Wildness and Masks-Chapter 88 – Swordsmanship

He hadn't truly slept the entire night—because as the night went on, Maggie had used him as a pillow.

He really didn't dare to move.

"Huh? Huh! Huh!"

Maggie turned her head, surprised that the little girl had actually greeted her.

This would make others envious if they heard about it.

Maggie stretched lazily, then walked over to Ogre and playfully tapped his nose. "Alright, little Geling, big sister is heading down now."

Maggie bent down, gave Ogre a slight smile, and then left the room.

She was in an exceptionally good mood today.

"Really..."

Ogre touched his nose; even his father had never tapped his nose like that...

'Oh well, I won't see her again anyway.' Ogre sat up from the bed, stretched his stiff body, and began his daily disguise routine.

……

"Lange, you want to learn swordsmanship from me?"

Leidy (Foucault's third uncle) looked at the knight accompanying his nephew, staring intently for a few seconds.

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Finally, he saw what he was looking for in Lange—determination.

He wouldn't teach a student who was only interested on a whim.

"Yes, I want to become stronger, I want to protect the young master, please help me," Lange offered his sword to Leidy.

Since meeting that Kakafil yesterday, the young master had locked himself in his room again.

So Lange thought.

Instead of idling, he might as well use this time to become stronger.

"Lange, at your stage, practicing Battle Qi and completing the Circle of Life with the Breathing Technique should be your focus. Why do you want to learn swordsmanship from me—you can't even use any combat techniques right now."

Leidy didn't immediately agree to Lange's request but instead posed a second question.

"I believe that the path to strength isn't limited to just one. The power of Battle Qi isn't the sole key to victory."

Lange used to think like Leidy said.

He valued the power of Battle Qi above all else.

If he hadn't encountered a certain abnormal Martial Artist Apprentice, he might never have changed this mindset.

"Very well," Leidy nodded approvingly, then picked up his own sword. "Bring your sword and come with me."

"Yes."

Lange knew at once that Leidy was ready to teach him swordsmanship, so he sheathed his sword and followed.

"Before we start practicing swordsmanship, I want to know why you chose the sword as your weapon," Leidy asked as he walked ahead with his sword in one hand.

"Uh..." Lange was stumped by the question.

Why did he choose the sword...

Everyone practiced swordsmanship, so he did too...

"Heh..." Leidy shook his head with a helpless smile.

"Lange, do you know what the advantages of a sword are?" Leidy asked another question, looking up.

"Advantages..." Lange scratched his head. If asked about the advantages of a hammer, he might know.

But what are the advantages of a sword?

Elegance? Dignity? Or perhaps its utility...

"Didn't your family teach you the use of a sword before you started practicing?"

"Never mentioned it..." Lange answered truthfully.

"No matter, it's not too late to learn now." Leidy drew his sword and turned to face Lange.

The two had arrived at a secluded mountain area.

"Yes, I will remember," Lange earnestly picked up his sword.

"In truth, the most suitable weapon for a knight should be a war hammer. From a practical standpoint, a sword isn't ideal as a primary weapon," Leidy began his explanation.

"The sword isn't as versatile as a hammer, nor as convenient as a spear or staff, and lacks the relentless force of a blade. So, when you wield a sword, remember—you are a weakling.

The sword is double-edged, so when your strength is insufficient, avoid slashing.

The rebound from a collision can easily injure you.

Blades don't have this concern.

That's the first drawback.

Secondly, the grip area of a sword is limited. Even with an extended hilt, your maneuverability is restricted.

So, remember to use footwork to compensate for the lack of sword technique variation.

That's the second drawback.

Swords aren't long, even longswords can't compare to spears...

And in close combat, swords aren't as handy as daggers, fist blades, or even long knives...

Controlling distance is something you must always consider.

That's the third drawback.

Lange, remember—only by understanding your weaknesses can you truly harness your strength."

Leidy laid out the sword's shortcomings one by one.

"I understand..." Lange looked at the sword in his hand, suddenly realizing something.

He seemed to understand why he couldn't defeat Thrandic and Ogre before.

It was because he exposed all his weaknesses.

"Precisely because of our weaknesses, we have more room for improvement. Our human race has secured a place among the myriad races because we know how to compensate for our weaknesses.

Lange, remember.

Weakness isn't an obstacle to survival; not recognizing weakness is the true obstacle.

Only by acknowledging weakness can one become strong."

After saying this, Leidy officially began teaching swordsmanship.

"Lange, always remember—your weapon is merely an extension; true strength lies in the person wielding it...

And Battle Qi and weapons are essentially no different.

Weapons are extensions of your limbs, and Battle Qi is an extension of the weapon; so before mastering the use of weapons and Battle Qi, you must first master your own body.

To wield a weapon effectively, the core isn't about speed or power, but about feeling your rhythm, your breathing; then gradually unifying them, which is one of the true meanings of practicing the Breathing Technique."

"Yes, Uncle Leidy!"

……

Meanwhile, over at Macal's side, he also began discussing the pros and cons of swords.

"Without strong Battle Qi, swords aren't suitable for slashing or chopping. The more appropriate attack methods are thrusting and slicing."

Macal demonstrated a few moves with his sword.

Though this statement isn't entirely accurate—massive greatswords are quite suitable for slashing.

But considering the group consisted of girls, there was no need to discuss massive greatswords.

The Church of Dawn Paladins have two main weapons—war hammers and greatswords.

In a sense, Paladins practice swordsmanship mainly to prepare for mastering greatsword techniques.

Unlike the ineffective light longsword.

The greatsword is known as a versatile, all-purpose weapon—blocking, slashing, sweeping, chopping, the techniques that don't work with a light sword become effective with a greatsword.

Aside from a high usage threshold, the greatsword has virtually no drawbacks.

'This is just like Teacher Yard said.' Ogre didn't choose to practice swordsmanship initially because swords were too impractical.

After casually demonstrating a set of sword techniques, Macal put away his weapon and beckoned the group over.

"In a moment, you can try attacking me with your swords," Macal distributed wooden sticks to each of them in an orderly manner.

When it came to Ogre, Macal hesitated.

He noticed Ogre's hands were too fair and perfect, not the hands of someone who should wield a weapon.

He worried that the upcoming practice might damage those perfect hands.

Fortunately, while Macal hesitated, Ogre did not.

Seeing that the stick wasn't handed to him, he took it from Macal's hand himself, his decisive speed leaving Macal momentarily stunned.

'This is what I should be doing.'

Gripping the 'weapon', a familiar feeling returned.

Ogre felt a sense of clarity.

He hadn't fought or trained all day yesterday, and his hands were itching for action.