Chapter 8 - More Skills!

Walking is the way we move our bodies from one place to another by taking steps.

It's a coordinated motion that involves lifting one foot off the ground, swinging it forward, placing it down, and then repeating the process with the other foot. As you walk, your body maintains balance by shifting your weight from one leg to the other. Muscles in your legs, hips, and core work together to provide stability and propel you forward. Walking is a natural and fundamental way of getting around that requires a rhythmic motion of your legs and the control of your body's center of gravity.

Running is a faster and more dynamic way of moving compared to walking. When you run, your body lifts both feet off the ground in each stride, creating a moment of suspension in mid-air between steps.

This makes running a more energy-intensive activity. As you run, your arms also play a role by swinging in rhythm with your legs, aiding in maintaining balance and generating momentum. Your muscles contract in a coordinated manner to propel you forward with greater speed, and your cardiovascular system works harder to supply oxygen to those muscles. Running involves a more forceful push-off from the ground and a quicker pace, making it an efficient way to cover distances swiftly.

Both activities require great use of one's body. They are also the factors that make up the idea of movement.

In the fairly empty field within the RMC's boundaries, Cedric could be seen walking peacefully as he was in his personal yard. His face was tranquil and his gait was relaxed.

However, in the next second, Cedric's figure suddenly turned ethereal, dissipating like he was never there. He then reappeared, crouching on the nearby tree branch wearing the same expression before disappearing once more.

His figures blurred here and there, popping in and out of existence as if he were a ghost or something...

The truth is, Cedric wasn't really disappearing. He's just moving incredibly fast, so much so that the naked eye would have a difficult time following his movements.

His short bursts of speed occurred silently. The way he accurately controls his strength to kick the ground without causing damage or disturbance to it while also gaining the results he wanted was nothing short of a work of art.

With the skills he's displaying here, even those at the early Tier 2 levels would have a hard time following his movements.

This was the result of his relentless pursuit of improving his movement skill, allowing him to reach levels of control which allows him to do all of this. Of course, he had learned the corresponding skill that represents the art of movement.

*

『Footwork (Lv.3)』

: The fundamental art of movement itself. Going from Point A to Point B either by hook or by crook, is what the skills allow you to do. This skill also affects the user's Agility, Dexterity, Reflex, and Flexibility, increasing them along with the mastery of this skill.

: The User can either use Demon Souls to increase the level of this skill or use it repetitively to achieve the same goal.

*

A week and a half passed by since he received these new eyes of his. Ever since he got them, Cedric's life promptly turned for the better.

He spent each day improving his basic skills. Despite his activities taking most of his time and proving to be exhausting, Cedric didn't mind since he could tell that he was getting stronger day by day. From the moment he wakes up to the moment he sleeps, every single second filled him with satisfaction at this growth.

Hell, even as he rested, he's still training some additional skills he learned during the past few days...

*

『Recovery (Lv.5)』

: The art of resting and healing. Listening to your body's needs and giving it time to rest and adjust after the demanding activities you put it through, is a skill that greatly improves the way you survive as a Superhuman.

: This skill drastically shortens the amount your body needs to recover to its peak state. It also hastens the process by which your body adapts to foreign status. Increase the level of this skill to unlock more of its mysteries.

*

The funny thing about the 『Recovery』 skill is that it works in tandem with the 『Breathing』 skill. The latter already maximizes the use of his breaths, allowing him to last longer than before, even with the bare minimum. If he takes time and focuses all of his efforts on his recovery, then he could essentially recover even faster than one would expect.

It's simply a wonderful discovery but it's also annoying for him since after learning the 『Recovery』 skill, sleep was close to being redundant for him.

Actually, Cedric doesn't need much sleep anymore even before getting 『Recovery』, learning it just made it worse. Now, he could probably last for days without needing to sleep and would still be fine.

On the other hand, that just gives Cedric more time to train, which he does since he's not one to waste precious time like that. Still, because most of his passive skills were at such a high level, progress had been rather slow.

Well...slow for him. Others would certainly need more time if they were in his shoes. Cedric was one lucky son of a bitch, that's a fact.

Now that he had covered most of the basic skills he could. He felt that it was finally time for him to pay attention to his fighting skills.

No, he's not talking about the skills he got from his Swordsman Class. That will come at a later date. Right now, he's still in the process of re-discovering and refining his basic skills.

Last night, he had stayed up learning all he could about punching and kicking. Yep, this is what was next on his agenda.

He had visited several forums and watched a lot of videos of Masters displaying how to throw a punch and a kick. He had probably watched all that was available for public view in his boredom since he was too energized to sleep.

Miraculously though, he didn't learn the appropriate skills just by watching, which somehow surprised him. However, he wasn't outraged by that. It's like it was the end of the world for him because that didn't happen.

Thanks to his sharpened memory, brought by his Learning and Vision skills, he was able to perfectly recall everything that he learned from those videos.

"Punching is a striking movement where you use your fist to deliver a forceful blow to an object or another person. To punch effectively, you start by rotating your hips and shoulders to generate power. As you do this, your arm extends forward, and your fist clenches tightly. The force comes from your arm muscles, particularly the muscles of your shoulders, chest, and triceps. The aim is to transfer the energy from your body into the target, whether it's a punching bag, pad, or opponent."

"Timing and accuracy are crucial in punching. You want to ensure that your punch lands squarely on the target, and you should retract your arm quickly after striking to regain a defensive posture. Proper technique minimizes the risk of injury to your hand and wrist. Overall, punching requires a combination of strength, coordination, and technique to deliver a powerful and effective strike."

"Kicking is a motion where you strike something with your foot, often used in sports, self-defense, or even everyday activities. Kicking involves a series of coordinated movements that generate power and precision."

"When you kick, you usually start by bending your knee and pulling your leg back. This action loads your leg with potential energy. As you initiate the kick, you extend your leg by straightening your knee and swinging it forward. The power comes from your leg muscles, including your quadriceps, hamstrings, and calf muscles."

"To maintain balance during a kick, your arms and upper body may also move in response. Your core muscles help stabilize your body, and your hips play a crucial role in generating power by rotating as you kick. The point of impact on your foot, whether it's the heel, instep, or the ball of your foot, determines the type and force of the kick."

"Similar to punching, timing, accuracy, and technique are essential in kicking to ensure effective and safe strikes. Proper form helps maximize the force while minimizing the risk of injury to your leg and foot."

After recalling all the necessary information about punching and kicking, Cedric began assuming the stance according to the instructions.

This is where the glory of his basic senses and his perfect memory shine. His body automatically corrected his form the moment he discovered something wrong. His thoughts actually fell a little bit behind with the correction due to how sharp his senses were.

Performing a series of punches and kicks caused a burning sensation on Cedric's body but he didn't feel uncomfortable, if anything it actually felt pleasurable for him.

As his mind focused on performing a series of punches and kicks, his body gradually memorized the forms perfectly, and after a couple of repetitions...

[Alert! Skill: 『Kickboxing (Lv.1)』 learned!]