Reverse Chronicles

Training of the True, pt. 2

The first formal day of training involves using multiple skills at once. Wisterion can use multiple sword skills at once, but for some reason I can use skills meant for spears, bows, or the strings, even if I’m equipped with the sword. The same is true for other weapons. Could this be because I’m from another world?

Wisterion teaches me advanced sword skills, while we are sparring. Sword Rage is a skill that temporarily increases the damage I inflict. Swift Dance also has the same effect on speed and agility. He advises that these two skills should be used before the start of any battle.

“The power of Knights and Mercenaries when using the basic weapons are from raw strength,” Wisterion explains as he uses another skill. “Our power is from the number of skills we possess and our ability to use them simultaneously.”

He rushes toward me and uses Feint Attack. Since I knew the skill, I use the skill Horizontal Smile to attack the two copies. However, they were both illusory images. Suddenly, I feel Wisterion’s presence from behind. There were three of them!

“Feint Attack and Time s***h are a fearsome combination,” one of the Wisterions attack. I parry but it is only an illusion. The Wisterions that I am seeing reflect the real one which already made the s***h seconds ago. “I’m here,” his voice came from behind. I could feel my being slashed from behind. Thankfully, we are using wooden swords. Everything would’ve been over if we used the real deal.

“Every skill has its weakness,” he indicates as he uses another skill. He rushes to me then disappears. “If you figure out that weakness, you thwart the attack.”

I expect another frightening combination and I was right. There are five of him this time surrounding me. They all attack at once, but I thwart them all casting Twister around me.

“Good,” one of them said. “But winds are not enough.”

They continue their assault cutting my magic as they went. At the last second, I use Swift Dance to increase my speed and combine Quick Strike and Horizontal Smile to create a swift circular s***h. I learned from Paul’s effective use of skills and twisted my body before using the skill.

“Good,” Wisterion appears in front of me. “Try this,” he throws his sword at me. In the middle of its path, it multiplied and surrounded me. “Your skills can also be cast using your weapon as a medium. It is more difficult to do this and carries a greater risk, but it has lesser weaknesses than using the skills yourself.”

Using skills with my weapon as a medium?

I use Swift Dance and Time s***h with the wooden sword in my hand. Time stops for an instant giving me ample time to s***h all the swords that surrounded me. With its increased speed, the sword zoomed through every sword in sight. As I was finished, time resumes, and images of my sword appears cutting the illusions that Wisterion created.

“Excellent, you learn fast. Now, attack me,” he drops the wooden sword standing defenseless as I prepare my attack.

Will Feint Attack and Time s***h work against him? There’s only one way to find out.

I rush him and use Feint Attack. When I reach a certain distance, I employ Time s***h and cut him in multiple sections. Then, I wait at his side for my next attack. However, when time resumes, he was nowhere to be seen.

“I created that combination. Do you think it will work against me?” He was right behind me. “Surely, you can do better than this!”

“What? How did you do that?”

“Time s***h has one weakness. When time resumes, there is a split second where you can get away from your enemy’s attacks. You can get away if you are fast enough.”

He knew that I was using Time s***h? Impossible!

I try another combination. I freeze time using Time s***h but instead of attacking normally, I use all of the skills that I know.

He is sure to know of Time s***h and he may escape at the last second, but will he be able to see through this?

Instead of focusing on his frozen persona, I use the skills over a wide area. Horizontal Smiles after Gravity Slashes, then Quick Attacks and Critical Thrusts. I position myself far from him before time returned. In an instant, all my attacks materialize but he is still not scathed. His movements flow like water and the places where he moved to just barely kept him out of reach from my skills.

“Well done, brother!” Zenneif applauses as he arrives in the training grounds with Syrena. “Bullseye, Prediction skill.”

Prediction? Did he use that skill and predicted my moves?

“Let’s take a break for now,” Wisterion tells me as he retires to the shade under the tent on the training ground’s right side. “You will continue learning more skills after.”

“Yes, it’s our time to use the training ground. Syrena take your place.” Zenneif goes to an area far from the villa. The point is often known as the aphelion of the training ground as it was the farthest place where someone can strategically position themselves for a fight. Syrena steps in opposing Zenneif. “Show me your strength!”

Syrena makes the training ground flood with water. She then uses Lightning Strike and tried to zap Zenneif using the flood. However, Zenneif froze a part of the flood and used it as a platform.

“This is the oldest trick in the book,” Zenneif mocks her. “Show me more interesting than this.”

This time, Syrena creates a blazing tornado and hurled it at Zenneif. Zenneif blasted at the tornado with mud, but inside it was a giant boulder that turned to sharp rocks when his magic broke the tornado. The sharp rocks launched themselves towards Zenneif. One of the sharp rocks almost hit Zenneif, but he created a wall of water at the last second. Syrena smirks and made the rocks explode. Water splashes all over Zenneif and the platform that he stood.

“So that was your goal all along?” Zenneif smiles, as Syrena casts Lightning Strike once more. However, a chilly wind blows over the training ground freezing every drop of water that existed. Even the tea that the attendants serves is frozen solid.

Syrena counters by melting the ice with lava, but Zenneif solidifies the lava with wind and water. Syrena fights sending shock waves toward Zenneif, but he just floated to escape the attack. A sphere of sunshine suddenly forms on Syrena’s palm. She hurls it at her opponent who read the incoming attack on time and absorbed the light with a black hole. The black hole absorbed all the magical debris in the field, the solid lava, the frozen flood, even the tea was sucked in.

“Blackhole?” Syrena is taken aback. “As expected from the Arcane General,” she smirks creating needles of light around her.

“Ah, light magic?” Zenneif’s smile continues to widen as Syrena begins casting more complex magic. “Perhaps, I should fight fire with fire!” Needles of light also forms around Zenneif, but his were bigger and brighter than Syrena’s.

Syrena is almost on par with Zenneif. It’s amazing! I should train more so that I can beat her.

The two are about to fight with when Wisterion suddenly intervenes.

“Break time is over, Alan,” He tells me as he stands up ignoring the two magic users who are about to blast some incredible spells at each other.

“You can’t be serious, brother! We we’re just about to get to the exciting part,” Zenneif protests with Wisterion’s decision.

I agree. I’m witnessing two amazing magic users fight. He can’t stop them now, he shouldn’t.

“We had an agreement,” Wisterion utters to Zenneif, who is cancelling his spell. Syrena follows him and steps out of the training grounds. “Alan, let’s resume.” I follow Wisterion into the training ground. He begins teaching me more advanced skills that only advanced classes know.

We begin with the spear. Blazing Rush is a skill that rushes the enemy while the spear is pointed forward. True Speed drastically increases attack speed at a certain amount of time.

Among the archery skills that he taught me, Prediction and Camouflage stands out. Prediction is a high-level archery skill that allows the user to gain foresight on the enemy’s movements. This was the skill that he used when he evaded all of my skills on my last onslaught. Camouflage is also another high-level archery skill that makes the user temporarily invisible. It is mainly used to escape the enemy, but it could also be used offensively.

The day’s training ends with Wisterion teaching me a skill that allowed me to wield multiple weapons at once.

“In the history of this skill, the number of people who were able to learn it could be counted using your fingers,” he says wielding the sword with his right and the spear with his left. “This is called God Wield,” two arms suddenly form under his shoulders. The formed arms are transparent, but an outline distinguished them from the background. Using the artificial arms, Wisterion wielded the bow and the axe. He threw all the weapons and shot an arrow from the bow at targets across the training field. The arrow hits the bullseye, while the other weapons demolished the targets.

“If you learn this skill, you will be unstoppable.”