Chapter :26 Lumer(1)
With the newly granted month-long period, the awakeners began more systematic training.
During the morning and afternoon, they focused on training to improve their basic skills.
Rather than haphazardly working on physical conditioning, they trained under Eclipse in both physical conditioning and the fundamentals of weapon techniques.
Awakeners using cold weapons had no choice but to overhaul their ingrained habits.
“Is this really the right way?”
Some awakeners couldn’t help but ask.
But in the end, they had no choice but to follow Eclipse’s instructions, and the reason was simple.
Shin Sungmin followed Eclipse’s guidance to the letter.
Shin Sungmin actively began asking Eclipse about any uncertainties.
What was the proper stance for holding a sword? How could he wield swordsmanship more powerfully?
Eclipse began answering all these questions in detail. However, he refrained from giving advice tailored to each awakener’s specific swordsmanship style.
“If your fundamentals are solid, you can perform any swordsmanship. Ultimately, swordsmanship is about applying cuts and thrusts. Various flourishes may be added in the process, but the core always stems from the fundamentals.”
“Fancy swordsmanship isn’t bad. Heavy swordsmanship isn’t bad either. But swordsmanship without solid fundamentals will always hit its limits, no matter the form.”
“Each swordsmanship style has its own strengths. Finding those strengths depends on your own skill. The swordsmanship that suits me might not suit you. So, I can’t teach you every specific style. The same goes for other weapon techniques. All I can teach you are the thorough fundamentals. In fact, most attacks are like that.”
“And your physical capabilities are just as important. The body is never something to overlook in combat. Of course, you all can use mana to perform all sorts of unconventional swordsmanship. But that’s exactly why the body is even more crucial.”
“Why is the body so important?”
To Shin Sungmin’s question, Eclipse responded as follows:
“The body is bound to develop in some way. If you enhance those developed parts with mana, that will become the combat style suited to you.”
Eclipse’s impression of the swordsmen or warriors of this world was this:
They relied too heavily on mana.
It wasn’t that Earth’s people didn’t train their bodies, but they tended to focus more on increasing their mana capacity than on physical conditioning.
He understood it was for effective combat in the short term.
Eclipse clearly grasped this fact.
How many people must have died for this world’s combat techniques to develop?
When gates first opened.
Faced with immediate threats, people likely focused on the newly awakened power of mana.
A captivating power that allowed them to transcend human limits.
Naturally, they would have neglected their inherent human strength.
Besides, physical conditioning required an immense amount of time.
Of course, increasing mana capacity also took a lot of time.
But unlike physical conditioning, where results were hard to see immediately, the effects of increasing mana were noticeably tangible, so people began prioritizing mana over physical training.
Their choice was half-right.
After all, you had to survive to plan for the future.
But their excessive focus on mana caused them to forsake the potential of their bodies.
Eclipse found this regrettable and preached the importance of physical conditioning to the awakeners.
Shin Sungmin, who had asked the initial question, nodded and then asked if Eclipse could give an example of enhancing physical development with mana.
“Could you give an example?”
“For example, Lee Mina fits the bill. Since she’s trained in speed-focused swordsmanship, her muscles are developed for agility and speed.”
Suddenly called out, Lee Mina tilted her head and asked,
“You mean me?”
Eclipse nodded and continued.
“Yes. If you get used to a combat style where you enhance your developed muscles with mana, you’ll become even faster. Though, you’ll need to practice controlling that increased speed as well.”
“Ah… Thank you for the advice.”
Lee Mina nodded.
She had focused solely on increasing her speed with Sinea’s help.
Of course, she had trained her swordsmanship on the side, but her combat style was mostly about accelerating with Sinea’s aid to strike at the enemy’s openings.
And that limitation was starkly exposed in her fight against Yoo Soha.
No matter how much she increased her mana or relied on Sinea, she couldn’t get any faster.
Mana didn’t increase exponentially past a certain point.
So, Eclipse’s advice was highly effective for her, pointing out something she hadn’t considered before.
It wasn’t that she hadn’t thought about physical potential.
But the results of physical training were so subtle that she didn’t feel motivated to pursue it. She thought it was more efficient to seek out elixirs in that time.
Listening quietly, Shin Sungmin asked Eclipse,
“Then what about me?”
“You’re similar to me, Shin Sungmin. Your physical condition is balanced and stable. You just need to master the fundamentals thoroughly. Your adaptability and ability to read an opponent’s sword are also impressive.”
He gave Shin Sungmin the highest praise he could.
Eclipse even thought that if Shin Sungmin had been in his world, he could have been trained into a fine knight.
The other awakeners nodded at the evaluation of Shin Sungmin. Some even muttered, “As expected of an S-rank.”
After the brief Q&A session, Eclipse continued observing the awakeners’ fundamentals.
If someone’s posture was off, he corrected it. If someone did well, he didn’t hold back on praise.
When some awakeners struggled, he demonstrated the fundamentals himself.
When he thrust with a spear, stabbed with a rapier, delivered a punch, swung a greatsword, or brandished a saber.
All the awakeners present could only gape in disbelief.
It was too perfect. How could those be the same movements they were performing?
Clearly the same thrusts and cuts, yet how could they be so different?
They were hit with a profound shock.
Realizing Eclipse hadn’t been harping on fundamentals for nothing, the awakeners began focusing on them as if possessed.
The atmosphere was quite different from when Yoo Soha had trained her swordsmanship.
Watching Eclipse praise and correct the others’ postures, Yoo Soha felt a pang of dissatisfaction.
Come to think of it, Eclipse hadn’t often given her direct praise.
Even when she mastered the fundamentals or trained her body relentlessly.
Yet here were the others, getting praised for the smallest things.
Feeling a bit miffed, Yoo Soha eventually picked up her sword and asked Eclipse to check her posture.
“Eclipse.”
“What is it?”
“Could you check my posture too?”
“Your swordsmanship is already on the right track. Now it’s important to refine your own style based on the fundamentals. It might be good to revisit the swordsmanship you originally practiced.”
“Uh, really?”
“Yes. Over the past month, you’ve grown tremendously, and your fundamentals are on a different level from the other awakeners here. So, it’s better for you to focus on new efforts—like increasing your mana capacity to better draw out your physical strength.”
“…Okay.”
Yoo Soha felt her momentary dissatisfaction fade.
After the day’s training ended, it was time for everyone to disperse.
Yoo Soha got into her car in the parking lot and headed somewhere.
Eclipse, despite his large frame and armor, dematerialized and asked Yoo Soha,
[Soha, where are we going now?]
“Grandpa’s house.”
[Grandpa’s house?]
[What kind of new efforts…?]
“I’m planning to increase my mana capacity this month. So, I’ll be staying at Grandpa’s for a while.”
[What does increasing mana have to do with your grandfather’s house?]
“There are a lot of elixirs at Grandpa’s.”
[Ah.]
“And aside from that, I told you I have iron-attribute mana, right?”
[Yes.]
“Grandma’s like the embodiment of iron-attribute mana, so I’m also going to learn more about mana control from her.”
[I see. Understood.]
“And after the Hwanryeong Grand Tournament, Grandpa contacted me. He said he wants to meet you in person, Eclipse.”
[Is that so?]
“Yeah. So, we’re killing two birds with one stone. I’m going to train, and you’re going to meet Grandpa.”
[Got it. Any precautions I should take?]
“He’ll probably be happy just seeing you as you are. Grandpa’s not particular about etiquette or anything. He’s pretty open-minded. I mean, he married Grandma, a guardian, after all.”
[Noted. Still, just to be safe, I’ll be cautious. I don’t want to make a bad impression on your family.]
“I’d appreciate that.”
With that, the two headed toward the mountain valley where Yoo Hyuk and Lumern lived.