Chapter 294: Blending Movements(GT Bonus - .)

Chapter 294: Blending Movements(GT BonusChapter.)

Kael gave him a look before letting out a small sigh.

Trying to change the subject, huh?

He decided not to pursue it for now.

"Yeah. Come with me. I’ll show you."

The two headed downstairs, making their way toward the basement’s reinforced training chamber.

Once they arrived, Kael stepped into the center of the room and opened his Inventory.

The next moment, countless items spilled out onto the floor.

Mana Orbs appeared first, their numbers so great that they quickly formed several piles. Following them came an assortment of other materials, each carrying its own unique aura. There were precious herbs, bottles containing unusual liquids, rare minerals, and various treasures that could be used to strengthen the body or improve one’s chances of awakening their power.

Varek stepped forward and began examining the collection.

His gaze moved from one item to another, occasionally pausing when he recognized something particularly valuable.

"Dragon Blood Essence... Veilroot..."

He picked up a few items for closer inspection, examining their properties before moving on to the next pile.

After inspecting the collection for a while, Varek finally turned toward Kael.

"Master certainly managed to acquire some excellent materials. With these, I’m confident we have everything necessary to help Miss Lyra awaken her power."

Kael nodded in satisfaction.

"That’s good."

With Varek confirming the materials were sufficient, one more worry was off his mind. He’d already sunk a fortune into gathering it all, finding out something crucial was missing now would have stung.

With that settled, Kael recalled all the items into his Inventory.

The piles of treasures disappeared from the floor, leaving the reinforced chamber empty once more.

Kael turned toward Varek.

"Alright, Varek. Spar with me."

Varek looked at him briefly before nodding.

"Of course, Master."

The two moved apart, putting some distance between themselves before turning to face each other. Varek settled into a relaxed stance, his expression calm as he waited for Kael to make the first move.

He didn’t summon his shadow army.

There was no need for it. From Kael’s request alone, Varek could tell his master wanted direct combat with him, not his army.

Kael, meanwhile, had a specific goal in mind. Ever since learning the two techniques from the Sword Saint, he’d been looking for a chance to practice them. Understanding a technique and actually applying it in combat were two very different things.

He needed experience.

And there was no better opponent for that than Varek.

Without wasting any more time, Kael moved.

His figure shot forward, closing the distance between them in an instant. As he entered striking range, he began applying the One-Breadth Evasion Technique, shifting his body just as Varek launched his first attack.

Varek’s hand swept toward him.

Kael twisted aside, narrowly avoiding the strike. Before Varek could follow up, he shifted his weight and slipped past the next attack, using the smallest possible movement to stay clear of its path.

His body seemed to glide through the gaps between Varek’s strikes. He was still far from mastering the One-Breadth Evasion Technique, but the progress he’d made was already noticeable, evading several attacks that would otherwise have struck him clean, his body shifting just enough to let each blow pass him by.

However, avoiding an attack was only one part of the equation.

He needed to counterattack as well.

Kael attempted to apply the second technique he had learned from the Sword Saint, one that relied on confusing an opponent’s perception of his movements. By manipulating the way he moved, he intended to make it difficult for his opponent to accurately predict his next action.

He shifted his body and launched a strike.

Varek blocked it.

Kael immediately changed his angle and followed with another attack, attempting to conceal his intentions through the technique’s principles.

Varek followed his movements without difficulty.

Another strike came, and Varek intercepted it before it could land.

Kael continued pressing forward, trying different angles and adjusting his movements, but the result remained the same. No matter how he attempted to disguise his attacks, Varek seemed capable of reading his intentions and responding accordingly.

Their exchange grew increasingly intense.

Kael dodged, countered, and pressed forward, while Varek met each attack with precise movements of his own. Neither of them held back much, and the reinforced chamber soon began trembling under the force of their clashes.

BOOM!

A powerful impact shook the room.

Before the sound could fade, another explosion followed.

BOOM! BOOM!

Their figures flashed across the chamber as they exchanged blows, the force of their movements producing shock waves that spread through the reinforced walls. Kael continued utilizing the One-Breadth Evasion Technique, gradually becoming more comfortable with the precise adjustments it demanded.

He still made mistakes, and there were moments when his movements were too slow or too wide, allowing Varek’s attacks to graze him. Nevertheless, he managed to avoid a considerable number of strikes that would have landed otherwise.

The second technique, however, was a different story.

Despite his repeated attempts, Kael struggled to make it work in actual combat. His attacks were still being read, and Varek continued blocking them as though he could see through every trick Kael attempted.

Eventually, the two separated.

Kael took a few steps back, steadying his breathing as he looked at Varek.

"Well, I guess I need to work on these techniques some more."

Varek nodded.

"Yes, Master. The two techniques you’ve been using suit your combat style well. If you refine them further, I believe you’ll become an even more dangerous opponent."

Kael nodded in agreement. He already knew that much, it was precisely why he wanted to master them in the first place.

But Varek wasn’t finished with his assessment.

"That said, while your Evasion Technique is gradually improving, your execution of the other one is still quite poor."

Kael looked at him.

"From what I observed," Varek continued, "it seems to rely on creating an illusion of movement to confuse your opponent’s perception. Is that correct?"

Kael nodded.

Despite his poor execution, Varek had managed to identify the principle behind the technique. That was hardly surprising, considering how knowledgeable his subordinate was.

"Yes. That’s the general idea."

Varek nodded thoughtfully.

"Then I can see where you’re going wrong, Master. Your execution is too rigid. You seem to rely on specific body movements for specific attacks, and that makes your intentions easier to read."

Kael frowned slightly.

Varek stepped closer and gestured toward his body.

"For example, when you prepare to strike with your fist, you rotate your waist in a particular way. When you intend to attack with your leg, your posture shifts differently. These movements may seem insignificant to you, but a perceptive opponent can notice them and use them to predict your next move."

Kael considered his words. Thinking back on their exchange, he could recall several instances where Varek had intercepted his attacks before they even landed, and now the explanation made the problem clear.

He was giving too much away through his own body movements.

"Then how do I fix it?"

Varek gave him a calm look.

"You need to learn how to blend your body’s movements together. Your waist, shoulders, arms, legs, and even the smaller movements of your joints must work together naturally. Rather than preparing your body in an obvious way before each attack, you need to make your movements flow into one another without revealing your intentions."

He stepped back, creating some distance between them.

"Let me show you."

Varek adjusted his stance.

At first, his movements appeared ordinary. He shifted his weight slightly, turned his body, and took a small step forward. Then, without any obvious transition, his entire posture changed.

His shoulder moved one way while his waist subtly shifted in another direction. His arm followed a movement that seemed to suggest an attack, only for his lower body to adjust in a way that completely changed the angle of his approach.

The movements flowed into one another so naturally that it became difficult to tell where one action ended and the next began.

Kael’s eyes widened slightly.

For a brief moment, he felt as though he were watching the Sword Saint himself. The resemblance was unmistakable, and Varek had managed to reproduce it after seeing only Kael’s rather poor execution.

To think he could figure out so much just from watching me use it.

Kael couldn’t help feeling impressed.

Now, with Varek pointing out the flaws in his execution and demonstrating the correct approach, he finally had a clearer direction.

He wouldn’t need to rely entirely on the Sword Saint’s guidance anymore.

As long as he practiced diligently and incorporated Varek’s advice, he could gradually refine the technique until it became a natural part of his fighting style.

Kael looked at Varek, his expression turning serious.

"Show me again. I want to take a closer look at those movements."

Varek inclined his head.

"As you wish, Master."

He repeated the demonstration, this time moving a little more slowly so Kael could observe the subtle shifts in his posture and the way each part of his body worked together.

Kael watched intently, committing every detail to memory.

He had a lot of practicing to do.