"However, if you truly wish to go further on this path, this is far from enough."
Aksa looked into Ron’s eyes:
"First, it’s not just about mastering the use of three types of weapons, but reaching a state of ’resonance’ with them."
His voice was deep and powerful:
"Resonance means that when you hold a weapon, you can sense the ’will’ and ’spirit’ of the weapon itself, establishing a kind of mental connection with it.
This sensing is not limited to extraordinary weapons. Even ordinary iron can unleash unimaginable power in the hands of a true master."
"Do ordinary weapons also have spirit?"
Ron frowned slightly, as this contradicted some of the theories he understood.
"Of course, but it’s different from what you wizards understand."
Aksa chuckled softly:
"Our Beast Race believes that any weapon that has been refined absorbs the essence and will of its creator, forming a special ’resonance field.’
This field, though weak, truly exists.
A true Weapon Master can sense and amplify this field, creating resonance with themselves."
He extended a finger, gently touching Ron’s chest:
"The most critical thing is, when in battle, you can instinctively choose the weapon most suitable for the current situation and switch modes in an instant. That’s the true essence of a Weapon Master."
Ron nodded, silently noting all this in his heart.
This skill sounded similar to the magic construction of wizards, both requiring precise perception and control of energy.
"In our Beast Race, Weapon Masters are among the most respected of the extraordinary professions."
Pride shone in Aksa’s eyes:
"In the history of the Beast Race, more than half of those who became sovereigns emerged from Weapon Masters."
Interest glimmered in Ron’s eyes:
"Sovereign?"
Respect flickered in the Tiger-man’s eyes:
"Sovereign is the pinnacle of the Beast Race’s extraordinary professions, akin to your human Great Wizards. Every sovereign has reached near perfection in some aspect, serving as the spiritual backbone of the entire Beast Race."
The Tiger-man stood up, spreading his arms as if painting a grand picture:
"And for a Weapon Master to advance to Sovereign, they must master an ultimate skill known as the ’Gap-Seeking Technique.’
"Gap-Seeking Technique?"
Ron softly repeated the term, feeling its profound mystery.
"It is an extremely mysterious skill."
Aksa’s voice grew even deeper:
"Imagine, when facing an opponent, being able to instantly spot the tiniest gaps in their defense, or the weak points in their attack trajectory.
Then, concentrating all your strength, you use your weapon to precisely hit that point."
Suddenly, Aksa swung a claw as if slashing through the void, and a visible ripple of energy spread out:
"Once you’ve mastered the ’Gap-Seeking Technique,’ your attacks can ignore any defense, as you can always find the flaws in it.
Against an enemy’s onslaught, you can always find a way to counter it, even reflecting their power back at them.
This skill can even counteract magic attacks."
A martial art purely reliant on the body and technique capable of countering magic attacks?
Ron was slightly taken aback, as this nearly overturned his understanding of the power system.
"But mastering this skill comes at an extremely high cost."
Aksa’s expression turned serious:
"You need to possess skills surpassing the usual Weapon Master, honing your perception ability through the baptism of blood and fire."
The Tiger-man lowered his head, a tinge of regret in his voice:
"Because of this, even among the exceptionally gifted, only about one in a hundred can reach the stage of ’Gap-Seeking Technique.’
A subtle wave surged from the depths of his heart, a familiar sensation of the profession panel being updated.
[Detected a new profession advancement path]
[Weapon Master (Two and a Half Stars)]
[Advancement conditions:
1. Constitution above 3.0√
2. Skill - Cold Weapon Combat reached Master Level
3. Skill - Intuitive Reflex reached Skilled Level
4. Complete 30 life-and-death battles]
Ron continued to browse downward, discovering that the conditions for the next level of advancement had already emerged:
[Sovereign・Weapon Master (Three and a Half Stars)]
[Advancement conditions:
1. Constitution above 6.0
2. Skill - Cold Weapon Combat reached Expert Level
3. Skill - Intuitive Reflex reached Master Level
4. Skill - Gap-Seeking Technique reached Skilled Level
5. ???]
Ron gently closed his eyes, sorting through this information in his mind.
The conditions for becoming a Weapon Master, for him now, his constitution had long met the standard, and the life-and-death battles might also be accomplished through the simulation battle device.
The biggest challenge lay in those two skills.
Through conventional methods, training three different types of weapons to master level could take several years.
But by leveraging the simulation battle device for focused training,
plus the synergy from "Dual Soul" and "Extensive Knowledge," along with the various benefits from the Knight Profession and Wizard System professions.
He might be able to shorten this time to about a year.
As for the training process of intuitive reflex, that would be a bit troublesome, but the gains should be substantial.
The "Sovereign" above seemed too distant, something he hadn’t considered yet.
However, he did learn that above the master level is the expert level, which was an unexpected reward.
"Master Aksa, I’ve decided to try this path."
Ron finally said, "It doesn’t conflict with my current plan; in fact, it can be considered one of the directions I’ve originally thought about."