The sentence from Instructor Kenji's mouth drew the attention of the new cadets, including Cain. They exchanged glances, but Cain stared ahead, watching the seniors train.
Upright posture with both legs aligned straight. Although it looked stiff, Cain could see the flexibility that pushed the slashes into a melodious cadence.
Swoosh!
Every time the wooden sword came down, the atmosphere howled as if in fear, thanks to the precision and weighted power embedded in the blunt blade.
Cain took a deep breath and closed his eyes, pulling himself into his own mind while digging through his latest memory.
A flicker of data in the form of images resurfaced, replicating itself like a slideshow that shows the basic technique of the Kenjutsu.
'Okay, I can do this!'
He opened his eyes while letting out a sharp sigh. The boy shifted his left foot backwards to become the fulcrum. His palms joined together, and his fingers squeezed the air, imagining holding a sword hilt.
"Use this!"
Instructor Kenji's hoarse voice broke Cain's concentration, making him turn and glare at the old man who was grinning while watching him.
In his widened vision, Cain saw a wooden sword approaching. His right hand blurred to catch the sword in a lightning-fast manner.
"Hoo."
Instructor Kenji touched his chin, barely holding the grin emerging from his lips. His black eyes narrowed, seemingly happy with Cain's action.
'He's got potential'
It's been a long time since a student with high potential has come to his training ground.
The most recent was Kurata. His calm demeanour and Mutation Potential Level 6 made Kenji thrilled and proud to have a student like him.
Kurata also managed to take two steps in the pressure test given to every new student.
Yet miraculously, for the first time, there was a cadet who successfully broke the record and passed that challenge with a perfect score.
The grey-haired boy's gaze was sharp. His black irises were devoid of light, a testament to his hard life.
However, Kenji could see a great essence in the boy's eyes. An essence blazed like a sun that refused to collapse, bestowing its grace to the world on the verge of destruction.
It reminded him of the old days when he stood in the front lines—a stark difference from his current position as an officer who stood on the back lines and could only nurture new seeds for the future.
The grey-haired boy gripped the wooden sword hilt. Kenji's eyes accidentally caught the number on his wrist.
'Potential 1, huh! What a load of crap!'
Cain furrowed his brows as he saw Instructor Kenji chuckling, then turning to the other cadets. He shook his head to rid himself of unnecessary thoughts and proceeded to train.
After confirming the weight in his hands, the boy loosened the grip on the hilt and prepared his middle stance while pointing his sword forward.
He stood for a few dozen seconds, changing the atmosphere among the other junior cadets, who began to imitate him.
Beside him, the other cadets peered to the side, doubting whether their actions were correct.
"Straighten your posture with your gaze straight ahead!"
Instructor Kenji's command echoed, making the cadets, except for Cain, flinch from their position.
The man in the dougi stood before the cadets, holding the same wooden sword.
"Listen, you already know there are several stance variations in kenjutsu. So I want you to switch your stance every ten minutes and spend the rest of your remaining half days doing that before you can line up with your seniors out there, understood?"
"As you command."
Cain kept his mouth shut as he became submerged deep into his thoughts. In his mind, a fragment of an image appeared, blinking like a monitor screen.
A real image of a boy wearing a white dougi swinging a bamboo sword. The image shifted, and now, the boy was facing another person wearing full protective gear. Both were standing still while surrounded by many people in a large hall.
The rumble of applause and cheers from the audience, the smell of sour sweat piercing his senses, and igniting the fighting spirit in his heart.
Cain took a slow breath and exhaled slowly as if wanting to merge with the atmosphere itself.
His heart suddenly pounded fast, hitting his consciousness and shattering the chain that bound him.
[Integrity Sync Complete.]
[Integrity 100% Reached]
> Level Up → 5.0
> Parameters boosted → All stats +1
> Bonus Point 5!
A blue panel appeared before him. But the boy ignored it and continued to suppress his emotions steadily.
Time passed quickly, and Cain's body lowered its centre of gravity, twisted his wrist, and let his wooden sword point backwards.
'Lower stance, overhead stance, upper, and middle stance…'
Again and again, he shifted the tip of his sword backwards, then raised it above his head with an upright body, to the side of his face, chest level, and so on, until returning to the initial stance.
Cain did everything seamlessly, flowing and without the slightest mistake, as if he was born with that talent.
'Strange, why do I feel like I'm already used to all this?'
Instructor Kenji, the cadets near him, and the seniors who occasionally peeked at their juniors' ongoing training were speechless.
A cold wind blew, providing clean air that entered Cain's inflated lungs and spread throughout the veins in his body, clearing his mind.
The sweat from his forehead dripped to the ground, splashing a beautiful, calm reflection mirroring Cain's condition.
His lips parted as he displayed a sparkling expression, yet calm like a pool surface.
'This is fun!'
Minutes turned into hours. The artificial sun slowly shifted westward, casting its orange glow mixed with a crimson hue.
Instructor Kenji swept his eyes through the new cadets and seniors. He cleared his throat and opened his mouth.
"Stop your training!"
The seniors swung their wooden swords vertically, cutting the air with a whistling sound resonating through the greenery.
Cain loosened the tension in his body and straightened his posture. He exhaled sharply, lifting his gaze toward the horizon.
'Time sure flies if it's fun.'
"Listen up, all of you! We will end today's training session, and don't forget tomorrow at the same time and place. I want you to keep finding ways to keep improving, understand?"
"As you command."
Instructor Kenji nodded his head and glared at the new cadets.
"As for you newcomers, take that wooden sword with you, and I want you to get used to carrying it on your waist during every training session, understood?"
Cain and the other new cadets pressed their left chests and answered in unison.
"As you command."
"Good, go back to your dorms and rest, or you can go to the cafeteria to get food! Thanks for your hardwork!"
"Thanks for your hardwork, Master."
The seniors bowed their bodies. Cain and the new cadets glanced left and right and immediately bent their posture, seeing the seniors smile mischievously at seeing their juniors flustered.
As the other students dispersed, Cain wove through the crowds and approached Instructor Kenji, who was still standing on the field.
"Is there anything else you need, Cadet Cain?"
"Ah, yes, well."
Cain swallowed to moisten his throat. His left hand, holding the wooden sword, kept trembling, showing his hesitation.
Instructor Kenji raised his eyebrows and turned to face Cain.
"Say it, don't hesitate!"
The grey-haired boy nodded and pressed his fast-beating chest while sighing.
"Do you know where the long-range training ground is?"
The man blinked, rubbing his sparsely bearded chin.
"The place is in the building next to the running field. You have to enter that building first, and you will find your own way."
"O-Okay, thank you, Master."
After giving a final respectful bow, Cain turned and left the sword training field while gently patting his chest.
'Thank goodness there's no silly competition between the fighters and the shooters in this place.'