Training in Martial Skills

"You're joking with me..."

Alan was just about to argue.

But when he looked at Linsey before him and realized he was still a child—calling him a youth would probably have to wait another two years—

The rebuke on Alan's lips changed instead. "Uh, your name is Linsey, right?"

"When people first start learning combat techniques, there's a period when they easily feel they've already mastered them. But in truth, cultivating combat skills requires time and effort. The details, in particular, need careful adjustment."

Hearing Alan's answer, Linsey understood.

After studying language with Red Moon that morning, he had grown accustomed to the learning process of using the Experience Bar. Now, he had unconsciously brought that habit here.

For ordinary people—or rather, for most Awakened—

Such a way of learning was difficult to imagine.

—He had made a mistake.

Linsey hurriedly added, "Mr. Alan, I don't think I'm some genius who understands everything at a glance. I just wanted to ask whether there's anything else to learn today."

Hearing Linsey's explanation, Alan relaxed first instead.

After all, teaching a child who could admit his mistakes was easier than teaching a stubborn mule who refused to stop arguing.

Alan revealed a satisfied smile.

"Then—practice what you remember once. I'll take a look at what problems you have now."

"..."

Linsey began to hesitate.

With Anrui, an Ascendant-level expert, teaching him so carefully, along with his practice just now—

He had successfully recorded Basic Swordsmanship and Basic Footwork onto his attribute panel, and had even raised the former to the Beginner level.

Before Red Moon, Linsey could reveal his special nature without holding anything back.

But with anyone else, it was better to be cautious.

Having made up his mind, Linsey took up his stance and began demonstrating what he had just learned.

He made every effort to get each posture right.

But the transitions between each movement revealed the state of a true beginner.

"..."

A few minutes later, Alan was the silent one.

He felt tremendous pressure.

The young man before him had flaws in his postures and techniques, but he was still far beyond an ordinary beginner! Yet when it came to linking movements together, Linsey seemed extraordinarily clumsy.

If he encountered this phenomenon in someone else—

Alan would most likely suspect that they were trying to be clever and deliberately hiding their abilities.

But Linsey...

When this child had practiced just now, Alan had witnessed the entire process with his own eyes. Every movement had been that of a complete novice, without the slightest sign of false performance.

But how had he become like this in the blink of an eye?

"I... you... um..."

Alan was completely at a loss.

He raised a hand, failed to make any gesture, then lowered it again.

He opened his mouth, failed to form a complete sentence, then closed it again.

After thinking it over for quite a while, Alan finally figured it out.

Why should he care what state Linsey was in? He only needed to point out the other party's actual problems and fulfill his responsibility as an instructor.

He could leave all that inexplicable nonsense for his own lord to ponder!

With that thought, Alan felt enlightened. He picked up his short sword and immediately assumed one of the stances Linsey had used.

"In this movement, your center of gravity should lean a little farther forward. That way, when you attack, the force will be driven by your body, making it harder for the enemy to withstand."

"And this one—this is a blocking stance. Human joints are very fragile, so you must be careful with your wrist..."

Alan began instructing him seriously.

Linsey followed along, and the Experience Bar truly grew faster than when he practiced alone.

By noon—

Though the winter air was cold, he had still worked up a sweat.

And the result of such diligent study was that Basic Swordsmanship's Experience Bar had risen to one-tenth. Even without further instruction, Linsey was confident that he could advance it again within a week through practice on his own.

"Alright, rest for now."

Alan, on the other hand, looked as composed as ever.

Seeing that it was about time, he stopped the training and led Linsey back inside the manor.

Inside the manor, the maids had already prepared the food.

The lord's household's lunch was not lavish, but because of their martial training, it contained more meat than an ordinary family's meal.

Linsey followed Alan and received some bread and a bowl of thick vegetable-and-meat stew.

They did not remain in the manor's main building. Instead, they went straight back to the clearing in the woods and ate beside the fallen beech tree.

"Brother Alan, you're following the War School path too, right?"

During lunch, Linsey struck up a conversation with Alan.

After the two had grown more familiar, he had changed from calling Anrui's apprentice Mr. Alan to Brother Alan.

Alan, who was soaking bread in his stew, nodded. "Yeah. Seven years ago, I completed my first skill ascension and was formally accepted as Lord Anrui's apprentice."

Linsey asked carefully, "I'm a little curious. What does skill ascension feel like?"

"Oh, right. Is this something I can ask about?"

Alan looked at Linsey, and an indescribable feeling of nostalgia rose in his heart.

Ten years ago, when he had first become Awakened, he had been just like Linsey, full of curiosity about the world.

"There's nothing wrong with asking."

"I don't know about other paths, but after joining the War School, I followed my teacher in studying Combat Essence techniques. Once my basic skills had been honed to completion, my Source Material began combining with combat techniques, and the traits of Advantage Strike naturally ascended."

As he explained, Alan raised his hand.

Aiming at the beech wood that he and Linsey were using as a table, he chopped at the trunk with his bare hand.

Smack—

The strike did not seem forceful, almost light and fluttering.

Yet the bark was directly sliced open against all reason, and a mark was left in the heartwood beneath.

Linsey carefully reached out to touch it.

The surface of the beech tree looked as though it had been struck by a blunt axe.

At close range, his fingertips could still sense the traces of Source Material left in the trunk.

At that moment, Alan sighed. "It's just a shame that my comprehension is poor. I've been Awakened for a full ten years, and only now have I completed my second ascension. Who knows when I'll be able to take another step forward?"

"If I could, I really want to go see Nal Kebandek."

Alan's sigh was filled with yearning, and Linsey could not help asking, "Nal Kebandek?"

Alan nodded firmly.

"That's right, Nal Kebandek."

"It's the headquarters of the War School. The whole world takes pride in the name of that city."

"Oh, right. Lord Anrui came from there. I heard that whether they're Defenders, warriors of Combat Essence, or Rampaging Thugs—every major figure on the path of war can be found in the city!"

"If I could take a look there, perhaps things would be different..."

Alan's thoughts gradually drifted away.

He was in his early twenties, only one step away from his third skill ascension.

Though he could not compare to those rare geniuses—

If he could broaden his horizons and gain more experience, he might yet have a great future ahead of him!

Seeing Alan's expression, Linsey tactfully stopped asking questions.

He began focusing on the lunch before him.

This was not merely to satisfy his appetite. The cultivation of Life Source Material lay in the little details of daily life.

But just then, hurried footsteps approached from the direction of the manor.

A young girl's tearful voice rang out from the back door. "Alan! Wh-what happened?"

"Why has my beech tree fallen over?"