Aetheric Blade.
Longer than a throwing dagger or a stiletto, yet shorter than a typical broadsword, the aetheric blade lacked a crossguard, its steel and hilt forming a perfectly straight line. Its weight was uniform, and the metal was flawlessly balanced for telekinetic manipulation.
"How is it?"
"Yes..."
Despite the utter lack of enthusiasm in Julian's voice, his master, Kaelen, burned with passion.
'I can't judge this kid by ordinary standards.'
This was a matter of persuading the laziest person in the Empire.
Kaelen sidled up to Julian and whispered in a suggestive tone.
"Think about it. If you had learned traditional swordsmanship, you would have had to swing a heavy iron claymore endlessly, dripping with sweat under the scorching sun. The same goes for halberd techniques or lance charges!"
"Hmm...!"
As Julian nodded in understanding, Kaelen grew even more excited and continued.
"And what about brawling or gauntlet styles? You have to stick to your opponent and move your arms and legs without rest. What an inefficient combat art."
"You're right!"
"But! My Aetheric Blade Arts are different."
Kaelen flicked the straight blade he was holding.
The lightly tossed sword flew at a tremendous speed, carried by invisible force, and embedded itself in the trunk of a thick oak.
"You just stand still and—whoosh—launch it with your mind, and it's over. How easy and convenient is that? No need to sweat, no need to bother getting close to the opponent. Also, no need to carry around a bunch of heavy armaments, and no need to wear hidden throwing knives or poison vials all over your body like the assassins of the Shadow Guild."
Kaelen showed off the ten masterwork blades like a renowned merchant in the plaza and said.
"You just need to carry these ten swords in a specialized sheath, and that's it. This sheath just needs to be worn across your back, so you don't even have to hang a heavy scabbard on your waist!"
"Ooh...!"
For the first time, Julian showed a positive reaction.
Of course, the reason for his positive reaction was the fact that he could perform combat arts with minimal physical movement if he learned telekinetic swordsmanship.
"Now, then... open your eyes wide and watch carefully. This is the Aetheric Ten Blades that you will learn."
Kaelen took a blade in his hand and quickly sent it flying with a surge of aura.
"This is the first stance of the Aetheric Ten Blades, Gale Strike!"
The sword, imbued with Kaelen's sword aura, flew at high speed and embedded itself in the tree. Its speed was as fast as a tempest.
"And it's no problem even if the opponent is hiding behind cover!"
As he sent the blades in his hands flying to the left and right, the two swords, guided by his will, flew in a sharp arc and embedded themselves in a target dummy that was hidden and not visible behind the first tree.
"But what if you can't get an angle to hit the opponent? In that case, you just need to unleash the next stance, Thunderbolt."
The blade in Kaelen's hand flashed with crackling blue aura and instantly pierced through the thick oak.
The surface of the pierced wood was scorched as if it had been struck by actual lightning.
"Once you reach the realm of the Thunderbolt stance, you can kill your opponent with blinding speed, no matter where they are."
After taking a deep breath, Kaelen raised both hands high.
"And this is the final realm of the Aetheric Ten Blades that you must achieve."
The swords that had left Kaelen's hands and were embedded in the trees were sucked back into his grasp as if they were attached to invisible steel cables.
The amazing sight made even Julian, who had no interest in the sword, open his mouth.
"Astral Legion."
The ten blades gathered around Kaelen, forming a floating halo of steel, and moved in perfect synchronization with his hand gestures.
"Once you reach the realm of the Astral Legion, you don't have to do the undignified act of walking around to pick up your weapons. You can just stand in one place and strike down all your enemies, and retrieve the blades you sent flying with a mere thought. Hahaha! This is the aura art of this grandmaster, the Aetheric Ten Blades, that you will learn."
At Kaelen's mental command, the ten swords were seamlessly sucked back into their sheath.
Having finished his martial demonstration, Kaelen looked at Julian with a benevolent face and said.
"How is it? This master's Aetheric Arts."
"It's truly magnificent!"
Julian was greatly moved by Kaelen's sword technique.
Especially the fact that he could perform a combat art without moving his body resonated deeply with his soul.
"How long will it take for me to reach the realm of the Astral Legion?"
Seeing Julian's sparkling eyes, a sight one might see once in a decade, Kaelen pondered for a moment.
'He'll have to train his mana core for at least thirty years, but...'
If he told the truth, Julian would surely give up everything and run away, saying he'd rather take over as the lord of House Sterling.
"With your talent, ten years should be enough."
Of course, it was an absurdly short period, but even this seemed to be a shock, as Julian's eyes widened.
"T-Ten years?"
As Julian's body trembled, Kaelen was startled.
'This is!?'
It was the exact appearance just before foaming at the mouth and collapsing.
The flustered Kaelen hurriedly added.
"O-Of course! Depending on how you do, it could be shortened to five years!"
"Five years... five... five..."
Should he learn to wield aura, or would it be better to become the ruling heir and receive succession training?
Julian's frozen brain began to spin rapidly.
'If it's five years... I can play and eat for the remaining eighty years of my life!'
Having finished the calculation in his head, Julian awkwardly bowed and showed his respect.
"I'll be in your care, Master."
"Hoo... yes, a good decision, my apprentice."
Finally having formed the bond of master and apprentice, Julian and Kaelen looked at each other and gave a faint smile.
'Let's just think of it as being dead for five years. I have no intention of becoming a grand knight anyway, so I'll just learn roughly and then play and eat for the rest of my life!'
'You brat! Do you think you can just get the realm I've achieved over a lifetime for free in just five years? Dream on! You'll have to roll under me for at least twenty years!'
'Hehehe...!'
'Hahaha...'
The two men, dreaming entirely different dreams, laughed silently.