LIGHTNOVELWORLD Episode 58
Chapter 58
It had been five days since I started training under Edward, but to cut to the chase, the training had become even more rigorous than I had imagined.
Well, I had mentally prepared for it because Edward had warned me, and for the most part, I was able to keep up despite the intensity.
But there were exceptions.
One of those exceptions occurred when he added something on a whim to the training plan he had prepared in advance.
Just like now.
“Huff… Huff, cough, cough!… Haah, I’m… I’m gonna die.”
I couldn’t stand any longer, so I sat down right there and desperately tried to catch my breath and regulate my breathing.
Sweat was pouring down like a waterfall, but I didn’t have the energy to wipe it off at the moment.
Looking down at me while crossing his arms was my master, Edward.
“What a sorry sight you are.”
Edward said it with an exasperated expression, but this situation had arisen because he had subjected me to a full-on ten laps around the training ground on a whim… It was quite harsh, especially considering it was all going according to his plan.
While Orto, on the other hand, was the type to push me through a well-structured training plan, Edward was the type to add spur-of-the-moment challenges to the plan he had prepared in advance. But that didn’t mean he wasn’t thinking ahead.
In fact, he was adjusting the training based on my current condition, so you could say he was using his head quite a bit.
Both were equally tough, but unlike Orto,the fact that he was right there, watching my training closely, and the lack of a clear pattern due to his spontaneity made it feel even more challenging.
“When your breath stabilizes a bit, we’ll do 200 swings for each form. In your current state, if you don’t eliminate any wasted movements, you’ll tire out quickly and won’t be able to swing a spear properly. So, be careful.”
“Yes!”
Chastising my trembling legs, I got up and headed toward the wooden spears at the edge of the training ground.
I could manage to move my body by circulating mana, but it was still difficult to exert strength…
Indeed, in my current condition, if I swung the wooden spear as I usually did, I would tire out quickly.
I picked up a wooden spear and returned to my original position, starting the movements of the spear forms I had learned over the past five days.
“One, two, three…”
“Your arm is too tense. Imagine using your whole body efficiently.”
“Like this?”
“Yes, that’s it. It will prevent your arms from getting tired, and your movements will become sharper. Now, this time your movements are getting a bit shaky.”
“Right, got it!”
I had mana circulating throughout my body, so I could clearly feel the movements of my whole body. But even though I understood, I couldn’t control it perfectly, and sometimes I put too much strength into it, or my movements became unsteady.
Edward didn’t miss any of these mistakes and pointed them out, and I made the corrections accordingly.
In the midst of the swinging practice, I repeated trial and error, eliminating inefficiencies and getting closer to the ideal form that Edward had demonstrated.
Fix one part, and another problematic area would appear, and it felt like an endless game of whack-a-mole, but if I thought of it as getting closer step by step, it was quite enjoyable.
Well, physically, it was quite tough…
“One hundred ninety-eight, one hundred ninety-nine, two hundred!… Ugh, haa!”
“Rios, take a break for now. Sit down to recover your strength. Hey, glasses girl! I asked you to bring some water for him!”
After finishing my swings, I sat down like I’d taken a tumble and let out a deep breath to relax my body.
At that moment, Vivian approached with a cup of water.
“Rios-sama, here you go.”
“Thank you… gulp… I feel alive again!”
“Shall I prepare another cup for you?”
“Yeah, please.”
I nodded without hesitation at Vivian’s offer. Even though I was drenched in sweat, my body was burning so much that I couldn’t feel the cold. Drinking the cold water sent a soothing sensation coursing through my body.
While I took several sips of water and rested, Edward continued his swings.
At first, his swings were slow and deliberate, as if he was reviewing the forms carefully. However, they gradually picked up speed and transformed into practical movements.
Naturally, his movements were on a completely different level than mine, and the way he seamlessly connected the forms with fluidity and efficiency left no room for wasted motion.
As I watched in fascination, Edward stopped his swings, closed his eyes while still holding the spear.
“Heh… Haah!”
As soon as he opened his eyes, Edward thrust the spear with a lightning-fast thrust, and in the next moment, he brought the spear back to his side and made a motion as if he were deflecting an imaginary attack.
Edward was probably practicing Shadow Spar.
Unlike the earlier swings, Edward’s body was now moving aggressively, and his versatile spear techniques were unleashed upon an imaginary opponent.
However, it seemed that there was no clear winner, as Edward switched to a defensive posture.
His movements were refined, and from an outsider’s perspective, it resembled a beautiful dance.
After several exchanges of offense and defense, Edward stopped in a spear-thrusting position. It seemed that the match had concluded.
“Phew… Did I keep you waiting?”
Edward, who had finished his training, asked, but I shook my head.
“No, it was a good break, and I actually wanted to watch a little more.”
“I see… Well, did you figure out who I was fighting and who won?”
I knew he was fighting, but I had no idea who he was fighting against or who had won.
If Edward’s expression had changed, I might have been able to tell, but he remained serious throughout.
“No, I had no idea.”
“Well, that’s expected. It’s been five days… well, fifteen days if you include the time you were training with Orto. If you had figured it out by now, it would mean you’re a monstrous talent beyond measure. That would be rather boring.”
Edward nodded as if my response was reasonable.
Nevertheless, someone who could figure this out after only half a month of martial arts training… exists. Truly, they must be a prodigious talent.
…Thinking about the future, I should consider approaching them, but it would likely be impossible for at least a year or two. For now, I should forget about it.
What’s more intriguing at the moment is the reason behind Edward’s question.
“Why did you ask something so obvious?”
“Well, you have talent, and your physical abilities improved unusually quickly, so I thought you might have some divine blessing related to the God of War. But it seems I was wrong.”
“Well, I’d answer that much when asked, especially by my mentor.”
“Hmm… I see. Now that I think about it, Orto did mention that you might be lacking in common sense.”
Edward placed his hand on his forehead and let out a deep sigh, casting a somewhat troubled look at me.
Perhaps it was because I had said something that lacked common sense, but when someone like Edward, with a history of being a troublemaker from a young age, gives you that look, it’s hard not to feel a little annoyed, even if he doesn’t show it openly.
“Listen, you understand that divine blessings are considered highly personal information, right?”
“I do, but is it really necessary to keep it a secret even in a mentor-disciple relationship?”
My ‘Child of the Divine Beast, Asterios’ (Dice) has the effect of enhancing physical abilities, so I don’t think it’s entirely unrelated to my training. Nevertheless, is it better not to mention it?
“Divine blessings are like trump cards. Most people, even in mentor-disciple relationships, keep them hidden. Besides, our relationship is relatively new. There isn’t enough trust to share such a blessing.”
“I see… But I trust my mentor.”
Given this person’s character, I doubt he would leak information to others or misuse it. I reached this conclusion based on my knowledge and the impression I got from meeting him in person.
It’s definitely not because he’s highly intelligent but has a one-track mind obsessed with combat.
“It’s not about that… Well, I suppose there’s no helping it.I’ll teach you the significance of your divine blessing through practice.”
Saying this, Edward waved the wooden spear he held in his hand and then assumed a combat stance.
How did things end up like this?
“Come on, get into your stance. After all, we were planning on sparring anyway. Here we go!”
“Ugh!”
Clearly, the intensity had changed! Before I could even voice my protest, the spearhead was approaching, and the hellish sparring began.
…That sparring didn’t end until I could no longer move.
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