After the tour around the Orbital Fortress and selling weapons to the local residents of the world. Adam finds himself in the training ground with Siegfried.
"So, what do you think is my problem, sensei?" Adam asked with a passionate voice.
Siegfried didn't answer immediately after reviewing the combat footage of Adam recorded during the Battle of Sadogashima.
"If you want me to be blunt. Then I would say you lack proficiency in combat ability which I do not blame considering you were a civilian not long before picking up a weapon to fight and started with firearms as your weapon of choice."
"To put it simply, your combat preference does not match your mastery. As a firearm user, I have little to talk of since it isn't my specialty but you are so proficient as a gunslinger that you can fight me on equal ground with a firearm. However, as you already know. Firearms have a weakness that is born out of its advantage. It's a very specialized weapon like a sniper rifle that is made for long distance fighting against a singular target. Not to mention there is no way to control its damage output either."
"For one-on-one combat, firearms are indeed superior. However, in a situation like this." Siegfried points at the footage of him fighting hordes of BETA. "Firearms become less effective and you are forced to use swords."
Adam nod thoughtfully while trying to understand what Siegfried had said.
"So, in short. I need to master swordsmanship too?" Adam concluded.
"It doesn't have to be a sword. But yes. You need to also master a melee weapon. Preferably a bladed one. Because, you are incapable of maximizing the potential of your Aura and Haki ability that firearms are incapable of fully bringing out since they aren't created with firearms in mind, they are abilities meant to complement martial arts."
"Hmn. It would be faster if I show you directly in a fight." Siegfried moves to the training ring before calling Adam for a brief spar.
"Try to use only your Aura and Haki while only using firearms." Siegfried said which Adam nodded and summoned Hornet into his hand.
When the duel begins, Siegfried immediately sprints to close the gap of range between Adam and him. Adam activates his Aura and Armament Haki to enhance his legs for better movement while laying down shot after shot with pinpoint accuracy. However, his opponent isn't just anybody. Siegfried is a Heroic Spirit with feats great enough to be etched in history and also a powerful dragonslayer. He easily blocked and cut down the incoming bullet with his greatsword, Balmung.
With a swift activation of Mana Burst, Siegfried crashed his greatsword on Adam's Aura Barrier and broke it immediately. Adam crossed his arm which is coated with black layer of Armament Haki to finally block the slash. However, the blade dug into his flesh and broke through his Haki infused skin and left a deep cut.
"The battle would have turned out differently if you had a melee weapon." Siegfried said and Adam wholeheartedly agreed. He would since he had a basic mastery of swordsmanship, he can envision it. How he would fight had he been holding a sword instead.
"Then, should I learn swordsmanship?"
"Depends. There isn't really a right or wrong option and in the grand scale of things. It doesn't really matter which weapon you choose since the essence of each martial art is the same, only the way of expressing them is different. Some are for slashing, some for stabbing, etc. However it's not an easy feat to master a weapon even if you already mastered all of the basics of martial arts."
"Swordsmanship it is then." Adam decided after a thorough consideration that the sword would be the most abundant type of weapon.
"Hmn. Since you already made your decision. There is something that I must tell you before we start your training, Master." Siegfried said with a very serious tone as prop his hands on his greatsword that he stabbed to the ground.
"In regard to martial arts, there is one important thing you must know, Master. The intent, purpose and goal of the practitioner is important and it decides how far you can reach and what you will reach at the end of the journey. However, it's a difficult matter for you, Master. Your power, the Semblance, is so powerful that the core of you as a person, your Origin is being twisted. Your heart and mind is hollow like a bottomless void."
"Not a bad thing per say." Siegfried quickly corrected when Adam suddenly looked worried. "The main hurdle for all swordsmen is to understand and conquer their heart and mind. I wouldn't go too deep into that but for you who's heart and mind is like a void, emptiness and nothingness."
"What does that mean exactly?" Adam scratches his head, unable to understand why Siegfried is trying to convey.
"Hmn…" Siegfried went into a deep thought trying to form an easy to understand example. "Ah, do you know what is the most important thing during a battle?"
"The heart and mind?" Adam recalled the basic training that Siegfried taught him although he didn't really understand what it meant.
"Indeed, swordsmen aspire to embody their intent, purpose and goal into their sword which form the sword intent, the purpose of the sword being swung. A battle between two swordmaster isn't the clash of steel but a clash of intent."
"Perhaps a demonstration is better than a long explanation." Siegfried said when seeing that he had lost Adam in his explanations that Adam barely understood.
Siegfried grabs two wooden swords from the weapon rack and tosses one to Adam. Adam caught the blade and entered a battle stance that held the wooden blade in front of him with two hands.
"Ready?"
"Ready!"
"Alright, focus and observe me." Siegfried said before he exhaled and inhaled. Then he tensed his arms before making a 90° vertical slash aimed at Adam's wooden sword and cleaved it in half or rather, Adam's sword exploded upon impact.
Adam saw what Siegfried tried to show him. To be precise, his Observation Haki perceived Siegfried's intent when he swung the sword. He felt the world around him consumed by darkness and Siegfried vanished, replaced with a dragonoid, half human half dragon hefting a cursed demonic sword and slashed at him with a loud roar that leave him stunned and unable to move, petrified by fear like he was about to be consumed by the slash that felt like a sword as big as a mountain or perhaps he was so small and insignificant like an ant.
"—ster! Master!"
"AH!" Adam felt like he just woke up from a nightmare and saw Siegfried was tending him on the ground.
"Are you alright, Master? I didn't realize your Haki could allow you to perceive my intent that clearly." Siegfried apologized and blamed himself for not being extra careful.
"No, it's not your fault. Besides, I learned something from it. It's not too different from the Conqueror Haki although not exactly the same either but close enough they share a lot of principles." Adam said he was enlightened by this experience.
Siegfried said nothing as Conqueror Haki is a mystery to him since Adam never really shown using it because he didn't master it yet. All he knows is an ability that subdues others by projecting powerful willpower physically. But he let Adam explore on his own. After all, there is only so much he can teach when Adam already learned every basic skill from stances, footwork, slashing, parrying, stabbing, etc. What he lacks now is technique and his path that he needs to explore on his own.
———
27 December 2001, Yokohama Base.
Aside from his training, Adam occasionally dropped by the base because he was requested. This time, it was for a strategy meeting.
"Then, can't we just use Susano-O II to blast the reactor core and eliminate the ability for the BETA to mount an attack?" The UN representative suggested that the IJA representative also agree along with Commander Radhabinod since that is the most logical solution to prevent the battle from even taking place and Adam does not deny it's the most logical course of action.
"Indeed, from the perspective of you people. Destroying the core and preventing the battle from taking place is the most logical choice. However, what if I say there is a reason why this battle is necessary?" Adam countered which earned himself quite the scrutiny to waste precious manpower and resources when they already couldn't afford anymore wastage.
But before the UN and IJA government representative could lash out, Commander Radhabinod stopped them and gave Adam an opportunity to explain since he sort of knew about his personality from the brief time they shared. That Adam always means it if it's serious. Besides, it's obvious that the two governments are unhappy to part with their prized TSF blueprints that Adam acquired yesterday they got greedy after learning what Adam possesses and they were compensated with a measly laser weapons technology.
"Would you explain, Mr White? The reason why you think this battle is necessary."
"Gladly." Adam snapped his finger and caused several holographic displays to appear and show a deep scan of the earth crust all across the world.
"What you can see here is the result of a scan on the Earth's crust. Those lines are subterranean tunnels. Now look what happens if I overlap them with the location of the hives scattered across the globe."
"You all surely understand now right?"
The holographic display shows the tunnels all inter-connected with all the hives and especially the Hive 01.
"These tunnels are pathways of the Carrier-Class BETA strain, right?" Dr Kouzuki immediately understood.
"Correct. Now, I don't know exactly how many of those worms were wriggling underground. But what I do know is they can deliver a Corp size BETA hordes anywhere and anytime they want. It happened to me when I destroyed the core of Hive 21 and they returned for revenge. Now imagine if it suddenly dropped a big horde in the middle of a populated city."
Everyone had a dark expression on their face once they realized the threat those Carrier-Class BETA pose. Especially when they are getting smarter and more unpredictable.
Safe to say, Adam did convince everyone in this room that killing the worms is a big priority.
"Since Mr White look prepared… I assume you already have a plan on how to deal with those Carrier-Class BETA?" The US representative asked after clearing his throat, forgetting all the previous resentment.
Adam nod inwardly thinking that these people at least care enough about the world to forgo previous conflicts and focus on what's important.
"Indeed, I do." Adam admitted and said. "Let's just say besides Unit 00, I also pose a big threat to their existence which makes me a BETA magnet." He suggested himself being the bait.
Of course, Adam volunteered to take the role with the highest risk. Neither the UN, US or IJA will disagree with the plan. Also, Dr Kouzuki and Commander Radhabinod knew what Adam's agenda was and the representatives didn't know that he was being properly compensated. They look at the deal and think it's too good to be true. Forget about Mercenary, Adam's image to the representatives and others outside of the two leaders of Yokohama Base is more like a charitable hero that helps without expecting much in return than an actual mercenary.
Thus with the plan put into motion, the preparation for the Defense of Yokohama Base is on full output and participated by all survivors from the previous operation.
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