episode_0097

Learning the principles of martial arts is important, but to win a duel, one must first gather information about the opponent.

Of course, there is no time to gather information from various sources, so I decide to roughly collect and analyze what I have.

During my 12th cycle, there was no mention of a warrior named Rex in my memories, perhaps because the elite warriors of Elvengard did not leave a strong impression.

“His name is Rex. After his brother, a high-ranking warrior, died, he took up the Meridya swordsmanship. Two years ago, he became a high-ranking warrior and led 50 troops into battle, clearing out the dungeons in the north of Elvengard and returning today…”

“Why did we have to meet him on that exact day? Talk about bad luck.”

“Are you in any position to say that…? Isn’t this mess all because of you? So why did you kill his brother?”

“Do you remember how many loaves of bread you’ve eaten so far? What the bread you ate three years ago today looked like? The details? You probably can’t remember. It’s the same thing.”

“…”

This guy.

Casually killing people like eating bread?

Suddenly, I feel dizzy.

I just gained a certainty.

After learning martial arts, I must stay away from Transylvia.

For someone who has been killing people like eating bread for centuries, wherever he goes, there will be people full of resentment.

It wouldn’t be surprising if someone picked a fight with me while walking down the street.

“Try to remember.”

“Why? If you just cut him down in the duel, it’ll be over.”

“Then his brother will become a high-ranking warrior again and come to kill me!”

“Then you can kill that bastard too.”

“…”

There’s no reasoning with him.

A guy who has lived his whole life as a savage.

If possible, I want to persuade Rex with words.

I don’t care about the grudge against Transylvia.

I just want to get rid of the resentment towards Yulia.

Of course, the chances of reasoning with him are slim.

I’ll have to beat him down and make him kneel first.

“Try to remember somehow. It’s important.”

“Fine… I’ll try. But first, let me see your sword.”

Transylvia casually flips through the sword and sits down with crossed legs.

Due to this movement, her hoodie slightly lifts up, revealing the black shorts underneath.

Luckily, it’s dark, so I couldn’t see it properly.

I express gratitude for my poor eyesight.

I take out the sword that I disguised as a bag.

“It’s always fascinating. I never had a disguise magic that I couldn’t detect.”

“Show me the sword. Does it show from Dakiya style 0th form to 14th form?”

“Show it freely. Think of the opponent in front of you. You can make connections on your own.”

A sword demonstration in front of the founder of Dakiya style…

It’s a bit embarrassing, but it can’t be helped.

*Inhales deeply*

I generously spend my magic power and scatter it throughout my body.

Then, I take a stance based on the 0th form and charge forward.

Followed by a disengagement and a horizontal slash.

Continuously twisting the sword like flowing water into a thrust.

Sometimes pushing forward while advancing.

Sometimes adjusting the distance with a backward step.

Of course, the speed of swinging the sword has never slowed down.

On the contrary, it accelerates even more.

Although I have learned three different swordsmanship styles, I first learned Dakiya style and have been using it most effectively.

The sword is also custom-made for Dakiya style.

It may look like swinging the sword wildly and ignorantly, but there is almost no shift in the center of gravity, only the wrist’s strength is used to swing the sword.

With that minimal force, the tip of the sword breaks the speed of sound, unleashing a fierce cutting sound.

From the 0th form to the 14th form.

I have shown each form a couple of times through continuous connections.

The principles that Transylvia showed me before.

Long-range sniping to finish.

“Ugh…”

I tried to make it as similar as possible.

The wind pushed aside by the blade only slightly shakes a water bottle far away.

Veji couldn’t even knock it over.

Swallowing the slightly bitter taste of saliva at the back of my throat.

Turning around, Tran Silvia is still in the same position as before.

Her expression unchanged, quietly watching.

For some reason, even the apprentice sitting next to her is frozen.

“What’s wrong? Why so quiet?”

“Well, I admit it. I underestimated you. I thought you were just a beginner who picked up a sword based on your physical condition. But now, it seems like you’ve been training for about 2 years.”

“…”

Ah.

Just like someone who has been wielding a sword for 2 years?

When in reality, it’s been 12 years?

My experience has been reduced to a sixth of what it was.

But I didn’t bother mentioning it.

It’s really frustrating.

“It’s not entirely impossible!”

Tran Silvia stands up abruptly.

Undoing the bandages and revealing an old wooden scabbard, she swiftly draws out a sword.

Darkia-ryu is a swordsmanship style that originally uses a single-edged sword.

But it seems like using a double-edged sword is not an issue, as no one pointed it out.

“Let’s get started then. From the basics.”

“What? From the basics?”

“Your basics are a mess. I told you. A genius aligns their swordsmanship with their body. You did align it with your body, but… you twisted it horribly. You need to start from the basics again.”

“Oh, no. In three days? Is that possible?”

“If you don’t rest day and night, it might be possible.”

Damn.

My enthusiasm wavered even before starting.

To think that I have to correct the basics that I’ve been honing and internalizing for 12 years from scratch…

“Well. You’ve only been holding a sword for 3 months. You should be able to correct it quickly. In a way, it’s fortunate. Now! Stop daydreaming and hold the sword properly!”

“Ah…”

I’m really screwed.

The process of passing on the teachings was harsh and unforgiving.

Correcting the basics meant literally changing everything from start to finish.

From breathing techniques to the angle of the toes and eye movements…

I thought I was going crazy.

However, it’s not like there’s no flexibility.

Swordsmanship stances naturally change depending on the situation, terrain, and opponent.

Except for the grotesquely twisted stances, they didn’t insist on corrections.

But fixing the twisted basics that I had become accustomed to over 12 years was a daunting task.

A swordsmanship that had become second nature to my body.

I could now strike with a sword even while sleeping, and it was so ingrained that it would come out automatically even while thinking about something else.

To correct it in a day was no easy task.

But still, without rest, I swung the sword.

Correcting my posture until my joints ached and my muscles cramped.

It took 24 hours to hone the basics and correct forms 0 to 14.

I thought I was ready to start learning the techniques of Oui, but…

“Well. You’re wrong. Nothing has been corrected. It’s like an 80-year-old grandfather’s body, no matter how you try to fix it, he’ll just hold the sword comfortably in his own way.”

“…”

Suddenly, Tran Silvia gave up.

Nothing has been corrected.

After making me a mess for 24 hours, what’s the point of saying that?

“So what now?”

“Well… should I give up?”

“Yeah.”

“Hahaha. Just kidding. Just kidding. There’s no choice. You’ve ingrained that twisted basic into your body, so the only hope is to learn Oui with that.”

“…”

She tried to smile, but darkness seeped into Tran Silvia’s expression.

She also senses it.

That I may not be able to learn Oui in the end.

“There’s only two days left. Let’s quickly teach you that long-range sniping.”

“Long-range swordsmanship, huh. Approaching it like that, you won’t be able to understand the essence even if you spend a hundred days. Let me clarify. The essence of Dakiaryu starts from the concept of expanding the range of attack.”

“Is that so?”

“What nonsense.”

“Explain properly yourself.”

“The concept of expanding the range of attack? What kind of concept is that?”

Seems like they’re just giving some half-hearted answers.

“The disciple’s attitude is much worse than I expected. Should I give up here?”

“Don’t talk nonsense. You should explain more properly.”

“Even if I try to explain… The essence of Dakiaryu can be summarized in one sentence: ‘expanding the range of attack.’ Adding more details or explanations would just be superfluous and distort the essence.”

Expanding the range of attack…

Does it mean more than just striking long-range enemies with a sword?

It’s still unclear.

“Are you the one who created the essence? Your explanation is so unfriendly.”

“I didn’t create it. I just inherited and established it. Still, there is no better and concise way to describe the essence than this.”

“Then bring the one who created it. They would explain it better.”

“He’s already dead. That’s why I inherited and completed it.”

“…”

He wasn’t even the original creator?

I wish I could use magic to bring back the original creator and learn directly from them.

At least they would do better than this guy.

“From what I see, you’re ignorant, so you don’t need to understand it intellectually. Just move your body and practice, it might be faster.”

“That… sounds right.”

He was about to argue but then he calmed down.

Indeed.

Trying to understand and accept the essence of swordsmanship through words was a mindless approach.

Even if that was possible, understanding it intellectually and physically executing it were two different things.

“Just follow my lead. Try to mimic my movements as much as possible. If you can’t grasp it intellectually, keep repeating it until you get it through physical practice. Eventually, you’ll feel something different. Dive into that feeling.”

Beside him, Trancilvia took a stance resembling the 0th form, pulling back the sword, and with a swift motion, the blade cut a water jug in half.

“Creating a strong wind with the blade.”

“What? Wind?! No! That’s not it!”

“Seems right.”

“It’s not originally… Ugh. If it’s easier for you to understand it that way, then go ahead. Phenomenally, it’s not entirely wrong, and it’s hard to refute. For now, just swing with the mindset of creating wind.”

After a brief intense reaction, Trancilvia sighed as if giving up and stepped back.

Did this guy just give up on me?

Seems like it.

‘What does it mean to expand the range of attack? Swordsmen really love showing off…’

Swish. Swish.

With each swing of the sword, Trancilvia produced a sound similar to what he had just done.

But the resulting effect was completely different.

He thought he had matched his posture, breathing, and movements perfectly.

Even if he rewound the video playback, the judges would all agree that the movements were completely identical.

However, the wind that skimmed off my sword…

It seemed to slightly part the air before quickly dissipating.

There was no different feeling at all.

“Is this really all there is? Is there nothing more to teach?”

“That’s right. It’s now an issue of your inner self.”

Swish. Swish.

Trying to twist the angle of the sword slightly and.

Lifting the heel and.

Narrowing the shoulders and trying everything, but the result remained the same.

Or rather, he was just falling into confusion.

Of course, I didn’t expect to master the essence in just a few hours after starting.

Just by demonstrating once and teaching the concept of ‘expanding the range of attack’, now I have to realize it on my own.

This isn’t some college textbook, but even if the pace is fast, it’s too quick.

“You seem too fixated on the accuracy of your stance. You don’t need to match your stance to the sword. Once you realize the essence, you can strike where the sword originally couldn’t reach, regardless of the stance or the sword.”

“What should I do if you tell me that now!”

It must have been about three hours of swinging the sword ignorantly.

Perhaps feeling frustrated, Transylvania came out with the sword again and freely launched long-range sword strikes in various stances.

Even with just one hand.

Only then did I understand.

Essence wasn’t a specific technique, right?

So, it doesn’t require a specific stance either.

‘This isn’t Buddhist practice, what am I doing.’

So, once you gain ‘enlightenment’, you can freely shoot sword strikes like magic.

Are there such concepts?

Does this even make sense?

“Water.”

“Hoo.”

I swallowed the water handed to me by Mijung.

And then I swung the sword again.

Just endlessly.

Ignorantly.

Now that I knew that the stance wasn’t important, I tried swinging the sword in my own comfortable stance, but…

No matter how much I changed it, it just didn’t feel right.

I don’t feel like I’m about to realize the essence.

‘I messed up big time.’

I had a hunch on the second day.

I’m not someone who can grasp the essence after all.

But Transylvania’s gaze watching my swordsmanship from the corner was strange.

I thought she had given up on me and resigned long ago.

I thought she would be doing something else, but she had been sitting in a proper stance and watching me all along.

“Why are you staring? Keep going.”

“…”

If something seems off, she should point it out.

Just silently watching is strange.

It seems like I messed up.

‘What’s that?’

Bang. Bang.

In a large warehouse, amidst the constant slicing of the sword through the air.

Transylvania couldn’t take her eyes off the dazzling tip of the sword.

‘It’s like…’

It was strange.

It seemed like she was desperately trying to follow Transylvania’s sword.

But Eugene’s sword was not at all similar to hers.

At first, she just swung the sword with a vague stance.

It looked like a simple cutting practice.

But with each swing of the sword.

A very subtle change occurred.

Even Transylvania could barely notice the small changes as she continued to watch.

The one swinging the sword would never notice the subtle crack.

The change created by that subtle crack was simple.

What was originally just imitating Transylvania’s sword.

Was gradually becoming Eugene’s own.

The clumsiness was disappearing.

Skill was seeping in.

And that was not a positive sign, but poison.

…In a typical case.

Interpreting and modifying the techniques of swordsmanship is originally forbidden.

If one commits such an act, the connection with other techniques will be completely messed up.

But after mastering all the techniques.

If one is an expert who can modify all techniques to make them their own, not just one technique?

At that point, it’s not modification but the realm of creation.

Are there geniuses who occasionally appear and create new trends in swordsmanship.

And even establish entirely new swordsmanship.

Is Eugene one of those geniuses?

No. Absolutely not.

Eugene is not someone who carefully modifies the connections of techniques to make them their own.

He’s someone who hasn’t even properly grasped the basics.

That’s why when Eugene first demonstrated the connected movements of the techniques.

Transylvania was surprised.

Connecting such messy movements.

Connecting such inefficiently broken techniques.

Not exactly neat, but it continues with a creak.

It was unbelievable.

How could the different strokes tailored to the comfort of the culprit’s body be connected like that?

An astonishing coincidence.

Or, it was the extreme inefficiency that could only be achieved through relentless agony over more than ten years.

No matter how you looked at it, it wasn’t just the stubbornness of someone who had picked up a sword for a day or two.

Even if she harbored thoughts of fixing it in her mind, her body was not cooperative.

Knowing that no matter how hard she tried to fix it, it would quickly revert to its original state, Trancillvia gave up on correcting the basics long ago.

She simply left Eugene’s sword, which had become a mess of physical exhaustion and energy inefficiency, untouched.

So even if Eugene tried to mimic Trancillvia and swing it, it would end up being a completely different move.

No matter how hard he tried, it would only become a subtly different replica.

“Huh…?”

Though it looked similar to Trancillvia’s, it moved completely differently.

Chasing after the tip of Eugene’s sword.

Trancillvia felt a strange sense of déjà vu.

“A replica?”

It was a sword she had seen before.

It wasn’t just a simple déjà vu.

Old memories that had evaporated and sunk into her subconscious were slowly resurfacing.

Trancillvia fumbled through the depths of her memory.

After busily racking her brain to extract the source of that memory, she finally remembered.

The founder of swordsmanship.

Dakia’s sword.

The sword Trancillvia had imitated.

“Which one is the replica?”

Trancillvia’s sword was a mimicry of Dakia’s sword, which had died first.

He had imperfectly established the righteousness that Dakia had failed to complete.

She had forgotten about it until now.

At first, she thought that if Eugene could imitate this replica perfectly, there would be nothing better.

But now, that thought was wavering.

“It’s as if…”

If you replicate a replica, it should become more refined.

Another replica should emerge from that replica.

Yet Eugene’s sword was gradually resembling Dakia’s sword.

“It looks like Dakia’s sword.”

The familiar Dakia’s sword that Trancillvia had followed all her life was being recreated at the hands of a stranger.

By imitating the imitation.

It was a strange phenomenon where the original appeared.