Chapter 120: The Realm of Horseback and Blade

Clang! Clang!

At the top of the towering pyramid known as the Chaoyang Palace, in its rooftop garden, two snow-white blades, each three fingers wide, clashed rapidly in midair.

Wearing 65 jin (about 32 kg) of gleaming silver armor, Barristan's agility remained unaffected. His balance unwavering, he slid effortlessly forward, backward, and side to side. With his right hand resting on his hip, he sparred with Daenerys using only his less skilled left hand.

Daenerys wore brown, well-tanned leather armor. Gripping her sword with both hands, she mirrored Barristan's footwork—advancing, retreating, dodging left and right. However, unlike Barristan's effortless, leisurely movements, she was drenched in sweat, exerting her full strength with each strike of her greatsword.

The old knight focused solely on defense, never counterattacking, while Daenerys aimed relentlessly for his vital points.

On her first official day of sword training, the legendary knight had sternly warned her:

"As a warrior, especially a female warrior, the first rule you must understand is this: strike with ferocity and aim directly for vital points.

Because on the real battlefield, a single moment can determine your entire life.

I've seen many promising young knights win roaring applause in tournaments, only to die in battle at the hands of foes who were inferior in strength, speed, courage, skill, and armor—all because they hesitated for just a fraction of a second when they should have struck to kill."

"Training in a courtyard with blunted swords is one thing. Driving a four-foot blade into someone's gut and watching the light fade from their eyes is something else entirely.

Until you become a battlefield veteran like me, moving instinctively with precision, it's best to develop muscle memory that ensures you kill on sight. Your fear will only trigger these instincts. It may be cruel to your enemies, but it's far better than dying in vain." His teachings were solemn and firm.

Though the old knight valued the honor of knighthood as his very life, he was far from being rigid or pedantic. Such people rarely lived to his age.

After completing sword drills, they engaged in sparring sessions—no intricate martial arts forms like those in wuxia tales.

In Barristan's words: "You only need to use the moves you're most familiar and comfortable with to drive your blade into your enemy's vital points. On the chaotic battlefield, no one maintains the elegance of the training grounds."

He even drew an anatomical diagram, teaching her where to strike for a lethal blow and where an attack could disable without killing.

Remarkably detailed, the anatomical chart showed no errors despite this being a medieval-like era.

Barristan explained, "Scholars have experimented on human corpses for thousands of years. This 'vital strike chart' isn't my invention. The Royal Library holds numerous research reports from 'fallen scholars,' and the Kingsguard have refined the most effective killing techniques over centuries."

"Fallen scholars" referred to maesters who secretly experimented on living subjects. Once discovered, the Citadel stripped them of their titles.

Daenerys, with her background as a surgeon, learned exceptionally fast, often extrapolating beyond what was taught, leaving the old knight astonished: "It's as if Prince Rhaegar himself has returned!"

Her status as the last princess proved invaluable. Had she been an ordinary person, she might never have accessed such elite knightly training.

Compared to Barristan, even Jorah Mormont seemed like a rugged hedge knight from the countryside.

The "White Knight's Killing Techniques" had two stages. After Daenerys mastered vital strike points, Barristan taught her how to exploit weaknesses in armor.

This differed from Mormont's techniques learned on Bear Island, which focused on finding gaps that a blade could pierce.

In front of Mormont, Barristan seemed to be both teaching Daenerys and passing down the Kingsguard's legacy:

"Armor isn't impenetrable. Didn't nine-year-old Daenerys once use sharp eyes and precise technique to drive a blade through a giant bear's brow with its own strength?

Every Kingsguard is among the finest knights of their time. Without exceptional talent, how could one earn that title?

Armor that seems flawless to common folk is riddled with vulnerabilities to a White Knight whose strength, speed, and skill are unparalleled.

Even those with less talent can rely on superior equipment to achieve extraordinary feats.

So for us, finding weak points isn't like it is for others.

We combine knowledge of armor thickness, vital strike charts, personal strength, environmental factors, and more to identify true vulnerabilities in an instant."

The White Knight's method for identifying weaknesses was incredibly complex, beyond the scope of mere words. Daenerys had to improve gradually under Barristan's expert guidance.

Clang!

Once again, Daenerys's sword was knocked from her grip. She waved at the old knight, signaling an end to the session. Her face flushed from exertion, she bent over, hands on her knees, gasping for breath.

Barristan picked up her sword, returning both practice blades to the rack. Smiling, he said, "Your Grace, your progress is astonishing. Half a year ago, you couldn't even lift a sword. Now you're nearing the level of full control. Perhaps in less than two years, you'll be a proper knight."

Gulp, gulp, gulp.

Daenerys took the porcelain bottle from her handmaiden, Doreah, and drank nearly a liter of slightly metallic-tasting fresh milk in one go.

Letting out a satisfied burp, she felt alive again. Six months of intense training and a high-calorie diet had added another few inches to her height—almost 1.7 meters now—and she'd gained about 15 jin (7.5 kg).

Back in Qarth, at fifteen, Daenerys was 1.65 meters tall and weighed only 75 jin (about 37.5 kg), slightly underweight. Now, she was at a healthy state.

Tall and slender, with well-proportioned limbs, strong arms, a stable stance, and light, agile steps, Daenerys even sported faint abdominal muscles—a vibrant, beautiful young woman full of life.

Dany put down the porcelain bottle and asked curiously, "The realm of wielding the sword as if it were part of your body? Are there different levels in swordsmanship? Why have I never heard Ser Jorah mention this before?"

As Barristan fastened his greatsword back onto his belt, he replied, "The Northerners don't care much for swordsmanship theory. As long as they can fight on the battlefield and cut down their enemies, they're satisfied."

"In the oral tradition of the White Knight's Sword Codex, swordsmanship is generally divided into four levels: 'Wielding as if it were an extension of the body,' 'Lifting the heavy as though it were light,' 'Lifting the light as though it were heavy,' and the ultimate realm, where mind, body, and sword become one—transcendence."

"How does that work?" Dany's interest was piqued.

"'Wielding as if it were an extension of the body' means that the sword in your hand becomes a part of you. Wherever your mind directs, your sword follows, and every movement is executed with absolute precision."

Dany nodded in agreement.

She could relate to this feeling—it was strange yet exhilarating. She could strike exactly where her eyes focused.

It was like playing basketball in university. Sometimes, the moment the ball left her fingertips, she just knew it would go in. And sure enough, it would swish cleanly through the net.

That feeling, however, was rare—perhaps once in a few hundred shots. But now, she felt it almost constantly—an unwavering confidence that wherever she willed her sword to go, it would.

"I do feel what you're describing. Are there many people who reach this first level?" Dany asked.

"Not many. Among ten fully trained knights, perhaps one might reach this stage," the old knight sighed, his tone filled with a mix of emotions. "Anyone who can lift a sword can swing it, but talent and relentless training determine whether one can go beyond."

Dany felt a mix of delight and astonishment. "If 'wielding as if it were an extension of the body' is already so rare, then how powerful must the higher levels be?"

Barristan gave her a knowing look and gestured toward himself. Drenched in sweat and visibly exhausted, he pointed out, "Your bastard sword weighs thirteen pounds, while my two-handed greatsword weighs twenty. You might be able to wield it effortlessly for a short time, but after prolonged use…"

Dany understood his meaning immediately.

Swinging a thirteen-pound longsword two hundred times wasn't the same as swinging a wooden stick two hundred times. Yet, in Barristan's hands, a wooden stick and a longsword could weigh the same—or so it seemed.

"That is what it means to 'lift the heavy as though it were light' and 'lift the light as though it were heavy.'"

Brushing aside his sweat-dampened, graying hair, the old knight continued, "To put it simply, when you can swing a longsword as effortlessly as a wooden stick, you've reached the level of 'lifting the heavy as though it were light.' This stage mainly enhances endurance in battle."

"How can a longsword feel as light as a wooden stick? That doesn't make sense," Dany said, shaking her head.

At her words, Barristan's face took on a nostalgic expression as he sighed. "That very question was asked long ago."

"By whom?"

"Jaime Lannister," Barristan said, his expression complicated. "He became a Kingsguard at sixteen—extremely talented, but his swordsmanship was still unrefined. The one who trained him then was none other than the greatest swordsman—Ser Arthur Dayne."

"The Sword of the Morning?" Dany's interest grew. "And how did he answer the Kingslayer's question?"

"He said that 'lifting the heavy as though it were light' and 'lifting the light as though it were heavy' are essentially the same realm. The key lies in mastering balance—not just the balance of the sword, nor the balance of the wielder, but the balance of the entire system: the person, their armor, their arms, and the sword as a unified whole."

"In battle, the blade shifts, the tip moves, but the overall center of balance remains nearly unchanged.

"If the center of balance does not shift, it's almost like standing still—barely exerting any force at all. Naturally, one would feel no burden.

"'Lifting the light as though it were heavy,' on the other hand, works the opposite way. By adjusting the overall balance, it's almost as if gravity is converted into speed."

Arthur Dayne had then paused before admitting, "Or at least, that's how it feels. The exact mechanics? I can't quite explain."

At this point, Barristan furrowed his brow, his expression turning slightly confused. He wasn't sure how to continue.

Because he didn't fully understand it himself. Even though he had reached the level of 'lifting the light as though it were heavy,' he had done so purely through instinct.

"My apologies, Your Grace," he admitted. "I don't fully grasp Ser Dayne's words, and 'The White Knight's Book' isn't here with us."

"Because of Jaime's question, Ser Dayne felt it necessary to document these theories in detail—just like the 'White Knight's Killing Techniques'—so future generations could study them."

Dany was speechless.

Absolutely incredible.

Westerosi knights had spent six thousand years stuck in the iron age, never advancing into an age of science and technology. But in all those millennia, they had refined the art of sword fighting to the absolute pinnacle of cold weapon combat.

Even though the old knight had stumbled over his explanation, seemingly unsure of what he was saying, Dany understood what the Sword of the Morning had meant.

The key concepts were twofold: balance and leverage.

"No wonder he was called the Sword of the Morning!" she exclaimed in admiration.

"…You understood all that?" Barristan asked, astonished.

(End of Chapter)

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