Woon followed Victor's instructions, focusing on swift slashes. He swung his katana relentlessly, sweat drenching the floor. His arms trembled, every muscle screaming from the repetitive movements.
"This is fucking exhausting!" Woon gasped, panting, his voice hoarse.
"That's just the beginning, weak ass," Victor replied, a hint of amusement in his tone. "And we're about to upgrade your weight straps!"
Woon's eyes widened in horror. "Upgrade?" he croaked, already feeling like a lead weight himself.
"Tell me, Woon," Victor continued, ignoring Woon's dismay. "Do you have a goal?"
"Yes!" Woon affirmed, despite his current misery.
"Then use that as your fire, your unbreakable motivation to push forward!" Victor's voice boomed, full of conviction. "Whether you have to crawl through mud or sprint across a battlefield, you must throw everything you have into achieving it!"
'He's right,' Woon thought, 'I'm just weak, can't even handle this kind of training, but…' He trailed off, a frustrated groan escaping his lips.
"Ugh, I'm going absolutely bonkers! Why in the fucking hell do you have to put a five-times gravity spell on me, or whatever that's called?!" Woon exploded, his voice a strained yell.
"It's for training!" Victor stated, completely unfazed.
"By the way," Victor added, a mischievous glint in his eye, "you'll have a new teacher tomorrow!"
"A new teacher? Who is it?" Woon asked, his curiosity momentarily overriding his exhaustion.
"That's a secret," Victor said with a knowing smile. "But I guarantee you, when it comes to blade , she's the absolute best I know!"
"Best, huh? Must be an incredible person!" Woon mused. "But seriously, Victor, you've been helping me so much. Why go through all this trouble?"
Victor's expression softened slightly. "Because of a friend," he said simply. "Don't dwell on it. Now, get back to training! Give me another thousand swings!"
Woon groaned but resumed his relentless swinging, the katana a blur in his hands. He swung, and swung, and swung until dawn broke. He collapsed onto the ground, sweat-soaked and snoring, utterly spent.
Suddenly, the training room door swung open. A woman entered, her silhouette framed by the morning light. This had to be the teacher Victor mentioned.
"Hey," the woman said, her voice clear and crisp, as she tapped Woon with her foot.
Woon remained stubbornly asleep.
"Hey, wake up, you lazy pervert!" she snapped, her foot connecting with a gentle, yet firm, kick.
Woon jolted awake, his eyes snapping open. He blinked, groggy, and then his jaw nearly hit the floor. Standing over him was a woman, her figure strikingly apparent in her form-fitting attire. Her curves were alluring, her presence commanding, and in her hand, she held a long blade that eerily resembled Woon's katana.
"Miss Alicia!" Woon stammered, instinctively kneeling. "Why have you come here?"
"Victor asked me to teach you, even if it's just for a day. I'm simply doing him a favor," Alicia stated, her voice cool and composed. "Now get up and pick up your weapon!"
"But isn't your weapon a bit different from mine?" Woon asked, picking up his blade, which suddenly felt like a child's toy in comparison to hers.
"Yes, it is," Alicia confirmed. "My weapon is a nodachi. But rest assured, I can wield any bladed weapon there is with equal mastery!"
"Alright, so what do we do now?" Woon asked, a knot forming in his stomach.
"You do know that timing is the absolute key in swordsmanship, don't you?" Alicia asked, a subtle arch to her eyebrow.
"Yes!"
"Good. Now, all you have to do is spar with me," Alicia said, a wicked glint in her eyes. "But don't worry, I won't use my main weapon."
'Is she taking revenge on me through this?' Woon thought, a shiver running down his spine. "Yes!" he said, trying to sound confident.
Alicia picked up a wooden sword, getting into a ready stance. Woon clenched his katana, the lingering fatigue from last night still a heavy cloak around him. In a moment of strained silence, Woon suddenly launched a swift slash at Alicia. But she parried it with astonishing speed, instantly counter-attacking with a precise kick to his stomach. Woon flew backward, landing hard and unable to move for a moment. The shock of how quickly it had happened was overwhelming.
"Come on, slave! We're just getting started," Alicia said, a cruel smile playing on her lips as she clenched her fist. "And I've changed my mind. You'll be training with me for a week, so get ready to get thoroughly beaten!"
Woon forced himself to stand, his vision blurring. He pushed through the pain, launching a barrage of light slashes. Alicia parried and dodged every single one, counter-attacking with fluid, relentless strikes of her own.
"Haaa... haaaa..." Woon panted, the pain becoming unbearable.
"Come on, stand up and act like a man!" Alicia taunted, her voice sharp.
Suddenly, a dark energy ignited within Woon's body, forcing him to move, to stand, to lift his katana.
"Oho! Divinity!" Alicia exclaimed, a flicker of surprise in her eyes.
The Divinity surged through Woon, strengthening his body. He readied his katana, attempting to unleash a devastating attack. But before Woon could even complete his move, Alicia was upon him, striking him cleanly on the head with the wooden sword. Woon's world went black, and he crumpled to the floor, unconscious.
"Didn't Victor already warn you about that?" Alicia said, looking down at Woon's unconscious form. "Concentrating by closing your eyes in battle will cost you your life!"
Alicia left the room, leaving Woon bruised and unconscious on the floor. Time passed. Woon finally regained consciousness, sitting up and gingerly touching his head. It throbbed fiercely from Alicia's last strike, and his entire body ached.
"Bloody hell, that hurts!"
Woon forced himself to stand and exited the room. He saw that it was already nearly dinner time; he'd been out for hours. As he walked through the hallway, trying to get to his room, Jin spotted him.
"Woon, did my sister give you a beating?" Jin asked, a knowing smirk on his face.
"I… I can't even remember what happened!" Woon mumbled, still dazed.
"Is that so? Well, I'll be going now, I have things to do!" Jin said, walking away with a chuckle.
Woon reached his room, entered, and immediately collapsed onto his bed. His body ached, shaking with fatigue. It had only been a day since he started, but he was already utterly spent. He eventually stood up and took a bath, the warm water slowly easing his fatigue.
"Ahhh… Sweet relief, that's nice!" Woon sighed, soaking in the bath.
Refreshed, Woon got out and changed. He grabbed his katana and unsheathed it. The blade was so sharp that even a piece of cloth dropped on it would be severed. He wondered why Alicia's wooden sword hadn't even scratched. Was it skill? Physical strength? Techniques? He overthought, his mind burning out until he remembered the book Victor had given him. He immediately grabbed it and began to read. As he read, a sudden realization dawned on him.
'I keep forgetting this and just relying on my own style! I must adapt to the situation I'm in, not just recklessly attack!'
Woon ran simulations of himself fighting Alicia. He tried different tactics, but still failed. He focused even more, trying to pour everything he had learned, but still couldn't land a decisive hit. Then, in another simulation, he finally managed to land a clean blow on Alicia. He was shocked, surprised that he was actually able to do it. He got ready, opened his eyes, and realized it was already night. He exited his room and roamed around the castle until he bumped into Victor.
"Yo, how are you doing?" Victor asked, a friendly grin on his face.
"It's good, but 'Miss Alicia' is a bit too much for me at the moment!" Woon admitted, his stomach growling loudly. "But I'll catch up, sooner or later!"
"Hungry, huh? Let's eat! It's been so long since the two of us enjoyed a meal together!" Victor said, guiding Woon towards the dining hall.
"It's only been almost a week, that's not 'so long'!" Woon retorted playfully.
"Nay, nay, nay! It's already been long enough, so let's eat and drink to our hearts' content!" Victor declared, putting an arm around Woon's shoulder.
"Whatever, man," Woon chuckled, finally giving in and going along with Victor.