archives.

"Let's go to the training room. I want to test this new spell out." Emily excitedly gripped her spell scroll. "Sorry, you can't come with us, Celestina."

"It's not a problem. Make your way to the Inner Hall, and we can train together. If you want, you can take the test right now as a Greater Apprentice Exalt." Celestina suggested to Oscar and Emily in anticipation.

"Sorry, but we'll try after we've become stronger." Oscar watched as Celestina looked deflated from his response, but she quickly recovered with a straight back.

"Then I'll be waiting for the two of you. I have to go and seclude myself in training before Lockwood bothers me with his boasts of victory." Celestina twitched from mentioning Gilbert's name and quickly departed. Her steps were made in great haste.

She wanted to stay longer, but time was of the essence. Gilbert's display of power showed he had gotten stronger, so Celestina began to feel even more pressured by it.

Oscar and Emily also departed quickly. There was no time to waste in gaining strength. In a matter of moments, they returned to the Outer Hall and secured training rooms for themselves.

Oscar was in his training room to also train in his Adamasreis and spell. He set aside his bundle of Hytr Elixirs and sat to read the spell manual. He carefully read through the instructions on the use of Ein and its transformation into metal.

He had experience creating a layer of steel around his skin for 'Steel Scales', but this required more finesse. The basics of a spell entailed controlling the Ein into a specific shape, transforming it into desired material, and infusing it with the intent or purpose.

The 'Steel Drill' required a far different shape, denser transformation, and different intent from anything Oscar had tried before. Oscar's eyes tightened slightly from the spell's difficulty, but that was a common theme among spells.

"Like this?" Oscar surged his Ein and meticulously split it into fine strands that swirled, wrapped, and encased his right arm. It was a fine blue spiral with a sharp tip, but it was only Ein. It was powerful enough but a far cry from a spell's completed state.

Drawing in a deep breath, Oscar exerted more effort. The spiral Ein around his arm began to change. Starting from the tip, the Ein transformed into a polished gray metal protruding past his elbow and shoulder.

"It's much heavier than 'Steel Scales', and at least I can move my arm." Oscar could not move his wrist encased in the steel of Ein, but his elbow and shoulder were free to move. In slow motions, he moved his stiff arm in various directions.

His eyes turned to the wall. He moved closer and stabbed the 'Steel Drill' into the wall. The steel cracked all over and shattered into pieces, letting the skin of his arm feel the air again.

"A failure…." Oscar picked up the pieces of metal from his spell and crushed them within his hand. "Too weak. My Ein can transform into steel, but this was too massive that it became too flimsy. Or am I not visualizing the intent well enough?"

Oscar continued training his new spell while his deer anima moved about. He never gave up on trying to control the Ein in him and the deer anima simultaneously.

"I need strength." Fred's face appeared in his mind. "I'll see you at the Grand Gathering."

The days passed by. Oscar continued his training in seclusion. In the day, he trained his spell and Anima control; in the afternoon, he meditated and trained with his Prinstyct open to see the world around him; in the night, his body was covered in blood from the reckless training of Adamasreis.

At the Archives, when Oscar met with Celestina, she worried about the state of his hands. They were covered in layers of rough bandages.

"Are you sure you're not overdoing it?" Celestina asked.

"It's a part of my training." Oscar rubbed his bandaged hands with a calm gaze. "I need to get used to the pain of the process."

"I see. By the way, have you read the 'Fisher and the Trout'?" Celestina pulled up a book from the story section. She looked excited to share this book.

"I have not. Is it any good?" Oscar smiled and took the book.

"I highly recommend it!" Celestina made a happy face that she recommended Oscar a book because this book maniac had read everything she tried to show before.

Oscar sighed helplessly with a chuckle. Celestina had made a game out of this way before, and she finally got a victory. These moments were a great respite from his busy life.

Naturally, he continued exchanging letters with Robert, Uncle Carlson, and his parents. He was glad to know about his parents and Uncle Carlson's daily life. Though Robert's letters were short, responding with a simple, 'I am fine.'

Months began to fly by. Oscar progressed further, leaving the Pavilion only to get points for Ivanka to get him more bulks of Hytr Elixirs.

Finally, the day of the Grand Gathering approached.

Oscar was meditating in his training room. His hair had lengthened to his shoulders, and facial hairs had formed on his face. But his obsidian eyes still held that bright, youthful glint.

"Phew. The Prinstyct is truly disorientating." Oscar felt groggy having it open for so long and constantly shifting from place to place. It was like having a bad hangover.

"Why do Exalts have such a thing? That third eye is scary no matter how often I see it." In his astral or meditative state, the third eye atop his forehead continued to glare with cold indifference.

"I've been in here for about two weeks more. I've run out of my stock of Hytr Elixirs." Oscar rummaged through the sack of food the training room provided for long-term training and ate the remainder. "I should go check on Emily."

Unlike himself, Emily had been going on long missions to hone herself in different environments. She would be gone for perhaps two weeks or so. Occasionally, they would spar to see the results of their training.

Oscar returned to his dorm room to shave off his facial hair and cut his hair. His fresh look made him feel more clean and relaxed. Then he sat in the grass near Elder Saul's hut and quietly meditated, waiting for Emily.

"Another fruitful training session?" Elder Saul returned from his daily garden stroll and maintenance. He munched on fruit while sitting down.

"Hello, Elder Saul." Oscar warmly greeted the elder. "How are the gardens?"

"Lively. Thankfully, the weather is maintained here so that the gardens can bloom anytime." Elder Saul tossed Oscar a fruit. "You look anxious."

"Do I?" Oscar devoured the fruit, nearly choking on its sourness.

"Is it the prospect of meeting your friend at the Grand Gathering? Your mind is so preoccupied that you are having trouble settling down." Elder Saul saw through Oscar's thoughts. "At least you aren't so reckless to chase him anywhere."

"The Grand Gathering is the best chance. I have had a lot of time to think about it. This time, I won't stay silent." Oscar's eyes were firm and resolute.

"Hmmm." Elder Saul approached Oscar and gave him a small round object like an ear plug. "Then you'll need this."

"What is this?" Oscar fiddled around with the small object.

"You talked about your issues with your ear before and how it sometimes rings and causes nausea. The medical division could not help identify the issue, and I found nothing wrong with your body. It must be an issue of the mind." Elder Saul took the object and put it into Oscar's earhole with no ear. "This is an inhibitor I created. If your issue ever springs up again, this should pick up on your current state and counteract the effects. You won't be so inconvenienced by it now."

Oscar touched the inhibitor in his earhole, feeling it lodged firmly into his head. He turned and bowed deeply to Elder Saul. "Thank you, Elder Saul. You've helped me so many times; I don't know how to repay you."

"Take it as another favor you owe me." Elder Saul reached out and turned Oscar's head to look at his handiwork. "A warning. If you remove this inhibitor, it will be like a dam breaking. The affliction will overflow, so take it off at safe moments for you to handle it. Now focus on your meditation and get yourself in the best condition."

"Yes!" Oscar did as instructed. Elder Saul leaned back in his chair and slept.

Moments passed. A cheerful, loud voice snapped Oscar up from his meditation. It was Emily, but she was different from before.

She braided her orange hair into a side ponytail that reached her waist. Her orange eyes were sharper as her face grew more mature. She changed the style of her uniform to expose her shoulder like her spartan teacher, Elizabeth Raeven.

"Welcome back. How was your mission?" Oscar had gotten used to her look a while ago, though Erik nearly fainted upon seeing her before.

"Not too bad. I had a great time in the western region." Emily said while twirling around her staff before her face fell. "But I couldn't find that idiot anywhere."

Unlike Oscar, Emily still tried her best to find any traces of Frederick. She would not let that opportunity go if she got lucky and found him. It was a foolish hope but a hope nonetheless.

"Want to grab a meal at the Azure City?" Seeing Emily disspirited, Oscar suggested good food, to which Emily perked up immediately.

After saying farewell to Elder Saul, they went off into the distance. Elder Saul's eyes opened at this time, brooding.

"Well, well. It seems like I have to intervene." His voice was low, but all the grass around the hut began to sway away.

…….

A few short weeks passed by.

Oscar lifted his buckler and fastened it on his back. He redid the bandages on his hands.

Outside were large crowds swarming in a direction.

The time of the Grand Gathering had arrived.