Translator: CinderTL
"A... footwork technique?"
Roland frowned slightly as he read the name on the parchment scroll.
Since transmigrating to this world, his primary method of improving his strength had been through accumulating combat skills and knowledge. Footwork, however...
Roland's gaze flickered as he fell into thought.
"I think Peyton mentioned some footwork techniques for attacking when he was teaching me basic swordsmanship and Lion Swordsmanship, but other than that..."
He tapped his fingertips lightly on the table, lost in memory.
Even the vast knowledge of weapon techniques contained within the Job Panel's traits like Short Blade Mastery and Polearm Mastery only made passing references to footwork.
In past battles, his dodges, advances, and adjustments to his stance had relied more on his formidable physical attributes and combat instincts.
"I never thought footwork itself could become a distinct combat technique..."
Roland pondered this, his gaze returning to the scroll's intricate text and diagrams.
The Martial Combat Step wasn't a complex, lengthy theoretical treatise but a concise, precise set of instructions, like battlefield orders.
"Not a fixed set of patterns..."
Roland murmured to himself, his fingertip tracing the diagram of a human figure.
"The core lies in fluidity and adaptation?"
He studied the scroll word by word.
The scroll expounded a unique concept.
Footwork wasn't an isolated skill but a dynamic foundation built on the transmission of bodily strength, the shifting of one's center of gravity, and perfect resonance with the weapon in hand.
It didn't matter whether the weapon was long or short, light or heavy. The key was understanding its inherent "momentum"—the unique rhythm and nature formed by its weight, center of gravity, balance point, inertia, and attack characteristics.
Footwork was meant to echo, guide, and amplify this "momentum."
"Echoing the weapon's 'momentum'..."
Roland's heart stirred.
Every line of the scroll emphasized that a deep understanding of this "weapon's nature" was the core threshold for cultivating the Martial Combat Step, and also the most difficult obstacle to overcome.
Countless veterans who had clawed their way through years of battlefield experience, seasoned mercenaries, and seasoned adventurers spent their entire lives without truly "hearing" the whispers of their weapons.
They might stumble upon some fixed combinations through experience, but they remained far from the effortless, limb-like control where footwork and the weapon's nature resonated in perfect harmony.
This required an almost instinctive, precise understanding of a weapon's inherent physical properties and the rhythm of combat—a talent not easily achieved through mere practice.
But Roland was different!
The description of a weapon's "momentum" in the Martial Combat Step resonated powerfully, almost as if tailor-made, with his core ability, A Knight Never Dies Empty-Handed.
That talent allowed him to instantly comprehend and master any weapon he touched, discerning its center of gravity, balance point, optimal striking methods, and even the most subtle "personality."
And this Martial Combat Step seemed to be the key to perfectly integrating these "extended" limbs with the art of moving his entire body across the ground!
As this realization dawned, a spark of excitement flashed in Roland's eyes.
"A Knight Never Dies Empty-Handed' taught me to 'understand' weapons, while this Martial Combat Step shows me how to 'move'—to transform that understanding into an impenetrable defense and offense! Not rigid footwork, but letting the weapon guide my movement, letting movement serve the weapon's sharpness!"
This theoretical breakthrough ignited a burning desire to put it into practice.
Roland immediately rose, pushed the table into a corner, and cleared a small space in the center of the room.
He took a deep breath and drew the Mithril Longsword from his waist.
Buzz!
The familiar clear hum resonated in his palm.
The talent A Knight Never Dies Empty-Handed activated instantly.
The cold touch of the Mithril Longsword, its perfect balance, and its unique blend of toughness and sharpness—all felt as intimately familiar as his own blood.
The sword's "momentum" was swift and precise, carrying a chilling piercing power.
"Lower your center of gravity... tighten your core... strength begins in your feet..."
He executed a simple side step.
At first, the movement felt stiff, completely different from his past reliance on brute force to evade attacks.
He could clearly feel the strength rising from his firmly planted foot, channeled through his tense core, smoothly propelling his body sideways.
When the movement stopped, his body remained perfectly balanced.
"The fundamentals are already different."
Roland nodded lightly, savoring the unprecedented stability and efficiency.
Then, he closed his eyes, allowing the "understanding" of the longsword granted by A Knight Never Dies Empty-Handed to flood his mind. Simultaneously, he recalled the guidance on "weapon resonance" from the Martial Combat Step scroll and assumed the starting stance for a thrust.
Whoosh!
The instant Roland took his first step, he felt a strange pull.
It was no longer "I step, then I thrust." Instead, the intention to thrust seemed to flow through the sword's hilt, guiding the width and placement of his stride.
That single step not only propelled him forward but also subtly adjusted his center of gravity and angle, making the thrust smoother. The force seemed to flow seamlessly from his heel to the sword's tip, concentrated and unwavering.
He even felt as though the tip of the Mithril Longsword was more "eager" than usual to pierce forward.
"Guiding... is the weapon guiding my steps?"
Roland opened his eyes, his eyes gleaming with excitement.
He tried a diagonal sliding step followed by a downward slash.
This time, at the end of the sliding step, the weight of the longsword and the trajectory of the slash seemed to naturally rotate his body, perfectly converting the momentum of the step into the force of the slash.
The sound of the blade cutting through the air was short and sharp, requiring less effort than usual, yet its power remained undiminished.
"Combined like this, it's absolutely perfect!"
Roland nearly gasped aloud.
He repeatedly practiced several basic movements: lunging forward, retreating backward, sidestepping, and diagonal cuts.
Each time, he focused on letting the "momentum" of the Mithril Longsword guide his footwork, rather than forcing his body to cooperate with the weapon through brute strength.
Each combination of movement and attack was smoother and more efficient than before, as if the longsword had become an extension of his body, and his footwork was the natural rhythm of this extended limb.
"The room is too small, and... trying only one weapon is far from enough."
A fiery thirst for exploration burned in Roland's eyes.
"A Knight Never Dies Empty-Handed allows me to wield any weapon, but this Martial Combat Step... can it perfectly adapt to all weapons? The cunning of a shortsword? The domineering power of a spear? The crushing weight of a warhammer? Even... those non-standard weapons?"
Having only just scratched the surface with the Mithril Longsword, he already saw a vast, entirely new battlefield unfolding before him.
It was a realm where the weapon served as the guide, footwork formed the foundation, and the warrior himself became a true embodiment of combat artistry.
Without hesitation, Roland quickly rolled up the scroll and tucked it back into his waist pouch. He snatched up the Mithril Longsword from the table and strode out of the room, heading straight for the training grounds.
He needed space, a variety of weapons, and the opportunity to thoroughly test and master the newly grasped principle of "flow"—the resonance between himself and his weapons—through practical combat simulations.
Arriving at the training grounds in town, Roland exchanged greetings with the manager before eagerly grabbing a selection of weapons.
When wielding the heavy warhammer, his footwork and waist rotation perfectly synchronized, amplifying the force of each strike while skillfully dissipating the recoil through precise foot placement, greatly reducing strain on his arms.
Switching to nimble short swords, his subtle gliding steps seemed guided by the blade's edge, delivering swift and precise attacks. The same offensive maneuvers now consumed significantly less stamina, dramatically increasing his endurance.
As for the slender lance...
An explosive forward lunge combined with core muscle power dramatically increased the speed and penetration of his thrusts. His withdrawal after each strike was equally fluid and swift.
Each time Roland switched weapons, A Knight Never Dies Empty-Handed instantly revealed the "nature" of the new weapon to him. The Martial Combat Step then immediately translated this understanding into the most suitable rhythmic footwork.
Strength surged from his feet directly to the tip of the weapon with minimal loss, resulting in greater power.
Movement and attack became seamless, with fluid and natural transitions between offense and defense.
Stamina consumption plummeted, and endurance soared.
Sweat streamed down Roland's face, yet his eyes burned with an even brighter light.
This wasn't just a new footwork technique; it was a metamorphosis of his combat instincts!
The fusion of the Martial Combat Step and A Knight Never Dies Empty-Handed had elevated his combat skills to an entirely new realm!
Bang!
After returning his weapon to the rack, Roland exhaled deeply, feeling the blood in his veins boil with excitement.
"It's a shame the nearby Bear Goblins have been nearly wiped out. Otherwise, I could have tested in real combat just how much the Martial Combat Step and A Knight Never Dies Empty-Handed have transformed me."
Shaking his head slightly, he glanced at the darkening sky and turned back toward the inn.
(End of the Chapter)
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