Chapter 131: The First Lesson

The following morning, Jet stood inside the makeshift training room of their concealed base, holding a wooden axe while considering whether another hour of practice would accomplish anything worthwhile.

His injuries had improved considerably since the assassination attempt, but his ribs still ached whenever he twisted too sharply, and his shoulder remained tender. ℯℓ.

Safiya had warned him against strenuous combat, leaving him with little choice but to practice basic movements and Mana circulation. Unfortunately, the room offered little beyond a few training weapons, reinforced targets, and enough space to perform simple exercises.

Jet lowered the axe and wiped the sweat from his forehead. He needed proper training facilities, preferably somewhere he could practice without worrying about destroying the walls. That thought reminded him of the invitation he’d received yesterday from Darkstar Guild’s Guildmaster.

An hour later, Jet found Adesewa in the common room, reviewing documents with Marcus. Several photographs of the abandoned industrial compound lay scattered across the table, alongside shipping records and a map of eastern Zenith.

"Captain, I want to visit Darkstar Guild again," Jet said, approaching the table. "The Guildmaster offered me access to their training facilities yesterday, and I think I should take advantage of it."

Adesewa looked up, her expression immediately becoming suspicious. "You’re still recovering, Jet. Safiya specifically told you not to push yourself."

"I know, Captain," Jet replied. "I’m not planning to spar with anyone. I just want somewhere with proper equipment where I can practice my techniques and Mana control."

Marcus glanced at him before turning toward Adesewa. "Darkstar’s facilities are excellent. Their main training complex has several enormous gymnasiums and reinforced arenas. He’ll have everything he needs there."

Adesewa gave Marcus an irritated look. "You’re supposed to be helping me keep him alive, not encouraging him."

Marcus chuckled. "I’m merely saying the facilities are suitable. Whether the boy behaves himself is another matter."

After considering the request, Adesewa finally agreed, although she insisted on arranging discreet transportation and informing Darkstar’s security department beforehand. With the assassins still searching for the survivors, allowing Jet to wander through Zenith unprotected was out of the question.

"And if Safiya discovers you’ve aggravated those injuries, don’t expect me to defend you," Adesewa warned as Jet prepared to leave.

Jet smiled. "I’ll be careful, Captain."

---

Darkstar Guild’s main training complex was even more impressive from the inside.

The enormous building contained several gymnasiums, each large enough to accommodate hundreds of Awakeners simultaneously.

Reinforced arenas occupied the central sections, surrounded by observation platforms and protective barriers. Weapon racks lined the walls, while specialized training equipment filled the surrounding areas.

Hundreds of Guild members were already practicing when Jet arrived.

Some exchanged blows with swords and spears, while others practiced martial arts or tested their Divine Rune abilities against reinforced targets. In one arena, two heavily armored Awakeners were exchanging attacks powerful enough to shake the surrounding barriers.

Jet watched the activity with considerable interest.

Facilities of this quality were expensive to construct and maintain, especially when they needed to withstand the strength of high-ranking Awakeners. Darkstar’s investment in its members was another indication of the Guild’s enormous resources.

After registering as an authorized guest, Jet made his way toward an observation platform overlooking an arena where two Awakeners were sparring.

One wielded a spear, while the other carried a heavy double-headed axe.

Jet’s attention immediately settled on the axe wielder.

The man possessed considerable strength, but his movements were unnecessarily aggressive. Every missed attack forced him to recover his balance, allowing the spear wielder to maintain control of the exchange.

Jet watched another series of attacks before shaking his head slightly.

"You’re watching his feet instead of his weapon."

A deep, familiar voice sounded beside him.

Jet turned and discovered the Guildmaster standing nearby, dressed in a simple dark training shirt and trousers. His silver-streaked hair was neatly combed, and his expression carried the same approachable warmth Jet remembered from yesterday.

"Guildmaster," Jet greeted respectfully. "Good morning."

"Good morning, Jet," the older man replied with a smile. "I wasn’t expecting you back quite so soon. Did you find the facilities satisfactory?"

"They’re impressive," Jet admitted. "I’ve never trained anywhere with this much equipment."

The Guildmaster chuckled before glancing toward the arena. "I’m glad to hear that. Now, tell me what you’ve noticed about our enthusiastic friend with the axe."

Jet returned his attention to the sparring match. "He’s strong, but he’s wasting too much movement. His opponent keeps drawing him forward, and every missed attack leaves him exposed. He’s trying to compensate with bigger swings instead of controlling the distance."

The Guildmaster studied him with renewed interest. "And what would you do differently?"

"I’d shorten the swings and stop chasing the spearhead," Jet explained. "The spear wielder controls the exchange because the axe wielder keeps reacting to him. He needs to force his opponent to commit first."

The older man smiled faintly. "That’s an interesting observation. Most young Awakeners would simply say he needs to become faster or stronger."

"That wouldn’t solve the problem," Jet replied. "He’d just make the same mistakes more quickly."

The Guildmaster laughed, clearly entertained by the answer. "Come with me, young man. There’s something I’d like to show you."

---

The Guildmaster led Jet toward a smaller training arena located along the eastern side of the gymnasium. Although smaller than the central arenas, it was spacious enough for several combatants, with reinforced flooring and weapon racks positioned near the entrance.

As they entered, the older man selected two wooden practice axes before handing one to Jet.

"Before we begin, I should properly introduce myself," the Guildmaster said with a friendly smile. "Alessandro Vittorio Orsini. Most people simply call me Guildmaster Orsini, although my old friends prefer Alessandro."

Jet accepted the wooden axe and shook his hand. "It’s a pleasure to meet you properly, Guildmaster Orsini."

"The pleasure is mine, Jet," Alessandro replied. "Now, Adesewa mentioned that you’re recovering from injuries, so we won’t be doing anything strenuous. I only want to examine your technique."

Jet nodded and stepped toward the center of the arena.

"Show me your usual fighting stance," Alessandro instructed, folding his arms.

Jet positioned his feet and raised the wooden axe, allowing his body to settle into a comfortable posture.

Alessandro circled him slowly, examining his grip, balance, and the position of his shoulders. After several moments, the Guildmaster raised an eyebrow.

"Who taught you to wield an axe?" Alessandro asked.

"I learned through practice," Jet answered.

"Then you’ve practiced considerably more than most young Raiders your age," Alessandro observed. "Your grip is comfortable, your balance is stable, and you’re protecting your injured side without making it obvious."

Jet remained silent, knowing that much of his proficiency came from Weapon Master and the combat experience he had accumulated during his previous life. ℯ𝐥.𝒄ℴ𝓶

Alessandro didn’t press the matter. Instead, he raised his own wooden axe and adopted a relaxed stance.

"I’m going to attack slowly," Alessandro explained. "Don’t counterattack. Just defend."

Jet nodded and prepared himself.

Alessandro stepped forward, delivering a controlled diagonal strike toward his shoulder. Jet shifted backward and raised his weapon to intercept. Their wooden axes collided lightly before Alessandro withdrew.

"Again," Alessandro instructed, changing his position.

His second attack approached from a slightly different angle. Jet adjusted his stance and prepared to block, but Alessandro altered the direction of his weapon halfway through the movement.

Jet instinctively twisted his wrist to follow the attack.

A sharp ache passed through his injured shoulder.

Alessandro stopped immediately. "There’s your first mistake, Jet. You recognized that my attack had changed, but you still tried to answer it with the same defensive movement."

Jet lowered his weapon, considering the explanation.

"An axe concentrates much of its weight near the head," Alessandro continued, demonstrating the movement again. "That gives it tremendous striking power, but careless corrections can become expensive. You don’t need to intercept every attack with your weapon. Sometimes moving your body is the better defense."

Jet watched the demonstration carefully.

It was a simple principle, yet Alessandro’s execution revealed something he hadn’t fully appreciated.

His Weapon Master ability accelerated his understanding of different weapons, but it didn’t automatically grant perfect combat judgment. Knowing how to execute a technique and knowing when to use it were two different things.

Alessandro repeated the attack, and this time Jet stepped aside rather than attempting to intercept it.

The wooden axe passed harmlessly through the space his shoulder had occupied.

"Much better," Alessandro remarked approvingly. "You made me expend effort while using very little yourself."

Their informal lesson continued for another twenty minutes. Alessandro demonstrated how an axe wielder could shorten recovery time, manipulate distance against opponents with longer weapons, and recognize when an attack had become too dangerous to continue.

Jet listened attentively, occasionally asking questions whenever something caught his interest.

Despite his experience, he discovered several weaknesses in his habits. Some had developed because he frequently relied on the extraordinary physical strength granted by his Eight-Armed Asura. Others came from fighting opponents considerably stronger than himself, forcing him to prioritize survival over efficiency.

Alessandro noticed those tendencies.

"You fight as though you’re always expecting your opponent to overpower you," the Guildmaster observed, resting his wooden axe against his shoulder.

Jet hesitated before answering. "Most of my recent opponents were stronger than me."

"That explains it," Alessandro replied thoughtfully. "But don’t allow caution to become hesitation. There’s a difference between respecting an opponent’s strength and surrendering control of the fight before it begins."

Jet considered those words carefully.

Alessandro returned his wooden axe to the rack before extending his right hand. A faint current of Mana gathered around his fingers, circulating smoothly without releasing any noticeable pressure.

Jet immediately recognized the extraordinary precision involved.

"Tell me, Jet, how do you usually circulate Mana when reinforcing your body?" Alessandro asked.

Jet briefly explained his method, carefully avoiding any mention of the internal workings of his Divine Rune.

Alessandro listened before nodding. "You’re concentrating too much Mana at the moment you intend to strike. That approach produces explosive power, but it can become wasteful during prolonged combat."

He closed his fingers, allowing the Mana to disappear.

"Try maintaining a smaller, steadier circulation throughout your body," Alessandro instructed. "Instead of repeatedly forcing large amounts of Mana into your limbs, allow your movements to draw upon an existing flow."

Jet attempted the exercise.

A thin current of Mana circulated through his body, but he instinctively increased the flow whenever he shifted his weight.

"Don’t chase every movement with your Mana," Alessandro corrected patiently. "Maintain the circulation and let your body move naturally."

Jet adjusted his approach.

The improvement wasn’t dramatic, but he could feel the difference. His Mana expenditure became slightly more consistent, and the strain accompanying his movements gradually decreased.

Against the assassins, he had exhausted himself partly because every desperate movement demanded another burst of strength. Reducing that waste could eventually determine whether he survived another encounter.

"That’s enough for today," Alessandro announced after observing him for several minutes. "Your injuries still need time to heal."

Jet reluctantly stopped circulating his Mana. "Thank you, Guildmaster. I’ve learned quite a bit."

Alessandro chuckled. "You’ve learned what needs improving. Actually fixing those problems will require practice."

Jet smiled. "I’ll remember that."

The Guildmaster studied him for a moment before speaking again.

"You have unusual instincts, Jet, and your familiarity with weapons is impressive for someone your age," Alessandro remarked. "But talent alone won’t carry you through every battle. Come back when you’ve recovered properly, and we’ll continue from where we stopped."

Jet nodded gratefully. "I’d appreciate that, Guildmaster."

As he left the enormous gymnasium later that afternoon, Jet found himself reflecting on the unexpected lesson.

Guildmaster Orsini hadn’t offered to become his master, demanded his loyalty, or promised him extraordinary power. He had simply taken time out of his day to help a young Awakener improve.

And Jet, who understood better than most how valuable genuine guidance could be, had no intention of wasting the opportunity.