James also cast Amon a curious glance and asked, "Are you ready to learn sword art?"
"Yes, Instructor." Amon nodded calmly, gripping the sword in his hand tighter.
James noticed the burning ambition in Amon's eyes and couldn't help but chuckle lightly.
He gestured toward Seth and Vela to wait by the side while he and Amon walked toward the center of the courtyard where they had sparred the previous day.
With a few casual strides, Amon and James reached the center of the courtyard.
Glancing at Amon, James stretched his hand and a sword appeared in his grasp.
"You have never heard anything about battle arts, right?" he asked curiously.
Amon nodded.
James gave a look as though he had expected this and then began explaining.
"Battle arts is a unique method of using one's divine energy along with battle techniques."
Amon raised a brow in curiosity. "Then what about one's gift? Isn't it better to use one's divine energy with one's divine gift?"
Hearing his words, James laughed at his naivety.
"It is generally not advisable to use one's gift. It is better to safeguard it. This is because once one's gift is known by others, they will come up with ways to counter it. However, by using battle arts, you can leave your gift as a trump card for when you are in a dire situation.
"Of course, there are all sorts of gifts in existence, and there are those that, even while being used, will not be discovered. It all depends on the kind of gift you awaken."
Hearing James' explanation, Amon fell into deep thought.
Recalling Peculiar, a light of understanding appeared within him. Since he now knew her gift, even during their battle he was able to be at an advantage, but with Peculiar in the dark about his, he could surprise her at any time.
'Perhaps this situation does not apply to me,' Amon mused internally. 'After all, I can try creating gifts. Using them while keeping the major ones hidden will put my enemies off track.'
Amon was already thinking of ways to turn this to his benefit.
"Well then, just as the name implies. Sword arts require you to mimic all sorts of things to be able to display sword arts. Thankfully, there are some sword arts techniques left to us by our ancestors."
As James finished speaking, he took a casual stance and continued his explanation.
"This is called the Sunset Sword Art, and there are only three known volumes. This is the first."
As James explained, he steadied himself and swung his sword.
Instantly, Amon felt a rising heat bubbling out from him. Then a scorching white light flew from James' hand and landed on the grass, exploding it in a violent eruption.
Amon took a step back, stupefied by the destruction caused by the sword art.
A portion of the grassland had been destroyed, creating a slightly deep crater.
"The main truth about sword arts is using basic techniques together with the true sword arts. That way you save your divine energy, minimizing its use for when you want to use your gift."
The explanation was slightly complex, but Amon was gradually understanding everything.
He felt as though a fog in his mind was clearing up, opening something to him.
Turning curiously toward Amon, James asked, "How much were you able to comprehend from my display just now?"
Amon felt his blood stirring at James' words.
He could barely remember much.
'I can tell it is a mixture of basic sword techniques, but the movement of divine energy and expelling it out of one's body is too abstract to grasp.'
Besides, Amon was using primordial energy. He did not know how much that would differ from using divine energy with sword arts.
Noticing his confused expression, James laughed.
"It is only natural that you did not comprehend much. You only just formed your Celestial Core," James explained calmly.
Normally, when someone formed a bond with their Celestial Dragon, a pale white core automatically formed within their body, and they had to absorb divine energy to evolve it.
No one was like Amon, who formed his own Primordial Core by himself.
Amon was long since aware of this.
He continued listening to James' explanation.
"Since you just formed your Celestial Core, it will be quite difficult to move it outwards. Sense within your body. You should feel wriggling things within you like veins. These are Divine Veins used to absorb divine energy.
"By moving your divine energy through your Divine Veins, rather than just using it to absorb divine energy, you can enhance the strength of certain parts of your body."
James once again gripped his wooden sword and executed the first volume of the Sunset Sword Art once more.
"And also, execute an attack like this…"
Swish.
A faint glowing red hue appeared briefly at the edge of the wooden sword blade before exploding toward the crater on the ground.
"Of course, my attack is this strong because I am at a much higher level than you. Being at just the Mortal Vein Realm, your attack will not be so strong."
Hearing the explanation, Amon fell into deep thought, his eyes flickering with contemplation.
After some deliberation he looked up at James. "So, before anything, I have to learn to master divine energy movement within my Divine Veins."
James nodded.
"Indeed. After that, all you need to do is learn to coordinate your body movements together with basic sword techniques. In essence, splitting your thoughts between moving divine energy within your body and physically fighting."
Although the process sounded slightly complicated, Amon felt he was faintly grasping something.
"Well then, settle down. I will direct the movement of divine energy within your body. It will be easier than you having to master it all by yourself, which would take a lot of time."
Amon hesitated briefly before replying calmly, "I will master it myself."
James stared at Amon, and his impression of Amon worsened drastically.
'Thinking this is like the basic techniques that you mastered with your gift?'
With such arrogance, he was certain that Amon would not progress much.
What he did not know was that Amon decided not to allow him to help for fear of his two cores and primordial energy being discovered.
What if James helped the process and the two energies rejected each other?
James would definitely understand something was wrong.
He could not risk his life in such a manner. Although it might take a little more time, Amon was certain he could comprehend it faster on his own.
Since he had been using his Primordial Veins for five years now, he could already faintly control them.
In fact, just recalling James' words, Amon had already faintly begun moving his Primordial Energy all over his body.
He hastily sat cross-legged and began studying the process occurring within him.