The young man's voice wasn't loud, but everyone present was an Awakened with sharp senses, so they heard him loud and clear.
As soon as he said that, several curious gazes turned their way.
Almost every regular here knew Ye Chenyang's ability: Sequence 49, Shining Blade.
He wasn't just a rare genius in the small city of Base City No. 144; even in the top seven base cities, he would have been considered one in a thousand.
On top of that, he was steady and didn't let his talent go to his head. He got along very well with everyone.
Still, no one had expected Ye Chenyang, who usually made a point of keeping his distance from women, to bring a stranger here of his own accord.
But this girl was certainly pretty. She even wore glasses and looked quiet and bookish. Who would've thought Ye Chenyang was into that type?
A trace of helplessness crossed Ye Chenyang's face. He raised a hand to stop the young man from throwing an arm around his shoulders and explained, "Gangzi, don't talk nonsense. This is Jiang Mian, a friend of mine. She only awakened recently, so I brought her here to get familiar with her ability."
The young man dropped his joking expression and looked Jiang Mian over again.
Ye Chenyang hadn't said what her Sequence was, but if he took her seriously, then either they were close or she had an unusual ability.
He grinned and nodded at Jiang Mian.
"My apologies, Jiang. I was only joking just now, so don't take it to heart. I'm Zhao Gang. My ability is Sequence 200, the [War] Path, [Crusher]."
He declared his ability outright, coming across as very straightforward.
In a circle where strength came first, volunteering one's Sequence was also a way of showing respect and goodwill.
Jiang Mian didn't seem used to being the center of attention. She lowered her head slightly, eyes on the floor, her hands seeming unsure where to go.
But out of politeness, she still replied shyly, "Hello, I'm Jiang Mian. I'm on the [Elemental] Path..."
She seemed embarrassed to say her Sequence aloud in front of everyone. Her voice grew quieter, and her words became a little indistinct.
Ye Chenyang stepped in at just the right moment and subtly moved in front of her, shielding her a little.
"All right, let's head to the training area over there first."
Zhao Gang took the hint, chuckled, and stepped aside.
"Sure thing. You two go ahead! I won't bother you. I'm off."
Jiang Mian peeked up and watched Ye Chenyang's back.
Wait... was this guy the warm, caring type? How was he so good at reading the room?
Ye Chenyang said nothing more and led her toward a training area lined with all kinds of weapons.
The racks of melee weapons held swords, spears, staffs, and nearly every other common weapon.
"Zhao Gang didn't mean any harm. Most people here are pretty direct. That's just how they talk."
Seeing Jiang Mian looking uneasy, Ye Chenyang explained.
She gave a soft "Mm" and looked over the rows of weapons in front of her.
"An Awakened's ability is their foundation, but honing your combat skills and getting familiar with weapons are essential too."
Jiang Mian nodded to show she understood.
Some abilities could conjure weapons on their own, but those weapons were still products of an ability. Once their power ran dry, they would shatter.
Fighting with weapons made from special materials, on the other hand, could multiply one's effectiveness.
That was especially true for most abilities—and the [War] Path in particular—which mainly strengthened the body and created an even greater need for weapons.
There were tricks to choosing a weapon, too.
The useful parts of the Calamity remains Jiang Mian had handled at the Special Affairs Bureau were sent off to be made into special equipment called "Mutated Bone Weapons."
These weapons could retain some of the original Calamity's traits, allowing them to better enhance an Awakened's abilities.
They were crudely divided into four ranks by star rating, from a minimum of Two-star to a maximum of Five-star.
Why were there no One-star weapons?
Just think of them as ordinary weapons.
Most of the batch Jiang Mian had handled last time had been used to make standard Two-star equipment.
"So, what do you think? What kind of weapon do you like?"
Seeing that Jiang Mian had been silent for a while, Ye Chenyang asked, "Did you learn some basics in PE at school? What did you choose back then?"
In this world, PE classes taught combat, along with the basics of melee weapons. They were both required courses for students.
Jiang Mian had studied hard, but unfortunately, her physical fitness was poor and she lacked talent, so her grades had been merely average.
"Um..."
Jiang Mian clasped her hands awkwardly and said softly, "Boxing."
Even with Ye Chenyang's steady temperament, he almost lost his composure for a moment.
With Jiang Mian's slight build, she had chosen the fighting style most dependent on physical strength.
He pictured her throwing a punch, then looked at her quiet, timid appearance. Wouldn't that just make her opponent more excited?
"Ahem... Boxing is good for building strength, but your reach is short, and it doesn't suit your ability very well."
"If you don't have a suitable melee weapon for now, I think... you could try firearms first."
As he spoke, Ye Chenyang pointed to the display case of firearms in the corner of the training area.
"Guns?"
Jiang Mian looked up. This time, her surprise was genuine.
She'd expected him to recommend something light, like a dagger, short sword, or stiletto. Firearms...
If she remembered correctly, they were considered an unpopular weapon in this world.
It came down to one thing: resources were scarce.
They could be used normally, but killing a First Order Calamity—or even just an ordinary Mist Creature—required a huge amount of ammunition.
Most resources were in short supply these days. The authorities couldn't afford to spend what little they had on firearms, so production of guns and bullets had naturally been cut back.
"That's right."
Ye Chenyang explained, "Firearms do have major limitations under normal circumstances. Ammunition is limited, and those Calamities and Mist Creatures are incredibly tough, so they're not cost-effective. But..."
"If I remember correctly, the basic First Order ability of the [Eye of the Storm] is to create a Wind Field, right?"
Jiang Mian nodded. Ever since she had awakened [Gale], she had been studying Wind Fields. She could more or less simulate the later abilities of the [Eye of the Storm], too.
"The main problem with firearms is that a bullet's kinetic energy is fixed. But what if you could apply your ability to the bullet?"
In other words... if she applied a miniature Wind Field to a bullet, she could not only increase its power but also fine-tune its trajectory?
It was a good idea... Had he come up with it himself, or had he seen it somewhere?
Jiang Mian understood most of what he meant as soon as she heard it, but her expression remained blank, as if she were only half following.
"It sounds really good..."
She murmured quietly, as if she felt it would be difficult for her.
In her mind, though, she was calculating the cost of using firearms. They were much cheaper than ordinary Mutated Bone Weapons and weren't as easy to break.
"I'd have to practice shooting and split my attention to control the wind and guide the bullets... It sounds so hard, harder than just creating a Wind Field..."
"Everything's hard at the beginning. But it's certainly worth trying."
"Once you're no longer unfamiliar with firearms and your control of the wind becomes more precise, you can try combining the two."
"Come on. Let's go to the training area over there first. I'll help you get familiar with your ability."
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