Although the boy achieved his goal in training when he was still in the group from the third stance, he still trained in the same ways, adding weight to his body, and going out for an early morning workout.
When Kane only went out to the training ground first thing in the morning, he immediately approached tutor Nilon to talk to him.
"Excuse me, I have a question before I start training."
"Yes, what is it?"
"Because yesterday I was wondering about a certain thing, what does becoming a Lower Knight basically give me besides being able to take the Knight exam?"
"When you become a Lower Knight, it means that you have passed the tests of all five stances, so when you get this rank, you don't have to dutifully show up with your group to train.
Until you reach the Knight rank, as a Lower Knight you have individual training or sparring. Well, and instead of a wooden sword, you get a steel one, but that's a detail."
"As for that sword, we choose which one we want ourselves?"
"No, each of you gets the same one. Only after you reach the rank of swordsman or Defense General you have the opportunity to get personalized equipment.
Anything else?"
"No, that's all, thank you."
"Hmm... training and sparring is nothing tempting, as I'm basically already practicing in my own way, but a real sword would come in handy, I'd have all winter to get used to it, however, an iron sword will differ in weight from a wooden one."
He thought as he walked away from the tutor, and began putting weight on his body for training.
Even with the first exercises, he felt that this was his day, despite yesterday's training and exercises, his body was light and rested. He knew that today was the right time to move to the fifth stance.
At both breakfast and lunch, Collin was still offended at his roommates as Daren continued to make fun of him, constantly asking.
"And what, Jin has already asked you if you'll join?"
A good mood passed the boy's day until training, waiting for tutor Nilon.
As soon as the tutor finished sending all the recruits back to their training, Kane hitched Nilon in his free moment.
"I'd like to take the test for the fifth stance"
"You've been in this group one day, don't make fun of me"
"I'm not kidding, I want to take the test."
"Ehh... Are you sure about this? I hope you won't waste my time"
"Yes, I've already checked on my own that I can do it."
"As you check yourself, the result may not always come out reliable, but if you want"
"Then I can start?"
"Yes"
Nilon positioned himself to Kane's right so that he could better see the hand in which he wielded the sword. Although he was just standing and watching, one could see his keen and battle-experienced eyesight, seeing every little movement and detail.
"Remember, ten attacks, the sword must not move, rigid wrist, clench the sword tightly. Begin, I will count down."
"Just before we start, I have a question about the fourth stance."
"Question? Rather, since you've learned the fourth stance, you don't need questions."
"Yes, but I had one idea, and I don't know if it would work. Because if I'm holding a sword and, for example, it would move while I'm cutting, it would normally move because there's nothing to stop it and my hand can't hold it.
Therefore, if I were to make a slash, but holding the sword with my right hand, instead of making a swing to the left, I would make it to the right so the hilt of the sword would lock against my wrist, making it unable to move, so even weakened, It would be effective."
"Some people do that, but the attack power is weaker then. On enemies without armor, there's no point in using this because you'll cut them normally even with weak hands. On the other hand, when the enemy has armor, this way is not suitable because you have too little strength to harm him.
So actually, it may be suitable, but only in situations when you are weakened and have no other choice.
Okay, no more talking, start the test, ten slashes."
"Yes, sir!"
Kane ignored another strange feeling accompanying him along with the salute, and approached the training dummy, making the first cut.
The strong clench of the sword in his hand, trained over the past months, effectively prevented the movement of the sword in Kane's hand, slightly setting the dummy in motion through the cut.
Without even waiting a moment, Kane continued to slash, using the dummy, which was unstable from the first attack, to make the cuts more easily.
Tutor Nilon watched closely as, time after time, with each cut, Kane's sword would not even flinch in his hand despite his short training.
Although the test itself was demanding despite the previous preparation, it was as doable as possible. However, despite the preparation, it was still a large and heavy wooden dummy, setting it in motion with an ordinary sword required quite a bit of strength.
At the eighth cut, Kane thought in his head.
"My hand is starting to go numb, I'd better not take any risk, I'll finish the exam with the attacks that Nilon mentioned, so that the sword will prophylactically stop at the wrist."
A quick thought turned into the implementation of a plan.
Kane changed the way he cut, attacking with his right hand to the right side instead of the left, thus completing the test to the fifth stance.
Slightly out of breath from the sudden exercise, he wiped the sweat from his forehead with his hand and looked in the tutor's direction.
"I passed?"
After a moment of uncertain silence, Nilon finally answered
"Yes, you passed, it's good that you changed the way you were slashing, because it was clear that your hand wouldn't last long, good job. But you should still train your hands, it doesn't matter what level of swordsmanship you are at, it will come in handy in battle."
"Yes sir!"
"For today, still train the fourth stance and let go of sparring, tomorrow you will start the fifth stance. Although you didn't stay long in my group, good luck in the future."
Said the tutor, walking away from the boy, but when Kane heard these words, he felt as if Nilon had stopped feeling resentment towards him.
"You're a nice person, aren't you, tutor?"
He uncontrollably said it aloud in Nilon's direction, not knowing why he had done it himself. He immediately felt slightly ashamed after those words.
The tutor stopped in place after a moment of awkward silence without turning back to the boy, he said.
"There are no good people in the army, there are only orders."
Kane did not yet know that these were the last words he would hear from Nilon in his life.
Military Academy in Byrock - Kane, along with orphans from all over the country, is sent to military academies in various parts of the country to join the army of the Forsteck Kingdom in future.
Kane has lived in a village near the border with his mother. When he was 6, due to the attack of the Leronia Empire on his village, he lost his mother. As an orphan, he was trained by the army of the Kingdom of Forsteck to be a man who would perform tasks impossible for ordinary soldiers.
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