The next day, the courtyard buzzed with noise before sunrise. Students gathered around the weapon stands lined along the edge of the training field spears, swords, staves, bows, and a few heavier arms reserved for advanced disciples. The morning light glimmered off the metal edges, giving the air a faint scent of oil and iron.
Instructor Vera, a tall woman with dark silver hair tied into a knot, stood in front of them. Her eyes were sharp, scanning the group like she could see straight through each of them.
"Listen up," she said, voice calm but firm. "In the wilds, power alone means nothing if you can't control your weapon. Today, you'll choose the one that fits you not by pride, but by instinct."
She gestured toward the weapon racks. "Swords for balance.
Spears for reach.
Axes for strength.
Daggers for speed.
Bows for distance.
Pick, test, and train until the weapon becomes an extension of your breath."
Rin stepped forward with the others. He didn't know which to choose. Around him, other students already rushed to grab their weapons some with excitement, others with confidence. Lena from the Flux division picked a twin blade, spinning it easily in her hand. A tall boy named Karo took a massive axe, grinning as if the weapon was made just for him.
Rin's eyes wandered over the options until he stopped in front of a simple spear.
It was plain wooden shaft, silver tip but balanced perfectly when he lifted it. He felt the weight slide through his arm like water.
[System Scan Initiated…]Analyzing weapon balance and effective range. Recommended optimal stance: left foot forward, core centered. Thrust speed potential: 84%. Lateral sweep control: average. Recommend strengthening wrist stability.
The System's quiet voice flowed through his mind as he adjusted his grip.
"Hmm. You're a first-year, right?" Vera's voice snapped his focus back. She stood behind him, arms folded. "Spear's a good choice. Keeps you alive longer if you know the distance. But remember control comes before reach."
She moved on to correct another student's stance, leaving Rin to test the spear. He began thrusting lightly, feeling the movement flow from his legs up through his arms. Each motion grew smoother as the System silently guided him.
[System Suggestion] Try pivot technique. Shift weight from heel to toe to increase precision by 9%. Breathing pattern adjustment recommended: inhale during guard, exhale during strike.
Rin followed. The movement felt natural easier than before, as if his body remembered something it had never learned.
Then, something new appeared in his vision.
[Weapon Analysis Module: Expanded]Displaying alternative beginner weapons for compatibility testing
Sword: Balance type best for close to mid-range.
Staff: Focus type defensive and control oriented.
Daggers: Burst type high mobility, high risk.
Bow: Precision type requires stable energy flow control.
Spear: Reach type adaptable for multiple combat environments.
The System continued, tone neutral.
"User physique compatible with: Spear (92%), Sword (80%), and Staff (77%). Recommend initial focus on spear to strengthen mid-range combat foundation."
Rin set the spear down and picked up a short sword from the rack, curious. It was lighter than he expected, almost weightless in his hands.
He took a stance he'd seen another student use feet wide, blade angled low. But before he could swing, the System corrected him.
[Incorrect form detected]Angle adjustment needed: 15° higher. Grip pressure too tight; restricts wrist flow. Energy flow through arms uneven redistribute via core balance.
He followed the directions, moving slower, until the sword felt steadier. Each swing grew smoother, cleaner. A few students nearby gave him strange looks wondering why he moved so mechanically, adjusting after every motion.
One whispered, "Is he copying the instructor or just... broken?"
Rin ignored them. Every motion was progress. Every breath made sense.
By midday, Vera called for a rest. Students sat under the shade, wiping sweat and chatting about the upcoming Wild Hunt Test.Rin sat apart from them, practicing silent thrusts with the spear while the System continued analyzing.
[Combat Method Comparison Active]Observing student weapon flows… Lena (Twin Blade): aggressive type, speed over stability.
Karo (Axe): power-oriented, wide openings low defense.
Mira (Staff): balanced defense control, poor reaction time.
All observed methods integrated. Creating hybrid beginner combat style: "Adaptive Flow."
[New Subroutine Created: Adaptive Flow Lv. 1] Combines reach advantage of spear, speed of short sword, and defensive parry from staff method. Estimated combat efficiency: +12% versus same-rank opponents.
Rin exhaled slowly. His body tingled with faint energy, like his muscles understood what his mind didn't.
He switched between stances, blending each weapon's rhythm thrust, twist, guard, sweep. The System watched silently, recording everything.
From a distance, Vera paused her round, eyes narrowing slightly at Rin's unusual flow. "That's… not academy form," she murmured. "But it's not bad either."
By sunset, Rin had gone through almost every beginner weapon spear, sword, staff, even daggers for a short while. His hands were bruised and his breath uneven, but his eyes held focus.
As he cleaned the spear tip, the System's voice returned once more.
"You adapt faster than expected. Weapon data recorded. Continue refining movement body synchronization improving by 4% per session."
He looked toward the other students laughing in groups, comparing strengths. They saw him as strange, maybe even foolish someone practicing everything but mastering nothing.
But he didn't care. The System's quiet hum told him something no one else could hear: He was building a foundation no one in the academy had ever known existed.
And as the sun sank behind the academy walls, the faint golden lines under his skin shimmered once a sign that the Weave still remembered the anomaly it had failed to erase.