Chapter 39: Act 1: Blue Ocean Pavilion – Chapter 39: Freedom

Silence.

Utter silence as everyone stared blankly at John and Oscar.

Then, the entire cell block erupted into chaos.

"Are you kidding me?!"

"Why was this bastard John chosen?! Let me take this place?!"

The complaints and grievances of the inmates were the loudest this prison had ever been. It was natural since this was an unprecedented event.

"You scum keep ignoring my orders." Draven snapped his fingers, materializing gags on everyone's mouth to silence them.

The prison went back to silence because the prisoners could not even make a muffled grunt through the gags.

Draven waved his hand at John, who stiffened in fear of the Warden's actions. A prison choker appeared on John's neck, sealing his Exalt powers and cutting him off from Ein.

"One inmate is an Elite Exalt while the other is only an Apprentice. Therefore, this fight will only be done as mortals."

A duel with only physical powers. John scoffed that he could not use his Exalt powers. However, his eyes soon glinted with glee.

Oscar looked skinny and in bad condition. There was no way this tiny brat could beat him in brute strength.

He licked his lips in anticipation as he stepped on the platform. That brief moment when he was freed from his bindings and able to feel the Ein was intoxicating. John wanted to taste the sweetness of freedom forever.

Oscar stared at John and his gloating eyes with a hint of wariness. As an Elite Exalt, John will undoubtedly be more experienced in combat. Additionally, that hulking figure of his provided a great advantage.

But this was perfect.

In all his past spars with the Warden, he could never get a feeling of just how much stronger he had become. Draven was so far above that Oscar's growth could only be compared to moving a millimeter forward.

John was the perfect test subject to gauge his current capabilities. The revenge for the abuse from his criminal was simply the icing on the cake.

"You shall begin on my mark." Draven held his hand high. The battle would begin the moment he brings it down.

Oscar took up his stance, staring unwaveringly at John.

John responded and put his two fists to his shoulders while hunching forward, a very weird stance. It had been a long time since he took up this stance. The chains and cuffs always prevented him from fighting properly.

'So he's not all brawn.' The cliches he read before about huge muscular characters being dumb were wrong. Oscar lowered his legs to make himself smaller. Although the stance looked full of openings, especially the chest, it felt like a trap.

The onlookers were unable to say anything, but they watched in anticipation. Although they were sad and angry that this opportunity was not for them, this was the best entertainment they've had in a long while.

Draven brought his hand downward in a swift and powerful motion without a word.

The two fighters rushed to each other without reservations.

Instead of using 'Awaken', Oscar threw a simple punch with all the strength he had accumulated through his long training.

From John's odd stance, his fist flew out like a bullet to meet Oscar's blow.

The air appeared to crack where their fists collided, producing a loud, piercing sound, unlike a typical punch. It kicked off the dust in the cell block, obscuring everyone's vision for a second.

When the dust settled, everyone was dumbfounded to see Oscar still standing. He had been forced back several steps, but he was still up and seemingly unaffected.

"Impossible!" That was the collective thought of all the spectators.

Draven crossed his arms. He understood his disciple's purpose but thought it was pointless. Oscar should have gone all out from the start and ended this.

Although he had full confidence in Oscar's ability, there was always a possibility of a chance that may change everything. John's experience as an Elite Exalt and the thirty years in this prison made him dangerous.

'In terms of physical strength, you are still not on par. You only did a crash course in muscle training while he had thirty years.'

It was as the Draven thought. Oscar felt his arms trembling from the impact of John's blow; his bones were ringing. There was no way for him to defeat John by pure physical strength.

On the other side, John was shaken by Oscar's power. His knuckles were slightly numb, meaning Oscar's blow had incredible strength. He could not believe this little brat had become like this in a week.

His face chilled as his eyes fixated on Oscar. It was a contrast from his earlier belligerent demeanor. He had a feeling he needed to end this now, or else he'd end up regretting it.

'That Warden definitely had a hand in this. No wonder he set all this up. I am not some plaything for you!' Freedom is right there. He needed only to grasp it.

The hulk displayed an incredible burst of speed, stepping toward Oscar.

Oscar prepared himself for John's onslaught, focusing on the behemoth's fists.

Instead of the fists, however, John swung his trunk-like leg in a sweeping kick to Oscar.

'I know you were ready for my arms. But my legs are far more powerful and have longer reach. You won't be able to get close to me.'

He was still cautious of what Oscar had in store. Thus, his strategy was to use his long legs to keep Oscar at a distance, and if it landed, he'd be destroyed.

The large kick slammed into Oscar, making John smile like a beast enjoying its kill.

CRUNCH

John heard the sound of bones cracking and readied his left fist to pound Oscar to a pulp. However, his body fell helplessly to the floor.

'What happened? Why can't I get up?'

The confused John looked around and saw all the prisoners had visibly shocked expressions on their faces with their eyes as wide as saucers.

Finally, he looked at his legs. His eyes could not believe what they were seeing.

His right leg that attacked Oscar was broken into a complete right angle as if he had an extra joint. The bones had cracked and penetrated out of his leg, visible to the naked eye.

"Ah…Ahh…AHHHHHHHHHH!"

The adrenaline from his excitement had died down, and the pain kicked in. He grasped his leg, trying to put the bone back in.

"I would recommend a doctor set your leg."

John looked upward at Oscar, who said those words. There was no anger or confusion; only fear was present in John.

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"What did you do?" John asked.

Oscar did not reply but landed his fist on John's face. The platform cracked as John's large head was forced into it.

"You don't need to know. Just spend the next seventy years here." Oscar turned and exited the platform with the warden, not giving John a single glance. They will never meet ever again.

The guards nearby took John away again, presumably to the infirmary.

Once they exited the cell block, Draven glanced at Oscar.

"Well done. However, you should have done that from the start."

That last kick of John was strong, but Oscar used 'Reis Awaken' to perform the 'Flowing Mountainr' technique to redirect the Reis from the kick to his elbow.

"Master, I don't think indulging a little is bad. I do not intend to act the same in a real battle."

"Hmm." Draven nodded. It was fine as long as Oscar understood the dangers of holding back.

"That did get me interested." Oscar said.

"Interested?" Draven questioned Oscar.

"I wonder if it's possible to ask for those weighted bands you had me use. I need much heavier ones, but I want to continue this training." Oscar requested.

"Is that what you want?"

Oscar stared at Draven, then at his hands and feet. "Is that not what master is doing? Those hands and feet of yours are sure heavy."

"When did you realize?" Draven sounded amused.

"I didn't know for certain, but you just confirmed it." Oscar smiled cheekily.

Draven did not respond and silently led Oscar to the entrance of the Abyss Prison. The familiar grand room that welcomed him a week ago came into sight.

"Fine." Draven snapped his fingers, making the metal bands appear on Oscar's wrists and ankles. The weight was far more than before, making Oscar almost kneel.

"Go back to the surface with those on, and you can keep them. These are adjustable, so you can make them heavier as you progress."

"Kuh." Oscar always felt his master's requests and demands were always unreasonable. He could not help but smile, reminiscing about the past week.

"Another thing." Draven interrupted him. "Take this."

Oscar grabbed the object Draven tossed over. It was a teal-colored stone that had a warm glow, the ataerstone.

"Master?" He looked up in confusion. This was the precious resource they forced prisoners to mine for an unknown reason. He understood that it was important enough to make a prison here just for the free labor.

"This is my gift to you. Congratulations on finishing this training, my young temporary disciple." Draven patted Oscar on the head, rubbing his hair like a puppy.

Oscar felt some hot tears come out. He wiped them immediately to stop making an embarrassment of himself in front of Draven.

He knelt to the floor and bowed deeply to his master. "Though you may not think of me as your disciple after this. I will always regard you as my Master."

A master for a day is a master for life.

"I give my farewells to you, Master. I will try to visit when I get the chance."

Draven turned around elegantly and disappeared. His voice lingered in the room, saying, "Bring some good tea the next time you do."

Oscar got up and nodded to the air as the entrance opened up with a Blue Ocean Pavilion Officer coming inside.

She wore the familiar uniforms of the Pavilion and carried the torch that lit the way through the abyss.

Oscar looked down to find his ragged prisoner clothes were replaced by a clean uniform that fit him perfectly. No doubt it was his master who did it.

"Oscar Terr?" The officer asked.

"I am." Oscar bowed in courtesy to her.

"Your sentence is over. Follow me out the Abyss Prison." She stared coldly at Oscar. She was unfamiliar with his circumstances and only thought of him as a criminal.

"Thank you for guiding me back." Oscar noticed her attitude and tried to be friendly, but her short responses made him give up.

Together they walked out of the Abyss Prison. Oscar took one final look at the spire, shrouded in the darkness.

'Goodbye, Abyss Prison. I hope never to be sent here again.'

"Hurry up or be devoured by the creatures here."

"Coming!" Oscar maintained his pace with the officer, despite the weighted bands. They finally reached the zone with light spilling through and then to the outside.

The two suns were high up in the air, indicating noon. They shined brightly down, making the vast ocean-like lake light up.

Oscar's face trembled from the amazing shower of light. He felt so happy to be outside and stopped to bask in the two suns. It was like returning to his mother's warm embrace.

"From this moment on, you are free and reinstated as a student of the Blue Ocean Pavilion. I recommend you change your ways and make sure to live upright." The officer clicked her tongue and released Oscar's neck from the choker.

In that instance, Oscar's core started to spin and light up as though it were happy the shackles were no more. His deer anima pranced around his inner space, making happy calls echoing inside.

"Thank you."

The officer left without a word, leaving Oscar alone.

"Since I'm outside, let's try this."

Oscar sat down and took a deep breath. He started his Ein meditation. The happy motes of Ein finally showed themselves in his view and were absorbed.

The feeling of finally being able to use his Anima, feel the Ein, and be an Exalt was indescribable. Like a newborn baby growing a sense of sight. The bleak darkness was now covered by shining, flowing Ein.

The familiar blue Ein flowed and wrapped over Oscar.

Oscar was finally free.

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