Chapter 9
Inside his room—
Rudeus stood still.
No swinging.
No movement.
Just thinking.
"…Why does it stop?"
His attacks connected—
But only in fragments.
They weren't continuous.
That's the problem.
He raised his arm slowly.
Moved it through a strike.
Then paused.
"…No."
Again.
This time—
He didn't stop.
One motion—
Flowing into the next.
Then the next.
And the next.
No breaks.
No hesitation.
Just motion.
So that's it…
The sword styles weren't individual techniques.
They were systems of movement.
And Rudeus—
Was beginning to understand the system itself.
That realization changed everything.
That night—
His training became fluid.
Swings connected endlessly.
Steps adjusted naturally.
Balance maintained continuously.
Muscles tore under sustained strain—
Not bursts.
Healing magic pulsed rhythmically now—
Not reactively.
Mana drained—
Like a river flowing out of him.
And yet—
He continued.
Because for the first time—
He felt it.
"…This is how it's supposed to feel."