"State your names."
"Kinoya Arviga."
"Shamil Dao."
"Shamil why do you want to use a bastard sword?"
"My father is a captain of the 9th army. He uses one." Shamil said it without hesitation. It can be seen that he was quite influenced by his father. If not for the rule by the emperor, he would have joined his father troop. "I also have [Basic sword mastery]."
The instructor handed over a red badge. "Go to the main instructor at the training hall 2, he will know what to do."
"Yes, sir." Shamil saluted and left the yard.
"Why you want to use two swords?"
The question was aimed towards Kinoya. "No reason. I want to learn as much as possible."
His brows knitted for a moment, "You are one general recruited at the bandit base?"
"Yes."
"Do you use that one?" The instructor asked pointing towards the talwar on his back.
"My master gave it to me. But I am not tall enough to use this. I use gladius."
"Gladius!?"
"The size is perfect for me."
"You have any sword mastery?"
"I have [Intermediate sword mastery]."
*Sigh*
'No wonder, this child is recommended by the Moon General.' The instructor couldn't help but take another look at the child in front of him. "That will make things easier. I will teach you the dual sword technique. If you work hard then you might learn the dual sword mastery in 15 days."
"I have no problem with it, instructor."
"But I have a condition. If you are ready to accept, only then I will teach you otherwise you have to follow the rule." He stopped to see the expression on Kinoya face, "If you can't get the skill within 15 days you won't get a chance to train as shield-sword infantry."
"Ok," Kinoya answered before the instructor could complete the sentence.
"Gladius is not suited for this technique. If you want to use the talwar in the future it would be better if you learn to use sabre or scimitar. You can use these short scimitar. Rather than having the edge of 3 feet it had the edge of 22 inches. Little short of gladius but the technique is similar to Talwar. The technique I am going to teach you suits it very well."
Kinoya took the short scimitar and moved it around. He just used the basic moves of the sword, but it was enough to show the instructor how deep his basic is.
"I will use it." Kinoya completed his moves with a nod. "Are there any wooden ones?"
"Why do you need a wooden one?"
"I am a trainee, I shouldn't use the real sword."
"You are carrying a talwar in your back, will it matter whether you have one more or not?" Kinoya couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed. "You are a soldier now, if you can't control yourself then you better leave it."
"With your basic, I have nothing to teach you about the sword. For the fifteen days, you have to follow only one rule until you master the technique."
He didn't explain, "Grab the scimitar tight." The instructor took out a pair of the weird-looking pouch, slide it over the short scimitar through the hole as he held it and knotted it. One can't see Kinoya's hand again, it was covered in the leather pouch with only the blade coming out of it. It looked like two scimitars came right out of his limb.
"Ya1ou can never take the scimitar off your hand, whether you are eating, sleeping or bathing. If you get injured in training it will be your responsibility."
"No problem." There wasn't a shard of hesitation in his voice. The instructor had no idea from where his confidence was coming from but was happy with Kinoya's attitude.
"I shall show you the same technique, each day for three times. One time at normal speed, then in slow speed, one time at a fast speed. It will be up to you if you able to learn it or not?"
He started at normal speed. The scimitar started with a simple slash then full moon thrust, and from then on things started to get complex. Kinoya didn't know when it happened but for some reason, his eyes had lost focus and so did his mind.
He was so mesmerized in the sword dance that he was unable to observe it. Even after the instructor stopped the technique, he was having a hard time to get his mind free.
[Skill Check: The secret of the [Falling leaf dance (incomplete)] is observed.]
[Do you want to learn the skill?]
The question woke Kinoya up. 'Falling leaf dance?' After getting the confirmation the broken system sounded again.
[Analysing…
…]
[[Falling leaf dance (incomplete)] Observation level: 58%]
[Unable to initiate the quest to learn it.]
"The first stage of [Slashing leaf technique] is called {Free Fall}. The second stage is called {Hitting a leaf}. If you are too forceful while catching a leaf you will miss it. So you have to be slow when attacking."
The Instructor started the sword technique again. It won't be wrong if one misunderstood it as a dance, a sword dance. It starts with the same slash, then the full moon thrust and…
He was a lot slower but it was becoming more and more impossible for Kinoya to observe it. He was looking but his eyes were out of focus. He lost his conscious lot before this time.
[Skill Check: The secret of the [Falling leaf dance (incomplete)] is observed.]
[Analysing...]
[[Falling leaf dance (incomplete)] Observation level: 72%]
[Unable to initiate the quest to learn it.]
The mechanical voice woke him up again. The old man never taught him a skill other than the basic sword techniques like slash, cut, thrust and other simple ones. The thing one could learn as long one play with a sword long enough. And he had spent a lot of time in Varytita's memory.
So he knew nothing about learning from others. He was afraid that he might not be able to learn the skill.
"Now I will show you {Grabbing the leaf}. One had to be fast to catch a leaf without tearing it. This is the last stage, it took me 4 years to reach this stage. See if you can."
As the instructor said Kinoya was unable to see the whole slash before losing his consciousness.
[Skill Check: The secret of the [Falling leaf dance (incomplete)] is observed.]
[Analysing...]
[[Falling leaf dance (incomplete)] Observation level: 79%]
[Lower threshold of initiating the quest achieved]
[Does the host want to learn the [Falling leaf dance (incomplete)]?]
'So it doesn't need to be 100%.' Kinoya breathed a sigh of relief after confirming.
[Skill Check: Quest [Falling leaf dance (incomplete)] is activated]
[Quest: [Falling leaf dance (incomplete)]
Condition: 1.Observation level 100%
2. Practice (0/1,000,000) (System updated)
3.Comprehension level 50%
Reward: 1. [Basic Dual sword mastery]
2. Strength: 8; Agility: 3
System reward: 1. Hidden Stat Patience: 6
2. Hidden Stat ####.]
For a moment information continued to pour into his head. It was not just the movement or the sword actions but also the flow of every through the body.
'Though all three stages follow the same movements, the flow of energy couldn't be more different. No wonder it took 4 years to master.' After understanding the basic when he looked at the notification and curses almost escaped his lips.
After talking to the old man, Kinoya somehow understood the Broken System. It was not something special to have a system. One in every 1000 had it.
As every system was unique, so was the Broken System. The old man felt the condition of completing the quest seemed harsher than the quest given by other systems.
Though Kinoya had no idea whether the old man had a system of his own or not, all he could do was believe him. While talking about the given quests from time to time, Kinoya had found another reason to call it 'broken'.
If his guess is correct then, the condition of completing the same quest might be performing the skill for 10,000 or 100,000 times. It would have been ten or a hundred times easier than the quest given by the Broken System.
But the biggest advantage was the System's ability to activate the hidden stats. Even if you have more than 100 points in the hidden stat you can't utilize it unless you activate it. That was another reason to call it broken.
Kinoya was unable to understand whether the System is called broken due to its near impossible condition to complete quests or due to its overpowered rewards. Yet all he could do is to accept it.
"It is one of the strongest Dual sword techniques you can learn under the General rank. Attack wise, it would be in the top three in all the attack techniques that are below the general level. Performing [Slashing Leaf technique] will generate the Dual sword skill. Do you think you can do it?"
"Sure no problem," Kinoya said with a smile.
"You don't need to go out in the yard. Practice here. You will practice until you fall. Then you can get your meal. Don't worry, the canteen will remain open 24X7." With the words, the instructor left the inner yard.
Kinoya went to the middle of the yard, took a deep breath and started practising. A simple slash, a full moon thrust, a quick drop back step…
The moment he completed the whole move a mechanical voice appeared in his mind.
[[Falling leaf dance (incomplete)] practice (0/1,000,000) failed.]
Kinoya didn't mind that at all, by training under the old man his persistence increased like crazy. He was not sure if there any hidden stat like that or not but he is sure that he wouldn't give up even though he failed 1000 times.
Only skill the old man taught him was the to meditate and with years of training, he had no problem to guide the energy through his body. He took lungs full of breath before he had started to guide the energy as the short scimitar had begun to dance.
[[Falling leaf dance (incomplete)] practice (0/1,000,000) failed.]
[[Falling leaf dance (incomplete)] practice (0/1,000,000) failed.]
[[Falling leaf dance (incomplete)] practice (0/1,000,000) failed.]
…
…
[[Falling leaf dance (incomplete)] practice (0/1,000,000) failed.]
[[Falling leaf dance (incomplete)] practice (1/1,000,000) completed.]
[Comprehension level 3%]
[[Falling leaf dance (incomplete)] practice (1/1,000,000) failed.]
Kinoya almost missed the success message in all that failure but he continued.
Kinoya forgot to count after 326 but he continued like crazy.
He was like a mindless Zombie however, hard-work had its result too. The understanding of the skill increased with the comprehension level.
'Unlike the name, which was {Free Fall} the free fall of a leaf was quite different from any other thing. The leaf never went against the flow of the wind for gravity. It was always about riding the wave, never to force it. The energy moved from one muscle to another as the stance changes.'
[Comprehension Level 4%]
With the mechanical voice, a smile appeared in his face. Kinoya started to practice with new enthusiasm. The next success appeared at the 309th try, then at 300th. It wasn't long before he turned into a mindless Zombie again.
The same set of drumming woke up the whole training caves. With the traumatizing memories of the day before, the recruits were a lot more organized. Chaos was a lot less but somehow 2 of them still couldn't find their way to the ground in time.
The result was as expected. They were sent back home with 50 whips.
But when the instructor came to receive the infantry division, he couldn't help but frown a little.
The creme of the corps, those who will be able to earn the basic skills within a week will be tutored by an instructor. The instructor will be able to change the training schedule if he wanted.
Amogh, the instructor for the infantry division, had recorded Kinoya as his student otherwise Kinoya would have been on his way home too.
'Where the hell that little one went to?' Amogh was fuming thinking about him and the effect was shown on the group of recruits that was following him.
The whole run completed within 2 hours this time. It was no surprise that none could stand on their leg after just one round.
Amogh couldn't wait for others to finish the round and came to the training yard 4. He was the main instructor of the training yard 4 had all the details of the recruits.
"Send someone to cave 377, drag the one named Kinoya here right now," Amogh shouted as soon as enter the yard
"Sir, if you are looking for the one you left in the inner yard, is still here." Looking at his mood, that was the first thing the young soldier had reported.
For a moment, Amogh couldn't understand what the young soldier was talking about, however, on the next, he ran into the inner yard.
In the inner yard, Kinoya was like a mindless zombie, his mind was flooded with the notification from the mechanical voice.
[[Falling leaf dance (incomplete)] practice (27,230/1,000,000) failed.]
[[Falling leaf dance (incomplete)] practice (27,231/1,000,000) completed.]
After a full night workout, Kinoya can now do a perfect sword dance at every second try. But there was no feeling about it, each movement was bored into his muscle. Every part of his body was moving on his own.
But the view from Amogh's eye was different. What he saw scared the shit out of him. Every move of kinoya's body was perfect. Though the essence was not perfect still in just one night this boy was able to perfectly copy him.
Compare to the sense of the system which was defining the success by the energy flow through Kinoya's body, Amogh was depending upon the movement of the muscle to characterize it. To find the energy flow was perfect or not, Amogh pulled out his sabre and interrupted Kinoya's movement.
[[Falling leaf dance (incomplete)] practice (27,235/1,000,000) failed.]
[[Falling leaf dance (incomplete)] practice (27,236/1,000,000) completed.]
[[Falling leaf dance (incomplete)] practice interrupted…
Energy path obstructed…
Practice failed.]
Kinoya stepped back and fell on his butt. He opened his eyes only to see Amogh was looking at him with big round eyes. Kinoya gave a smile and stood up while cleaning the dust of his cloth.
"What are you doing here?"
Kinoya was surprised by his question still answered. "I was training as you told me. This was the first time I fall so I am going to get something to eat."
"Stop." Amogh himself wasn't sure how this little child was able to carry on for 24 hours.
'If I didn't stop him who knows how long he would have repeated it. Is he a special one? Let's see how long he can carry on.' He said in a stern voice "You missed the morning run. You will have to run around the city twice before you can eat."
"Yes, sir" With a shout, he started to run out of the yard.
Within 4 hours he was back again. He then bowed to Amogh and started practising again.
Amogh he didn't know what to say. He had sent someone behind Kinoya to confirm. So the soldier did. 'That's mean Kinoya had run around the city twice that was within 4 hours. Is he a monster?'
Unknown to Amogh, Kinoya had already gotten the name of 'Little Monster' for a different reason. All the prepared foods of the training canteen were cleaned by Kinoya leaving the chefs in tears.
On the other hand, Kinoya had already lost his mind under the seduction of the mechanical voice.
[[Falling leaf dance (incomplete)] practice (27,237/1,000,000) completed.]