Chapter 183: 183: Sword Stages
"Why are you staring at the air like that?"
Caleb, who was looking at his status displayed like a hologram in front of him in the air, jolted. 'Oh, fuck... I should really stop this bad habit of mine while still early.'
Yes, every time he looks at his stats. He would be lost in his thoughts, preoccupied with the prospects and joy of his fast progress. Due to his strong body now, his progress was almost like a rocket. After all, his body could endure the fast absorption brought by his taboo energy sensitivity, his first ability.
"Oh, sorry... I just thought of something." Caleb awkwardly scratched his scalp. "Are you disappointed with the level of my swordsmanship? Still, what level am I currently at?"
Rozho stared at Caleb for a moment and fell silent, as if in deep thought. Rozho was just this kind of man. He would always fall into his own world and take his time to think. Even in conversation, he would organize his thoughts first, as if he were arranging thoughts into an essay. He wasn't afraid of the long silence caused by his pause and would take his time to think.
This is one of the qualities of Rozho that made him respect him. It was a good quality to have when having a conversation or an argument. An underrated conversation skill. When speaking, one shouldn't just speak immediately about what pops up in his mind. Rather, one has to think carefully and organize one's thoughts coherently.
"You're current level isn't that good, to be honest. In terms of swordsmanship, it can be said that you haven't even entered the gate yet. However, you already have a solid foundation and each of your swings shows the hours of practice you put in. Your basic slashes, although not flashy or showy, had the proper intent. The intent to kill."
'Well, of course, I practiced my swing every day.' Caleb scratched his cheek and felt that his 2000 swing a day wasn't wasted. As for intent to kill? As a killer, isn't that his nature already? Rather, because of his strength, it was too hard to hold himself back, not to kill someone.
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"Well, can you put a classification of levels and determine mine?"
A pensive expression appeared on Rozho's face. "Actually, there is an official ranking of skill popular to the circle of swordsmen. Sword Disciple, Swordsman, Sword Master, Sword King, Sword Grand Master, and lastly, the rumored Sword Saint!"
"Based on this ranking, you're not even a. Sword Disciple yet. As for me, I'm a Sword Master."
Nodding his head, Caleb fell into deep thought. So Rozho was actually quite advanced in terms of sword skill? A sword master? Then he felt a bit ashamed that he hadn't even stepped on the entrant stage which was the Sword Disciple. However, that was reasonable. After all, the only thing he did was to swing his sword mindlessly daily. He didn't take a step to step up his training or learn theories about the way of the sword. He doesn't have a proper teacher who taught him about the advanced kinds of stuff.
Really, the only thing he was taught was proper posture and swinging. He even had to figure out himself the right breathing technique. As his thoughts reached this, Caleb opened his mouth:
"So... What are the prerequisites of each stage?"
"Good question." Rozho smiled and crossed his arm like an expert. "To be considered as a Sword Disciple. You need to at least achieve a state and be able to release sword aura. Like this!"
Suddenly, a gentle but sharp aura roared out from Rozho. "Every individual's aura is different from each other. Auras characteristics depend on the personality of the person. Mine, as you see, was gentle and sharp."
Caleb watched enviously as Rozho demonstrated the release of the sword aura. It was like an invisible force, yet Caleb could feel the intensity in the air. "Damn, that's cool! So, I gotta unlock my own sword aura to be a Sword Disciple?"
Rozho nodded, "Exactly. Sword Disciples focus on attuning themselves to the essence of the sword. You've got to connect with your weapon on a spiritual level, feel its energy, and let that energy flow through you. It's about harmony between you, the sword, and the aura it carries."
Caleb absorbed the information, thinking about how he could possibly connect with his sword on a spiritual level. It sounded like some martial arts movie stuff, but if it worked, he was up for it.
"Now, for the Swordsman stage," Rozho continued, "you not only have to release the sword aura but also control it. It's like taming a wild beast. You can't let it run wild or it'll backfire on you. You gotta make it dance to your tune."
Caleb scratched his head. "So, it's like having a sword pet or something?"
Rozho chuckled, "In a way, yes. But this 'pet' can be pretty deadly if you don't treat it right. Now, moving on to the Sword Master stage. At this point, it's not just about control, but mastery. You should be able to shape your aura into different forms, like a defensive shield or an offensive wave. It's the difference between being a swordsman and being a true master of the blade. Most importantly, evolve the sword aura into a wisp of sword intent like me."
Caleb absorbed the knowledge, realizing that becoming a Sword Master wasn't just about swinging a sword harder. It required finesse, control, and the ability to mold the very essence of the sword.
"Sword King is a bit different," Rozho explained. "It's about harnessing your sword intent and increasing its density and amount. Honestly speaking, this stage is a test of patience..."
Caleb's eyes narrowed. The damn way of the sword seems similar to cultivation novels.
Rozho leaned in, a glint in his eye, "And the Sword Grand Master and Sword Saint? Well, those are tales of legends. To reach those heights, one must transcend the boundaries of the mortal realm. It's said they can control the very fabric of reality with their sword aura."
Caleb couldn't help but feel a mix of excitement and apprehension. The journey from a mere Sword Disciple to the legendary Sword Saint seemed like an epic saga waiting to unfold.
"So, Johan" Rozho grinned, "ready to embark on the path of the sword and unlock your aura?"