Ch. 27 - The Keen Edge Trait

Sunlight streamed through the window lattice. Robb had finished his meditation for the day and was preparing to practice Sun God Swordcraft.

Since killing Dagon, his understanding of this sword art had undergone a qualitative leap.

The life-or-death struggle in particular had given him a far deeper appreciation for the subtlety of combining swordsmanship with breathing technique.

"Let's begin."

Robb adjusted his breathing. The wooden sword rose slowly in his hand.

Guided by the Solar Breath, every movement carried a distinctive rhythm.

First layer of breathing, inhale for seven beats.

The wooden sword swept upward in an elegant arc, its tip aimed at the sky, like a knight saluting the sun.

This was the Dawn Ring form in Sun God Swordcraft, emphasizing smooth, circular motions to deflect attacks from any angle.

Second layer of breathing, hold for three beats.

The blade leveled parallel to the ground, both hands gripping it before his chest in the classic guard stance.

This was a defensive posture from ancient tradition, capable of redirecting an opponent's force outward.

The faint halo along the sword's surface gradually brightened, energy unique to the Solar Breath building within the blade.

Third layer of breathing, exhale for five beats.

The stance shifted abruptly, transitioning from a horizontal guard to a direct thrust. The sword tip shot forward like a striking viper.

This technique was called Daybreak Cross, one of the rare forms in Sun God Swordcraft that balanced offense and defense.

The blade carved a perfect cross in the air, simultaneously capable of deflecting incoming attacks and delivering devastating counterstrikes.

As the full sequence concluded, the wooden sword traced a graceful arc through the air, perfectly aligned with his breathing.

Gone was the earlier clumsiness. Every movement now flowed like water.

[Current progress: Basic Swordcraft (Beginner 49/50)]

"Just one more point..."

Robb took a deep breath and launched into the final set of forms.

This was the most complex sequence in Sun God Swordcraft, requiring multiple rapid directional changes in quick succession.

But this time, his body seemed to move with a will of its own.

Every pivot was flawless. The transitions between strikes were seamless.

The sequence flowed like water, and Robb clearly felt something shift within.

[Basic Swordcraft breakthrough!]

[Basic Swordcraft (Beginner 50/50) → Basic Swordcraft (Proficient 1/100)]

[Bonus trait acquired: Keen Edge (Increased penetration when attacking with a sword)]

He raised the wooden sword and gave it a light swing.

The arc of the blade seemed to carry an invisible ripple, even the air trembled faintly.

If he were to face the mutated Dagon again now, he could probably end the fight in a single exchange.

"So this is the gap between Proficient and Beginner..."

Robb marveled silently. In truth, the classifications of [Beginner] and[Proficient] were the panel's own standards.

He felt that his swordsmanship, rated as merely [Proficient] on the panel, was already on par with championship-winning swordsmen back in the kingdom.

He set down the wooden sword and began preparing for the day's body tempering.

As his mastery of the Solar Breath deepened, the tempering process had become increasingly familiar.

[Body Tempering Breath EXP +1]

[Current progress: Body Tempering Breath (Beginner 43/100)]

Barely past the halfway mark, but Robb wasn't anxious.

Body tempering differed from other skills, it required specialized essence oils, and the body needed recovery time between sessions.

Besides, with foundational work like this, impatience was more likely to cause problems than solve them.

After tempering, Robb felt drenched in sweat and essence oil. He decided to head to the communal baths.

Gathering his belongings, he was about to leave when Arnor's warning crossed his mind.

In this world, even a trip to the bath required vigilance. Bathing and using the privy were, after all, a person's most vulnerable moments.

"Let's hope today is uneventful."

Robb murmured, pushing open his door and stepping into the corridor.

The communal bath was thick with steam. He chose a spot in the corner and began washing off the oil and sweat.

The warm water cascaded over him, gradually easing his taut muscles.

These weeks of body tempering had made his physique noticeably more robust. The lines of his meridians and muscles had become sharply defined.

When a few Initiates entered the baths and spotted Robb, they instinctively gave him a wide berth, choosing spots far away.

After the Dagon incident, and Arnor's earlier intervention on his behalf, they regarded this neighbor who could solo-kill a mutant with a wooden sword with a mixture of awe and wariness.

After washing, Robb dressed and gathered his toiletries to head back.

The corridor was hushed. Only a few dim Mana Crystal lamps flickered.

Just as he neared his room, a figure stepped out from around a corner.

"Lord Robb."

It was a well-dressed young woman. Robb recognized her as one of Marcus's servants.

Compared to the other servants, her attire was more lavish, with a gemstone necklace adorning her neck.

"I'm Ashara, Lord Marcus's personal handmaiden." She curtsied slightly, her voice soft and pleasant. "I understand you work at Lady Elena's herb shop?"

Robb looked at her without expression. "What do you want?"

"Well, you see..." Ashara produced a well-practiced smile.

"My master has always been interested in potioneering. He's heard you've been making quite a name for yourself in the field. I was wondering if perhaps..."

"No." Robb cut off whatever she'd been about to say.

He knew these servants' tricks all too well, first the probing questions, then the search for leverage.

Besides, he had a confidentiality agreement with Lady Elena. This kind of transparently clumsy ploy was beneath contempt.

"But..." Ashara's face arranged itself into an expression of difficulty.

"If it's a matter of price, we can negotiate. My master says that if you're willing to share some formulas, he'll offer..."

"Not interested. Move aside."

Robb had no desire to continue this pointless exchange. He sidestepped her and started to leave.

At that moment, as they passed each other, a cold glint flashed through Ashara's eyes, and a satisfied smirk tugged at the corner of her mouth.

Her slender fingers traced a special gesture beneath her sleeve as her lips moved soundlessly through an incantation.

This was a zero-circle spell called Light-Fingered Larceny, it possessed no offensive capability, but its strength lay in being nearly undetectable.

A wisp of dark energy extended from her fingertips like smoke, drifting silently toward Robb.

At this range, even an experienced Elementary Apprentice would struggle to detect such a subtle fluctuation without their guard up.

As she cast, her eyes locked onto the bulging cloth pouch at his waist.

Inside were not only Mana Crystal Fragments but several potions Robb had painstakingly brewed.

The energy tendril had crept within inches of the pouch. One more instant and the theft spell would transfer it into her hands.

Then she'd simply claim he had tried to steal her belongings, and without breaking a sweat...

At the critical moment, Robb's spirit perception suddenly snagged on the anomalous energy fluctuation.

It was an extremely subtle wrongness, like something plucking at the strings of his spirit, making him inexplicably agitated.

Ashara saw the young apprentice suddenly freeze mid-stride, and alarm bells screamed in her head.

But it was too late. The sword cleared his waist with breathtaking speed. For the first time, Proficient-level Sun God Swordcraft revealed its terrifying power.

A flash of steel. A piercing scream.

Ashara's right hand was severed cleanly along with the dark energy tendril. Blood sprayed instantly.

She stared in horror at her severed wrist and was about to scream again when Robb, showing not an ounce of gallantry, kicked her squarely in the face, sending her flying.

Simultaneously, he snatched his pouch out of the air before it hit the ground. Inside were his Mana Crystal Fragments and potions.

"If we weren't in a public area with surveillance orbs..."

Robb flicked the blood from his wooden sword, his eyes carrying a bone-deep chill. "You'd already be dead."

Ashara crumpled to the ground and lay there for a long time, unable to rise. Her once-lavish dress was smeared with grime, marked by a conspicuous boot print.

She clutched her bleeding stump desperately, all traces of elegance gone, only terror and pain remained.

"You... how dare you..."

At that moment, an icy voice echoed from the far end of the corridor.

"Hmph. Just as the rumors say, nothing but a muscle-brained brute."

Marcus had been lurking there for who knew how long. He wore a dark gray apprentice robe, the green badge on his chest glinting in the dim light.

"I just witnessed, with my own eyes, how you brutally attacked my servant."

The short, ugly-featured young man wore a vicious grin.

"The faction strictly prohibits internal fighting. And you, a mere Initiate, daring to lay such violent hands on an apprentice's property..."

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