Noah opened the advanced manual that Lola had provided, its pages filled with detailed illustrations and descriptions of sword stances. The manual was organised into three distinct sections corresponding to major skill ranks.
Time to see what separates novices from apprentice swordsmen.
He began by skimming through the novice section; his experience and knowledge allowed him to skim through the techniques and principles that had once seemed impossibly complex. To his surprise, most of the foundational material felt familiar rather than challenging.
I've already mastered these basics through weeks of intensive training with Master Tanaka, coupled with the hunting sessions with Valeria and Lola.
Footwork patterns, basic striking sequences, defensive positioning—all the fundamental elements that formed novice-rank swordsmanship had become second nature through dedicated practice and physical power.
