Chapter 66: Weapon Arts

Adam did not reply, or rather, he couldn’t. His body was trying to adjust to sixteen times gravity without completely collapsing. But the task was nearly impossible. He could barely hold his current posture, much less stand tall.

Asher, on the other hand, continued to observe his disciple. It was as though he had found a rare specimen to study. A person awakening with three times the physical strength borne from a strength-type physique and dual elemental affinities was unheard of.

’Is that really the case, though?’ The vice-principal thought with a soft smile. ’His dual affinity might even be the product of something far more shocking.’

Asher could not wait to decipher what it was. Naturally, he was not going to ask the boy. He would either find out himself, or let his disciple come to him when he was ready.

"Lucy, deactivate the gravity," he instructed.

[Deactivating]

The red lights beaming down on Adam like the touch of the Grim Reaper suddenly vanished, being replaced with warm white light. Adam let out a long breath as gravity returned to normal.

"Ha... That was crazy."

Adam slowly rose to his feet, his breathing slowing down steadily. He could feel his physique already working to restore his stamina and reduce the fatigue he felt throughout his body.

Though his sweat would take time to evaporate.

He could have utilised one of his newly created skills, Vital Pulse, to speed up the recovery of his stamina and reduce fatigue, but he chose to leave the job to his physique.

There was no rush.

"I have to say, Adam. Your martial arts foundation is solid. All you need now is to build something that defines who you are." The vice-principal evaluated, one hand in his pocket. "As for your body..."

He gave Adam a once-over and added, "...Well, your body is one of a kind. The gravity chamber is the perfect place to temper it further. You should make use of it as many times as needed."

"You-You mean..." Adam stuttered, his expression brightening.

"Yes, Adam." Asher smiled softly. "We can’t have that body of yours getting rusty. And I personally want to see just how strong you’d get in a few years. Huhuhu, this will be fun."

The vice-principal’s gaze grew distant as he imagined something only he could see. He was beginning to understand why those old geezers took on disciples. That feeling of seeing your student improve before your very eyes was something else.

Adam felt a shiver run down his spine seeing the look in his master’s eyes. ’What the fuck is he thinking about?’

Getting unlimited access to his master’s personal training chamber was already good. It was the best resource he could ask for. With its many sections and chambers, his strength would see an explosive increase in a short time.

"Eh, master?" Adam called out gingerly.

"Ah, right. Don’t mind me," he finally snapped out of whatever daze he was in.

He looked at Adam with pride and asked, "What about your weapon arts? Is there any particular weapon you like?"

"Hmm..." Adam fell into thought and considered his answer. He then looked at his master and replied. "I haven’t really singled out a weapon. Though I have trained with swords, daggers and spears before."

"That won’t do, Adam." Asher shook his head, turning to the exit of the gravity chamber. "Everyone should at least have one weapon and weapon arts they can call their own. Of course, there is the option of relying on your awakened abilities, but a blade makes things a lot easier."

"What weapon do you use, master?" Adam asked curiously, holding back what he initially wanted to say.

The two soon exited the gravity chamber and headed for the spacious chamber with weapon racks lined along the walls. The excitement he had felt earlier when he looked at the weapons returned.

This was his chance to improve the sub-indexes under his Combat Index, especially marksmanship and weapon mastery.

"I’m glad you asked." He looked over his shoulder and answered.

Stepping into the weapon training chamber, the vice-principal once again stood at one end and turned to face Adam. He extended his right hand forward, instantly bringing out his weapon.

"You-You use a katana?" Adam was genuinely surprised, his expression brightening. "My dad also uses a katana!"

"I know," Asher replied calmly. "It’s also why I know you use the katana more often than other weapons."

Adam shook his head ruefully, a small smile tugging at his lips. His master seemed to love his colours greatly. Even his weapon was customised with the purple colour.

"A katana is far more than just a Japanese sword," Asher explained, slowly unsheathing the weapon. "It is a masterpiece of engineering, a spiritual symbol, and a weapon that defines its user."

The vice-principal demonstrated a few moves as he spoke about the nature of the katana, the blade cutting through the air with a distinct, sharp sound. The way he moved and synchronised with the blade spoke of years of practice and familiarity.

Adam found himself mesmerised by the display, his unique skill working to decipher the way his master moved with the blade.

The vice-principal swiftly brought his demonstration to an end as he sheathed the katana. A faint smile graced his features as he saw the look on Adam’s face.

"Th-That was amazing."

Adam swallowed as his attention returned to his master. He had never seen his father move the way the vice-principal moved. It was like the man and the weapon were not two separate entities, but one and the same.

"It will take years of constant practice and dedication to get to my level," Asher added proudly. But then, as if remembering the nature of the boy standing before him, he looked at Adam and added, "Hmm... given your monstrous comprehension talents and adaptability, mastering the katana might not take long at all. Though developing an intent will be a different matter."

"About that..." Adam chipped in at that moment, averting his gaze. "I... I was thinking of mastering as many weapon arts as possible."

"You... What...?"

For the first time, Adam saw his master stutter.