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It was late at night.
Most of Winterfell was silent.
Only the footsteps of the patrolling Guards echoed in the empty courtyard.
And the occasional whinny of horses from the stables.
Lynn's room was located on one side of the main castle, near the kitchen.
The fire in the fireplace had shrunk to a small cluster of dark red embers, barely dispelling the chill in the room.
Lynn sat cross-legged on the bed.
The longsword Ned Stark had bestowed upon him lay across his lap.
He was not sleeping.
He was waiting.
"Thump, thump thump."
A faint, almost inaudible knocking sound came from the door.
Lynn opened his eyes, a slight smile playing on his lips.
He got out of bed and unlatched the door.
A small figure slipped through the crack in the door, moving as nimbly as a cat.
Arya Stark, carrying a practice wooden sword taller than herself, darted into the room.
She closed the door behind her, let out a long breath, her face alight with the excitement of a successful prank.
Arya lowered her voice, saying triumphantly,
"The Guards thought I was asleep."
She placed the practice wooden sword on the ground and brushed the dust from her hands.
In her eyes, a desire burned hotter than the embers in the fireplace.
"Do you remember our agreement?"
"Teach me."
Lynn wasted no words.
He picked up his longsword and executed a sword flourish in the dim room.
Steel cut through the air, emitting a faint "whirring" sound.
"The Night's Watch's swordplay has no name."
Lynn looked at Arya.
"Its purpose is only one."
"That is, to kill the enemy in the shortest possible time and keep yourself alive."
"It's not pretty."
"It's even ugly."
Arya nodded vigorously: "I know!"
Lynn walked to the center of the room, clearing a small space.
"Watch closely."
He assumed a standard sword-fighting stance.
His center of gravity sank, the sword tip pointing diagonally towards the ground.
It was a posture that emphasized stability and explosive power.
"When the enemy slashes..."
Lynn simulated a parrying motion.
He didn't use brute force to meet the attack, but instead used the angle of the sword to deflect the "imaginary enemy's" strike.
Then, with a flick of his wrist, the sword tip thrust out in a flowing motion.
The movement was concise, fierce, and aimed directly at a vital point.
"Defense is always for the next attack."
Lynn sheathed his sword.
"Many wildlings beyond the Wall are taller and stronger than us."
"If you try to match strength with them, you will be the one to die."
Arya watched, mesmerized.
She raised her wooden sword, attempting to imitate Lynn's movements.
Lynn interrupted Arya's movement and handed his sword to Arya.
"Wooden swords are children's toys."
"Use this!"
A flicker of excitement passed through Arya's eyes.
This was her first time touching a real sword!
This was the real thing Catelyn had always forbidden her to touch!
Arya took the heavy Single Handed Sword.
"Yah!"
She let out a delicate cry and thrust the Single Handed Sword forward.
But her movements seemed a bit comical.
The heavy sword hampered her speed.
Lynn, meanwhile, picked up Arya's wooden sword and practiced with her.
When parrying, Arya's slender arms trembled from the impact.
When thrusting, she lacked sufficient penetrating power.
"That's not right."
Arya stopped, her brows furrowed in frustration.
"I can't deflect the sword like you do."
Lynn looked at her tense little face and trembling arms.
He realized that while the Night's Watch's swordplay emphasized technique, its foundation was still built upon the strength of an adult male.
For Arya, it was still too "heavy."
He had to make adjustments.
Lynn pondered for a moment, then raised his sword again.
This time, his movements changed.
He no longer emphasized the solidity of parrying, but focused on evasion and agile counterattacks.
The sword's edge no longer delivered direct, strength-consuming slashes, but instead traced light arcs, targeting gaps in the enemy's defense.
Lynn's movements were smaller, faster, like a venomous snake striking.
As Lynn immersed himself in this lighter swordplay, tailored for Arya, the familiar blue panel quietly appeared.
Host has drawn inferences from other cases, Strength attribute met, Agility attribute met, successfully comprehended new skill...
Congratulations to Host, you have acquired new skill: Light Sword (Beginner) 1/10
Lynn's heart stirred.
This "Light Sword," born from the Night's Watch swordplay yet distinctly different, was precisely what he currently lacked.
When facing strength-based opponents, his proud Single Handed Sword seemed somewhat inadequate.
He couldn't fight such people by matching strength.
He could only wear down their stamina through evasion.
He only needed to deliver a fatal blow when the opponent was exhausted.
"Try this again."
Lynn broke down the prototype of this "Light Sword" into its most basic footwork and thrusts, teaching them to Arya.
Arya's eyes lit up.
She raised her wooden sword again.
This time, she no longer tried to "parry."
When Lynn lightly tapped Arya's iron sword with his wooden sword, she instinctively retreated half a step, while simultaneously, her iron sword swept towards Lynn's "wrist" from a tricky angle.
"So fast!"
Arya cried out excitedly.
She felt like a fish in water, freed from constraints.
However, this excitement lasted only a moment.
When she tried to attack continuously, problems arose again.
Although Light Sword didn't require as much strength, it demanded extremely high body coordination and precision.
Several of Arya's thrusts missed their mark.
She stopped, panting, her small face flushed red.
"Still no good."
Arya's shoulders slumped in frustration.
"My sword is too heavy."
She looked at the steel longsword in her hand, then at the wooden block in Lynn's hand.
She suddenly realized a cruel truth.
"I... I'm a girl."
Arya's voice dropped, tinged with a hint of unwillingness.
"No matter how much I practice, my strength will never match Robb's, or Theon's."
She looked up, her gray eyes full of confusion.
"This kind of swordplay, in the end, still relies on strength to overpower the opponent, right?"
Lynn was silent.
Arya's intuition was accurate.
Even "Light Sword," within the battlefield logic of Westeros, its ultimate lethality still depended on the strength to penetrate armor or shatter bones.
Lynn knew that Arya needed a completely different fighting style.
A swordplay that didn't rely on strength, but only on speed and precision.
"You're right, Arya."
Lynn stroked her head.
"You don't need to be the strongest."
"But you can be the fastest."
Just then, a flurry of footsteps came from outside the door.
"Over there! I think I heard something!"
It was the patrolling Guards!
Arya's face went pale, and she grabbed Lynn's sleeve.
Lynn quickly blew out the kerosene lamp, and the room instantly plunged into darkness.
He pulled Arya, hiding in the shadows behind the door.
The footsteps grew closer and closer, finally stopping at the door.
Lynn could clearly hear the Guards' breathing outside the door.
Arya held her breath nervously, her small hands icy cold, clinging tightly to Lynn.
She was two years younger than her sister Sansa, only nine years old, but she also knew she shouldn't be in a man's room at night.
Lynn could feel the rise and fall of her chest, and her gasps, their posture at the moment was somewhat ambiguous.
She also didn't know why, but when she saw Lynn's face, she felt her heart race.
Lynn was different from the other white people; he had a light brownish-yellow complexion, not necessarily handsome, but his appearance was very pleasing to the eye.
Arya only felt her face getting hot.
This was her first time having such an intimate interaction with another boy.
She awkwardly loosened her grip on Lynn.
"Must have heard wrong, let's go."
Another Guard grumbled.
"In this awful weather, the wind sounds like ghosts."
The footsteps gradually faded away.
Lynn and Arya exchanged glances in the dark, both letting out a sigh of relief.
"I should go back."
Arya's voice trembled slightly.
"Tomorrow... can I come again tomorrow night?"
"Be careful."
Lynn helped her tidy her disheveled hair.
"There are many people in the castle these days, the King's convoy is almost here."
Arya nodded vigorously, and like a fawn, silently disappeared down the corridor.
Lynn closed the door and re-lit a candle.
He looked at the longsword in his hand, then at the [Light Sword (Beginner) 1/10] on the system panel.
Although Arya hadn't learned it, he had gained a lot.
Lynn knew he needed to improve his strength as soon as possible.
The King's arrival meant that the center of the storm had shifted to Winterfell.
And he was already in the eye of the storm.
Hi guys! I use Webnovel to promote my Etsy shop. Sorry if this story isn't very good. In my Etsy shop, you'll find many customized gift products for your loved ones. Please check it out and support us!
etsyshop/BHAGYSMART
Link is in my aboutHi guys! I use Webnovel to promote my Etsy shop. Sorry if this story isn't very good. In my Etsy shop, you'll find many customized gift products for your loved ones. Please check it out and support us!
etsyshop/BHAGYSMART
Link is in my about