He wondered why nobody else noticed the beauty of that sword strike or the harmony of the muscles used to perfectly execute it. The Knight told the crowd he had to return to his people, as they were likely waiting for him. As the Knight walked away, Laniakea followed him toward his camp.
The Knight turned around and asked, "Did you think I wouldn't notice you?"
"I knew you'd notice me," Laniakea answered. "You're a Knight, after all."
The Knight let out a small chuckle and looked at him, but then his expression shifted. His voice turned serious. "Hey, you, how did you learn Aura? You're just an orphan and a commoner. How could you possibly possess an Aura heart, let alone at such a young age?"
Laniakea looked the Knight straight in the eyes and replied without wavering, "Daniel of the Yun Marquisate gave me a book. I learned it from there."
The Knight tried to intimidate him by releasing a heavy pressure with his Aura, but Laniakea's gaze didn't flicker. Seeing this, the Knight had no choice but to believe him. "Well, what do you want from me, anyway? There is no reason to follow me."
"I ask you to teach me swordsmanship, even if it's just a little!" Laniakea said confidently.
"And what reason do I have to teach you?" the Knight countered, becoming stern. "You surely know how important swordsmanship is to a Knight. It isn't passed down to someone just because they asked."
"I have nothing to offer," Laniakea admitted. "As you mentioned, I am just a commoner and an orphan. Yet, I still wish to become a Knight. I won't say something cliché like 'I'll become great and tell everyone you were my first teacher,' but please, teach me! The least I can promise is that I will master your techniques without trouble."
The Knight looked surprised. He felt a slight burn in his heart, the spark of youthful passion and a level of determination he hadn't seen in years. He let out a sharp exhale. "You know what? I won't teach you directly because I have rules to follow as a Knight. However, I will show you my moves only once! My style has four basic moves and two special ones. But let me tell you this first: for the special moves, you need a cultivation technique to imbue the blade and layer the Aura around the steel. Regardless, I will show you all of them."
The Knight demonstrated the first move. It looked like a simple diagonal slash, but as Laniakea watched the Knight's Aura flow, he saw it extend into the sword itself. The swing carried immense weight despite the compact movement. Next came a horizontal slash; the movement of his feet and legs harmonized perfectly with the terrain and the arc of the blade. This was followed by vertical slashes, up and down, perfect, singular movements using the strength of the entire body.
Finally, he performed a thrust. That single, simple thrust was the most magnificent attack Laniakea had ever seen. Having only witnessed back-alley brawls with daggers and fists, this display surpassed everything he knew.
The Knight stood still for a moment. Laniakea saw the Aura, which had previously only flowed into the sword, now wrap around it like a blanket. These must be the special moves! he thought. A loud hum filled the air as the sword became more flexible, almost like a fresh branch, allowing the Knight to whip it with incredible velocity.
Then came the final movement. The sword... it extended! Did it stretch because of the Aura? The Knight performed the four basic moves again, but this time with the Aura elongating the reach of the blade. It looked like a choreographed dance, the Aura leaving a shimmering trail behind every strike.