Chapter 32: Prodigy

"David, did you really remember everything?" asked Galen who similarly did not believe him. 

He had seen many prodigies, but the Stormy Warhammer Technique was not just a basic technique. Although David's body had reached the basic standards for practicing the Stormy Warhammer Technique, the complexity of it and the various uses of power and transformation techniques would be difficult to remember, even for those who had studied the basic Warhammer Technique. 

According to what Galen knew, David, like Myron, had never learned how to use a warhammer before this.

"Uncle Galen, I remember everything!" David answered with a look of certainty. 

"Practice it once then!" Galen exclaimed upon hearing David's firm answer. He still had some doubts. 

David nodded and took the warhammer from Galen's hand.

The moment he received the warhammer, David's aura changed and an unrelenting aura erupted from his body.

Galen could sense David's aura, and he could not help but feel stunned. The warhammer was a weapon that was purely meant for attacking. It needed an unrelenting aura and momentum. 

If he didn't know that David hadn't learned how to use a warhammer before, he would have thought David had been practicing it since he was a child.

Had there ever been a warhammer practitioner who did not have any warhammers at home and usually practiced with a longsword that was hung on the wall? 

David ignored Galen's inquisitive gaze and the expression on Maron's face, which seemed to suggest that he was intending to watch a good show. When he picked up the warhammer, he seemed to have fused and become one with the warhammer in his hand. It was as if the warhammer had united with his body. 

Although the warhammer wasn't his preferred combat style, he had an 82% Intermediate-level mastery of it, and thus, having the warhammer alone was enough.

When he started practicing the Stormy Warhammer Technique, he realized the importance of the Intermediate Level Bodywork. It was precisely due to his mastery of the control of his bones and muscles while practicing the Intermediate Level Bodywork that made it easier for him to practice the Stormy Warhammer Technique than he had imagined.

With his eyes wide open, Maron watched as David practiced the complete set of Stormy Warhammer Techniques, one by one. He even began to doubt his own intelligence.

They were both learning at the same time, and his physical fitness had even surpassed David's. However, he only remembered the first six movements while David continuously demonstrated all six with finesse. Why was that so? 

Unlike Maron, Galen saw much more. 

At this moment, David was not only simulating the Stormy Warhammer Technique that he had just demonstrated. David felt like he was engrossed in performing the technique, as if he had been a real armorer who had used the warhammer for numerous years all along. 

With David's performance, his aura was now mixed with an additional murderous intent. 

Although the murderous intent was unstable, Galen could not understand how David managed to do it. 

There was only one possibility, and such was that David was a prodigy and a genius who was incomparable, in both Bodywork and Warhammer Mastery. 

In reality, David could master the use of the warhammer that quickly entirely because of Galen's guidance. Galen's slow illustration and demonstration of the powerful technique was what David needed the most. 

If David had to look for tutorial videos on his own or engage someone else of a lower level to teach him, there was no way he would have been able to reach this level after using the warhammer for the first time.

"Maron, demonstrate the first six movements you learned too!" Galen said as he grabbed a warhammer and handed it to Maron.

Maron took a good look at David who had performed the techniques well. He didn't want to compare himself to David at a time like this, but he had to do what Galen asked.

"Just get started, don't compare yourself to David. Just be yourself and do your best!" Galen instructed in a deep voice.

Maron picked up the warhammer and was about to perform the techniques. However, he was interrupted by Galen before he could begin.

"You're not holding the warhammer the right way. This is how you should do it!" Galen exclaimed as he corrected Maron's mistake. 

After Maron corrected his stance and performed the first move, Galen discovered another mistake. However, this time, he didn't remind him again and instead watched as Maron continued to rehearse.

When Maron finished practicing the first six movements he remembered, Galen was certain that Maron's situation was normal. David only managed to do that because he was a true genius.

"David, bring that warhammer to the side and practice by yourself while I teach Maron for a while!" Galen exclaimed as he waved his hand at David.

Although a good student could allow his teacher to worry less, a teacher would also feel extremely helpless if the student was too talented.

With Galen's abilities, it was, of course, not an issue for him to teach David. However, it was unlikely that a student would reach the near-Intermediate-level of Warhammer Mastery after just the first practice. Once a student has reached the Intermediate level, the issue would no longer be about the teaching of the teacher. The students would have to experience various battles and form their own styles of using the warhammer.

David expressed assent, picked up the warhammer, and went to the side, after which he began to practice by himself.

He was like a child who had been given a new toy. Right from the beginning, he had been continuously increasing his familiarity with the Stormy Warhammer Technique he had just practiced. Now, the practice was what he exactly needed. 

From the first technique, Galen had been correcting Maron's mistakes, bit by bit. Fortunately, Maron was no fool. Since Mayor Bernard was willing to spend the money to send Maron there, he definitely had enough confidence in his talent.

Since his first encounter with the warhammer, Maron had been slowly making progress towards the comprehension stage. 

Galen did not expect him to enter the Beginner level immediately, but he wanted to teach Maron the correct method of practice so that he could master the Stormy Warhammer Technique with no mistakes. In the future, as long as Maron worked hard, his mastery of the warhammer would naturally improve.

Galen initially had the same idea about David, but David's talent caught him a little off guard, causing the plan he had made to go awry.

Maron concentrated on learning with Galen. Both the Stormy Warhammer Technique and Galen's guidance were extremely rare, and he didn't want to delay his progress.

However, while Maron was concentrating on learning, David, who was practicing on the side himself, was constantly disturbing him.

Of course, David was not deliberately trying to disturb him, but rather, he was getting more and more immersed in practicing. His Stormy Warhammer Technique was getting more and more compatible with his 82% Intermediate Warhammer Mastery.

When Maron was practicing, he would feel the terrifying aura coming from David. Maron was just a student. Although he had a powerful background in Pelan City, he could not understand it.

Galen's eyes were filled with horror. With less than two hours of practice, his murderous intent actually increased to the extent of being exposed. 

It could be said that at this juncture, David may not be an armorer but his Warhammer Mastery had already reached the level of an experienced armorer who had rich experience in using the warhammer. 

Galen looked at David, followed by Myron, sensing the gap between the two.

Maron looked at the gaze in Galen's eyes and felt a deep sense of shock.

Maron had always believed that he was a genius, as he had always been the best of the younger generation, both in school and within the social circle he was in.

However, he became a fool today, compared to David. 

"Maron, watch by the side!" Galen said as he grabbed the warhammer from Maron's hand. He then smiled at David and said, "David, let's practice sparring against each other!"

Galen then held onto the warhammer and struck David's chest. Of course, with his ability to control, he would not let David get hurt. He could retract the warhammer when it touched David's body.

He did that to put some pressure on David. Otherwise, for a genius like him, it would be detrimental to his own growth if he progressed too smoothly.

Fear was needed for better growth. 

Galen thought that David would panic and be unable to even deal with that strike.

No matter how much of a genius David was, it was still his first time touching a warhammer. Having just learned how to use it, there would definitely be a huge difference from actual combat, regardless of how well he mastered it. 

However, David's reaction gave him a great shock. David wielded his warhammer and created an arc. With that power, David dodged to the side and avoided Galen's warhammer. At the same time, David turned around and struck Galen's arm with the warhammer. 

Although Galen was surprised, his own strength was much higher than David's. Hence, he moved his hand slightly and dodged David while the warhammer moved up and down.

"Alright!" Galen yelled as he too showed some of his moves and began to attack David intensely.