Free Web NovelChapter 26: The Lesson of the Tiger Woman
Then he opened his full status.
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STATUS
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Name: Adam
Level: 3
Blessings:
*Mana Body Lv. 1
*Eyes of the World Lv. 1
Talent:
*Satisfaction Return System
Skills:
*Boundary Lv. 1
*Dagger Mastery Lv. 1
*Mastery of Swords Lv. 1
*Sturdy Body Lv. 1
*Healing Lv. 1
*Massage Lv. 1
*Fertility Control Lv. 1
Stats:
Strength: 10
Agility: 10
Spirit: 11
Endurance: 20
Intelligence: 15
Luck: 12
Available Stat Points: 5
Happiness Points: 3,300
Available Functions:
*Status
*Inventory
*System Shop
*Random Drawing
*Relationships
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Adam reviewed his stats.
His Endurance was still his highest stat.
With Vigorous Body, Mana Body, and the Essence of Physical Enhancement, he had clearly chosen a very physical path.
"If I want to survive Selene, maybe I should invest my points now..."
He thought for a few seconds.
Then he shook his head.
"No. I’ll wait for her evaluation. She’ll surely know where I’m weakest."
He closed the interface.
Then he equipped more suitable training clothes.
A simple black outfit.
Flexible.
Easy to move.
He also took his dagger, then retrieved a common sword from his inventory.
The one he had obtained in the previous summon.
It wasn’t exceptional, but it would suffice for a first lesson.
Before leaving the room, he briefly placed his hand on the Ring of Promise intended for Lyriana.
"I’ll give it to her tonight."
Then he left.
The manor’s corridors were already bustling.
Servants were moving about.
Sergeants were talking in hushed tones.
A few administrators were carrying stacks of documents.
As he crossed the hall, Adam spotted Elena in the distance, surrounded by several seeres.
She gave him a quick smile.
Then she gave him a thumbs-up as if to encourage him.
Adam responded with a wave.
A little further on, Lyriana appeared briefly at the entrance to a corridor.
Their eyes met.
She said nothing.
But her expression softened.
Adam smiled.
Then he left the manor.
The city of Valoria was already in full swing.
Merchants were opening their stalls.
The adventurers were heading towards the gates.
The guards patrolled the streets.
The magical streetlights were gradually fading in the morning light.
Adam walked toward the Adventurers’ Guild.
This time, he wasn’t there to register.
Nor to ask questions.
He was there for his first real training session.
The closer he got to the building, the more his instinct told him it was going to be a difficult day.
Very difficult.
When he entered the hall, several heads turned toward him.
Some of the female adventurers immediately recognized him as the man recommended by the duchess.
Others simply observed him with curiosity.
An armed man.
Alone.
In a guild dominated by female warriors.
It was still rare enough to attract attention.
Adam headed toward the counter.
The receptionist from the previous day recognized him immediately.
"Good morning, Mr. Adam. The guild mistress is expecting you."
"Already?"
"For an hour."
Adam felt his back stiffen.
"For an hour?"
The receptionist smiled politely.
"She was impatient."
Adam closed his eyes.
"That’s even less reassuring."
A few minutes later, he was led not to Selene’s office, but to a vast training room located behind the guild.
The floor was reinforced with enchanted stone slabs.
Weapon racks lined the walls.
Several training dummies bore deep scars.
In the center of the room stood Selene Arkwell.
The white tiger-woman wore light combat gear.
Her white hair was tied back in a high ponytail.
Her golden eyes immediately met Adam’s.
A smile appeared on her lips.
A predatory smile.
"You came."
Adam took a slow breath.
"I briefly considered running away."
Selene burst out laughing.
"At least you’re honest."
She pointed to the sword at her belt.
"You already have a weapon. Good."
Adam placed his hand on the pommel.
"I’ve learned some basics."
Selene’s ears perked up.
"Some basics?"
Her smile widened.
"Then we’ll see about that."
Adam immediately sensed it was going to be a long day.
Selene approached a rack and retrieved a reinforced wooden training sword.
Then she tossed it toward him.
Adam caught it instinctively.
The weight was right.
The balance, too.
His new Sword Mastery skill reacted instantly.
Her body naturally adjusted its posture.
Selene noticed the change.
Her golden eyes sparkled.
"Interesting."
Adam took his stance.
"What?"
"You just held that sword like someone who’s been beaten hundreds of times."
Adam remained silent.
Selene smiled.
"Very good."
She assumed a fighting stance.
"First lesson."
Her aura changed instantly.
The air around her grew heavier.
Adam felt his instincts scream.
"Survive for a minute."
He blinked.
"Excuse me?"
Selene vanished from her position.
The next instant, she was in front of him.
Her sword was already descending.
Adam barely managed to raise his weapon.
CLANG!
The impact ripped through his arm.
His feet slid across the ground.
Selene smiled.
"Not bad."
Adam gritted his teeth.
"Was that the warm-up?"
"No."
Her golden eyes glittered.
"That was the salute."
Adam barely had time to widen his eyes before the second blow landed.
And so began his first lesson at the Adventurers’ Guild.
Selene’s second blow came much faster than the first.
Adam didn’t have time to think.
His body reacted almost on its own.
He pivoted his left foot slightly, lowered his center of gravity, and raised his training sword to deflect the impact.
CLANG!
The force of the blow shot up to his shoulder.
Even with Mana Body and Vigorous Body, Selene’s raw power was terrifying.
"Not bad," she commented.
Adam took a step back.
"You said that before you hit me even harder, didn’t you?"
Selene smiled.
"Exactly."
The next instant, she attacked again.
This time, her blows weren’t just fast.
They were precise.
Each strike targeted a different angle.
Shoulder.
Flank.
Leg.
Wrist.
Neck.
Adam parried, dodged, retreated.
Sometimes he managed to deflect the attack.
Sometimes he only limited the damage.
His body knew how to wield the sword.
Sword Mastery gave him the basics.
Mana Body optimized his movements.
Eyes of the World allowed him to perceive certain micro-details: the angle of the weapon, the tension in Selene’s muscles, the likely direction of her next move.
But despite all that...
He was still outmatched.
Selene had something no instant skill could give him immediately.
Experience.
True combat experience.
She didn’t just strike with her weapon.
She forced him to move where she wanted.
She controlled the space.
She controlled the rhythm.
She was even controlling her breathing.
After a minute, Adam was still standing.
But barely.
Selene finally stopped.
Adam took a deep breath.
"I survived."
"Yes."
The tiger woman rested her sword on his shoulder.
"But you’ve died seventeen times."
Adam remained silent.
"Symbolically, I hope."
"For now."
"Very reassuring."
Selene burst out laughing.
Then her expression became more serious.
"You’re doing better than expected."
Adam looked up.
"Really?"
"Yes. Your body is responding well. Your basics are clean. Your stance isn’t bad. You’re quickly understanding the corrections. And most importantly, you didn’t panic."
She circled slowly around him.
"But you sorely lack practical experience."
Adam couldn’t deny it.
"I hadn’t really fought before coming here."
"I suspected as much."
Selene tapped her sword against his shoulder.
"Your movements are correct, but too clean. Too theoretical. You know what your body should do, but you haven’t been forced to do it under pressure often enough."
Adam understood immediately.
"So I have the basics, but not the reflexes."
"Exactly."
She smiled.
"As for your level, it’s still low. But that can wait."
Adam was surprised.
"Don’t you want to level me up right away?"
Selene shook her head.
"No. Leveling up without mastering your current body would be a mistake."
She placed the training sword in front of him.
"First, you need to get used to moving, blocking, dodging, falling, getting up, and reacting. Only then will we talk about experience and rapid progress."
Adam nodded slowly.
That made sense.
Too much power without control could become dangerous.
For him.
And for those around him.
Selene took a few steps back.
"Today, we’re going to keep it simple."
Adam looked at her suspiciously.
"When someone like you says ’simple,’ I get scared."
"You’re right."
She smiled.
"For two hours, we’re going to fight. When you fall, you’ll recover. When you can move, you’ll start again."
Adam remained motionless.
"Two hours?"
"Yes."
"At this pace?"
"No."
He sighed with relief.
Selene smiled more broadly.
"Faster."
Adam closed his eyes.
"I knew I should have run."
And the training truly began.
For the next two hours, Adam discovered a simple truth.
Selene was a monster.
She wasn’t trying to crush him.
She was clearly holding back her strength.
But even so, every exchange was an ordeal.
She corrected his stance with a strike.
Corrected his guard with another.
Correcting his inattention, he sent him rolling to the ground.
"Too high."
CLANG!
"Too slow."
BAM!
"You’re looking at the weapon. Look at the body."
Adam stepped back, breathless.
"Easy to say when the body in question is moving like a storm."
Selene smiled.
"Exactly. Learn to read the storm."
Adam gritted his teeth and resumed his stance.
Little by little, something changed.
At first, he was on the receiving end.
Then he began to anticipate.
Not perfectly.
Not always.
But enough to avoid some blows.
Enough to understand why he had been hit.
Enough to correct his next move.
Mana’s Body helped him reduce unnecessary movements.
Eyes of the World gave him subtle clues.
Delimiter sometimes signaled a weakness in his stance or defensive angle.
And Sword Mastery translated that information into concrete actions.
After a final exchange, Selene sent him sprawling to the ground once more.
Adam lay there for a few seconds, staring at the ceiling.
"I think I hate training."
Selene leaned over him.
"No. You hate being weak. It’s different."
Adam remained silent.
Then he smiled slightly.
"Touché."
The tiger woman extended her hand.
He took it and stood up.
His body ached, but wasn’t broken.
Strangely, he even felt his movements were more natural than at the beginning.
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Training Complete
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Duration: 2 hours
Practical Experience Gained
Sword Mastery Lv. 1: Increased Progression
Mana Body Lv. 1: Improved Physical Synchronization
Boundary Delimiter Lv. 1: Analysis of Bodily Boundaries Strengthened
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Adam silently read the notification.
Selene noticed his expression.
"Did your power react?"
"Yes."
"Good. Then do it again tomorrow."
Adam looked at her.
"Tomorrow too?"
"Of course."
She gave him a calm smile.
"You didn’t really think you’d become strong in just one session, did you?"
Adam sighed.
"No. But I was hoping for a more comfortable illusion."
Selene burst out laughing.
After gathering his things, Adam greeted the guild master.
"Thanks for the training. Even if I’m probably going to be sore all over tonight."
"It’s normal."
Selene crossed her arms.
Her golden eyes sparkled slightly.
"See you later, Adam."
He paused for a second.
There was something in his tone.
Not just a polite greeting.
Something more deliberate.
Almost playful.
Adam looked at her, a little confused.
Selene simply smiled.
As if she knew exactly what she had just done.
Adam decided not to ask.
He already had enough problems.
