Wolf Prison Shipyard.
Across the chain of water strongholds stretching over the lake, moonlight and firelight reflected off each other. The entire shipyard was deathly quiet, with only the footsteps of patrolling sentries breaking the silence. It was quiet as a mountain flood just before it burst forth.
In the training ground built upon the water, a figure was practicing swordsmanship on a single-plank bridge.
When Wolf Prison Shipyard had first been established, "Single-Plank Bridge Combat" had been a mandatory trial for official soldiers of the Heyang Army. The Heyang Army's primary strategic enemies were the sea barbarians who invaded by ship, and when fighting them aboard ships, balance was of the utmost importance. Only soldiers who could pass "Single-Plank Bridge Combat" were qualified to board a ship.
However, after the three lines of defense in Morning Wind District had been established, nearly all the sea barbarians' main forces had been drawn toward Morning Wind District, greatly reducing the pressure on the Heyang Army. In addition, as the maritime trade routes stabilized year by year and the Heyang Army's ships and cannons grew stronger, boarding battles had become extremely rare. Unless the Silver Blood Society requested it, the Heyang Army would not escort merchant ships.
Thus, "Single-Plank Bridge Combat" had changed from a required course into an elective, and even into a hobby. After all, the technique was only useful for boarding battles, so there was no need to learn it at all.
Just like fish in the sea would never learn how birds flapped their wings.
Unless—
they wanted to fly, too.
Clang—!
The sword rang with the wind, and his footsteps chased the light. He did not swing the sword particularly quickly, but every movement left behind endless afterimages. Moonlight wrapped around the bare-chested swordsman like flowing water,