"Time for your training!" Elza threw a bucket of ice-cold water at Kirito waking him up in shivers.
"W~What training?" he asked as he was shaking around his body.
"Don't be silly, you wanted to learn the art of kurushami right? So let's start now." She threw a wooden sword at him and headed to the dojo.
In the dojo, she had the scroll in her hands and was trying to read what was written inside. The writings on the scroll were showing different noble phantasms.
"Very fascinating indeed..." Kirito maybe didn't understand this language, but Elza studied every single ancient language and culture, it's like reading a normal book for her.
"What does it say?" he asked.
"A noble phantasm is a sword skill which reveals your true power as a swordmaster. Only the strongest can get a noble phantasm, and there is no specific training or method on how to get it. Once you tame your noble phantasm, you will be able to release an aura emitted from the sword. You can sharpen the aura and make it big. Some people managed to make their noble phantasms turn into a sharp blade as tall as a palm tree."
"It doesn't explain how to get one though." Kirito said confused.
Elza looked at him surely thinking how stupid he was said: "This means, you have to learn how to use a sword, become a pro at it, and if you're lucky enough, your noble phantasm will be unleashed.
"Well, how do I know my noble phantasm is unleashed?"
Elza was about to sigh once again thinking of how stupid he was, but she realized he was right, what happens once his noble phantasm is unleashed.
Elza started reading until she found the part explaining what happens when your noble phantasm has now appeared.
"It says, a noble phantasm only unleashes when the swordsman goes through a painful moment. The more sadness and pain he feels in his heart, the stronger his noble phantasm will unleash."
Kirito was puzzled concerning the explanation. So you must go through a painful moment to unleash a power? How ludicrous is that!
"Wait, so let me get this clear, pain is equal to strength?" he asked
Elza nodded and continued reading the scroll.
"Here it says, some swordmasters have fallen into deep darkness once they unleashed their noble phantasm. A noble phantasm can be a one of light, and a one of darkness. If you fall too deep in the one of darkness, then the noble phantasm will take control of your body, and you will become the noble phantasm."
When Kirito listened to what Elza said, he suddenly had envy of training.
"All I have to do is walk hard then, it's simple..." Kirito said.
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4 months later
[Stats
Level 48
Exp 1789\2000
Strength: 135
Agility: 198
Endurance: 200
Points: 37
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Skills
Fire dragon roar
Fireblast
Fire beam
Fire eagle
Fire arrow
Fire meteor
Fire fist
Fire punch
Fire kick]
Kirito was coming out of the dojo and he looked in shape. He was more muscular, with long hair and a beard with a black kimono. Something didn't change however, he was still immature and reckless.
"Kirito, you are one of a kind, you managed to master the art of sword taming in a matter of fewer than 2 months," Elza said coming out of the dojo.
"I guess I'm too strong, I might get my noble phantasm without that stupid condition!" he said with a smile of pride.
It has been four months since he has been on the run, and four months he was training on sword mastering. The mirandils also helped him to learn how to fight underwater and breathe for longer than a human can.
Kirito had become an intermediate swordmaster but was still lacking in something. Of course, he couldn't perceive the thing he was lacking, but Elza was. He was lacking experience and maturity.
Kirito trained on a dummy who would come to life thanks to one of Elza's potions. It was maybe not as intense of a fight anymore as he got stronger, but at least it obstructs him from being unpracticed.
When Kirito and Elza end their training, they generally go to the lake to join with the mirandils and spend some quality time with them. It was a Wednesday of the first week of April, and Kirito felt he was prepared to withstand the perils that away sees him
"Hey Elza, do you think it's time for me to take on the dungeon? No one's defeated it yet..." Kirito asked.
Elza didn't question Kirito's strength and she recognized he could vanquish the dungeon, but he overestimating himself too much. He was too immature to confront the dungeon.
"I think you still need another month or two before you reach that step."
Due to her response, Kirito felt irritated but chose to keep it himself to avert a futile conflict. Once they got to their living quarters, Elza as usual took off for a walk around the prairie, while Kirito sat on the bench beside Robinson who was cleaning his horses complaining about how Elza was halting things.
"How does she think I'm still not ready?!" Kirito cried out, "I'm pretty sure it's because I don't have my noble Phantasm yet!"
Robinson went on with cleaning his horse and said: "Elza is very complicated, I don't understand why she is still keeping us in this place."
"I know, what is keeping us from staying here? I just wanna show myself to the world and let them know I'm here!"
Abruptly, Elza appeared out of nowhere with a cigar and sat beside Kirito. It seemed she didn't hear what Kirito and Robinson said about her.
"Hey Rob, can you get me a cigar?" she asked.
"B-But you already have one!"
Elza glared at him menacingly, and Rob immediately went inside mumbling a few sentences of discontent. When Rob was gone, she looked at Kirito and said: "Hey kid, don't take it personally, but I don't think you're ready mentally for this."
"What do you mean I'm not ready mentally? I have already fought a dragon!"
"Are you sure you would've survived if not for the fall of the ceiling? The fact is, you've gotta know you're not invincible, and that is something you lack considerably..."
Kirito stood up and left in the forest when he listened to what Elza said. It was hard for him to admit that Elza was right and he was too confident of his abilities. He went back to the lake where the three mirandils were playing typically.
It was almost night sky, and Kirito was sitting on a rock watching the mirandils play. He gave up a big sigh and said: "I hate to say it, but she's right..."