No Second Strike

Amidst the wind and snow, Mo Shuying stood in a deep horse stance, his upper body bare. Despite the snow, heat radiated from him, and one could feel a touch of warmth if they got close.

Not far away, Li Shuwen nodded subtly.

What a promising talent. He just started learning a simple breathing technique and can already stir his qi and blood.

This phenomenon, where one can circulate qi and blood throughout the body and use it to strengthen the physique, is quite rare.

Li Shuwen's own Steel Fist possessed immense power; opponents often died before they even saw him strike. This was because he could use his qi to create an area called the [Circle Realm], similar to a domain. It could be used for invisibility or to kill with qi.

The first step to achieving this was to circulate qi and blood to affect the external environment. Once Mo Shuying could emit his qi, meaning he had mastered the Circle Realm, then...

Mo Shuying could also achieve No Second Strike.

"Alright, my disciple, remember this feeling. Practice diligently every day, and you'll surely be able to condense your qi quickly. Now, take a break, and let's spar."

"Sparring," as it was called, was essentially teaching boxing through practice. It largely meant the disciple learned the techniques by taking hits.

"Understood, Master!"

Mo Shuying stood up, his fiery aura gradually settling, his eyes incredibly clear.

After summoning Li Shuwen, Mo Shuying discovered another benefit of having him around.

The old man had a professional skill called Veteran A+, which was a permanent active ability.

Its effect was to maintain composure in all situations and also stabilize the Master's mental state.

This meant that as long as Li Shuwen was present, even if Mo Shuying used a Berserker Class Card, he wouldn't be significantly affected by Mad Enhancement.

Just imagine, a clear-headed Heracles—how strong would he be in combat, especially since he also knew how to fight!

"Come, our time is limited, so I will teach you through intensive instruction. I'll teach you everything that needs to be taught. That way, even if something unexpected happens to me later, the legacy won't be broken.

First, Baji. Baji represents yin and yang. 'Ji' means subtle changes reaching the utmost extreme. The boxing style is characterized by its fierce and explosive power..."

Li Shuwen spoke and threw punches simultaneously, though this time his punches had form but no power. This was to help Mo Shuying familiarize himself with Baji and also to prevent him from being injured by recoiling if he hit Mo Shuying.

Mo Shuying learned diligently, striving to remember every word and action of Li Shuwen's. This was invaluable knowledge.

The two continued back and forth in the snow, again and again. Gradually, Mo Shuying's movements began to take on the form of Baji, and a hint of its essence also started to emerge.

If an outsider were to observe them now, they would see that while the two were merely sparring, they both emitted an aura. The wind and snow within two meters around them were completely blocked, as if by an invisible wall.

The more Li Shuwen taught, the more satisfied, and the more astonished, he became.

This feeling was complex. As someone who had been unrivaled his entire life, he had also taught many disciples. As he grew old, he understood that he would eventually be surpassed by his disciples.

Unfortunately, he died of poison without ever experiencing defeat.

Now, however, he seemed to see hope—the hope of a disciple surpassing him. This feeling of the new waves pushing the old, and the old waves dying on the beach, brought a certain sense of poignancy.

Soon.

*"Bang!"*

Mo Shuying and Li Shuwen exchanged a punch. Their fists didn't actually connect, yet both were pushed back two steps by a surge of Internal Energy.

Li Shuwen paused, looked at his hand, then at the eager, ready-to-fight Mo Shuying. Li Shuwen raised a hand to stop him.

"Alright, that's enough for today. My old bones can't take any more. Rest now."

Li Shuwen was, after all, old, and even as a Heroic Spirit, he was affected. For example, his endurance wasn't as high as it was in his youth.

This was inevitable; no one could defy time.

"Uh, thank you for your guidance, Master."

Mo Shuying felt a bit unsatisfied, but he also realized Li Shuwen's age, so he quickly expressed his gratitude.

"Mm, a balance of work and rest is key. Don't put too much pressure on yourself. You're already the most talented disciple I've ever seen. Alright, I'm going for a stroll. You handle things as you see fit."

With that, Li Shuwen turned and left. Mo Shuying cupped his hands in farewell. Only after Li Shuwen was gone did Mo Shuying straighten up, scratch his cheek, and then look at his fist.

"Internal Energy. Before, when I used Internal Energy, it was just Intentional Blast Punch. But now..."

Mo Shuying raised his hand and punched the snowy ground.

*"Boom!"*

A surge of Internal Energy erupted smoothly! It blasted a large crater in the snow, its power not to be underestimated.

And this was just a simple use of Internal Energy. Its power was slightly less than Intentional Blast Punch, it had no True Damage, and it didn't add to Heroic Spirit Value, but it was already quite impressive.

"Is this Steel Fist? No, it shouldn't be yet. 'Martial arts have Baji to settle the universe'—this is Baji..."

Mo Shuying began to practice the Baji Quan forms in the wind and snow. It felt different from when he sparred with Li Shuwen. Each time he practiced the forms, Mo Shuying's understanding of Baji deepened. A master leads you to the door, but cultivation is up to the individual. Learning boxing couldn't be perfected overnight. Fortunately, Mo Shuying was a persistent person.

So Mo Shuying practiced for most of the day, until Merlin came to call him for a meal.

"What's up?"

"Nothing much, just wanted to let you know that Chaldea is short on capsules. The two we were using have already been requisitioned by the Director and Qin Liangyu. New capsules will be ready in a day, and three will be delivered then."

The three were for Mo Shuying, Merlin, and Li Shuwen. Because Li Shuwen was an unexpected addition, Romani temporarily decided to send the Director and Fujimaru Ritsuka to the Singularity first.

This allowed Mo Shuying to rest for an extra day.

Mo Shuying didn't mind this. If Fujimaru Ritsuka and the others completed all the missions, he would be happy to have some free time.

Running, doing push-ups, and practicing martial arts are all good ways to spend time. The world is so wonderful; fighting and killing are just awful.

And so.

Two hours later, Fujimaru Ritsuka and her three companions entered the capsule for Spiritron Transfer.

Their live feed was visible on the large screen in the command center.

The four girls arrived at the first Singularity, France, which was engulfed in the flames of war.

At this time, France was in the midst of a conflict known as the Hundred Years' War of the Evil Dragon, and the leading enemy BOSS seemed to be Jeanne d'Arc Alter, known as the Dragon Witch!

Although they quickly clashed with the French soldiers, Fujimaru Ritsuka's group had two Servants, and the two Masters were no pushovers. They dealt with their opponents in minutes and gleaned some useful information from them.

It turned out that the former saint, Jeanne d'Arc, had been betrayed by her own country and burned at the stake.

Seemingly fueled by resentment, Jeanne d'Arc Alter appeared, summoned several Servants, granted them Mad Enhancement, and then, with monsters called Wyverns, began her retaliation against France.

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