Chapter 286
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Chapter 286
Battle was all about movement. It started at the bottom of the body with the position of the feet and how the legs could propel a person. That remained true even for cultivators, as natural energy was most efficient when augmenting something physical. It became less necessary with higher cultivations where energy was the dominant force, but if one were trying to get every scrap of power out of themselves to fight at maximum efficiency, it had to be considered.
Chikere watched Swordmaster Rahayu move, how each step seemed to take him a dozen meters- which was practically an infinite distance as far as melee combat was concerned. The energy around his legs augmented his speed, but he also flooded the area ahead of him to ease his movement. That wasnt always a reliable prediction of where he would go, however. More often than not he used it as a feint, making her think he would move to a specific position when he went elsewhere. Even just a single step to the right or left could render her attacks useless. He controlled a large domain around himself, so the concentrations of energy were either for teaching her or throwing her off, which were the same thing.
Some people didnt pay much attention to the core of the body. Many people understood that the upper torso had muscles that affected the arms which of course were used to swing weapons, but the lower portions were important as well. The abdominal muscles provided balance and stabilization, important when making precise moves.
Arms swung and directed weapons. Their muscle power did contribute to attacks, but it was often better to make use of proper weapon positioning to maximize momentum gained from other places instead of just trying to shove a sword faster. Or other weapons, but Chikere didnt know why people would use those. Sure, at a low enough level different weapons had advantages in strength and reach, but the sword had versatility in motion that remained effective even in higher level fights.
The head was also important. Watching your opponent with your eyes was the easy one, but other senses mattered too. Hearing them move when they were out of your sight could save you, and the way people flexed their muscles could be heard even when the movements werent visible on the outside due to clothing covering them up. Smell was useful too, it could reveal all kinds of information. And taste was usually best not deployed. If you could detect a poison with your tongue it might already be too late.
Swordmaster Rahayu happened to use a single sword, while Chikere had long gone down the path of using as many as possible. The one held in her hands ways always the best, but there were limits to how many opponents could be fought off at once with a single blade. Thats what she told him, and he generally agreed.
With this sword in my hand I could parry or block attacks from a dozen worthy opponents, but there could always be more. Of course, if I cut down that many then I no longer have to count them among the numbers of my enemies, Rahayu smiled widely. Thats something you seem to understand.
Chikere nodded. It has been in my best interest to win quickly.
While they talked, they continued to spar. At the current moment Swordmaster Rahayu was making use of different weapons. He was not as adept in their usage as he was a sword, but he was certainly more than capable of picking out the hardest moves for Chikere to deal with. Wide sweeping attacks that would break her guard if she blocked and force her into a disadvantageous position if she dodged. Long range thrusts with spears that forced her to try to slip past them to get a moment to attack. Close ranged attacks with daggers that made it difficult to bring her sword to bear- though those were basically countered by her additional swords striking from other positions. It didnt matter if she got a little cut along her arm or side if she impaled her opponent.
Not that Rahayu ever got injured. So far she hadnt even touched him, or even nicked his garments. There was nothing crazy about that given his cultivation was at the peak of Life Transformation and she was merely in mid Essence Collection. He had much greater life experience than Chikere, and her specialty in swords became a disadvantage against him. It showed her how far she still had to go, but she still found it disheartening. For one moment at a time, until they crossed swords again and she found her insight growing.
Then Swordmaster Rahayu stopped. Well take a short break here, he declared. Make sure to stay ready to fight.
That was strange. Normally he went until Chikere passed out, but she could still keep fighting. Couldnt she? Sure, shed run out of energy to carry her other swords and theyd dropped into the ground, but she still held onto her primary weapon. At least, she should have been holding onto it but there it was, resting point-first in the stone. But it was closer than it should have been. Oh right, she had fallen to her knees at some point. Maybe she really did need a short break.
-----
Aser had moved to the top of the list. Anton and Velvet were keeping eyes on him separately, though it wasnt possible to safely watch him all the time. There was too much potential for something to go wrong. Anton had the advantage that he was capable of observing from a much larger distance, and if he was only using his eyes he wouldnt draw attention to himself. Unless the man looked straight at him, standing on the shores several kilometers away.
But that hadnt happened yet. Either he wasnt paranoid about people watching him- which seemed strange for a Life Transformation cultivator- or simply didnt think anyone could learn anything important from so far away. Or perhaps it was a matter of practicality. Even Grand Elder Kseniyas attacks from this distance would take some time to arrive, giving him a chance to react. Long enough, at least. Constant tension wouldnt do anyone any good.
Enough training, he said. I have other things to get to.
When will we start again? Chikere asked. A few hours of rest and contemplation wouldnt hurt.
Never, he said. Were done now.
... What?
His words hurt more than any of the wounds hed caused to her up to that point. More than the mental attacks where she knew she could be cut in half, and was able to clearly visualize the damage.
Im done training you, he said simply. Youve seen everything I can show you. Everything. Youll figure it out.
But she was still learning a lot! Even if she might digest everything hed shown her eventually, the rapid pace her cultivation had been increasing was addictive. You cant stop now! What do you need? Chikere begged. I can help you get it. I know Im not that strong compared to you, but please Ill do anything.
Yeah? he raised an eyebrow. Can you push me to ascension? Because thats literally the only thing I want now.
Oh. Chikere couldnt really respond to that. She couldnt ask him to put his own cultivation behind hers. And she couldnt help him ascend. She hung her head. I cant.
Obviously not, Rahayu said. The number of people in this world who have that capability are extremely limited. At least individually. Your friend had a good idea though.
Who? Anton?
Yeah, the archer, he nodded. You can come along if you want. Im heading to Erygan. Im sure the journey will be good for you. You should really fight someone that isnt me. You might notice a difference.
Okay, Chikere nodded. At least he wasnt completely abandoning her. And she really hadnt given him anything, so it wasnt fair to complain about him declaring the training over. She just wanted it to continue forever. Whats in Erygan?
The air split in two as he looked to the north. Enemies. The declaration was once again terrifying, as if she would die as a mere coincidence should she get anywhere near him when he was serious. It was like blades cutting into her. And while I dont know that the ones there will matter, eventually they have to send a challenge. With that, he stepped off the edge of the little pinnacle he lived on. Chikere almost didnt react fast enough to keep up with him, but she dropped down behind him, landing and rushing to keep up with his quick movement. She knew he could go much faster and was holding back for her, but he sure wasnt holding back that much.
Chikere didnt even notice the single strand of hair, only a finger length long, that had settled to the ground during their last exchange. A hair that wasnt hers. Instead, she was far too busy absorbing the insights she had and moving her legs as fast as they could go.
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Chapter 286
Battle was all about movement. It started at the bottom of the body with the position of the feet and how the legs could propel a person. That remained true even for cultivators, as natural energy was most efficient when augmenting something physical. It became less necessary with higher cultivations where energy was the dominant force, but if one were trying to get every scrap of power out of themselves to fight at maximum efficiency, it had to be considered.
Chikere watched Swordmaster Rahayu move, how each step seemed to take him a dozen meters- which was practically an infinite distance as far as melee combat was concerned. The energy around his legs augmented his speed, but he also flooded the area ahead of him to ease his movement. That wasnt always a reliable prediction of where he would go, however. More often than not he used it as a feint, making her think he would move to a specific position when he went elsewhere. Even just a single step to the right or left could render her attacks useless. He controlled a large domain around himself, so the concentrations of energy were either for teaching her or throwing her off, which were the same thing.
Some people didnt pay much attention to the core of the body. Many people understood that the upper torso had muscles that affected the arms which of course were used to swing weapons, but the lower portions were important as well. The abdominal muscles provided balance and stabilization, important when making precise moves.
Arms swung and directed weapons. Their muscle power did contribute to attacks, but it was often better to make use of proper weapon positioning to maximize momentum gained from other places instead of just trying to shove a sword faster. Or other weapons, but Chikere didnt know why people would use those. Sure, at a low enough level different weapons had advantages in strength and reach, but the sword had versatility in motion that remained effective even in higher level fights.
The head was also important. Watching your opponent with your eyes was the easy one, but other senses mattered too. Hearing them move when they were out of your sight could save you, and the way people flexed their muscles could be heard even when the movements werent visible on the outside due to clothing covering them up. Smell was useful too, it could reveal all kinds of information. And taste was usually best not deployed. If you could detect a poison with your tongue it might already be too late.
Swordmaster Rahayu happened to use a single sword, while Chikere had long gone down the path of using as many as possible. The one held in her hands ways always the best, but there were limits to how many opponents could be fought off at once with a single blade. Thats what she told him, and he generally agreed.
With this sword in my hand I could parry or block attacks from a dozen worthy opponents, but there could always be more. Of course, if I cut down that many then I no longer have to count them among the numbers of my enemies, Rahayu smiled widely. Thats something you seem to understand.
Chikere nodded. It has been in my best interest to win quickly.
While they talked, they continued to spar. At the current moment Swordmaster Rahayu was making use of different weapons. He was not as adept in their usage as he was a sword, but he was certainly more than capable of picking out the hardest moves for Chikere to deal with. Wide sweeping attacks that would break her guard if she blocked and force her into a disadvantageous position if she dodged. Long range thrusts with spears that forced her to try to slip past them to get a moment to attack. Close ranged attacks with daggers that made it difficult to bring her sword to bear- though those were basically countered by her additional swords striking from other positions. It didnt matter if she got a little cut along her arm or side if she impaled her opponent.
Not that Rahayu ever got injured. So far she hadnt even touched him, or even nicked his garments. There was nothing crazy about that given his cultivation was at the peak of Life Transformation and she was merely in mid Essence Collection. He had much greater life experience than Chikere, and her specialty in swords became a disadvantage against him. It showed her how far she still had to go, but she still found it disheartening. For one moment at a time, until they crossed swords again and she found her insight growing.
Then Swordmaster Rahayu stopped. Well take a short break here, he declared. Make sure to stay ready to fight.
That was strange. Normally he went until Chikere passed out, but she could still keep fighting. Couldnt she? Sure, shed run out of energy to carry her other swords and theyd dropped into the ground, but she still held onto her primary weapon. At least, she should have been holding onto it but there it was, resting point-first in the stone. But it was closer than it should have been. Oh right, she had fallen to her knees at some point. Maybe she really did need a short break.
-----
Aser had moved to the top of the list. Anton and Velvet were keeping eyes on him separately, though it wasnt possible to safely watch him all the time. There was too much potential for something to go wrong. Anton had the advantage that he was capable of observing from a much larger distance, and if he was only using his eyes he wouldnt draw attention to himself. Unless the man looked straight at him, standing on the shores several kilometers away.
But that hadnt happened yet. Either he wasnt paranoid about people watching him- which seemed strange for a Life Transformation cultivator- or simply didnt think anyone could learn anything important from so far away. Or perhaps it was a matter of practicality. Even Grand Elder Kseniyas attacks from this distance would take some time to arrive, giving him a chance to react. Long enough, at least. Constant tension wouldnt do anyone any good.
Enough training, he said. I have other things to get to.
When will we start again? Chikere asked. A few hours of rest and contemplation wouldnt hurt.
Never, he said. Were done now.
... What?
His words hurt more than any of the wounds hed caused to her up to that point. More than the mental attacks where she knew she could be cut in half, and was able to clearly visualize the damage.
Im done training you, he said simply. Youve seen everything I can show you. Everything. Youll figure it out.
But she was still learning a lot! Even if she might digest everything hed shown her eventually, the rapid pace her cultivation had been increasing was addictive. You cant stop now! What do you need? Chikere begged. I can help you get it. I know Im not that strong compared to you, but please Ill do anything.
Yeah? he raised an eyebrow. Can you push me to ascension? Because thats literally the only thing I want now.
Oh. Chikere couldnt really respond to that. She couldnt ask him to put his own cultivation behind hers. And she couldnt help him ascend. She hung her head. I cant.
Obviously not, Rahayu said. The number of people in this world who have that capability are extremely limited. At least individually. Your friend had a good idea though.
Who? Anton?
Yeah, the archer, he nodded. You can come along if you want. Im heading to Erygan. Im sure the journey will be good for you. You should really fight someone that isnt me. You might notice a difference.
Okay, Chikere nodded. At least he wasnt completely abandoning her. And she really hadnt given him anything, so it wasnt fair to complain about him declaring the training over. She just wanted it to continue forever. Whats in Erygan?
The air split in two as he looked to the north. Enemies. The declaration was once again terrifying, as if she would die as a mere coincidence should she get anywhere near him when he was serious. It was like blades cutting into her. And while I dont know that the ones there will matter, eventually they have to send a challenge. With that, he stepped off the edge of the little pinnacle he lived on. Chikere almost didnt react fast enough to keep up with him, but she dropped down behind him, landing and rushing to keep up with his quick movement. She knew he could go much faster and was holding back for her, but he sure wasnt holding back that much.
Chikere didnt even notice the single strand of hair, only a finger length long, that had settled to the ground during their last exchange. A hair that wasnt hers. Instead, she was far too busy absorbing the insights she had and moving her legs as fast as they could go.
Chapter 286Battle was all about movement. It started at the bottom of the body with the position of the feet and how the legs could propel a person. That remained true even for cultivators, as natural energy was most efficient when augmenting something physical. It became less necessary with higher cultivations where energy was the dominant force, but if one were trying to get every scrap of power out of themselves to fight at maximum efficiency, it had to be considered.Chikere watched Swordmaster Rahayu move, how each step seemed to take him a dozen meters- which was practically an infinite distance as far as melee combat was concerned. The energy around his legs augmented his speed, but he also flooded the area ahead of him to ease his movement. That wasnt always a reliable prediction of where he would go, however. More often than not he used it as a feint, making her think he would move to a specific position when he went elsewhere. Even just a single step to the right or left could render her attacks useless. He controlled a large domain around himself, so the concentrations of energy were either for teaching her or throwing her off, which were the same thing.Some people didnt pay much attention to the core of the body. Many people understood that the upper torso had muscles that affected the arms which of course were used to swing weapons, but the lower portions were important as well. The abdominal muscles provided balance and stabilization, important when making precise moves. Arms swung and directed weapons. Their muscle power did contribute to attacks, but it was often better to make use of proper weapon positioning to maximize momentum gained from other places instead of just trying to shove a sword faster. Or other weapons, but Chikere didnt know why people would use those. Sure, at a low enough level different weapons had advantages in strength and reach, but the sword had versatility in motion that remained effective even in higher level fights. The head was also important. Watching your opponent with your eyes was the easy one, but other senses mattered too. Hearing them move when they were out of your sight could save you, and the way people flexed their muscles could be heard even when the movements werent visible on the outside due to clothing covering them up. Smell was useful too, it could reveal all kinds of information. And taste was usually best not deployed. If you could detect a poison with your tongue it might already be too late. Swordmaster Rahayu happened to use a single sword, while Chikere had long gone down the path of using as many as possible. The one held in her hands ways always the best, but there were limits to how many opponents could be fought off at once with a single blade. Thats what she told him, and he generally agreed.With this sword in my hand I could parry or block attacks from a dozen worthy opponents, but there could always be more. Of course, if I cut down that many then I no longer have to count them among the numbers of my enemies, Rahayu smiled widely. Thats something you seem to understand.Chikere nodded. It has been in my best interest to win quickly.While they talked, they continued to spar. At the current moment Swordmaster Rahayu was making use of different weapons. He was not as adept in their usage as he was a sword, but he was certainly more than capable of picking out the hardest moves for Chikere to deal with. Wide sweeping attacks that would break her guard if she blocked and force her into a disadvantageous position if she dodged. Long range thrusts with spears that forced her to try to slip past them to get a moment to attack. Close ranged attacks with daggers that made it difficult to bring her sword to bear- though those were basically countered by her additional swords striking from other positions. It didnt matter if she got a little cut along her arm or side if she impaled her opponent.Not that Rahayu ever got injured. So far she hadnt even touched him, or even nicked his garments. There was nothing crazy about that given his cultivation was at the peak of Life Transformation and she was merely in mid Essence Collection. He had much greater life experience than Chikere, and her specialty in swords became a disadvantage against him. It showed her how far she still had to go, but she still found it disheartening. For one moment at a time, until they crossed swords again and she found her insight growing.Then Swordmaster Rahayu stopped. Well take a short break here, he declared. Make sure to stay ready to fight.That was strange. Normally he went until Chikere passed out, but she could still keep fighting. Couldnt she? Sure, shed run out of energy to carry her other swords and theyd dropped into the ground, but she still held onto her primary weapon. At least, she should have been holding onto it but there it was, resting point-first in the stone. But it was closer than it should have been. Oh right, she had fallen to her knees at some point. Maybe she really did need a short break.-----Aser had moved to the top of the list. Anton and Velvet were keeping eyes on him separately, though it wasnt possible to safely watch him all the time. There was too much potential for something to go wrong. Anton had the advantage that he was capable of observing from a much larger distance, and if he was only using his eyes he wouldnt draw attention to himself. Unless the man looked straight at him, standing on the shores several kilometers away. But that hadnt happened yet. Either he wasnt paranoid about people watching him- which seemed strange for a Life Transformation cultivator- or simply didnt think anyone could learn anything important from so far away. Or perhaps it was a matter of practicality. Even Grand Elder Kseniyas attacks from this distance would take some time to arrive, giving him a chance to react. Long enough, at least. Constant tension wouldnt do anyone any good.Enough training, he said. I have other things to get to.When will we start again? Chikere asked. A few hours of rest and contemplation wouldnt hurt.Never, he said. Were done now.... What?His words hurt more than any of the wounds hed caused to her up to that point. More than the mental attacks where she knew she could be cut in half, and was able to clearly visualize the damage. Im done training you, he said simply. Youve seen everything I can show you. Everything. Youll figure it out.But she was still learning a lot! Even if she might digest everything hed shown her eventually, the rapid pace her cultivation had been increasing was addictive. You cant stop now! What do you need? Chikere begged. I can help you get it. I know Im not that strong compared to you, but please Ill do anything.Yeah? he raised an eyebrow. Can you push me to ascension? Because thats literally the only thing I want now.Oh. Chikere couldnt really respond to that. She couldnt ask him to put his own cultivation behind hers. And she couldnt help him ascend. She hung her head. I cant.Obviously not, Rahayu said. The number of people in this world who have that capability are extremely limited. At least individually. Your friend had a good idea though.Who? Anton?Yeah, the archer, he nodded. You can come along if you want. Im heading to Erygan. Im sure the journey will be good for you. You should really fight someone that isnt me. You might notice a difference.Okay, Chikere nodded. At least he wasnt completely abandoning her. And she really hadnt given him anything, so it wasnt fair to complain about him declaring the training over. She just wanted it to continue forever. Whats in Erygan?The air split in two as he looked to the north. Enemies. The declaration was once again terrifying, as if she would die as a mere coincidence should she get anywhere near him when he was serious. It was like blades cutting into her. And while I dont know that the ones there will matter, eventually they have to send a challenge. With that, he stepped off the edge of the little pinnacle he lived on. Chikere almost didnt react fast enough to keep up with him, but she dropped down behind him, landing and rushing to keep up with his quick movement. She knew he could go much faster and was holding back for her, but he sure wasnt holding back that much.Chikere didnt even notice the single strand of hair, only a finger length long, that had settled to the ground during their last exchange. A hair that wasnt hers. Instead, she was far too busy absorbing the insights she had and moving her legs as fast as they could go.
