Chapter 262: Daily Life With Akari [4]

It was another morning inside this mysterious world.

The cool breeze drifted through the forest as birds chirped peacefully around the wooden house.

In the small training yard before the house, Noah stood opposite Akari.

She had already changed into a simpler blue kimono that allowed easier movement, while Noah held an steel sword in his right hand.

Akari folded her arms. "Today, we’ll begin your weapon training."

Noah nodded attentively.

"What weapon do you wish to specialize in?"

"Hmm..." He thought for a moment. "I’m comfortable with most weapons at a basic level. My best are swords and spears."

"Then we’ll use the sword."

Akari raised her own blade from her storage ring.

It was a beautiful katana with a deep sapphire-blue sheath and a silver blade that gleamed beneath the morning light.

"I’m strongest with the sword."

She rested its tip against the ground.

"And remember this. The essence of all bladed weapons is fundamentally the same. If someone truly masters the sword, adapting to a spear, lance, rapier, dagger, or even an axe becomes much easier."

Noah raised an eyebrow.

"Really?"

She nodded.

"They differ in reach, weight, and application. But balance, timing, distance, and technique...remain universal."

"I understand."

Akari looked directly into his eyes.

"Good. Then we’ll begin with the fundamentals."

She calmly raised one finger.

"One thousand thrusts."

Another finger.

"One thousand blocks."

A third.

"One thousand parries."

Finally...

"One thousand swings."

Noah stared blankly.

"...What?"

Akari maintained the same calm expression.

"You heard me. Four thousand repetitions."

Noah almost dropped his sword.

"That’s way too many!"

Akari narrowed her eyes.

"...Complaining already?"

"..."

"...No. But I am good at basics."

"Yes. But it’s always best to be perfect in basics. If you are good then become better."

"Okay." He accepted silently.

"Then begin."

Noah let out a long sigh.

"Yes, Master."

Swish!

Swish!

Swish!

Noah repeatedly thrust his sword forward. His movements were steady. Every thrust stopped at exactly the same position before smoothly returning.

’Damn! To think I needed to do same thing again. Life is so unfair!!’

Akari quietly watched from the side. For nearly an hour she said nothing. Just as Noah thought he was doing well.

"No."

His shoulders instantly slumped.

"...Already?"

Akari walked toward him.

"Your sword point trembles just before every thrust."

She gently adjusted his grip.

"Relax your shoulders. You aren’t trying to stab through a mountain. The sword should move because your body guides it. Not because you’re forcing it."

She stepped back. "Again."

"Yes." he said and started to do it.

Swish!

Swish!

Swish!

This time Noah focused less on power. His thrusts immediately became smoother. Several hundred repetitions later. His breathing had become much more stable.

Sweat soaked his clothes. His arms burned. Yet he continued.

Akari finally gave a small nod.

"Good. You’re improving."

A smile appeared on Noah’s face. Only for her next words to destroy it.

"But your footing is still terrible."

"..."

After finishing the thousand thrusts. The blocking exercises began.

Tak!

Tak!

Tak!

Akari attacked with slow, controlled strikes.

Noah intercepted each one.

Clang!

Clang!

Clang!

His sword met hers repeatedly. But his body was aching from thousand thrusts.

’I can’t stop. I cannot look bad in her eyes. I need to be good. And amazing!!’

"No."

She immediately stopped him again.

"When you block... Don’t simply stop my sword. Control it."

She pushed lightly against his blade.

"The moment our weapons touch... You should already be guiding mine away. Not meeting strength with strength."

She demonstrated. Their blades met. With one smooth circular motion, Akari redirected Noah’s sword completely off line.

Her own blade stopped at his throat.

"So this...is a proper block."

Noah blinked. "...That looked effortless."

He was amaze by her skills. She was just teaching him normal things. But now he wonder how strong was she while fighting with katana, using her whole powers. While he thought that, she spoke.

"It should. The simpler the movement...The more refined the technique."

For the next several hundred repetitions. She corrected every tiny mistake.

His stance. His elbows. His wrists. Even his breathing. By the time the thousandth block ended.

Noah’s arms felt as though they no longer belonged to him. he took a small rest. Then afternoon was devoted to parrying.

Clang!

Clang!

Clang!

Unlike blocking parrying required far more precision. Rather than stopping the attack. He had to redirect it completely.

Again.

Again.

Again.

Every failed parry made Akari lightly tap him with the flat of her blade.

"No."

"You did it too early."

Again.

"No. It was too late."

Again.

"No. You are using too much force Noah."

He nodded and did it again, "Is this enough?"

"Better." She said.

Hours passed. His wrists gradually began to ache. Every clash sent vibrations shooting up both arms.

Eventually Noah grimaced.

"My wrists..."

Akari looked at him briefly. Without saying a word, she tossed him a fruit.

He caught it.

"...Thanks."

"Eat it. That fruit will give you enough energy to continue further. We continue immediately afterward."

"You’re terrifying." Noah said with tired voice. ’Damn, she can be scary..’

"I’ve been told that before. But believe in me you will be lot stronger by doing this."

As evening approached. Only the swings remained. Compared to the previous exercises... This felt much more natural. He raised his sword.

Swish!

Again.

Swish!

Again.

Swish!

The movements flowed one after another.

Akari silently observed.

"No."

Noah froze. "...Seriously?"

She walked toward him. "You’re making the same mistake over and over."

He frowned. "What mistake?"

"You’re obsessed with power." She stood before him. "Every swing carries enough force to split a boulder. But afterwards..."

She lightly poked his chest.

"...you’re completely open."

’Father did said something similar.’

She slowly demonstrated. Her sword rose. Then descended. The movement was simple. It was elegant and effortless.

Noah tried his best not to look at her chest. He was good student. Not a pervert.

As he watch her he could tell there wasn’t an ounce of wasted strength. Yet the moment her swing ended. Her blade was already prepared for the next attack.

There was no pauses. There was no hesitation. No unnecessary movement.

"This is what you should pursue."

She looked into Noah’s eyes.

"A sword isn’t about swinging as hard as possible. It’s about never losing control. The technique should guide the power. Not the other way around. You are all tired now so don’t use too much power in swings."

Noah quietly stared at her demonstration.

For a long moment he said nothing. Then he slowly nodded.

"...I understand."

A small smile appeared on Akari’s face.

"Good. Then we’ll keep repeating these fundamentals."

"Every day. Tomorrow we will only do one thousand thrusts. But afterwards i will teach you and fight with you all day to improve your thrust technique."

"The day after that will be focus on blocks. then parries. And then swings. We will do that until I feel satisfied with your basics."

She sheathed her sword.

"When those become second nature...We’ll begin teaching you real swordsmanship."

Noah looked at his trembling hands before letting out a helpless sigh.

"...Why do all strong masters love making their disciples suffer?"

Akari covered her mouth and laughed softly.

"Hehe...Because the basics create the strongest warrior."

Noah looked at the sword in his hand. Then toward the smiling woman before him.

"...Guess tomorrow’s going to hurt even more."

Akari’s smile widened.

"It certainly will. Now it’s time to meditate and absorb mana. I have some mana cores of monsters. Very useful to you."