Chapter 123:
Chapter 123:
As Elise upped the intensity, Otto became nothing more than a punching bag.
*Whack!*
Ouch!
He was whacked.
*Bam!*
Kuck!
And then, an elbow blow.
*Bam!*
Kweeeeek!
And then hit on his head.
Before Otto could exchange a few blows, he gave away his head, shoulders, knees, arms, back, and sides.
If it were a real fight, he would have had his head split open, his shoulder chopped off, a third of his upper body blown off, and his legs severed.
After that, there was nothing for him to do except to lay down and die.
Ugh.
Otto gritted his teeth as he stumbled to his feet after being knocked down about the 47th time.
I cant believe Im so helpless.
He felt like a child, even though he was using his full concentration and strength.
Right now, Ottos skill would be considered quite good anywhere.
Even so, the gap was enormous.
As wide as heaven and earth.
Do you want to take a short break?
No.
Otto shook his head at Elises question.
I want to continue.
Good attitude.
Elise smiled, pleased with Ottos determination and grit.
Even though Otto hadnt been able to land any of his attacks, he didnt seem too dissatisfied.
*Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!*
Ouch!
*Snap!*
Kweeeeeeek!
After a dozen or so more of these hits.
This is my chance.
Otto spotted a gap in Elises defense, even as he was being pummeled, and thrust his sword straight through.
*Tap!*
The tip of the sword grazed Elises midriff, just below her navel.
Huh?
Otto was surprised at himself.
They had fought for nearly four hours and he hadnt managed to make a single counterattack.
And now hed managed to stab her in the lower abdomen, one of the most vital organs!
Despite Elise raising the bar on the difficulty of their duel.
[Alert: Your progress rate in <Invincible Swordsmanship> has increased!]
[Alert: Congratulations!]
[Alert: You have reached the 3-star mark in <Invincible Swordsmanship>!]
A faint notification appeared in front of his eyes.
Progression.
After only a few hours of training, he had reached a new level.
Youre a fast learner, I must admit.
Elise recognized that Otto had made another improvement.
Really?
No matter how good the sword techniques imprinted on your subconscious mind, its up to you to digest it.
Is that so?
I guided you into the move I wanted, but I didnt expect you to do it in such a short time. Im honestly surprised.
My goodness.
Otto was more amazed at her eerie eyes and control of her power than the praise hed received from Elise.
Her qualities as a teacher were immense.
To be able to accurately gauge someones level, and then push them to the next level.
Its not something that can be done by anyone.
If all masters were so good at teaching, there wouldnt be a bad student in the world.
Moreover, Elises teaching this time was different from the last.
Whereas the last time shed played with Otto to get him to consciously execute his sword skills, this time she went a step further.
Elise continued to stimulate Otto in a similar pattern, trying to get him to make the desired movements.
Needless to say, the movements Elise wanted were the most ideal and perfect form of swordsmanship.
Elises pursuit of the truth of swordsmanship and Invincible Swordsmanship were almost perfectly aligned.
Fianc.
Yes?
You have a talent. You deserve to be called a genius.
Elise encouraged Otto, her tone sincere.
Oh, no.
Im serious. I dont speak empty words. You have more than enough talent. So go out there and never let it stop you. And dont die. You are my fiance.
Haha. Hahahaha.
Otto realized that Elise was just trying to cheer him up.
If Im a genius, then youre a super-genius, because theres no way a dog or a cow can be a genius, and if they are, theyre just fireflies in front of the sun. Cough.
The difference in ability was so overwhelming that Otto could not help but feel humble in front of Elise.
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Otto was taken to the infirmary immediately after his fight with Elise.
Even with just a wooden sword, hed taken dozens of blows that left him crippled again.
It wasnt all lost, though.
The three days of cramming.
And then four hours of sparring.
After just four days, he had already managed to reach the second to third level of attainment in the <Invincible Swordsmanship>, so it was a rather profitable endeavor.
UUuuuugh.
Of course, from Ottos point of view, it was a truly intense training that was deadly, to the point where he wouldnt be surprised if he became sick.
If Otto hadnt been a possessor of the Divine Body, there was a good chance he would have been permanently disabled, with broken bones, torn muscles, and torn ligaments.
In other words, it was a hell of a training that he could only endure because it was him.
Haahahah.
Kairos, who had been watching the entire exchange in silence, approached Elise and spoke.
Your instruction was excellent, huh?
You are too kind.
You are a great teacher. Im afraid I wont be able to teach as well as you. Ive tried to teach before, and got a bunch of men killed.
We all have things were good at, and things we are bad at.
Elise never questioned who Kairos was, where he came from, how old he was, or why he called himself a burden.
He just saw a man named Kairos and a sword.
And its not that my teaching was good, my fianc has a great deal of talent. He just hasnt realized it yet.
Elise was still praising Otto after he was taken away.
She wasnt just lifting him up to cheer him, she was sincere from the start.
Why do you think so?
My fiancs swordsmanship is a bit old-fashioned, but its close to perfect. Its as close to the truth of swordsmanship as Ive ever seen.
So?
But even if invincible swordsmanship is imprinted in his subconscious, unleashing it will ultimately come down to.
The person, its the human being, isnt that right!
Yes.
Elise smiled at Kairos, who understood her words instantly.
A famous sword, or swordsmanship. In the end, it all comes down to the man who holds the sword.
Hahaha. Thats right. Well, it is what it is.
Kairos nodded in agreement.
In that sense, my fianc is gifted. Even if its embedded in his subconscious, it wouldnt be possible without the quality of the recipient to draw it out.
Youre right.
Awakening subconscious swordsmanship through training is also something that ordinary talent cannot do.
Hahahaha!
Kairos laughed out loud.
As expected, youre definitely not ordinary, youve got him figured out!
Its just a little trick.
My fianc is underestimating himself. I dont understand why hes so insecure when hes so talented.
Hahahah. Its because hes a fool. Hes got a great eye for the world. But he cant look at himself.
Is that possible?
I wonder that myself.
Elise and Kairos wondered why Otto couldnt recognize his talent.
But it wasnt because he was stupid.
Otto was a modern man.
He was fundamentally different from the people of this world, who were exposed to swordsmanship from a young age.
As a result, he hadnt developed the discernment to recognize his own excellence through comparison with others.
Furthermore, since he had only encountered this world as a game, he had only thought of <Invincible Swordsmanship> as something that was simply something that he could do.
In reality, he hadnt realized that without talent, it would be impossible to even subconsciously absorb the <Invincible Sword Techniques>.
You have great eyes to see the world, but you cant look at yourself.
Elise smiled bitterly and echoed Kairos words.
Hehehe.
Kairos laughed as he watched Elise ponder.
By any chance, what you just said.
Youre a match made in heaven.
Im a match made in heaven with my fianc?
Yes! If you understand, why do you pretend you dont? Hahaha!
Kairos smirked.
Hes still a child, but hell be a man if you discipline him well. Beat him well, even with a lovely rod of iron if need be, and he may one day become a man.
I will teach him well.
If a disciple is talented enough, then the teacher will find teaching enjoyable.
And when the student is so good that they soak up the lessons like a sponge, its more than rewarding, its fulfilling!
Even though Elise was not Ottos formal teacher.
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At night, while everyone was asleep.
Ughhh. Grunt.
Otto grunted and woke up in pain.
*Throbbed!*
From head to toe, there wasnt a spot that didnt hurt.
Im not going to be able to stand this.
Otto shoved a pain-relieving potion into his mouth and headed for the training grounds.
Your Majesty, have you been coughing?
The knights guarding the sleeping quarters dropped to one knee in front of Otto.
Camille was off duty, apparently, and had been replaced by other knights.
Its late at night, why dont you sleep further?
I thought Id move around a bit until I feel more refreshed.
Hows.
Its okay, stay here. Im fine.
Otto shooed the knights away and headed out to the training grounds alone.
The night air was cold.
A heavy chill hung over the land.
In the bright moonlight, Otto swung his sword.
*Swish! Swish!*
Flashback.
Otto replayed his bout with Elise, step by step, trying to recreate the movements.
And then.
*Swoosh.*
Elise appeared before Ottos eyes.
It wasnt the real Elise, nor was it magically created.
It was purely an illusion created by Ottos mental focus, imagination, and memory.
I can see it.
The path of the sword.
The path of Elises blade came into view.
It made perfect sense now, how hed been able to deliver his counterattack.
*Swish! Swish!*
Otto continued to practice in his minds eye, swinging the sword over and over until the movements became second nature.
The more he practiced, the smoother the movements became.
Then, as if a blockage had been opened, Ottos swordplay began to flow as naturally as water.
But only briefly.
Its blocked.
As his imagination expanded, Elises movements became more aggressive.
She became more menacing, pressuring Otto relentlessly.
*Bam!*
Elise blocked Ottos counterattack and countered back.
If Im blocked like this?
One more step.
This was beyond just reviewing, this was practicing.
Dodge, block. Again, counterattack.
*Bam!*
From the bottom of her left to the top of her right.
The sword swung diagonally, slicing through Elises throat.
Got it.
A smile tugged at the corners of Ottos mouth.
The moonlight glinted off the tip of the halting blade.
And.
[Alert: Your <Invincible Swordsmanship> progress has increased!]
[Alert: Congratulations!]
[Alert: Your rank in <Invincible Swordsmanship> has reached 4 stars!]