Chapter 34: The Greatsword Path

"A weapon. Ever since I started training under my master's tutelage, he never taught me anything about weapons handling. All he ever taught me is hand-to-hand combat. Now, suddenly asking me what weapon I want really put me in a bind since I really can't think of a weapon that suits me," I thought to myself, feeling the weight of the decision on my shoulders.

"Master, do you have any recommendations that I can follow?" I asked, turning to my master for his opinion.

"Don't listen to the nonsense that guy says. Anyway, if you ask for my opinion, then I would say a greatsword. You might not know this since I never told you before, but I'm actually good with a greatsword. If you choose to take that as your weapon of choice, then I could pass on my skill to you. But, your cultivation scripture is different from mine, which means that even if you inherit my skill, you might not reach a high proficiency with it," my master replied, his words carrying a mix of pride and caution.

Without hesitation, I made up my mind. "Then I'll choose the same," I declared. It wasn't a decision made lightly, but the thought of following in my master's footsteps felt right. Besides, the future was full of unknowns, and having my master guide me with his expertise seemed like the best path to take.

"Alright then, since you have decided, we will proceed with that," my master affirmed. He spoke to Uncle Dawnson, discussing the details of the weapon-making process. Uncle Dawnson excused himself, assuring us that my weapon would be ready before my graduation exam.

"Now follow me," my master said, leading me outside the house. This time, I didn't have to guess what was coming. My master was finally going to teach me about greatsword techniques.

"Now that you have chosen a greatsword, just like me, I will teach you the basics of it," my master announced as we reached an open area outside the house.

"I will only show you once, so watch carefully." He retrieved an iron greatsword from his space item, a possession I had already suspected he had. With the sword in hand, my master began to demonstrate a few moves—a series of upper slashes, downward slashes, horizontal strikes, stabs, parries, counters, and backhand strikes—a basic set of swordsmanship.

"From now on, in addition to your normal training, I want you to practice these seven moves. Since the graduation test is near, I hope that you can at least grasp these moves at a beginner level," my master instructed, setting the expectations for my training.

My master's low expectations ignited a fighting spirit within me. How hard could it be? It was just a series of basic moves. I moved closer to my master, ready to lift the iron sword and begin practicing. However, as I attempted to lift it with both hands, my master's warning interrupted my action.

"Now, I forbid you from using both of your hands. No matter which hand it is, you can only use one hand to swing that sword," my master stated firmly, his words halting my movement.

I raised my head and looked at my master, surprised by the restriction. "One hand? How can I master it to a beginner's level like this?" I wondered silently.

As if he understood my thoughts, my master looked back at me and said, "Don't worry, you can do it. At first, it might be hard, but eventually, you'll get used to it."

With those words of encouragement, my master turned away, leaving me alone with the iron sword in my hand. Determined to prove myself, I prepared to make my next attempt. Gripping the hilt tightly, I tried to lift the sword once again. Despite my increased physical strength from training with the Supreme Warrior Scripture, the sword still felt incredibly heavy. With one hand, I could barely lift it a few centimeters off the ground.

"Bam!" The sword slipped from my grasp and hit the ground, causing me to fall back onto my butt. My arm twitched uncontrollably, and I couldn't help but massage it to relieve the strain. Even lifting the sword briefly had left me in such a state.

No, this couldn't continue. How could I master something if I couldn't even hold the sword properly? As I pondered a solution, an idea struck me—a revelation from my time in the Ghost Forest. Unconsciously, I had used the Supreme Warrior Scripture during battles, and it had enhanced my movements and circulation of energy. If I applied the same principle to training my sword skills, perhaps I could overcome the initial difficulty.

Excitement surged through me as I stood up once again, gripping the sword tightly. This time, I focused on circulating the Supreme Warrior Scripture within me.

"Hmmm... fuuhhh."

Taking a deep breath, I lifted the sword, and to my delight, it felt much easier this time. "I can do this," I thought, a smile appearing on my face. With this newfound approach, I believed I could make significant progress in mastering the greatsword by the time of my graduation test.