Master Swordswoman

[Due to Shilgami: Discerning eyes, information will be available to you]

[Aura Comprehension ^ click to read more]

[Shattering Blade ^ click to read more]

[You can only choose one]

'Cheat?' Leon clicked Aura comprehension

[Aura comprehension]

> The action you witness the target is called Aura, the coloured flows that follow each of her strikes. Aura can be obtained by a realisation of one's true self. Even though it is used as a means of enhancing offensive and defensive power. It originates from the reality of your person, which may vary from the history of your ancestors to the kind of person you are.

"Why are you spacing out?" Lia said as she grabbed the sticks she had cut down from the tree with her sword strike.

"It's getting late, get us shelter, you don't expect us to sleep like this..."

[You have received a sub quest]

> Make shelter for you and Lia.

> Gather 10 sturdy kinds of wood.

> Gather 10 large leaves, specifically palms.

Quest reward: Affinity with Lia increases by 10

Quest failure: Affinity with Lia drops to the bottom, her expectations of you reduce, and you might lose an extra main quest reward.

'So much importance placed on just gathering woods?! argh' He looks at Lia who sat down and began to sculpt woods with her sword. He then walked away in search of woods.

....Ordeta...Royal Palace...The King's main Hall.

~tap~

~tap~

~tap~

The King tapped his fingers which were glories in golden rings.

"Why have I not heard anything about that wrench," the king said, his thick voice vibrating the hall and making everyone's shoulders shiver.

"Your majesty, we have searched every corner of Kont'el, we were not able to find any traces of her." One of the nobles said as he bowed his head.

"Your majesty, on my opinion, I think we should announce the execution of Knight Barrister."

"Count Vincent! how can you make such a suggestion, you know how precious Knight Barrister is to this nation!" Another noble shouted.

"Whatever accomplishment Knight Barrister has achieved for this nation is all in the past, a new reign has entered the empire and with it comes a new era. The old has been overwritten, Knight Barrister is just a bag of luggage."

"Bag of luggage?"

"Marquis Robert, do you perhaps have treacherous intent? Do not think your secret contact with the princess through Knight Barrister will go unnoticed."

"Do you have the evidence to back your claims? Count Vincent!"

~tap~

Silence invaded the hall at once.

"I can not help but see that you all have been enjoying the riches that you rip from the people's sweat, you have gotten a robust mouth, look at you Marquis Fellaminell you now even have a big belly too. But you know since I mounted this throne after laying waste to my incompetent brother, I thought I have made it clear that even if you get comfortable never let it be in this hall. I presume a lot of you have forgotten the face of death. Shall I remind you once more?" The king tapped his finger for the last time as he concluded his speech.

Everyone was silent and even their breath didn't make a sound until the King's next statement.

"Whether or not we find her, a traitor is meant to be executed either way. Three days from now, behead him in front of the people"

"Yes, your majesty" The entire hall chorused.

The King stood up and walked amidst them and out of the hall, it was after then they began to leave too.

....Outskirts of Kont'el...the rain forest...

[You have unlocked a new system concept: Aura]

[Aura is a flow of who you are, a manifestation of your willpower]

[Stay unshaken and your Aura will never falter]

Lia sensed a sudden change in Leon's environment, she squinted her eyes.

"Aura?" She muttered, "but it has no colour" she didn't know what to make of the situation but she was sure Leon had learnt aura.

"Did you just learn Aura in just one day? I didn't even teach you about Aura?!" "But then your Aura has no colour, I don't know if that's good or bad for you," she said looking at Leon.

Leon showed no predictable facial response, 'I still have a long way to go' he tightened his hand on the stick sword that Lia had sculpted for him.

"I believe I still have a long way to go. Can we start with the Moonlit sword style now?"

"Hm, that should be no issue, I just hope you can get it all in one go. I will teach you the wholeness of it and you will learn the rest from sparring with me for these remaining two days," she said as she picked one of the wooden swords she carved.

"To be honest, I never placed many expectations on you but since you learnt aura just by watching me, then I'm sure you have a great talent"

[Lia has praised you]

[Your Affinity with Lia has increased by 50 points]

Leon smiled and held out with one hand the wooden sword he had picked.

~Whish~

~Takk~

Leon parried Lia's wooden sword, but with swift circled footwork she turned and pinched the wooden sword into Leon's belly.

[You have received 90 damages]

Leon staggered several steps back and fell on his butt.

"You should be lucky, I didn't add Aura to that attack, you'd be gravely injured by now," She said and changed her foot placing, sliding it to the front right in front of the other one, with her wooden sword slanted and held out in front of her, diving her face in half from an opposite visual.

"The moment you move, your feet, you get ready to be hit, the most important step in swordsmanship is movement, because it makes you vulnerable. That is why it should be acted upon by careful observation, and it doesn't just include your legs alone, if it's a simple arm throw, it should be done with observation and understanding of the position you stand as a swordsman. If you are going to parry, parry with an after plan and another plan after that after plan, or else you will keep moving the way your opponent wants."

Leon stood up and held his sword out again. Lia's sword lunged at him again.

~Takkh~

He blocked the straightforward pincher attack, while carefully observing her leg, she semi-circled her left foot and as though she was about to spin, in the opposite direction, hitting Leon with her hand as he followed through with the intention to slim chances of striking. But unknowingly fell into a trap she created for him.

"It might not have been lethal, but imagine I had a hidden weapon ok my left hand. You would be dead by now. It was not wrong of you to observe my footwork but you shouldn't do it before my movement but after, your opponent can mislead you if he sees where your attention is. You are good with the sword but all other things you have no experience in"

'That's because...'

"And obviously that's because you are used to a regular pattern of swinging your sword, no footwork, no perception of distance and timing, no fundamentals"

'How did she know what was on my head...she really is a master swordsman, or should I say swordswoman'

"Let's hope I can teach you all nine forms in three days, if I can't I will leave you a book, but I must drill the fundamentals of a sword fight in your head while simultaneously showing you my Moonlit forms, if you are smart and sharp, you'll be able to learn a thing or two, if you are talented, you'll be able to improve massively even if you don't learn all the forms but if you are a martial art genius, you'll be able to learn all nine forms with just brief experiences. But I will try my best to teach you, we'll spar during the day and learn breathing techniques at night" She said as she raised her sword and stood straight. "So let's continue..."