Author Notes:
So, I think it's kinda official that Chapter 66 of GSS will be marking the end of this quite abrubt training-arc because I have run out of recaf. Seriously, I can't for the life of me figure out how Hua's martial art even work, and this whole training-arc was based on a legit gacha spin so... I am so burned out from all the research lol. As you can see, my brain is not computing properly, right now.
Ignoring that, big, big shoutout to Captain Li1 Mainy, who's just returned from a Top Sekret Mission! And a warm applause to Corporal TacticalSpaghetti421T (Funny name, I like it) who paid an entire year of the Tithe! Follow his example, everyone, as he has enjoyed a 15% discount for a whole year! All thanks to the Monthly Recruitment Drive!
No pressure, of course :D
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Pictures below!
Ein Taixuan: https://postimg.cc/WFZSFN30
Fu Hua: https://postimg.cc/v1f3D8D0
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Me.
The actually reborn me, is now sitting in all prim and proper, and on my knees at that, to pay witness to Master Hua's teaching. Ok, maybe calling myself reborn is a stretch, but given that I now possess a floating light bulb hovering above my head, you must excuse me for thinking like that.
What about the light bulb, you say? Well, it's something I acquired from using this:
[Jatismar Ticket:
-Allow the User to remember/reacquire one benefit from the User's previous lives.
-The benefit can be a skill, a perk, or a piece of equipment.
-The benefit is not limited to just the User's possessions in previous lifetimes. The User can acquire a benefit from subjects with whom they have a good karmic relationship.
-Warning! Certain consequences are to be expected when the User utilizes the Ticket!]
To get this:
[Atsuko's Gift:
-This is also my power...? Active ability. Sacrificing mental power to cast an AOE, targetable pulse to heal and purify a 30-meter radius around the User every 5 seconds. Healing and purification efficiency depend on the amount of mental power consumed.
-I'll hide. Passive ability. Moderately increase Agility and Dexterity when the User is under an obfuscation effect. When hiding, reduce the User's presence.
-What I'm taught. Passive ability. Minor increase in Agility and Dexterity when in combat.
-I'm used to the pain. Passive ability. Drastically increased Durability. Greatly increased Agility and Dexterity when the User is heavily injured.
-Manifest as a Mystic, a Halo hovering protectively above the User's head like a Guardian Angel. This is Hakari Atsuko's Gift to her dearest Sensei. There are yet many things to be explored about the nature of this Mystic.]
For those curious about what the Halo actually looks like, it's three crosses, stacked vertically and flipped diagonally, with unequal distances between them. The center cross is larger than the other two, with detached bits off the ends of it. And although the Halo is primarily white, it does fade into a very soft blue color at the end of each cross. All in all, it's an aesthetically pleasing design, one that complements the look of my Abyss Totem Stigmata well when I have it deployed. Coincidentally, I can hide my new Halo while still retaining all of its benefits. It's indeed a nice quality of life feature, sparing me the need to come up with an explanation as to why I'm the Emperor's Saint all of a sudden.
As for the actual specifics about this Gift, and yes, this is classified by the System as a Gift, not a Perk or Skill... To be perfectly frank, I don't know what to think about this. After I used the Jatismar Ticket, and when all the changes finally sink in, somehow, someway, a part of me is dancing in joy, especially whenever I take a look at the name Atsuko. From what the Jatismar Ticket said, I could get something from those I have good karmic ties with in my many past lives. Given that Atsuko's Gift is described as something Hakari Atsuko herself gave to her Sensei... Then perhaps I was her Sensei, teacher, and a good one at that, in one of my past lives?
I bemoan the fact that, despite receiving Atsuko's Gift, the System hasn't granted me any accompanying memory about the person I am now indebted to. I feel even worse when I sense the warm sincerity in the Gift, somehow. But let's face it, Atsuko's Gift is broken in terms of power scaling. While I don't have an accurate measure of how tanky I am with the increase in my Durability, I have a feeling I can even directly tank a few shots from a Bolt Rifle and live to tell the tale. Hell, I even think that, given the right circumstances, I can keep pace with an Astartes in a melee brawl due to the increase in my Agility and Dexterity. Obviously, I won't be able to overpower an Astartes physically, but when the Gift is paired with my Myrtenaster in desperate times... Yeah, I think only someone like a Veteran Astartes can defend against my attacks. So it's a fact that Hakari Atsuko is now my lucky star, and if given the opportunity, I will repay her in any way I can.
Still, it's weird that the System hasn't yet warned me of any potential consequences from receiving Atsuko's Gift. I wonder what that's about.
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Cadia never skimps on the equipping and conditioning of its active Guard Regiments. That means we are given the best possible military gear and combat training from basically the get-go, unarmed and CQC expertise included. Things that, while not capable of putting us on par with any of the major threats out there, are more than enough to give us a leg up over near-peer threats in close encounters. These should have been enough to hopefully give us a survival period of up to 2 hours in the field, an additional 2 past that mark if we're lucky. Yet, when I come under Hua's tutelage, I truly realize just how undergunned I am. My worldview is still limited to that of a somewhat normal human being when I am already well on the way to being a supernatural entity.
Edge of Taixuan, as a martial art, is just right to be a core combat doctrine for me now and well into the far future.
"Edge of Taixuan has five essences: Heart, Form, Will, Soul, and Spirit. Though it is called 'Sword Qi,' to truly transform Sword into Spirit, one must comprehend the fifth essence, the Spirit." Hua explains, illuminating her points by forming vivid illusions using Oblivion Down. "Only upon grasping and mastering the Spirit essence can you unleash the Taixuan Eminence."
When Taixuan Eminence is mentioned, Hua demonstrates to me what is considered to be an acceptable Eminence strike. And by the Emperor, you do not want to see a gigantic blade coming down at you like divine judgment, only to find it utterly unblockable and undodgeable by any means. Taixuan Eminence is, at its core, a sure-hit, true damage attack and even a possible sure-kill attack, if we're going by gaming terms. As I am lost in the marvel that is Taixuan Eminence, the pinnacle of Edge of Taixuan, I notice that Xuanyuan has come to sit next to me. Together, the two of us carefully absorb what Hua has to teach. Well, it's just mostly me, as this is basically old material for Xuanyuan.
Hua says calmly as she dissipates the illusion. "And of course, as we use Honkai energy as a medium, the force of each strike is dependent on how much energy is invested in it. However, seeing that you are only limited by mental capacity and not Honkai energy, I am curious just how powerful your Taixuan Eminence is, Ein, should your mastery get to that point."
I would be lying if I said I am not at all curious about that as well. Still, haste makes waste. It's best to take this training period slowly and steadily, one step at a time.
Fu Hua, sitting across from me and Xuanyuan, dutifully guides me on the beginner steps.
"We'll start with the Heart essence."
"This is the entry point, but also, apart from the Spirit essence, the most difficult one. Its purpose is to craft and temper your sword heart."
"The Heart essence has four realms: Still Water, Dustless, Bright Mirror, and Taixu. For ordinary practitioners, reaching Dustless is their limit. I have a feeling that you, much like Xuanyuan, need not be bound by this."
"Now, I will recite the Blade Mantra. You must memorize it, chant it at all times, and refine your Heart through it."
I seriously listen and watch as a string of strange syllables flows from Fu Hua's lips. They have no written form, no intrinsic meaning, and belong to no language known to mankind. Yet their mystery lies in this: whether recited, whispered, or heard, they calmed the heart like still water, inducing a meditative state.
[Battle Meditation is resonating with Blade Mantra. Acquiring new insights:
-Each Body a Fortress.
-Each Mind a Temple.
-Each Heart an Unbreakable Will.]
[Battle Meditation is changed to Battle Meditation - Blade Mantra Version:
-A skill that boosts the morale, stamina, and overall battle prowess of the User and an individual's allies while reducing the opposition's combat effectiveness by eroding their will to fight.
-The buffs are applied to allies under the command of the skill bearer. It also exists as an aura, with those directly under the command of the skill bearer receiving the largest benefits. Debuffs are applied to the enemy within the radius of this aura.
-The buffs, debuffs, and aura radius scale with mental power consumption and understanding of the User in the way of warfare.
-Passively stimulate the User's cerebral cortex, aiding the User's body in adaptation to Honkai energy and significantly boosting your muscle strength and neural response.
-Warning! Actively overdrafting the skill will induce mental burdens on the skill bearer. The effect is mitigated by the skill Debuff Immunity.
-Acclimating to the skill for a prolonged period will reduce the mental load. Please train hard, User!]
Letting the System's notification fade out of my mind, I close my eyes and begin chanting the Blade Mantra according to what Hua instructed. I soon lose myself in the act, not even noticing how Xuanyuan is also doing the same, with Hua overseeing our training here, in the yard beneath a sprawling blue sky. I don't know when, but I completely relax myself of thoughts, sans the chanting of the Blade Mantra. I don't even know whose voice it is anymore. Is it mine? Or is it Hua who is guiding my consciousness? It's at this state that I begin to feel every subtle change within my body, something that I never would have been able to do without a conscious effort. I can sense the flow of power, Honkai energy presumably, from within me clearly now. A part of me can't help but notice that the source of my internal Honkai energy comes from the Abyss Totem Stigmata, and it is truly endless.
"Hm? You've grasped it so quickly. Not bad." Hua nods at me with a slight curve of her lips, a bit surprised to see me attaining a meditative state in but a short half an hour.
Hua's words guide my consciousness back to reality, although a part of my mind is still persistently chanting Blade Mantra on repeat without a conscious input from me. It would seem there's an unworded perk with the Blade Mantra version of Battle Meditation.
"Perhaps it's because of your war experience, in which your Heart is already partially honed. Or it could be because your Skill, Battle Meditation, isn't it, that aided in the effort?" Hua strikes the nail on the head on that one. "It could be both as well."
I honestly nod at her conjecture. Truly, it takes no effort at all for my Master to deduce the reasoning behind the apparent swiftness in my attainment. Hua then continues.
"For the Heart essence, just keep tempering your Sword Heart in daily practice. It will be best if you can chant the Mantra at all times. Next, let's move on to the Form and Will essences. Xuanyuan, will you help me with the demonstration?"
"Gladly, Jingwei!" Xuanyuan snaps out of her meditative state before hopping to her feet.
Pulling out her golden Xuanyuan Sword, she turns to Hua and me, asking. "Should I demonstrate all twenty-one techniques, Jingwei?"
Hua nods, replying calmly. "Procedurally, yes."
"Understood!" Xuanyuan happily says before falling into a martial posture with sword in hand.
"The Form essence of Edge of Taixuan has four sequences—Guard, Transform, Inspire, and Open—for a total of twenty-one techniques. Each technique also has its own sub-technique, corresponding to the armament you currently wield or a lack thereof. Watch carefully, Ein." Hua reminds me.
As I rest my gaze on Xuanyuan's valiant appearance, my Senior Sister starts demonstrating each move. Her swordplay flows like a dance, as graceful as a swan, as supple as a dragon in flight. The gleaming sword light, combined with her classical robes, wove a striking contrast of fierce sword winds and elegant beauty. I find myself momentarily dazed, having witnessed the beauty of Eastern cultivation blade dance. Thanks to the Perk Master of Ceremonies, which actually grants me some knowledge about a specific few martial arts, I manage to gain precious insights into each move Xuanyuan makes.
"The Inspire line has three motions: Crescent Moon, Sea Severing, and Sky Rending… the Transform line has six…" Hua softly explains to me the presentation of each technique, from the beginning to the end of Xuanyuan's demonstration. "The Open line also has six: Stonebreaker, Chaos Thunder, Thunderclap, Landslide, Dustfall, and Galequake… this is the sixth."
When Xuanyuan rests her sword back into its scabbard, Hua turns to me with an analytical look. Perhaps sensing something in my attentive and thoughtful gaze, Hua suddenly says. "Ein, you try."
I alternate my look between Hua and Xuanyuan in surprise. Yet, what I get in return is their encouraging smile. Scratching my cheek a bit unsuredly, I pull out Myrtenaster, still in its sheath, from my inventory before standing up. Because I haven't fabricated any belt, I leave the scabbard on the ground as I pull out Myrtenaster and step to where Xuanyuan just demonstrated. Very carefully, I start mimicking Xuanyuan's earlier movements. Of course, despite my best effort, I can't get everything right on the first try. It's not because my memory is bad or my strength is lacking. It's more because Xuanyuan is Xuanyuan, and I am me. Minor differences in stature, but vastly different worldly experiences and all that jazz, mean I can never perfectly mimic Xuanyuan. I do, however, manage to nail the general outline of the twenty-one techniques, which cause Hua to exclaim.
"You really are remarkable… To memorize an entire sword style at a glance, in the martial world, you would already be considered a once-in-a-million prodigy. Through repeated practice, you will one day create your own Edge of Taixuan."
"Junior Sister, you're so awesome!" Instead of feeling any apprehension at my supposed genius, Xuanyuan marvels and cheers me up by clapping as I follow through the techniques. "Keep going like that, and we will be going out hunting down Honkai beasts in no time!"
Hua smiles wryly at Xuanyuan's bout of enthusiasm before going back to instruct me. She finds that after only a few corrections, I can steadily perform the full twenty-one techniques of the four sequences. And while my movements aren't fluid yet, for someone who just half a day earlier had only known how to kill conventionally, it's a shockingly fast progress that causes me to start doubting myself, whether or not I am actually a true genius, or if I have cheated with skills like Battle Meditation and Master of Ceremonies. Either way, I feel bad for both Hua and Xuanyuan, being the ones to pave the way ahead for me with their blood, sweat, and tears.
Under the supervision of Hua and Xuanyuan, I resolve to strive my very best to make them proud. I am trained from noon to evening, only reluctantly sheathing Myrtenaster when Fuxi and Nuwa come hollering for us to come inside for dinner.
"Time sure flies fast when I am focused on something..." I comment, finding myself missing the feeling of going through the techniques.
Hua pats me on the shoulder. "When we're done with dinner, we can continue our training, if you want. While Edge of Taixuan isn't something that can be mastered overnight. We can speed up your progress thanks to Debuff Immunity."
Hua then steps ahead, with Xuanyuan and me bounding just slightly behind her.
"Once you have thoroughly practiced the Form essence, I will teach you the Will and Soul essences. When you grasp the Soul, you will understand the essence of swordsmanship itself." Hua explains to me as we walk. "At that level, you can wield any weapon as if it were a sword, unbound by sword form. Only upon reaching such a state can one be said to have achieved true mastery. Ordinary people need a medium, the Xuanyuan Sword or Myrtenaster, for instance. But upon comprehending the fourth essence, the Soul, one can begin to transcend reliance on external objects, treating all weapons, even your fists, as swords. And when the four essences are mastered, one learns to wield a sword through Spirit, Sword Qi by Heart. Thus comes the peak of the fifth essence, the Taixuan Eminence."
Hua then stops, turning toward me with a meaningful gaze.
"Hmm… your comprehension and memory are excellent, and your adaptability to Honkai energy is extraordinary, if not boundless. With diligent practice, you should be able to fully master the Soul essence in about three to six months of continuous training. As for the Spirit essence… given your current adaptability, it shouldn't be difficult for you."
Fu Hua resumes her walk, chuckling. "Among those who practice Edge of Taixuan, namely Xuanyuan and me, your speed is already frighteningly fast."
Xuanyuan chimes in with a small smile. "Un! It's only fitting that someone like Ein be my Junior Sister and Jingwei's disciple! Ein, if you have any trouble or need a sparring partner, don't hesitate to ask me, ok?"
"I understand, and thank you for the offer, sister Xuanyuan." I nod, returning her smile as Xuanyuan moves to link her arm with mine happily.
Hua, noticing our interaction, comments with a warm gaze back at us. "It would seem that, with Ein being your junior, you're starting to come out of your previous shell, Xuanyuan."
I have noticed that senior sister Xuanyuan was a bit shy in our interaction before I was taken in as her junior sister. The change has been swift and noticeable indeed.
Xuanyuan blushes at this before softly replying. "I can't consider myself Ein's senior sister if I am too much of a timid person. I... I want to be a dependable figure as well, much like Fuxi, Nuwa, and you, Jingwei."
The surprisingly honest and relatable make both of us look at Xuanyuan with warm gazes. Out of instinct, I reach out to pat Xuanyuan on her lustrous black hair. It's indeed comfortable to the touch. "Senior sister, you're just fine the way you are, but thank you for trying to better yourself for the me who's just appeared in your life. Perhaps, aside from matters concerning my training, you would also like to spend some time with me? We can get to know each other better with that, and the same applies to Sister Hua, Fuxi, and Nuwa as well. I really am curious about this Taixuan Sect of ours."
Although Xuanyuan looks a bit abashed to be on the receiving end of my spontaneous action, she and Hua do nod happily at my offer. "That's a promise, then!"