Day five. Marie collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath, her arms and legs numb, feeling momentarily paralyzed. Her heart pounded wildly, echoing inside her. Sweat poured out, forming a puddle around her.
Today, Marie had managed to swing her sword a thousand times. It was no easy feat; she had repeatedly used enhancements on herself. That was only because Morgan had allowed her to use enhancements. The lake of mana inside her was probably dried up, and so was her throat.
Fortunately, Morgan arrived like a saving angel... or a saving demon. What mattered was that he brought cold, refreshing iced tea. Without a second thought, Marie greedily drank the entire glass.
A cool and refreshing sensation flowed from her mouth to her throat, and from her throat spread throughout her body. The iced tea was like rain falling on the parched land inside her. An *"Ahh..."* sound escaped her lips.
"I think it's time for a break," Morgan said.
Finally, Marie used that break time just to lie on her back. Her heart rate slowly returned to normal, and Marie opened her eyes. Beside her, Morgan was reading the same book as the day before. His eyes carefully traced line by line. Yet, his expression showed he hadn't found what he was looking for.
With her breath still slightly ragged, Marie asked, "What are you reading?"
Morgan glanced at her. "Hm? Nothing. This book is trash." With that, he tossed it aside carelessly, like throwing away garbage.
"Actually, I was thinking about starting to teach you sword techniques."
"Really?" Marie felt like jumping for joy hearing that, but she knew she couldn't. "So, what sword technique will I learn?"
"Hmm." Morgan rubbed his chin. "Since you're not a fighter from the start, I thought I'd teach you a technique with a lethal strike. A technique capable of finishing off an enemy in one attack. Because a prolonged fight won't end well for you."
Once again, Morgan sliced his hand with the sharp, curved nail on his finger. Marie closed her eyes. This time, Morgan pulled out a sword she had never seen before. It looked so different from the wide-bladed swords she usually saw.
The sword was so slender that Marie wondered if it could even be used in battle.
"What kind of sword is that? I've never seen it before," Marie said curiously.
Morgan drew the strange sword from its scabbard, revealing its sharp blade, with faint patterns like waves or a blanket of clouds, as if there were artwork on the blade. The hilt was wrapped in cord woven in a specific pattern.
"This sword is called a katana, a sword from the Land of the Rising Sun. Its lightweight design is suitable for quick attacks. Combined with its curved blade, which increases cutting power, it makes for a deadly weapon. In the right hands, this sword can cut through anything."
Marie imagined a katana wielder moving nimbly, swinging the sword from the shoulder with full power, but drawing it back as quick as lightning, with a precise and deadly cut.
"You know, someone who wields a katana is called a samurai, almost like a knight. And today, I will teach you how to become a samurai."
"But before that, let me show you how to use a katana."
Morgan placed the katana at his hip, his body bent, his hands a few centimeters from the hilt of the still-sheathed sword.
Suddenly, a swift slash whistled through the air. Then, another slash followed. Morgan attacked with lightning-fast movements, making the wind whistle repeatedly. The movements were sharp and precise; he attacked quickly and sheathed his sword just as fast.
On the final attack, Morgan launched a strike from right to left, instantly carving a new scar on the stone wall. Marie stared wide-eyed, comparing it to the large scar behind the door.
Rose's slashes were so destructive and messy, more like crushing the enemy than slashing. But Morgan's slashes were clean, almost perfect and precise. No explosion, just a straight line.
Marie's eyes widened at the sight. Morgan calmly sheathed his sword as if he had done nothing.
"Now, shall we begin? Ah, but don't use enhancements." Morgan handed his katana to Marie and took the rapier instead.
Marie nodded slowly. Gradually, she placed her left foot forward and the other back, her katana raised in front, ready to be swung. Morgan did the same... and then he vanished.
In the blink of an eye, Morgan was in front of her, with his sword raised above his head. Marie didn't dare look away; she desperately moved her katana to block the attack.
The clang of metal meeting metal echoed, the vibration traveling up Marie's arm bones, nearly making her drop the sword. Her teeth clenched tight, her eyes held firm against Morgan's sharp gaze, which felt like daggers piercing her soul.
Now she felt the benefit of her four days of training. Hours of practice and hundreds of thousands of sword swings were not in vain. She could now withstand an attack of that magnitude, albeit with some difficulty.
Guided by her katana, Morgan's katana slid to the side and instead slashed the ground. Before she could even catch her breath, Morgan pulled his sword back and attacked again.
Marie quickly positioned her katana in the path of the sword, ready to receive the coming impact. But her legs were not.
Marie's body was thrown back, floating momentarily in the air before falling and hitting the ground.
Luckily, Marie managed to land on both feet, her shins trembling. Swiftly, Marie corrected her stance and prepared for the next attack. The determination in her eyes still burned.
Morgan stepped forward slowly. Each step sounded like a countdown to the coming attack. Each footstep echoed on the stone floor.
Without further delay, Marie charged forward with her sword drawn back. Her feet stomped the earth, her eyes as sharp as her blade. An enthusiastic shout escaped her lips.
"That's it." Morgan smiled slightly.