"Now, for Attainment."
Yevan's voice cut through the quiet ground like a judge delivering a final verdict.
The two stood in the quiet training ground, surrounded by the cool afternoon breeze. Yevan had his hands clasped neatly behind him, his expression as unreadable as a stone carving.
James, on the other hand, shifted his weight slightly from foot to foot, his body buzzing with both curiosity and excitement.
"Attainment," Yevan began, his tone precise, "is not just about strength or technique. It's a measure of one's total combat ability.
"It combines everything—your techniques, your aura, any special skills or auras you may have, and, most importantly, how well you've advanced in your combat arts."
James furrowed his brow slightly. He'd heard the term "Attainment" tossed around between Yevan and his big sister before, but it had always sounded like some vague, mystical concept.
Hearing Yevan break it down so clearly made it feel... essential?
"It's like putting all the pieces of your fighting ability together into one sharp blade," Yevan continued, his voice steady and patient.
"Every fighter has a level of Attainment, whether they know it or not. But those with higher Attainment have mastered how to bring all their strengths together in battle.
"It's not just about fighting hard—it's about fighting smart and fighting fully. It's about advancing your arts and turning them into something of your own. Something unique. Something completely for you."
James tilted his head slightly, trying to keep up. 'Okay, so it's like putting together all your skills into one big package? Sounds simple enough... or maybe not.'
But Yevan wasn't done. "There are many stages of Attainment, but I won't bother you with the finer details of every stage," he continued, his tone hinting that, in his eyes, James was probably too unpolished to grasp the whole picture anyway.
"What you need to know are the first two stages: Quasi-Ordinary and Ordinary levels."
James tilted his head. "Quasi-Ordinary? What, is that like being almost normal but not quite there?"
Yevan didn't even blink at the sarcasm. "Quasi-Ordinary means you've reached a standard level of combat proficiency.
"At this stage, you've learned how to use your soul weapon properly in battle. You can attack, defend, and adapt without hesitation.
"In short, it's mastering the basics of fighting with your soul weapon. You're competent."
James smirked. "Competent sounds a lot like average."
Yevan's gaze sharpened slightly, but his tone remained calm. "Competent is better than useless. But yes, Quasi-Ordinary is just the beginning. Ordinary Level is the real goal."
"And what's that?" James asked, leaning forward slightly, his curiosity piqued.
"Ordinary Level," Yevan said, his voice gaining a slight edge, "is where you begin to refine your combat style.
"At this stage, you've perfected one specific area of your fighting—whether it's attack, defense, movement, or something else—and you've adjusted the rest of your techniques to support that specialty.
"Your fighting style becomes unique, efficient, and focused. It's the first real step toward becoming a true warrior."
James whistled softly, nodding again. "So, Quasi-Ordinary is about learning the basics, and Ordinary is about mastering what you're best at?"
"Exactly," Yevan replied. "And now, I want to see where you stand."
James raised an eyebrow. "You mean, like, right now?"
Yevan's faint smirk returned. "Yes. We'll spar. If you can land a single hit on me, I'll consider you at the Ordinary Level."
James blinked. "Wait, you? I have to hit you? That hardly seems fair."
Yevan didn't respond. Instead, he stepped back, positioning himself in the center of the training ground. His hands remained clasped behind his back, and his posture was as calm as ever.
"Prepare yourself," Yevan said simply.
James swallowed hard, his heart pounding in his chest. Yevan looked so relaxed, so completely unbothered, that it made James's fingers twitch with irritation.
He wasn't about to back down.
'Alright, let's do this,' James thought, dropping into a crouch. 'It's just one hit. One hit. How hard can that be?'
Without summoning his soul weapon—it wasn't needed for this test—James sprang forward like a coiled spring, aiming a punch straight at Yevan's chest. But just as his fist closed the distance, Yevan shifted.
It wasn't a dodge—it was barely even a movement. He simply stepped to the side, his hands still behind his back, and James's punch hit nothing but air.
"Hmm," Yevan murmured thoughtfully. "Decent speed. But predictable."
James grit his teeth and swung with his other hand, this time aiming for Yevan's face. But again, Yevan moved.
He stepped back smoothly, and James's fist stopped inches from his nose.
'He's not even trying!' James thought, frustration bubbling up.
Smirking, James unclenched his fist, extending his fingers in a quick jab toward Yevan's face.
But Yevan leaned slightly to the side, dodging again.
"You're overthinking," Yevan remarked, his voice maddeningly calm.
James growled under his breath. 'Alright, fine. Let's see how you handle this.'
He leapt forward powerfully, spinning as he kicked toward Yevan's waist. This time, Yevan raised an arm to block.
But James wasn't finished. Shifting mid-attack, he let his leg glide over Yevan's block, aiming for his face instead.
For the first time, Yevan moved faster, his other hand rising to catch the kick before it landed.
Before James could react, Yevan struck. His jab came fast—too fast. James barely slipped the blow, his heart racing as he felt the air shift near his face.
But the dodge left him open, and Yevan took full advantage, landing a solid punch to James's stomach.
Boom!
James doubled over, coughing. But he wasn't done yet. He used the motion to suddenly lunge forward, tackling Yevan.
Yevan stepped back smoothly, his knee shooting up. The kick landed squarely on James's face, sending him flying backward.
James scrambled to his feet, his vision swimming. He looked around wildly but couldn't find Yevan.
Where did he—
Behind!
His instincts screamed. He ducked just in time, a kick brushing past where his head had been a second earlier.
Reacting on instinct, James spun and threw a backhand punch toward Yevan. But it missed—again.
Yevan was already gone.
James turned fully, only to find Yevan now behind him, his calm gaze never leaving James.
'He's reading me like a book,' James thought, frustration bubbling up.
He dove forward, creating space, then turned sharply. This time, Yevan was already there, his fist heading straight for James's face.
James managed to deflect it with his palm and countered with a kick—but Yevan slipped away again.
Before James could adjust, he felt something catch his leg. He stumbled, realizing too late that Yevan had tripped him.
Mid-fall, Yevan's fist shot out like a viper, landing a smooth jab to James's throat.
Thud!
James hit the ground, gasping, before everything went dark.
.....
Night had fallen when James awoke, lying on his bed and staring at the ceiling. Every muscle in his body ached, and his pride wasn't doing much better.
He replayed the fight over and over in his head, wincing at how easily Yevan had toyed with him.
"You're close to Ordinary Level," Yevan's voice echoed in his mind, calm but firm. "But you lack refinement. Until you learn to control your instincts and sharpen your mind, you'll remain incomplete."
James sighed, rubbing his temples. "Almost Ordinary," he muttered. "That's just his polite way of calling me pathetic."
A sudden knock on the door made him sit up. He smirked, slightly surprised. "Martha? She's early today."
Dragging his sore body to the door, he reached for the handle. As the door creaked open, a flash of light streaked toward his neck.
Whoosh!
James's eyes widened in panic as the blade gleamed in the moonlight.
_____
Power stone Goal!
20 PS - 1 Bonus chapter
50 PS - 2 Bonus chapter
100 PS (Quite an achievement as of now) - 3 Bonus chapters.
Castle - 10 Bonus Chapters!