Chapter 483 The essence of swordsmanship I
Hubert changed the topic because he had no plans to hear about how strong and awesome Kyle's first master was.
"I remember you said you use a sword as your main weapon, right? Show me some basic moves."
"That way, I can gauge how much mystery you have over swordsmansthip and see how far you have come with it."
"I usually prefer to fight with my fists, and my main focus has always been on spearmanship. But I have also trained extensively in swordsmanship and many other arts of combat. So, I can guide you because pushing your body to extreme limits all the time without proper balance can lead to harm rather than strength."
Kyle stared at the old man as the latter waited for him to perform the basic sword moves. He furrowed his brows.
"How can I show you the moves when I don't have a sword?"
Hubert smiled as he moved and snapped a tree branch from a nearby tree, causing the gray leaves to cascade over his head.
"It seems you have always used high-rank weapons for your swordsmanship, huh? I wonder how many weapons you have changed and broken until now."
"Kyle, you should learn how everything around you has the potential to become your weapon."
He gazed at a falling leaf and performed a basic swordsmanship move, a slash, in front of Kyle with a deliberate yet graceful manner.
Kyle's eyes narrowed as he watched the leaf being cleanly cut into two pieces before the pieces fell to the ground softly. He observed every move of Hubert, noting how the old man used the branch to slice the leaf, capturing not just the cut but also the essence of the moment.
Clearly, the old man used not even a speck of mana or any other type of energy in that move, nor did he exert much visible effort. However, Kyle was fascinated by the speed, precision, and grace it displayed. It was just a basic move, but Kyle sensed the power behind that slow movement that sliced the leaf. He was certain that Hubert's mastery of swordsmanship had reached a level far beyond his own.
He couldn't help but wonder if Hubert was so good in swordsmanship, then how much better would the old man be in his main art, spearmanship?
Hubert noticed how Kyle's eyes were still fixed on the fallen pieces of the sliced leaf. He cleared his throat to grab the human's attention before tossing the tree branch toward Kyle, who grabbed it without a second thought.
"Kyle, remember, the real essence of swordsmanship doesn't solely rely on the weapons themselves but in your ability to adapt your moves to utilize any object in your immediate surroundings. It's not the weapon that defines your skill, but how you wield it with precision and ingenuity."
He paused when Kyle took a step back with the branch held horizontally.
The human then closed his eyes for a few seconds and replicated the exact move he had demonstrated a moment ago.
Hubert's eyes widened with surprise because even though Kyle couldn't fully tap into the move's essence, he replicated it so perfectly with the branch that it seemed like he had done it countless times.
At the same time, Kyle looked at the fallen leaf pieces after slicing it like the old man. However, he noticed with a frown that the leaf's cut edges were uneven, not smooth like the old man's.
"It seemed easy, but it's a bit tricky. I think I need more practice to make my move resonate with the air around me."
Hubert cleared his throat but he was a bit shaken inwardly. It's true, the move was basic, but he used a branch to show that the essence of swordsmanship lies in the person, not the weapon. And reaching that level required a long journey. Using an ordinary object to tap into the essence of swordsmanship isn't easy. That's why only a few choose to learn it, while others focus on mastering their sword arts after mastering the basic moves of swordsmanship.
But... Kyle just went ahead and simply copied it! Luckily, Kyle didn't fully replicate the actions, and the human move lacked true strength.
Otherwise, Hubert wasn't sure what he would be feeling now.
'I never expected him to be so adept at replicating and comprehending what he saw just once with his eyes.'
It was to be expected because all Kyle ever did was train his body under his guidance. So, how would he know the human would be so good at learning?
Hubert wanted to ask about what type of sword art Kyle had learned because they were quite famous everywhere. But before he could, Kyle started demonstrating the other basic move of swordsmanship with the branch held in his hand.
The old man focused his eye on Kyle's as the human thrust the branch forward in a stabbing motion before slashing it in a sweeping cutting motion.
Kyle then stepped back and, with a swift movement, held out the branch in front of him in a defensive move as if to parry an attack. Only to lunge forward in the next moment in a sudden movement to attack before he slowly lowered the branch just like a sword in a graceful manner.
Hubert barely managed to keep his jaw from dropping because with each move, he could clearly see that Kyle was picking up what he taught the human.
How many times did he demonstrate that move again!? He only showed that move once, just one frickin time!
'Don't tell me I somehow... got a genius disciple who is made for swordsmanship?!'
He schooled his expression and glanced at Kyle with a smile as if just a moment ago the human didn't give him such a big surprise.
"I can clearly see you are good with the basics. Kyle, I believe you have learned a sword Art? They are available in almost everywhere."
The old man paused for a second.
"Do you remember your Art moves? It's been three months since you arrived on this land, and I believe you have forgotten a lot of things."