First Lesson

Master Liang stood still, not making a move. I understood that he was signaling me to attempt an attack first. I charged forward, holding my sword straight in front of me. About a meter away from him, I swung the sword overhead, preparing to bring it down. Seeing that he didn't move, I was confident I would hit my target.

Suddenly, just before my sword struck, it veered quickly to the right. I lost my balance and leaned forward. It turned out Master Liang had redirected my strike with his own sword. Then, he "stabbed" at the exposed side I had revealed due to my imbalance.

I fell, crashing my shoulder to the ground. My weapon slipped from my hand.

"When you attack, there will always be a weakness that your opponent can exploit, and that could be a fatal blow if they are a strong opponent. Therefore, you must always anticipate your opponent's counterattack and act accordingly."

Master Liang sheathed his sword and calmly explained. I managed to get back up for the second time in two minutes. A bit dazed, but the fire of determination burned fiercely within me, making every bruise feel numb.

"How can you anticipate how the opponent will counterattack?" I asked, quickly getting back into a defensive stance.

"Before any action a person is about to take, their body will always give off signals. With keen eyes, you will recognize these, and gradually…"

Before he could finish his sentence, Master Liang lunged at me like a flash of lightning. He crouched low while running. Is this really the attacking stance of Chinese swordsmanship?

Focus! Look closely! Read his movements. You can do it!

I see it!

It seemed like I could predict the strike trajectory that Master Liang would make. I jumped back out of the way of that imagined strike, ready to counterattack when he missed.

"Got ya!" I thought. Suddenly, he changed his strike in an instant. The tip of his sword stabbed directly into my chest.

"...this will become your instinct."

I was astonished by Master Liang's incredible reflexes. He's too fast!

"Good effort, but I read all your intentions. When you observe and predict your opponent's movements, don't forget that they will do the same. So, besides your physical ability," Master Liang pressed a finger against my forehead, "your mind. Every confrontation will be a battle of intellect and strategy for both sides."

He stood tall in front of me. His eyes, sharp as an eagle, pierced into mine. He spoke in a calm yet serious tone.

"If you allow your mind to be overwhelmed by impure emotions, then every strategy you devise will be chaotic. At that point, you've already lost before stepping into the fight."

His words sent a chill down my spine.

Master Liang patted my shoulder.

"That's enough for today. You still have to organize your room and eat, right?"

"That's right... But I can practice a bit longer. It's still early, and I'm not afraid of taking more hits from you. I want to get stronger quickly!"

He smiled and turned away.

"Come here. I want to show you the clan's Armory."

I hurriedly ran over to him. We entered the large room on the left where Master Liang had taken the two wooden swords earlier.

Inside was a brightly lit room with white LED lights. There were many aisles, resembling a massive supermarket. Countless types of weapons filled the space. I couldn't help but gape in astonishment. Just as the guide had said, there were ALL kinds of firearms here. Close-combat weapons like swords, maces, or axes were included, and there was an entire section for firearms and accessories. Grenades, mines, and traps like barbed wire were also present. There were even weapons from the medieval era. Various types of armor were not lacking either.

"Awesome!" I exclaimed.

Master Liang explained.

"Although I only use the longsword, other warriors of the clan use different weapons. We ensure they can use anything to optimize their fighting style."

From the end of the row where the longswords and daggers hung, a box caught my attention. I walked closer. Inside was a beautifully crafted dagger, adorned with the Tailung emblem and tiny intricate patterns on the hilt. At the end of the handle was a bloody red gem. The blade was straight, about the length of a forearm, and glossy black.

"It's called Purgatory, a family heirloom of the Tailung clan. The blade is made from a precious stone sourced from a volcano, and this dagger was handcrafted by the founding Leader of the clan."

"That's amazing."

The blade shone, with tiny rugged veins sparkling under the light. The edge around the blade looks like it could perfectly split a cow in two. It's so thin that light can pass through it. This material seems familiar; I feel like I've seen it somewhere before. It looked magnificent.

I felt entranced by it. Without thinking, I reached out to touch the box. Suddenly, a strong hand grasped my wrist, stopping me. The grip was incredibly powerful.

"It's at best you don't touch it. It's very dangerous, even for the weilder. This dagger seems to have a consciousness of its own. If it deems the weilder unworthy, that person will be engulfed in flames and turned to ash."

Hearing that sent a chill down my spine. It didn't sound like something a dagger would do, but I wasn't foolish enough to prove otherwise.

I spent the rest of the day unpacking my things from the suitcase into my new room. The room is twice the size of my old apartment, with a fresh-smelling mattress and a large wardrobe. There's a big round mirror facing the bed. Additionally, there's a long table and chair by the window, on which sits a stack of books about meditation.

'It seems they plan to teach me how to meditate. That's great.'

From the window of the room, I have a wide view of the training area. This excites me, as it gives me the motivation to train.

By noon, Master Liang, Yang, and some of the butlers had lunch in the dining hall. Today's lunch included meat buns, bone soup, fried spring rolls, and countless other intriguing dishes. They tasted much more distinctive than the Chinese food I had eaten before.

I was ravenous. However, not wanting to look like a starving person on my first day here, I tried to hold back and not eat too quickly. At the end of the meal, Yang stood up and spoke.

"I, Chen Yang, as the heir of the Tailung clan, would like to thank Takehito Kurogane for agreeing to assist us in our quest to eliminate humanity's enemies, the Entity of Chaos. Everyone, let's raise our glasses for our partnership!"

I raised my glass of cola, joining everyone in the toast, feeling an oddly joyful warmth in my heart. I have never felt so important.