Chapter 255: Master of Swordsmanship (3)

Longswords were long, but not overwhelmingly so. When it came to reach, weapons like spears were longer. Yet most knights in

MID Online

used swords, not spears. Why was it that spears, which were easier to learn, had longer reach, and boasted greater power, were not the primary weapon of knights?

In the past, many knights had questioned this and wielded spears in pursuit of efficiency. And in their final moments, they came to a realization—spears were fundamentally thrusting weapons. In contrast, longswords excelled in both thrusting and slashing.

Having one more effective means of attack made swords more versatile and capable of creating additional opportunities, and it offered more potential for deeper strategies compared to spears.

“

Argh

.”

No one had taught him this, but Kai realized it during his spar with Bach.

He just twisted his wrist half a turn, but...

Bach’s sword, previously beneath Kai’s, was now pushing down on him from above. A perfect reversal of the situation. Though it sounded simple, reversing the position of swords mid-clash was nearly impossible. It required a near-perfect understanding of the opponent's strength and the ability to manipulate its flow.

And his strength...!

The sword Bach held lightly in one hand felt as heavy as a mountain. Although Kai had both hands on his sword to block, he found his knees slowly bending under the pressure.

This isn’t going to work!

It was a correct assessment. If the match continued like this, it was clear Bach would reach the finish line first.

I could use Holy Explosion, Chasing Light Arrows, or Wrath of the Sun to escape this situation... but that’s not the point.

Kai hadn’t come here to defeat Bach; he came to learn swordsmanship. In other words, escaping this situation with magic wouldn’t mean anything. As a result, the only option Kai had was to muster every ounce of strength to repel Bach’s sword. However, that effort ended up going against him.

"Additionally, an opponent who focuses solely on brute strength is the easiest to toy with," Bach said.

As Kai poured his strength into pushing Bach’s sword away, Bach calmly withdrew his own blade.

"

Whoa!

"

Naturally, Kai's sword extended into empty air, and his body was severely thrown off balance. Then, three brief sounds reached his ears.

There was no need to wonder what those sounds were. The red messages flashing like signals before Kai’s eyes told him everything.

Ding!

[The tendons in your wrist have been severed. Strength stat temporarily reduced by 25%.]

[Your carotid artery has been severed. Oxygen supply to your brain is compromised. Stamina stat temporarily reduced by 30%.]

[Your left eye is blinded. Vision in one eye is temporarily blocked.]

Three strikes delivered in an instant. They were vastly different from the methods Kai had used to attack his enemies so far.

Not only do they deal significant damage... they inflict status effects too?!

Kai also knew that targeting vital points could cause status effects. He had made great use of this method back when his stats weren’t the best. However, as his stats grew and his specs improved, he had stopped relying on such tactics.

Because I didn’t need to anymore.

He had been able to win without them. Unconsciously, Kai had begun attacking only places that required no thought or effort. Without realizing it, he had grown accustomed to a sense of ease.

"Even an ogre gives its best effort when hunting a goblin."

"

Argh

..."

Kai’s face flushed red at Bach’s reprimand. It wasn’t the embarrassment of losing in swordsmanship but the shame of realizing he had lost his beginner’s mindset.

"Your swordsmanship may have improved compared to before, but your mindset has regressed," Bach’s voice carried a deep sense of disappointment.

Knowing that Kai had gritted his teeth and defeated strong opponents in places like Whitehall and the Bir Plains made Bach’s disappointment even deeper.

At a loss for words, Kai bit his lip, and Bach muttered, "I personally looked forward to your challenge because of the rumors I’ve heard recently. They say you’re the strongest among adventurers. Is it true?"

"... That’s correct."

"Then show me the spirit fitting of that position. Show me

your

swordsmanship.”

Though disappointed, Bach had no intentions of ending the sparring session just yet.

However, Kai instinctively understood one thing.

Bach is a master swordsman.

As with most masters, their sense of identity was incredibly strong. This was undoubtedly true for Bach as well. If anything, as a swordmaster, Bach was unlikely to take kindly to Kai having lost his beginner’s mindset.

I need to change his impression of me. This is my last chance.

To seize this opportunity, Kai had to display a move that exceeded Bach’s expectations.

But how?

Kai got lost into deep thought. His maximum speed was easily matched by Bach, and his immense strength had been effortlessly countered.

Then, a memory surfaced in Kai’s mind. A lesson from Huey, the director of the Training Grounds of the Dawn.

The basics of swordsmanship? You’re asking something obvious. Speed, strength, and stamina. Precision? All of that is built upon a strong foundation. Build even a palace on weak mud, and it won’t last.

The fundamentals of swordsmanship—speed, strength, and stamina. Of these, Kai knew he couldn’t compete with Bach in speed or strength.

But stamina?

A short gasp escaped Kai’s lips.

Bach asked me to show my swordsmanship.

Though he had unconsciously mistaken his identity after swinging his sword for so long, Kai was not a warrior. He was a Cleric—a class specialized in healing allies, granting blessings, and enhancing their abilities.

A Cleric should act like a Cleric.

Kai’s gaze sharpened, and at the same time, Bach’s lips curved into a faint smile.

He’s realized it.

The reason Bach had granted Kai the chance to spar wasn’t because he genuinely wanted a fight. It was to help Kai improve his lacking swordsmanship by even just a little. To do so, it was essential to gauge the student’s current level and progress.

My lesson began the moment the sparring started.

In truth, Bach’s teaching methods were exceptional. With just a few exchanged blows and a handful of words, he had helped Kai regain his lost beginner’s mindset. Moreover, he was now teaching Kai how to hold his ground against a powerful opponent immune to his strength, ensuring he could at least endure without succumbing to defeat.

"

Phew

." Letting out a short breath, Kai adjusted his posture.

From now on, I can only rely on stamina.

If this were a battlefield filled with enemies, there would be no need to worry about stamina. Kai had the special title Reaper of the Battlefield, which restored his stamina each time he killed an enemy.

But as I learned when fighting Lucifer and Zirukan, stamina depletion is still a significant problem in one-on-one battles.

There was no immediate solution to this. However, there was always a fallback plan.

At the very least, I need to bring all my stamina consumption under control.

From start to finish, he would have to track every bit of stamina spent, like meticulously managing a budget. Through this, he would be able to make his movements as efficient as possible.

"This time, I’ll come to you."

As Bach finished speaking, he leaned forward.

By the time Kai opened his eyes after a single blink, Bach had shifted from the center of his vision to the bottom left. At the same time, Kai’s mind began working at full speed.

Plant both feet firmly as support, lower my body to prepare for Bach’s attack from below, and raise my sword to guard. The stamina cost for all these movements is...

0.7% of his total stamina.

In the next moment, Bach’s sword struck against Kai’s guard.

Clang!

It was an overwhelming attack!

Kai could have held his ground if he pushed himself, but he chose not to.

This isn’t a fight to protect my pride.

Once he recognized his opponent as a stronger combatant, failing to withstand the attack was only natural.

Whoosh.

Kai’s body flew backward like a sail catching the wind. Instead of resisting the impact from his clash with Bach, he let his body flow with it, dispersing the force. Had he stubbornly tried to endure Bach’s attack on the spot, a significant amount of stamina would have been drained.

“

Oh?

”

Just one lesson, and Kai’s attitude toward the fight and his combat style had completely changed.

“You’re not bad to teach.”

A glimmer of interest flickered in Bach's eyes, and once again, he swung his sword.

***

“You’re truly persistent,” Bach said.

“And you look intelligent, but you’re just as relentless,” Kai retorted.

If anyone overheard their conversation, they would surely shake their head and say they were both the same kind of stubborn.

“Here I come,” Bach declared.

“Bring it on.”

Annoyance filled Bach’s voice, while Kai’s tone exuded confidence.

The training ground floor cracked apart under Bach’s charge, brimming with fury.

He’s coming.

By now, Kai was fairly accustomed to Bach’s speed. He prepared himself by raising his sword to block the incoming attack.

Clang!

Kai effortlessly blocked the strike. His movements were utterly flawless. Had this been a sport, the crowd would have risen to their feet in applause for his perfect form.

And then came Kai’s counterattack.

“It’s my turn now.”

In

MID Online

, there were stats and items. The concept of attack power in the game was fundamentally based on those two elements and quantified as values. But would the attack power of a sword swung with full force by a player be the same as one swung carelessly? At that moment, Kai could answer this question more confidently than anyone else.

Claaaaang!

The difference between the two was as vast as the sky and the ground. This realization was something Kai had grasped after sparring with Bach for twelve days.