While Zaos was thinking about what he should do regarding his lack of motivation, his father decided to spar with him in the morning. Zaos wasn't feeling like sparring with anyone, but he needed to at least try since his father woke up earlier than usual to train with him. However, this time, he didn't bring any training swords.

"Let's fight seriously for a change," Laiex said. "It is time for some real training."

"Great…" Zaos said and then sighed.

As if he didn't have enough things in his head bothering him, Zaos had to worry about getting hurt in a training session or wounding his father. He knew that his father still was at the peak of his strength, but that didn't mean that he was invincible.

"I will hold back a little, so you don't have to worry," Laiex said.

"Five-year-old kids know how to taunt better than you," Zaos said and then assumed his Ox guard.

Attacking and reflecting attacks was relatively comfortable in that stance, so Zaos thought that he would be able to avoid a disaster by using it. As usual, Laiex charged toward Zaos while holding his sword with a single hand. While the weapon had the perfect length to behold with a single one, it always had room for a two-hand grip. Zaos imagined that it was another way for his father to get on his nerves, but he ignored that.

Since Zaos had the range advantage, he thrust his sword forward, and his father moved to the side to dodge the strike. However, Zaos stopped his attack before he could finish the movement and then moved his sword downward before his father could decide to charge forward even more. In the last moment, Laiex noticed that, and even though his posture was low, he managed to jump backward with enough strength and then escape the attack.

"I guess I tried to attack too soon…" Zaos thought.

While Zaos had the advantage in reach, he was slower since his sword was heavier. Although being almost cut down by a sword of that size would scare most people, Laiex still was showing his poker face. It seemed that he didn't get worried even for a second about getting hit. That seemed so obvious that he even charged forward again without thinking too much. Still, while he did it, he raised his sword with his right hand and then began the motion of the attack even before Zaos could be in his range.

Zaos thrust his sword forward again to reflect the attack and make his father's stance break. However, when the weapons collided, Zaos felt his whole weapon and right arm trembling due to the impact. For a one-handed strike, with a shorter and much lighter sword, it sure had a lot of power.

Laiex repeated the same motion several times, and Zaos realized why he was losing the exchange. It was because his father had the momentum on his favor. He dashed for several meters, and that added a lot of weight behind his attacks. Not to mention, he was skilled enough to change the trajectory of his sword at the last moment to avoid his sword getting directly hit by a sword that was much heavier and durable.

"It seems you didn't learn much by fighting pirates and mercenaries in the last six months," Laiex said.

"I didn't ask them to teach me anything," Zaos said.

Zaos could always change his stance to gain some extra power, the tall guard would provide him that and that he was pretty good at that too, but he decided not to do it. Why change his stance when it was losing? Instead of changing, Zaos was the type who would try to improve it in order to get rid of the weakness. 

The initial stance of the ox guard forced Zaos to hold his sword with both hands, but then he stroked forward. He only used his right hand to increase the range of his weapon. However, when his father charged again, Zaos used both hands. This time, when Laiex hit the sword, Zaos didn't feel his arm and weapon trembling. Even though that wasn't something he was used to do, his attack gained a little bit of power and speed in exchange for range and accuracy.

Laiex tried to overcome Zaos's piercing power with the same tactic, but slowly, he was the one who had to deal with the shock and the vibration that passed through his weapon and right arm. Eventually, his father was forced to use both hands in his sword and then he tried the same attack. When the two weapons collided, the sound of steel echoed through the whole mansion, and their arms vibrated with their weapons. It seemed that Zaos finally was at his father's level in some aspects, even without magic. Still, he couldn't get carried away since his weapon was bigger, and that gave him an advantage.

For some odd reason, even though it wasn't the most efficient way to fight, both of them exchanged blows exactly like that for quite a while. Eventually, the noise got the attention of the maids and the guards, and they couldn't help but worry since it seemed that father and son were about to cut each other down.

Unfortunately, the stalemate eventually ended. Zaos imagined that his father's sword would break at some point, but that didn't happen. Instead of that, Zaos and Laiex arms gave up before their weapons. Neither of them could keep attacking like that for any longer. Zaos dropped his sword first because the weight of his weapon worked against him in a longer battle. In the end, he couldn't move even a single finger after attacking with all his might for so long.

"This wasn't so bad," Laiex said with a smile on his face even though his arm was also hurting like hell. "If you continue like this, maybe in ten years, you can defeat me."