Most of the two or three dozen followers of Sidney had already been eliminated, and only two with some real ability managed to enter the Knights of Favonius. Before Sidney could even sever ties with them, they had already cut him off first.
The rest were no different. Everyone had witnessed Sidney's hysterical outbursts, and they all knew he would be strictly monitored within the Knights of Favonius from now on—clearly, he was no longer someone to rely on.
The tree falls, and the monkeys scatter.
That same day, fifty recruits on the west side of the training field were about to finish their three-month basic training. Next, they would undergo the Knights of Favonius' etiquette training, and once they passed, they would officially begin their duties. Their space on the training ground would then be handed over to the newly selected recruits from the east side.
In this training ground, the only thing that seemed eternal was the instructors.
The chief instructor addressed the selected recruits: "Congratulations on passing the selection. You are now part of the Knights of Favonius! But don't get cocky. Let me deflate your egos a bit. Some of you may not yet understand the classification of martial arts. Swordsmanship is divided into three levels: Sword Form, Sword Intent, and Sword Mastery. You've just barely reached the entry point of Sword Form. In the days ahead, you must refine your techniques and cultivate Sword Aura. Only then will you have the ability to protect yourselves on the battlefield. The journey is long, so keep working hard!"
"Instructor, what about other weapons?"
"Other weapons follow the same three-tier system: Form, Intent, and Mastery. Form means you've mastered the movements, enough to take on ordinary people and Hilichurls. Intent means you can fight those who possess a Vision. Mastery means you can defeat many Vision holders in this world."
Judging from this, the chief instructor had to be at least at the Sword Intent level. Victor Wang tightened his grip on his longsword.
"How do we raise our level then?" Ellin's eyes were bright with curiosity.
"Some people attain Sword Intent by training tirelessly in a single technique, others by studying hundreds. Regardless, just like with Sword Aura, it takes long-term dedication. If you keep at it, you'll get there."
"And Sword Mastery!?"
"That takes both talent and effort."
Seeing the questions would go on endlessly, the chief instructor raised a hand to silence them, and began to collect everyone's weapon preferences.
The five most common weapons in Teyvat are: one-handed swords, claymores, polearms, bows, and catalysts.
Catalysts can only be used by those who possess a Vision.
The Knights of Favonius' Favonius Bladework is applicable to both one-handed and claymore styles. The Knights also train in polearm techniques.
As for the bow—after the decline of the Reconnaissance Knights, it was no longer formally taught in Mondstadt.
The next day.
Their schedule was the same as in the reserves. Mornings were still dedicated to physical training. Out of the ten assistant instructors, only two remained to supervise the recruits—though supervision was barely needed at this point.
In the afternoon, supply wagons delivered the recruits' standard-issue weapons—all two-star grade.
Though they could continue using their personal weapons, these were free and symbolic of their identity as members of the Knights. Naturally, no one refused—except for Victor Wang. Even Sidney, despite already owning Cool Steel, took one.
Victor Wang didn't intend to switch weapons, nor to use any other weapon type. The one-handed sword was his favorite. It aligned with both Aether and Lumine, and with the swordsmen of ancient legends.
A true man should carry a three-foot sword and make a name for himself through unparalleled feats. Sword Aura should stretch across thirty thousand miles, and a single slash should chill the lands of nineteen provinces.
So many youths, though unable to reach it, still yearn for it deeply.
In the afternoon training session, the chief instructor personally demonstrated Favonius Bladework · Claymore and Favonius Polearm Techniques.
The claymore style consisted of four forms. The polearm style had five.
That strong physique seemed tailor-made for wielding a claymore. Both claymore and polearm movements were smooth and refined—it was clear the chief instructor had mastered them through diligent practice.
After the demonstration, trainees using one-handed swords, claymores, and polearms were split into three groups. The chief instructor took charge of the one-handed swords.
Truthfully, the one-handed sword group didn't need much oversight. They had already practiced for a month during their time in the reserves. As the saying goes, a master leads you to the door; after that, it's up to you to walk the path.
However, the standards were now higher. The first three forms of Favonius Bladework had to be executed within a single second. Once all five forms were mastered, the trainee had to be able to cut through a log as thick as a thigh. If one developed Sword Aura, they had to cut through such a log with a single strike—five in succession.
Claymore and polearm users were managed by the other two assistant instructors, each with their own standards.
Those with Visions were held to different expectations: they had to cultivate both Sword Aura and a unique combat skill. If they couldn't manage either, they wouldn't graduate from the training field.
"Your previous instructors probably mentioned this: Sword Aura is wind generated by your sword moving through elemental energy. Everyone has Sword Aura, but if it's shapeless, it's useless. Compared to ordinary people, you can use elemental infusions to sense Sword Aura, and observe it using elemental sight, making it easier to master."
"But remember, Sword Aura is fundamentally different from elemental infusions. True power must come from the sword itself. Only then can you conserve elemental energy and retain combat strength when your energy is depleted."
Among the six who possessed Visions, Duke normally fought with his fists, but under the instructor's guidance, he selected a one-handed sword. Only one Geo-aligned girl chose a polearm. The rest all picked one-handed swords.
Polearms, too, could manifest Spear Aura. As long as the weapon was forged from materials with elemental affinity, it could generate elemental wind—regardless of its shape. The terminology just varied.
At that moment, some began training on their own, while others stood in contemplation, gripping their weapons.
Victor Wang activated his elemental sight. His Wentian Sword appeared white—neutral, without any elemental alignment. As he swung it, the blade left behind nearly invisible ripples. These ripples clashed and then calmed.
Anyone with elemental sight could see these ripples with focus. But aligning them with the sword's path—that was the challenge in forming Sword Aura.
Victor Wang glanced around. Everyone else looked clueless—except for one girl, who seemed to have taken the first step. She could release faint Sword Aura.
Her name... seemed to be Sharon? Victor Wang recalled.
Judging from her swordplay and Aura, she must've had prior training.
Duke went to ask her for guidance, but all he got was: "Figure it out yourself."
Withdrawing his gaze, Victor Wang calmed his mind. He infused his sword with Anemo energy and reactivated his elemental sight. The blade now glowed pale cyan. As he swung, the transparent ripples disappeared.
Under the influence of the controlled Anemo energy, only a wind of the same element followed the sword, now shaped like a blade.
Sword Aura was the same—only it wasn't driven by his elemental energy, nor tied to any one element.
So, what was the difference between the visible and invisible?
As Victor Wang pondered, another trainee asked the instructor about Sword Aura.
To these non-Vision users who couldn't see elemental energy, the instructor replied simply: "Find a way to awaken the sword in your hand."
Without the ability to use elemental energy, explaining it would only confuse them further. Without elemental power, it all came down to talent or relentless practice.
Awaken the sword in your hand...
Swords infused with elemental energy produced Sword Aura because the energy was under one's control. For a sword to generate Sword Aura on its own, the sword had to control that power. But swords weren't alive—how could they control anything?
Maybe if you use the sword as an extension of your body... maybe then it can act on your behalf to guide the Aura. That's probably how master swordsmen manifest Sword Aura, Victor Wang thought.
But he didn't plan to spend years attaining unity between man and blade. He had another idea.
He attempted to control the sword with his mind, just as he did elemental energy. Injecting his mental power into the sword, it suddenly felt like an extension of his body. The ripples produced by his swings changed.
Under his strong will, the ripples no longer scattered randomly. Instead, they straightened along the blade's path, forming a faint, non-elemental Sword Aura.
It worked!
So, it was about mental power. Ordinary people rarely used their spiritual energy unless they used elemental force—hence, they struggled to form Sword Aura.
But to make the Aura sharper and more defined, he'd need further training.
Duke came to consult Victor Wang again. Always having fought with his fists, he was terrified that he'd be the only one who couldn't graduate because he couldn't form Sword Aura.
But Victor Wang only replied: "Find a way to awaken the sword in your hand."
"?"
Two hours later, the chief instructor gathered Victor Wang and the others to formally teach them Gale Blade.
…
"Did everyone understand?"
Duke scratched his head, unsure.
The chief instructor shot him a glare. "If you didn't get it, go practice. You'll figure it out."
It took eight days, but Victor Wang finally mastered the Gale Blade.
But his swordsmanship was still in its early stages, and he hadn't yet learned a proper combat skill. Rather than running off into the wild to train alone, Victor Wang decided to stay. The food and potions were free, and there were people to ask when questions arose.
"Gale Blade!"
The version Victor Wang used now was a knockoff. Though the form was similar, its suction and push power were weak. Only by fully mastering it could the Gale Blade reveal its true might.
Sidney and Sharon were also practicing the technique.
Sidney had only seen the chief instructor demonstrate the Gale Blade a few times during reserve training and had tried to mimic it on his own. All he achieved was a weak knockback effect.
Not far away, among the new recruits who had started independent training, Ellin watched the group practicing the Gale Blade—something she had long dreamed of. She looked a bit dejected. Holding her wooden sword aloft, she stabbed diagonally upward and shouted:
"Gale Blade!"
Then she shook her head, muttering to herself, "As I thought... it doesn't work."
She'd long since been able to cut through a training log with one swing—not because her wooden sword was sharp, but because she could wield Sword Aura.
The instructor had said only weapons made of minerals could manifest Sword Aura. Yet her childhood wooden sword could do it too.
When she asked for clarification, the instructor told her that materials with high elemental affinity—not just minerals—could also work.
Elemental affinity again...
Ellin didn't understand. What does elemental energy even look like? Why can't ordinary people use it? If Sword Aura is so easy to learn, then...
And why was her wooden sword different from the others?
In her faded memories, her adventurer father had once brought home a very tough branch. He had used countless methods, exhausting himself to carve it into this wooden sword.
Could it be that this wooden sword... is some kind of treasure?
Just thinking of her father made Ellin mad. He had always told her: "Don't give up on your dreams! Even without a Vision, you can still stand beside Acting Grand Master Jean! I'll always support you!" Yet he had abandoned his adventuring dream for the sake of the family.
"So annoying!"
Ellin shook her head, casting the thoughts aside. If I just keep getting stronger, someday everything will work out...
She set herself a new goal: to shatter five widely spaced wooden logs with a single swing.
That was something normally only achievable with external help or a Vision. But if her Sword Aura could reach a little farther...