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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 68
Chapter Title: Spirit Beast (2)
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"How is it? Much easier to move, isn't it?"
"It is."
At Huraken's words, I nodded without a second thought.
"I was quite surprised watching you fight. Your ability to melt the undead with a single touch, your broad view of the battlefield, your composure in striking at the enemy's weaknessesit was all remarkable. But what caught my eye the most was your footwork."
"My footwork..."
"It was excellent, a magnificent way of moving. It looked like you were walking, yet it was faster and more stable than running. Not many could catch you in that state. But in my eyes, it seemed that footwork could be improved even further."
To grasp the shortcomings of the Lesser Dragon Steps and even find a way to supplement them after seeing it just once... he was truly a man who had reached the rank of Master through fundamentals alone.
"You're right. Moving as you pointed out, Your Grace, I was able to move more stably and quickly."
"Then I'm glad."
When I first learned the Lesser Dragon Steps, I knew where to step and how my feet should move, but I had left my upper body's movement to flow naturally.
Focusing on my center of gravity felt like stepping onto a new, untrodden path.
"Now, take the next stance."
"Understood."
"From there, try shifting about twenty percent of your center of gravity to the right. Like this."
When I showed Huraken the second stance, he immediately demonstrated the correct posture himself.
"Yes."
Just as he said, shifting my center of gravity to the right quickened my footwork and the speed of my body's rotation, yet my body became even more stable.
Ting!
Proficiency in the Lesser Dragon Steps has increased.
Seeing the proficiency rise immediately, it was clear this was the correct answer. I got goosebumps at Huraken's ability to find the optimal center of gravity just by watching.
"This, too, has improved immensely following your guidance, Your Grace."
"Haha! I guess I've still got it."
Hearing my words, Huraken let out a satisfied laugh.
"You can do it on your own now, can't you?"
"Pardon?"
"I could teach you everything from beginning to end. But for your future, I recommend you think about your own movements and grasp your center of gravity yourself."
This wasn't because he was annoyed or teasing. Huraken wore a serious expression, devoid of any playfulness.
He wanted me to think for myself and grow using the hints he'd given. I could feel his genuine concern for me, and my chest warmed.
"I understand! Thank you so much."
"I knew you'd be a quick study. The frustrating ones would cling to me at this point and beg for more."
I'd gained a new trait and he'd shown me the path. This was as good as receiving everything from Huraken.
"Alright, then. Arin, come forward."
"Yes!"
At Huraken's call, Arin, who had been waiting behind me, dashed forward in a single step.
"You know her name?"
"She's a future star with great skill, excellent character, and looks to match. Of course I should know her name. Haha."
Huraken smiled brightly, as if he'd become a young man again.
"Huu..."
Though Arin rarely showed emotion, she seemed to be feeling an unbearable excitement at the prospect of being taught by a Master. A faint blush colored her cheeks.
"We are from different countries, and I don't know what swordsmanship you've learned. So, I thought we could have a sparring match. What do you think?"
"It's an ho-honor. Ugh. It's an honor!"
Arin stuttered and then bit her tongue. It was the first time I'd seen her like this, and it was so cute I let out a small chuckle.
"I am honored to receive your instruction!"
"Good. Your straightforwardness is just like Yuren's. I like it."
Chaaang!
Arin immediately drew her rapier and cast all her spirit magic on herself. Huraken watched with a smile.
"Then, I'm coming!"
Pang! Paang!
In just two steps, Arin closed the eight-meter distance to Huraken and thrust her sword at his side.
Kyang!
Huraken had already drawn his sword and deflected her thrust to the left.
"Nice! They said you were a trainee knight, but you're far better than most full-fledged knights!"
Deep in concentration, Arin's expression didn't change even at Huraken's praise as she continued to swing her sword.
Kakyang! Chaeng!
Left chest, right shoulder, throat, elbowArin moved swiftly in a clockwise motion, swinging her sword, but Huraken easily blocked all her attacks as if brushing off dust.
"Your sword is fast, your movements are quick, and you have a good eye. You know your strengths very well. But..."
Kyaang!
"Hmm..."
Huraken forcefully pushed Arin back. Though he had only blocked her attack, Arin was sent flying back more than five meters, her arm trembling from the impact she couldn't fully absorb.
"I am faster and stronger than you. So, what will you do?"
"Even so... I'm coming!"
"Hoho."
Arin shouted in a clear voice and charged at Huraken again. Pleased by her display, Huraken wore a gentle smile, just like the one he had when looking at Irea.
"Young people these days give up the moment they lose or are pushed back once. You have a good mindset!"
Chachang!
Arin exchanged ten blows with Huraken before being pushed back again.
"Hah!"
As soon as she recovered from the impact of being pushed back, Arin righted herself like a roly-poly toy and charged at Huraken once more.
Kyang! Kakyang!
"Hmm, it's good to keep challenging me, but you need to think a little..."
Just as Huraken blocked Arin's charging attacks nine times and was about to push her back with the tenth...
Shaak!
...a completely different sound rang out as their swords clashed.
"A parry!"
"Hah!"
Arin parried the powerful horizontal swing from Huraken, redirecting its force before thrusting her sword toward his chest.
"Haha! A fine counterattack!"
Huraken seemed even more delighted, grinning broadly.
Shwook.
He rotated his body to evade the incoming thrust and tried to shove Arin with his shoulder. But Arin mirrored his evasion, rotating her own body to dodge the attack before swinging her sword again.
"Ha!"
Kyang!
Huraken seemed surprised that Arin had used his own evasion technique against him, and he generated a wave of sword pressure to push her away.
"Hoh..."
Huraken lowered his sword and stared at Arin, his mouth agape.
"At the end there, if I had swung my sword, were you planning to parry it again?"
"...Yes."
"Hah, well..."
Huraken shook his head in disbelief and looked at me.
"What is with this girl?"
"She is my escort, Arin."
"That's not what I mean. What's with that composure and growth rate? To figure out my push-back and parry it after only two attempts... Hoh, it's been a while since I've met someone so astounding."
Parrying required a complete understanding of the opponent's speed and power, so Huraken seemed incredibly shocked that Arin had parried his sword after only two tries.
This was the frightening power of her 'Clear Mirror, Still Water' trait.
"Hmm, even the person you travel with is extraordinary. Good. Arin, come at me again. I need to see for myself exactly what kind of swordswoman you are."
"Here I come!"
Huraken raised his sword again with a curious smile. Arin's eyes gleamed as she charged toward Huraken's left.
"This is no time to just stand and watch."
I turned away after one last glance at Arin and Huraken clashing swords. Arin would do fine on her own; it was time for my own training.
"The third step."
The third step of the Lesser Dragon Steps was a movement to get behind the opponent. Common sense would dictate shifting my center of gravity forward, but my intuition told me to shift it backward.
"Now that I have the center of gravity trait, I might as well follow my gut."
I shifted my center of gravity backward and tried the third step.
There was a distinct increase in speed, and it even produced a movement that limited the opponent's field of vision, but there was no proficiency increase message.
Proficiency in the Lesser Dragon Steps has increased.
The message saying my proficiency had increased only appeared on my sixth attempt, after adjusting the ratio of my center of gravity.
I get it now.
I had a feel for how to find the perfect center of gravity for all twelve steps of the Lesser Dragon Steps.
"That's enough for today."
"Thank you for your guidance."
At Huraken's words, Arin bowed so low her head nearly touched the ground.
"Yuren, never let that girl go. She's still inexperienced, but she'll be a great help to you in the future. I guarantee it."
Huraken sheathed his sword and approached me with an admiring expression.
"Of course. I'd never let her go."
I smiled fondly at Arin. Hearing someone on my side receive praise made me feel as good as if I'd been praised myself.
"I have a backlog of work, so I must be going. What about you?"
Huraken looked at me as if asking if I wanted to return with him.
"I'll train a little longer before I head back."
"Alright. Take your time. His Majesty the Holy King has requested to see you in five days, so do as you please until then."
"What?"
"His Majesty the Holy King wishes to see you."
With everything that had happened, and even being called a Saint, I had expected to meet the Holy King. Especially since there was something I hoped to gain there.
"No need to think too much of it. His Majesty simply wishes to reward you for your great deeds."
"You flatter me."
I gave a humble, slightly embarrassed smile.
"It's true. Our country is very clear about rewards and punishments. Hehe, you should look forward to it. Until then, if you need anything, just tell my butler."
"Thank you very much for your consideration."
"Alright. I'll see you later then."
I trained until late the previous night, and the next day, I was back at Huraken's private training ground from dawn.
Huraken was nowhere to be seen, likely busy with something, so I immediately began training the Lesser Dragon Steps.
"Huu..."
Ting!
Proficiency in the Lesser Dragon Steps has increased.
"I've found it."
It was past noon on the second day of my training when I finally found the optimal center of gravity for all twelve steps of the Lesser Dragon Steps.
Now that I had the center of gravity down, I felt I could rapidly advance my mastery of the footwork with repetitive practice.
"Hm?"
As I was taking a breather, I saw the spirit beast, which I had wrapped in a blanket in the rest area, twitch.
"Finally awake?"
I had been steadily infusing it with my internal energy, and it seemed to have finally regained consciousness after three days. The blanket was wriggling slightly.
"Bbae..."
I went to the rest area and lifted the blanket slightly. The spirit beast's eyes, which had been shut tight like a lock, were now half-open. It turned its head slightly and stared blankly at me.
"Bbaek."
The spirit beast hopped to its feet, made a strange cry, and flapped its wings wildly. It seemed to want to fly, but wasn't having much luck.
"Seeing it in person, it's ridiculously cute. I'm glad I went with a titmouse."
The spirit beast looked like an adorable titmouse, like a white cotton ball with two sparkling eyes.
"Bbaek."
I picked up the little creature as it flapped its wings.
"Hm?"
I felt an intense gaze from behind and turned to see Arin, who had approached at some point, staring at the spirit beast with burning eyes.
"Oh, how can it be so..."
Arin was at a loss for words, finding the spirit beast's every movement unbearably cute. She was clenching her fists so tightly they could have drawn blood.
"Bbaek."
The spirit beast looked at me and Arin, then tilted its head and let out a cry.
"Gasp, h-how can it!"
Seeing this, Arin covered her face with her hands.
"Gr-Grand Prince. Shouldn't we give this little one some food? And a name, too."
"Fruit should be fine for food, and as for a name..."
Activating Creator's Eye.
Beloa
One of the spirit beasts living between the Spirit Realm and the Human Realm. Spirit beasts are born with one of the four major elemental attributes, but the Beloa is born with none.
Attribute: None
Trait: Guide.
Huh?
Its attribute being 'None' is correct and doesn't matter. This little guy will eventually gain all four major attributes.
But I don't know why it has the 'Guide' trait. That wasn't in the original story.
"Grand Prince."
"Yes?"
"What are you going to name it?"
I was originally going to name it Beloa, like in the novel. But this one was now different from the original.
I should probably change its name, too.
"A name, huh? It keeps going 'bbaek bbaek'. How about Bbaekbbaegi?"
"Grand Prince. Is that really what you're going to say?"
Arin stared at me with eyes as cold as ice, just like when I first met her. Her expression clearly said, 'How could you give such a cute creature such a ridiculous name?'
"Bbaek!"
But the spirit beast seemed to like it, chirping and flapping its wings.
"Bbaekbbaegi."
"Bbaaek!"
Bbaekbbaegi let out a magnificent cry, as if to say it loved the name. Arin's jaw dropped in disbelief.
"T-to call such a creature Bbaekbbaegi, that's just..."
"Bbaek!"
Arin fell silent at Bbaekbbaegi's cry.
"Huuu..."
During my time at Huraken's estate, I invested all my time outside of my cultivation practice into the Lesser Dragon Steps, so my proficiency with it shot up as if breaking through a graph.
"One last time, then I need to get ready."
Tomorrow was the day of my audience with the Holy King, so I had to finish my morning training and then prepare for it.
Tak.
Having found the perfect center of gravity, I began to perform the Lesser Dragon Steps according to the directional pattern. The speed, stability, and effectiveness of the footwork now compared to before were like heaven and earth.
Ting!
Just as I perfectly executed the twelve steps of the newly reformed Lesser Dragon Steps and was feeling a sense of pride, a series of messages popped up.
Proficiency in the Lesser Dragon Steps has increased.
Proficiency in the Lesser Dragon Steps has reached its limit.
The Lesser Dragon Steps is evolving into the Lightning Blade Body Technique.
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