Chapter 64: The Art of Versatile Combat 2

Adam wiped a small trace of blood from the corner of his lip.

"I was hoping my progression would reduce the number of hits I take."

"It mainly allows you to stay on your feet after being hit."

"It’s not exactly the same thing."

"It’s a start."

Selene raised a hand.

Several runes on the floor lit up.

Adam immediately felt his body become heavier.

The gravity of the room increased.

His Progressive Charge Bracelets also reacted.

The combined pressure fell on his shoulders.

Adam bent his knees slightly.

"You’re already increasing the difficulty?"

"Yes."

"We haven’t even finished the first exercise."

"You were adapting too quickly."

Adam sighed.

"I knew you were going to say that."

Selene smiled.

"Swordfish."

The short sword and the dagger vanished.

The immense greatsword appeared in Adam’s hands.

Under the increased gravity and the weight of his bracers, the weapon seemed almost impossible to lift.

Adam gritted his teeth.

His arms trembled.

The weight strained his shoulders.

His mana compression began to fluctuate.

He immediately forced his breathing to a steady rhythm.

Inhale.

Collapse.

Exhale.

Compression.

Adam slowly brought the blade in front of him.

Selene waited patiently.

"A heavy weapon doesn’t forgive poor body mechanics."

Adam adjusted his feet.

"If my arms bear all the weight, I’ll exhaust myself."

"Yes."

He lowered his shoulders slightly.

Engaged his back.

Contracted his legs.

The force spread throughout his body.

The greatsword became slightly easier to hold.

"Better."

Selene shifted suddenly.

Adam delivered a downward strike.

The blade flew through the air.

Selene dodged.

The greatsword struck the ground.

A deep crack appeared on an enchanted plate.

Adam opened his eyes.

"I didn’t use that much force."

"Your body has become stronger. And you used the weapon’s weight correctly."

Adam tried to lift the greatsword.

Selene placed a foot on the blade.

He could no longer move it.

"But now your weapon is stuck."

She struck Adam in the face.

He fell backward.

The blade vanished before it could become trapped beneath his foot.

Adam immediately summoned a spear.

He attacked from the ground.

Selene leaped over the point.

Adam recalled the spear.

A mace appeared.

He struck horizontally as it fell.

Selene placed a hand on the head of the mace.

She used Adam’s momentum to spin in the air.

Then her heel struck his shoulder.

Adam rolled to the side.

He immediately got up with a staff in his hands.

Selene attacked.

Adam blocked.

The force of the impact made his arms vibrate.

But he used this energy to spin the staff around his body.

The other end moved toward Selene’s ribs.

She stopped it with her palm.

Adam made the staff disappear.

A hammer appeared in his other hand.

He adjusted his angle.

Selene finally took a step back.

Adam remained motionless for a fraction of a second.

He had forced her to back up.

Just one step.

But it was the first time since the start of the session.

Selene looked at her foot.

Then at Adam.

Her smile widened considerably.

"Good."

Adam caught his breath.

"This time, I’ll accept the compliment without question."

"You really learn fast."

They resumed their training.

The minutes ticked by.

Dagger.

Sword.

Mace.

Spear.

Hammer.

Staff.

Halberd.

Greataxe.

Greatsword.

At first, each change required conscious thought.

Adam had to choose the weapon.

Mentally open his inventory.

Conjure it.

Adjust his grip.

Adjust his feet.

Correct his center of gravity.

All this while maintaining his mana compression, resisting the bracelets, and keeping a close eye on Selene.

The slightest hesitation ended in a blow.

When he looked at his hands, Selene struck his face.

When he forgot his balance, she swept his legs.

When he used too much force, she exploited his momentum.

When he focused excessively on his mana, she attacked a blind spot.

When he concentrated on the weapon, its compression fluctuated.

And each fluctuation made his internal magical movements harder to control.

Selene gave him no respite.

She explained every mistake.

Then she would hit him to make sure he remembered.

"Your left foot is too far forward."

A blow to the leg.

"You’re holding the handle too close to your head."

A strike to the fingers.

"You’re watching the weapon instead of your opponent."

A blow to the forehead.

"You’re resisting the momentum instead of going with it."

A throw to the ground.

"Your compression drops when you change your grip."

A punch to the stomach.

Adam got back up again and again.

His body was covered in bruises.

His muscles burned.

His arms felt heavy.

His breathing quickened.

But something was gradually changing.

The weapon changes became faster.

He no longer needed to visualize his entire inventory.

An intention was enough.

The weapon disappeared.

The next one appeared.

Her body began to recognize weight even before full materialization.

Dagger.

Feet close together.

Light center.

Sword.

Stable base.

Relaxed shoulders.

Spear.

Long range.

Back hand ready to guide the thrust.

Mace.

Pelvic rotation.

Using momentum.

Halberd.

Control of multiple ranges.

Heavy weapon.

Full body structure.

These adjustments became increasingly natural.

The compression of mana also evolved.

At first, each weapon change caused a slight fluctuation.

Then her breathing began to automatically maintain its rhythm.

Her mind no longer needed to constantly monitor the density.

Part of her focus continued the process in the background.

When Selene struck him, his mana warped again.

But instead of collapsing, it reorganized itself.

Mana Body corrected the losses.

Adaptation gradually reduced the time required.

Even the bracelets felt lighter.

Yet they lost no power.

Adam’s body was simply learning to function with them.

An hour passed.

Then another.

Selene continued to increase her speed.

She was now attacking with her fists, feet, and several training weapons summoned from her own space.

A sword appeared in his hand.

Adam summoned a spear.

It entered his range.

He recalled the spear.

A dagger appeared.

Selene blocked.

Adam made the dagger disappear before she could grab it.

A hammer appeared in his other hand.

He struck it toward her shoulder.

Selene dodged.

Adam used the momentum to spin.

The hammer vanished.

A large axe appeared during the spin.

The next attack swept across a much wider area.

Selene jumped.

Adam immediately recalled the weapon.

A spear appeared.

He hurled it at her while she was still airborne.

Selene deflected the point with her fist.

But Adam had already made the spear vanish.

He summoned the greatsword.

The gigantic blade appeared above her head.

He brought it down as Selene fell.

She crossed her arms.

The blade stopped inches from her.

A violent shockwave rippled through the room.

The floor cracked around their feet.

Adam gritted his teeth.

All his strength was poured into the weapon.

Selene didn’t move.

However, she had used both arms to block.

Her smile widened.

"Much better."

Adam made the sword vanish.

A dagger immediately appeared near his side.

He tried to take advantage of the proximity.

Selene grabbed his wrist.

But this time, Adam had anticipated her reaction.

He dropped the dagger.

A mace appeared in his free hand.

He lowered it toward Selene’s leg.

The tiger-woman released his wrist and stepped back.

Adam took a step forward.

A sword appeared.

He attacked.

Selene deflected the blade.

Adam continued.

He switched hands.

Recalled the sword.

Summoned a staff.

Used its reach.

Selene blocked again.

Adam immediately transformed the staff into a halberd.

The point aimed toward his shoulder.

Selene tilted her head.

The blade passed centimeters from her cheek.

Then her fist struck Adam in the face.

He was thrown backward.

His body traveled several meters before hitting the ground.

Silence fell again.

Adam lay there.

His face ached.

His arms trembled.

His mana flowed with difficulty.

But he hadn’t lost his focus.

He inhaled slowly.

The density was still there.

Weaker than at the beginning.

But stable.

Selene walked toward him.

She stopped above him.

"You managed to perform seven weapon changes without losing your stance."

Adam opened one eye.

"And despite that, you still hit me."

"You forgot I could just use my fist."

"It’s difficult to keep up with someone who’s mastered every weapon and then decides not to use any of them."

Selene extended a hand to him.

Adam took it.

She helped him up.

"That’s precisely the lesson."

He caught his breath.

Selene continued:

"A weapon is a tool. Not an obligation. If your opponent focuses too much on what you’re holding, strike them differently."

Adam nodded slowly.

He took the idea in.

Selene then observed the flow of his mana.

"You’re still maintaining the compression."

"Yes."

"Without constantly thinking about it?"

Adam paused for a few seconds before answering.

He focused his attention on his center.

The mana was dense.

His breathing maintained it almost automatically.

"I still need to monitor it, but much less than at the beginning." "

Selene smiled.

"Vespera will be pleased."

Adam immediately pictured the dragon altering her program again.

"Don’t tell her it’s gotten easier."

"Why?"

"Because she’s going to increase the difficulty."

Selene thought for a moment.

"You’re right."

Adam looked at her in surprise.

"You agree with me?"

"Yes."

She smiled.

"I’ll tell her myself that you’re ready for greater compression."

Adam closed his eyes.

"I should have expected it."

Selene walked to the edge of the room.

She gradually deactivated the gravity runes.

The pressure decreased slightly.

However, the bracelets remained active.

Adam immediately felt the difference.

Despite his fatigue, his body seemed lighter than at the beginning of the session.

He conjured a sword.

Then he replaced it with a mace.

Then a spear.

The three transitions were almost effortless.

Selene watched his movements.

"Adaptation is working faster than I thought."

Adam recalled the spear.

"I feel my body starting to anticipate the weapons’ characteristics."

"It’s not just Adaptation."

She pointed to his forehead.

"You analyze every mistake. You don’t just repeat."

Adam looked at the cracks left in the ground.

"I’ve never liked making the same mistake twice."

"Then you’ll progress quickly."

Selene moved closer.

She placed a hand on his chest.

A golden light appeared briefly.

Adam felt several superficial pains subside.

"That’s enough for today."

Adam blinked.

"Only two hours?"

Selene raised an eyebrow.

"Are you disappointed?"

"No. I’m just surprised you let me go while I’m still conscious."

"We’re only just getting started."

Adam’s relief vanished instantly.

Selene continued:

"You still have to meet up with Elaria, Shiora, and Vespera."

Adam thought about his schedule.

Physical and martial training with Selene.

Research and enchantment with Elaria.

Trade and economics with Shiora.

Magic with Vespera.

And now, he had to keep his mana compressed during each of these activities.

"I’m starting to understand why my stats are increasing so fast."

Selene patted him on the shoulder.

This time, Adam barely flinched.

She immediately noticed the difference.

Her smile returned.

"Your bracelets are becoming even less effective."

Adam looked down at them.

"Don’t even think about increasing their load today."

"Not today."

He sighed with relief.

Selene added:

"Tomorrow."

Adam looked up sharply.

She burst out laughing.

They left the training room together.

Adam walked slowly, his body tired and covered in slight aches and pains.

Yet, beneath this fatigue, he clearly perceived his progress.

His weapon changes were faster.

His stances more stable.

His strength better distributed.

His mana remained compressed almost naturally.

And above all, his mind was beginning to see each weapon as something other than a completely separate discipline.

A dagger.

A sword.

A mace.

A spear.

A halberd.

A great axe.

Each possessed its own unique characteristics.

But they also shared principles.

Distance.

Balance.

Rhythm.

Momentum.

Trajectory.

Force transfer.

The more Adam understood these common foundations, the more fluid the transitions between weapons became.

The skill books had given him the knowledge.

Selene was turning it into experience.

Extremely painful.

But undeniably effective.

As they walked back toward the guild’s main hall, Selene turned her head slightly toward him.

"Tomorrow, we’ll add weapon switching during high-speed movement."

Adam continued walking.

"Of course."

"Then weapon switching mid-jump."

"Naturally."

"Next, you’ll fight multiple opponents simultaneously."

"Obviously."

Selene smiled.

"You’re not protesting anymore?" "

Adam gave her a weary look.

"I’m conserving my energy. I’ll need it to survive."

Selene’s laughter echoed up the stairs.

And as they reached the great hall, Adam felt a certainty settle within him.

If he continued to progress like this, he would soon be able to do more than just use multiple weapons.

He could develop a completely personal style.

A style without a fixed weapon.

Without a constant rhythm.

Without predictable range.

A style in which every move could change the nature of the fight.

And in which his opponent would never know what would appear in his hands the next moment."