All-around teacher at the magic academy

After seeing Koby off, Rhine returned home once again.

He gently closed the door, let out a long sigh, as if leaving all his weariness and helplessness outside.

Arthur watched as Rhine returned from outside, his brow furrowing slightly as he asked in confusion, "Where's your friend? Didn't you go out together? Why are you back so soon?"

In Arthur's memory, Rhine rarely had friends visiting, so Koby's sudden appearance today surprised him.

“He has other things to do,” Rhine replied casually, without going into details.

He knew that if he revealed Koby's true purpose, it would likely arouse more questions and concerns from Arthur.

"Oh, this is the first time I've ever had a friend come to visit you. You mustn't neglect them."

Arthur spoke earnestly, his eyes revealing his concern for Rhine's social life. In Arthur's view, friends were a precious treasure that should be cherished.

"No, no," Rhine replied, a faint smile playing on his lips, as if he were comforting Arthur, or perhaps mocking himself.

He knew Arthur meant well, but Coby's situation was not a simple visit to a friend.

"Mhm." Arthur nodded, not really saying anything about it.

Rhine has always been a young man with his own opinions; he certainly has his own ideas and ways of handling things.

Arthur didn't intend to interfere, but he hoped that Rhine could manage his relationship with his friend and not get into any trouble because of it.

“Then let’s sit down and eat,” Arthur said, his voice carrying a hint of warmth.

Rhine nodded. In any case, breakfast should be eaten normally, otherwise it's not good for one's health.

He didn't want to weaken his body or suddenly fall ill by neglecting his diet.

I must live well, and the longer I live, the better, so that I will have more opportunities to achieve my goals and find a way back.

"Oh, by the way, do you know some swordsmanship?" Rhine sat at the dining table, and suddenly seemed to remember something. He looked up at Arthur with a hint of curiosity and expectation in his eyes.

"What's wrong? You want to learn?" Arthur was a little surprised; he hadn't expected Rhine to suddenly ask him this. Arthur knew about Rhine's recent interest in magic, but swordsmanship was a different matter.

“Yes, to some extent. I think I should at least be able to protect myself properly,” Rhine said earnestly.

"Hey, did you get into some trouble outside?" Arthur put down his cutlery and looked at Rhine with concern, his tone revealing genuine worry.

He knew of Rhine's passion for magic, but now that he wanted to learn swordsmanship, he couldn't help but wonder if Rhine had run into some trouble.

"No, no, I'm just being prepared. It's always good to learn more."

Rhine quickly denied it; he didn't want Arthur to worry. His eyes were firm, trying to soothe Arthur's doubts with his answer.

“That makes sense. I’ll teach you after we finish eating.” Arthur nodded, seemingly accepting Rhine’s explanation.

His tone carried a hint of promise; since Rhine was willing to learn, he was naturally willing to impart his knowledge.

“I’ve finished eating.” Upon hearing Arthur’s promise to teach him swordsmanship, Rhine’s movements suddenly quickened, and he swiftly put the bread in his hand into his mouth.

He barely chewed, then quickly picked up the milk glass and gulped it down, swallowing the food whole.

His movements seemed somewhat hurried, as if he were afraid that Arthur would change his mind.

.........

Sunlight streamed through the sparse clouds on the open ground outside the apartment, adding a touch of solemnity and sanctity to the simple practice area.

Arthur stood opposite Rhine, holding a meticulously crafted wooden sword in his hand. Although the blade was not metal, it still reflected a faint luster in the sunlight.

He spoke to Rhine with a serious look in his eyes and a solemn tone.

"In the kingdom, the origins of swordsmanship can be traced back to a very long history, much older than magic."

Initially, people took up swords simply to survive and defend themselves from wild animals.

As time went by and human society continued to develop, people gradually developed a set of effective sword fighting techniques in order to resolve territorial disputes and resource allocation.

These skills have been proven in countless battles and have become a valuable asset to the warriors.

Arthur paused, adjusted his grip on the sword, and continued, "Over time, swordsmanship has absorbed new combat experience and theories, forming various styles and schools."

Some emphasize speed and agility, while others focus on strength and robust defense.

Each school of swordsmanship possesses its unique charm and practicality, together forming the rich essence of swordsmanship.

To learn swordsmanship, you must first grasp four fundamental principles. These principles are the cornerstone of swordsmanship training and the key to victory in actual combat.

First and foremost is "a balance of offense and defense." Attacks in swordsmanship are not merely simple swings of the sword; they require precision, power, and speed, enabling the striker to exploit the opponent's weaknesses.

Every attack should be purposeful, not just a blind swing of the blade, but an accurate strike to the target.

Defense is equally important; it requires fencers to use their swords flexibly to parry, dodge, or neutralize their opponent's attacks and protect themselves from harm.

Being adept at both offense and defense means that a swordsman must be able to switch between offense and defense freely in combat, achieving a balance between offense and defense, so that he can be at ease in battle.

Secondly, there is the principle of "overcoming strength with softness." This is a tactic that utilizes flexibility and agility to counter the opponent's strength and power.

In swordsmanship, using softness to overcome hardness does not mean being weak or powerless, but rather using gentle movements to guide the opponent's strength, causing them to lose their balance or expose weaknesses, and then launching a counterattack.

This concept emphasizes finding opportunities in a contest of strength, using minimal force to achieve maximum effect, thus reaching the level of using minimal effort to overcome great strength.

In sword fighting, speed is an invisible weapon that can often be the key factor in determining victory or defeat.

Quick movements can catch your opponent off guard, preventing them from making an effective response in time, thus giving you an advantage in battle.

Therefore, mastering the principle of "using speed to overcome slowness" is crucial for fencers.

Using speed to overcome slowness requires fencers to continuously improve their reaction speed and movement speed during regular training.

This means that fencers need to practice repeatedly to make their movements more fluid and rapid, so that they can strike like the wind and defeat their enemies in an instant.

In combat, such speed allows you to complete an attack or defense before your opponent can launch an offensive, thus firmly controlling the rhythm of the battle.

Furthermore, "using skill to overcome clumsiness" refers to a swordsman's skillful use of techniques and strategies in combat, which can compensate for deficiencies in strength and speed.

The "skill" here refers not only to the basic techniques in swordsmanship, but also to a series of advanced tactical thinking, such as feints, luring the enemy in, and utilizing the environment.

Feints can confuse the opponent and cause them to misjudge; luring the enemy into a trap is to invite them into your pre-set trap; utilizing the environment means cleverly using the surrounding terrain and objects in battle to create favorable conditions for your attack or defense.

"Clumsy" refers to the opponent's brute force and lack of skill in attack.

In combat, attacks that rely solely on strength and speed are often easily countered by experienced swordsmen.

Therefore, a swordsman who uses skill to overcome clumsiness can defuse the opponent's powerful offensive through accurate judgment and flexible response, and even find opportunities to win when the opponent has the advantage of strength and speed.