"How did you do it?" Wolf asked.
I also held my sword tightly without losing concentration. "I don't know."
"... What are you saying?"
"I'm serious, Wolf, I just don't know. I've seen you use that technique several times."
"Are you saying that you used an advanced attack style of the Beast Style just because you saw me use it? How stupid."
"Whether you believe me or not is, no longer up to me." After hearing those words, he fell silent and stared at me… he was preparing himself.
He moved at a moderate speed but a bit faster than what is seen so far. It seemed like he was testing me. Wolf's spiritual circuits lit up and shifted to completely different points as he took a low stance, so low that it looked like he was about to be attacked by a wolf or a lion.
Interesting, this is the true stance of the aggressive Beast Style...
Wolf attacked with a spontaneous increase in speed. I hurriedly tried to copy the last two defensive patterns he used earlier. And to my surprise, it worked.
I had managed, just a few centimeters away, to dodge and defend myself from the aggressive sword that was coming straight for my jaw.
Wolf seemed determined to knock me out like the previous times. But I denied him the attack with a downward swing with my sword on my right arm. Then I took the same low stance of the Beast Style with the determination to finally hit him.
Wolf was still confused, but I thought I heard a laugh from him.
At least he seems to enjoy it...
As I executed the move, he finally grabbed his sword with both hands. Coupled with overwhelming strength and speed, he not only deflected my attack, but broke my stance and my sword flew out of my hands.
In a moment, the fight was over.
He no longer had a sword and his was pointing at my neck.
I think I understand what happened: I was somehow able to awaken those same spiritual circuits, but still the strength and speed of a Beast Style Sword King, which is a product of Wolf's long years of training and his original talent, is not something I can imitate just by seeing him.
I know these are hasty conclusions... but I still have no words to define it.
What was that?
"You won again," I said as I stood up and dusted myself off my knees.
But instead, Wolf didn't say anything and just looked at me in silence.
Clap clap clap
They were sounds of delicate applause coming from a woman sitting elegantly on the resting benches that were located not far from the training ground.
I don't remember feeling the moment it came...
"Oh? Since when did you arrive, Zaphyris-sama?" I said in astonishment.
"Since Wolf asked you 'How did you do it?' and then you two had fun fighting"
In conclusion... he witnessed everything that happened...
"What do you think about what you just saw, Wolf?" Zaphyris said calmly in the same elegant voice and respectful accent as always.
"If what Lucius says is true, I find it impossible to believe; that he simply imitated the Beast Style after seeing me use it once or twice. It seems more logical to me to think that those spiritual roots were already developed from the beginning, but he only needed to remember it on the battlefield to use them again."
Eh, that's the most logical... I think my theories about having imitated his roots can be discarded.
What the hell is my problem with always jumping to the wrong conclusions?
"You're right, Wolf. His circuits are starting to remember their active functions. He just needs to be subjected to activities that will wake them up again."
With that finished, the practical section came to an end and we entered the fencing and technique section.
As I now demonstrated a sudden affinity in the Beast Style with advanced techniques, Wolf changed his basic teaching to a completely different one than what I have been seeing so far.
He seems to be taking it more seriously and is much stricter than he was at the beginning; he has become very meticulous with every movement and also with the movement of each muscle.
Beast Style is more complicated than it seems...
That same day, the afternoon gave way to the second phase of the routine: magic practice.
From the first day of my training I managed to learn and develop faster in magic, compared to my sword training where I barely showed promising results today...
I won't deny that I was feeling anxious all this time... as I was afraid that I was wasting my time and being completely useless. But with my basic demonstration of the four elements that I learned up until yesterday and today's sword demonstration, I can now dispel my worries.
If these kind people are wasting their efforts on me, that would make me depressed...
Just before we started, Zaphyris stopped Wolf and stood in front of me... it seemed like she wanted to take charge...
Shit... this is a bad sign.
If she's the one leading the classes, then I'm probably already pulverized.
Zaphyris said that Wolf was strict and demanding, but those words must be directed at her...
Zaphyris is cruel.
"Attack me like always," she said.
When she trains with me in magic exchange, she forces me to use all the elements and think together to launch attacks and combinations that give me the advantage. She only defends and counterattacks in each round of exchange.
Both Wolf and Zaphyris have taught me a practical tip: don't attack with just one spell and use combos. Combining attacks with the elements I'm most skilled at will help me make up for the skill I lack in combat.
Since I can barely cast basic incantations in the four magic elements, then I should make combination attack patterns. With that, I could get used to using the spirit circuits and develop proficiency in handling the roots.
Thanks to the great effort of physical and spiritual training over a week, I am now able to use the four elements without feeling as much internal pressure as at the beginning of my practice.
At least it's down 4% compared to my first day...
I have a long way to go...