Arden had now won against the figure a couple of times, thefigure getting more and more defined each time it's defeated.
'I wonder how many times I need to defeat this projection...'
Arden stepped forward as the translucent figure did the same.
He didn't let the figure strike first and swiftly slashed at it with a diagonal strike.
The figure dodged and tried to counter Arden's strike.
'Hmph'
The figure attacked with a horizontal strike but..
"TOO SLOW!"
Arden took a step back, barely avoiding the enemy's strike, and channeled all his being into the fastest sword strike he could muster.
Slashing upwards as his sword was lowered by his previous diagonal strike.
The figure was now kneeling , the swing was enough to wound the it but not outright kill it, so Arden had to strile once more.
With a slash.
"Hmm, now that I know you are getting better each time, I won't let you catch me off guard again."
Soon after, another figure started materialising. It was much more corporeal than the first. It's face could almost be seen , though it's eyes appeared to be pure white with no irises.
'Hmm, I'm guessing I won't be able to brute force this one...'
And as Arden thought, so it was. As he exchanged strikes with the figure he noticed that it was similar to him both at speed and power.
'Hmm... You leave me no choice.'
Arden steeled his resolve and readied himself.
'Faint!' he thought to himself as he swung a faint strike to throw of his opponent.
Only then could he strike and defeat his opponent.
"YES! I DID IT!" Arden had a very pleasant feeling from winning against an opponent of similar strength to him.
Arden put his sword in front of him as he started thinking.
'Though, strength and technique are different. Even though our physical attributes were similar, I was better at technique. Damn thanks Glacies.'
A new figure started materialising.
Arden observed it with a serious face already having gotten over his previous victory.
'This must be the 5th one. It might just be me but I've got a special feeling about this one...'
"What..!"
'It's smiling?..'
Arden was taken aback by the smiling figure, now always ready to defend
After exchanging a few blows with the figure Arden was being overpowered, the smile on the figure ever growing.
'What the..? Even though his moves look slower and weaker than mine , I'm being pushed back!'
After a few more exchanges Arden even got a small wound on his hand.
'ABSURD! How can this be! No, I need to clear my mind.'
Arden took a deep breath and put some distance between the two.
Slow swordsmanship but still able to counter him and even wound Arden.
'Thats it! He is just better at swordsmanship than I. Even if he is slower he can be stronger. Then... I'll try to copy him'
After a hundred exchanges Arden could now semi copy the technique the opponent was using.
'After so many strikes I may have a few more minor wounds, but it's nothing, I won't be wounded again.'
After another 60 strikes, Arden fully understood his opponents sword and after another 5, he defeated him.
The wounds on Arden's body started healing and the next manifestation started manifesting.
'I get it! This test... Isn't a test on my current swordsmanship. But a test on my comprehension and even aptitude for the sword path. I can get much stronger through this test if I comprehend the translucent figures sword techniques. INTERESTING!'
With another enemy felled Arden was a step closer to his goal.
One enemy, two enemies, three enemies. Arden consecutively went through the translucent figures, learning their techniques in the process to defeat them.
"I can really tell a big difference in my swordsmanship... Maybe now I can at the very least hold my own for a bit against Amethyst.. no, that's a stupid thought. Amethyst is many floors ahead of me, I'm not even on the first floor."
Arden calmed his pained expression and wiped his forehead.
"Nevertheless I'll keep taking steps towards my goal, hmm, the last figures all had a different expression, one smiling, one angry, one crying and lastly one that looked confused..."
'From the angry one I learnt a fast and strong sword.. the complete opposite of the smiling one, from the crying one I learnt a desperate technique that only focuses on killing the opponent without caring about the user... I guess the best defence is offence. As for the confused looking one, it was pretty hard to learn from it, that technique is a weird and confusing one, when you expect to be slashed diagonally from above, the enemy will adjust the body to make the strike come from the side instead making it difficult to block, ofc it used weird faints as well, while it was a pain to learn and difficult to incorporate, it is useful.'
Arden gripped his sword amazed at the things he'd learnt, and eager to learn even more.
"I expect the next to be the last, and I doubt it will teach me a new technique... It will most likely show me how to achieve continuity between the techniques. Well, I'd probably be able to do it on my own eventually, but it will be faster thanks to this test. Now, bring it on!"
Another figure started materialising.
'Now then, I wonder what emotion it'll show this time'
The figure now looked almost completely corporeal but you could still tell it was a little translucent, the face could be clearly seen, though the eyes still remained pupilless, as for clothing, it was wearing a traditional black Hanfu for swordsmen.
"!" Arden was surprised as his eyes lay on the figure.
'It's... emotionless?'
Arden felt a little tense, knowing he'd be fighting a great swordsman for the last test.
Though, the figure was just standing there... Menacingly!
'If you won't come first...I'll start this fight myself!'
Arden dashed towards the great swordsman readying his fast and strong sword.
"Ha!" But as Arden went to strike, the great swordsman countered with the slow and weak style.
'DAMN IT!'
Within half a breath Arden changed his style to the style of the crying figure, the desperate technique.
But at the same time, the emotionless swordsman switched to the fast and strong sword style without Arden noticing it, immediately countering Arden once more, and sending his sword flying from his hand.
"What!..."
'is this how it ends? Damn it. I wanted to fight more. Learn more. Damn it damn it...'
But as Arden waited, and waited, the emotionless swordsman didn't take this chance to deliver the final blow.
'what?! Is it giving me a second chance perhaps?'
Arden now a little confused, picked his sword up once more.
「Interesting 」
The emotionless swordsman was now smiling.
"Y-you can talk!" Arden was startled by the sudden speach exhibited by the swordsman, but still took a defensive stance.
Then in less than half a breath, the swordsman attacked Arden with the slow and weak style.
Thankfully Arden instinctively used the same technique to counter the swordsman.
'When in doubt wip it- no! I mean, using the same technique as the opponent will put us on similar grounds if I don't know how to counter my opponent. Hmm it's almost like Elemental magic you can counter some elements with others, but if the same element is used you'll be at equal footing!'
Then suddenly the swordsmans face changed and took on a confused outlook.
Arden noticing the enemy's face, quickly switched to the confused figures sword technique.
'So the counter to slow and weak is , confusion?'
Arden took mental notes of the counters.
The swordsman's face changed once more and adopted the look of desperation and crying.
Arden did the same, his face became desperate.
And they both started using the sad figure's sword style.
'despair for confusion.'
After clashing for 2 breaths the swordsman's face changed for the third time and appeared angry.
"Haha." But then, Arden smiled, he finally was one step ahead of the swordsman and used the happy figure's technique, slow and weak, as the swordsman used the angry figures technique , fast and strong.
Arden finally countered the swordsman, after clashing the opponents sword was almost sent flying, but Arden didn't pursue, but instead stepped back and gave the swordsman space.
'I can't end this just like that. I still haven't completely merged the four techniques, my transitions between them are lackluster. Also, I feel that if I fight more I'll get a deeper understanding of the sword. Just a little more'
The swordsman stepped back as well, then both dashed at eachother.
~Clash~
10 sword moves later, approximately 5 breaths, Arden's movements were already becoming more and more fluid.
20 moves the swordsman's technique was also getting sharper as Arden was understanding more and more.
40 moves and Arden felt like he'd been using this technique for years
80 moves and the swordsman stopped showing his emotions, giving Arden a little trouble.
100 moves, And Arden completely saw through the Swordsman's techniques
And as Arden was on the brink of understanding, they clashed once more.
Suddenly a surge of energy rushed to Arden's brain and body expelling outwards as he striked at the swordsman. Finally striking him down, a diagonal slash lay upon the swordsman's chest.
「Congratulations on entering Greater comprehension of the sword path」
"I did..." Arden was amazed and questioned his achievement.
「Truly...interesting」
The emotionless swordsman started vanishing for the last time, but also leaving behind a peculiar book. Arden went and picked it up.
"A sword manual, it's probably the technique I learnt."
'sigh'
Arden sat down and started skimming through the manual.
Now Arden had passed the 0th floor of the tower, after many years of hardships he could now finally become, a Tower Crawler.
'Even if it's a small step, I am that much closer...wait for me..brother.'
[Chapter End]
Authors note:
Dropping this, I figured out I'm not interested in this story for now, I was ambitious about the setting , I had a lot of trials I wanted to give for Arden to surpass, but my talent wasn't good enough, now it's been too long to continue, if you would like , you may use this story for yourself... I doubt it's that useful though