[Trantor - Pr?ks]


    [Proofreader - Kawaii]


    Chapter 57: Since When Did They Be So Close?


    “Alright, then. Sit down.”


    I did as instructed.


    “From now on, I’ll personally teach you the essence of the Eternal Ocean Chain Technique. Close your eyes and circte mana in your own way…”


    Ulbhild voice faded into the distance.


    …And I sank into the deep sea of my consciousness.


    “Allen, I’ve just infused mana into your body. It’ll act as your guide.”


    Even as I remained submerged in that profound abyss, Ulbhild''s voice reached me from afar.


    “Follow it closely.”


    My body felt like a vast sky and a boundless sea. I could sense Ulbhild''s mana surging powerfully through that immense space.


    “Allen, don’t doubt. Just focus.”


    I did as instructed. Ulbhild mana gracefully navigated through the scattered parts of my heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, and spleen. Wherever her mana carved a path, new channels seemed to form.


    “Wait, it wasn’t there, but here?”


    Ulbhild mana forged unexpected routes through the countless branching blood vessels.


    “How absurd. So that wasn’t the path after all.”


    I felt the flow of mana miraculously quickened.


    This wasn’t just any path—it was the optimal route discovered through the wisdom of countless masters over hundreds of years. Even as a natural genius, I realized it would be difficult to rival this perfection.


    “…Something seems to be obstructing your mana flow.”


    “It appears to be tied to the peculiar condition of your body, the one with a limited lifespan. What’s interesting, though, is how well you’ve managed to suppress it.”


    Of course I had. From the moment I began learning the Eternal Ocean Chain Technique, I had already kicked those troublesome intruders out of my system.


    “How astonishing. How did you achieve this even in such a state?”


    The answer was simple: I had the foundation of Karzan’s martial arts.


    While my past self hadn’t mastered any proper internal arts, think about it. Even if a sword is mightier than a scythe, could a rookie swordsman outdo a man who’s been reaping with a scythe for twenty years?


    If having learned a lowly martial art automatically made one weaker than those with higher techniques, the ouws of the underworld would never have been able to defeat warriors trained in noble households.


    But that was never the case, was it?


    “Oh, sorry. I shouldn’t keep talking.”


    Ulvhild cleared her throat awkwardly.


    “I’ll refocus now.”


    ‘I nearly got thrown off bnce there.’


    Following Ulbhild''s guidance, I circted my mana once more.


    ***


    When I opened my eyes, the world seemed even sharper.


    I could clearly see the number of inds rising near the horizon, the gs on the ships docked in the harbor, and the rhythmic pping of seagulls soaring through the skies.


    “Wow…”


    I dumbly let my jaw hang open for a moment before snapping out of it and thanking Ulvhild.


    “Thank you, elder sister. Thanks to you, I’ve achieved another breakthrough.”


    With just a few corrections, I had managed to push the Eternal Ocean Chain Technique to the seventh stage. Even though it was a foundational technique, my rate of progress was abnormal.


    “Now, try forming sword energy again.”


    I took the sword Ulvhild handed me and infused it with mana. A sharp, ocean-blue aura radiated from the de.


    “With this, you’ve reached thete stage of the 3rd-tier.”


    She said with a satisfactory smile.


    “If youter consume the potion that Somerset gave you and fully absorb its effects, you should be able to break through the 4th-tier.”


    She added with a note of encouragement.


    "You’re already on par with a regr Royal Guard or any other Knight. Truly, your progress is unbelievable."


    I grinned and replied.


    "It’s all thanks to you, sister."


    "If someone else had taught you, the result would’ve been the same."


    "But you’re the only one who’s shown me this kind of kindness."


    "Well, that’s true."


    My entire body buzzed with energy. I could feel mana coursing through every corner of my meridians, invigorating my blood vessels. In short, my body felt restless.


    ‘How about a little test?’n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    I concentrated mana into my fist, letting it surge. A powerful aura wrapped around my hand like a tangible force.


    "Peter, toss me a rock."


    "Got it!"


    Peter picked up a decently-sized rock and threw it my way. I set it on the ground and smashed it with my fist.


    Crack!


    The rock shattered like a brittle cracker under the blow.


    "Wow.”


    It felt as if I had struck it wearing a gauntlet, the sheer force was remarkable.


    ‘Not bad.’


    More than the power itself, I marveled at how effortlessly I could control and utilize mana now. With this precision, I might even be able to use prating techniques to destroy the enchantments embedded in the Mask of Aminicrus.


    ‘I’ll have to test it when I get back.’


    "Allen, are you interested in fist techniques or palm arts?"


    "Of course."


    Karzan emphasized mastering all forms ofbat—swordsmanship, fist arts, palm arts, grappling, footwork, and even wrestling. The idea was to employ every avable method to win.


    "I’ll teach you when we have more time."


    "I’d be honored."


    I said with a smile.


    Great. That meant Ulbhild teachings weren’t going to be a one-time thing.


    "Allen, one thing to keep in mind."


    Her tone growing serious.


    "Please, go ahead."


    "Your progress today ismendable, but I’m also a bit worried. The lingering energy in your body doesn’t seem to be dissipating anytime soon."


    "You noticed that too, sister?"


    "It’s too persistent to be poison, yet too subdued to be a curse. I’ve never encountered anything like it before. I wouldn’t even know what to call it."


    I opened my mouth to speak but stopped.


    …This might be rted to my maternal bloodline, but I couldn’t say that so carelessly. I’m not one to trust easily.


    "That energy will likely continue to disrupt your meridians. At some point, it could hinder your progress. Worse, it might block and twist your mana and blood flow, causing you to fall into a dangerous state of internal imbnce."


    She wasn’t wrong.


    "I n to take spirit medicines or potions regrly to clear my pathways. Right now, my meridians are like a river with floating weeds."


    If the weeds aren’t periodically cleared, or if the harsh winter doesn’t kill them off, the waterway will eventually clog. When the river dries up, that will be the end of me.


    "Let’s move on to the next stage."


    Ulvhild stepped back three paces and assumed a horse stance.


    "Now that you’ve learned the internal art, the next step is lightfoot techniques, footwork, and movement arts. These threr are so closely connected that they can hardly be separated."


    Her generosity struck me anew. Whatever intentions she might have, this was a clear act of goodwill.


    I naturally adopted a respectful stance, like a disciple before their master.


    "I’m ready to learn." I said sincerely.


    Ulvhild, sensing my thoughts, smiled faintly and continued.


    "Lightfoot techniques are martial arts that literally lighten the body. The more advanced your mastery, the faster your speed, the better your agility, and the more unpredictable your movements be. For example, ifbined with exceptional footwork, you could run across the sea and leap between ships."


    Thest part was likely about her own experience. I could picture her running effortlessly over the ocean waves.


    "Footwork is essentially the study of foot movements. It allows you to control the distance between you and your opponent, exploit openings, or strike with greater force."


    She exined while demonstrating dozens of intricate steps in the blink of an eye.


    "The essence of footwork lies in how you nt your footing when attacking or defending, how you sidestep to evade attacks, and how you navigate through an opponent''s strikes. Even running long distances at high speed falls under the scope of footwork."


    Watching her demonstration, I couldn’t help but admire her. Her movements were swift and precise, like a butterfly with the speed of a bee.


    ‘Most opponents wouldn’t evennd a proper hit on her.’


    "Allen." Ulvhild said after finishing her disy.


    "For a true martial artist, every step—whether moving forward, retreating, or dodging to the side—should form a cohesive martial system."


    Unable to suppress my curiosity, I asked.


    "If your ice-based techniques are added to this, wouldn’t there be almost no one who could evennd a strike against you?"


    "…"


    She looked genuinely surprised by my question.


    "How did you figure that out?"


    "It’s just what I would’ve done in your ce."


    I said simply.


    She shook her head in disbelief, a wry smile ying on her lips.


    "You’ve grasped what I’ve pondered and researched for years just by sitting here and observing."


    Then, with a sigh, she moved on.


    "Lastly Movement arts is the martial arts of body mechanics—learning how to use your body correctly and efficiently."


    She moved fluidly, like a snake without bones, demonstrating its principles.


    "It’s about how you tilt your body, distribute your weight, open your shoulders, or arch your back. The goal is to master appropriate body movements for any situation, which is the essence of Movement arts."


    I was deeply impressed. Ulbhild teachings were concise yet profoundly logical—a stark contrast to Karzan’s chaotic martial philosophy, which relied onyering, grafting, and adaptation.


    Her methods were the product of a martial artist who had found their own path through countless lessons and experiences.


    To be so young and yet such aplete martial artist… Ulvhild was truly remarkable.


    "Sister. In the end, proper harmony between footwork and Movement arts is necessary to wield a sword effectively, isn’t it?"


    "Exactly. Mastering these techniques means you can be a skilled fighter even without exceptional swordsmanship."


    Then, pointing at me, she added.


    "And you’ve already stolen the Royal Guard’s swordsmanship techniques."


    I chuckled, understanding the meaning behind her words.


    "You''re saying that with the level of instruction I’ve received, there’s no need to rush my sword training."


    She was right. My battles with Keseg had further refined my martial arts.


    But I’m a greedy man.


    "What’s the name of the techniques you just demonstrated?" I asked.


    "Scarlet Cloud Ghost Path. It’s a martial art thatbines ‘Lightfoot technique’ ‘Footwork’ and Movement arts. However, I’ve modified it through my own experiences inbat, so it’s not identical to the n’s version."


    "That’s even better." I said with a grin.


    Thanks to my sister, I unexpectedly acquired exceptional techniques and insights. I could feel my nostrils ring with excitement.


    ‘This is fun.’


    A martial artist of Ulbhild caliber undoubtedly had deep, personal insights into their craft. Just having this conversation with her was a source of immense joy.


    ***


    Deputy Commander Harold and the members of the Special Operations Division chewed dried squid while watching Allenvert and Ulvhild, seemingly lost in their own world.


    “He absorbs everything she teaches like a sponge. A genius is a genius, I suppose.”


    “If we sparred with him, he’d probably suck up our swordsmanship and everything else along with it.”


    “Is it even normal to reach thete stages of 3rd-tier just from helping him with mana cirction? Some people spend years trying to get there…”


    “This is absurd.”


    And now, look—he’s already mimicking that supposedly impossible Scarlet Cloud Ghost Path.


    “We can’t even replicate it by watching.”


    Members of the Special Operations Division were beginning to feel defeated.


    Normally, mastering such advanced martial techniques required either a proper mentor or years of painstaking study of martial manuals.


    “I’ve never seen anyone learn martial arts like that.”


    “Who has?”


    “Look, everyone.”


    Olivier interrupted their conversation, drawing their attention.


    “Notice their footprints.”


    “Huh?”


    Harold frowned and inspected the footprints left by Allenvert and Ulvhild.


    “Anyone seeing this would think they’ve been practicing footwork alone for years.”


    The members exchanged speechless nces. When something defies allmon sense, words fail.


    “Uh, guys? Want some snacks?”


    Peter approached, offering bread from a basket.


    “Oh, thanks.”


    “Appreciate it.”


    “No problem. The cook packed some for us to share.”


    “Well, how thoughtful.”


    The bread was stuffed with cheese, butter, and thinly sliced ham.


    “Wow, this is fantastic.”


    “It’s savory but rich in vor…”


    “Good, isn’t it?”


    Thanks to Peter’s friendly gesture, the mood softened considerably.


    “Hmm, Sir Olivier.”


    Harold said, standing shoulder to shoulder with Olivier while the others were distracted by the treat.


    “At first, I was surprised, but now I see your foresight is extraordinary.”


    The two were already acquainted.


    “Did you anticipate all of this?”


    “Not at all. I’m just as surprised as anyone.”


    Olivier replied gently.


    He couldn’t help but marvel at how someone like Harold acknowledged Allenvert.


    ‘Uncle’s eye for people is something I’ll never match.’


    Back when Allenvert showed no sign of talent or potential, Aiden had discerned his hidden possibilities and the trajectory of his growth after only a brief meeting.


    “What are you standing around for? Enjoying the show?”


    Allenvert approached, drenched in sweat. He was clearly exhausted from his training.


    “Young Master, are you finished?”


    “I’m starving. Let’s eat first. Sister ising with us too.”


    Olivier turned to Harold and the Special Operations Division, extending an invitation.


    “Would you like to join us?”


    “Oh, can we?”


    “I heard from Peter just now that the cook there has quite the talent.”


    “Exquisite, indeed.”


    Allenvert tilted his head, puzzled by how Olivier, Peter, and the members of the Special Operations Division seemed to have suddenly grown so friendly.


    ‘Since when did they be so close?’


    Just before Ulvhild arrived, they had been at odds with him, locked in a subtle battle of wills. Now, they all seemed inexplicably kinder.


    “They were all impressed by you,”


    Peter chimed in, solving the mystery.


    “A genius is a genius, after all.”


    “Really?”


    As they walked toward the annex, Allenvert suddenly stopped in his tracks.


    “Wait a second.”


    He squinted at a familiar boy loitering in the distance, sneaking nces in their direction.


    “Isn’t that Barva?”


    [Trantor - Pr?ks]


    [Proofreader - Kawaii]