Cold Blooded

"What do you think you are doing? lazing around just because you won the war but lost the battle?"

Leon was shocked, he did not expect what he was seeing. "I'm sure, the nurse said you need more time to recover," Leon said.

"What do you think I am, a puppy?" Knight Finduilas said, sitting with the only hand he now has rested on his sword.

"...You need more time to recover."

"Stop with that rubbish talk of yours, things will be different from now, I might be the least strong of the seven sword gods but I never expected that there'll be someone that will ruthlessly outdo me when it comes to speed. I may be thirty-seven years old and full of life but I can't do much with one hand. This is why I will invest my all in you."

"What do you mean?" Leon asked.

"I will teach you all I know about the sword, in exchange promise me one thing, no two things."

"Okay? mention them."

"One: You will surpass all the sword gods, the sword god is just a title bestowed upon those that have an excellent understanding of the sword, and have no competition amidst mortals. Among the sword god, the first, second and third, I have met the second for a brief moment, he is one opponent I know that no matter how much I push, I can never reach him nor surpass. He is in another realm of sword entirely. And it is my wish to see them surpassed, and you will be my instrument in doing that..."

'I wonder how two will be if one is already this long.'

"...two: I don't know who that guy was, but I have a feeling you can make him come back again..."

Leon squinted his eyes, he was gnarling at him in his head. "For?"

"...I will fight him again."

"With one hand?"

"I might not be able to reach the sword gods but there's still a lot of room for growth even for me."

'Wow, his mental fortitude is commendable.' Leon looked at Knight Finduilas admirably.

"So, we are starting now."

"Starting what?"

"Sword training." He said as he stood up, "Run around the training ground till I say you are ready and stop using fire breathing."

"Huh? why should I stop? the person that taught me said I should never stop using it."

Knight Finduilas sighed, his expression showing he was quite disappointed, "I know you learnt it from the queen, I served the royal family most of my life, you think I wouldn't know that much."

"Then why are you asking me to not use it, when I use it, it gives me more stamina."

"All breathing patterns give stamina, it just depends on how you breathe which is why the breathing techniques were developed. However, breathing works hand in hand with aura, not just aura, whatever form of energy it may be, down to mana cultivation."

"hmmm..." Leon nodded.

[Your perception has increased by 5]

He was already used to this notification at this point.

"Have you seen your aura...?"

"Of course, what about it..."

"You have a different aura from everyone I've met." Knight Finduilas said and continued, "Normally, a swordsman or a martial artist that utilises aura should learn breathing techniques before learning aura. Because that way his aura will be able to take on the form of that breathing technique, as you may already know, breathing techniques often take on the nature of elements but there are some that don't which I don't want to talk about, not at your stage. Aura takes on the elemental nature of the breathing technique that the body of a swordsman or martial accepts is most familiar with. But whatever you did I don't know. I saw your fight with the orc, your aura does not have a colour."

[You have learnt a piece of information about the world principles]

[Proficiency with stigmata has increased by 0.0012%]

Leon gulped, 'so much explanation...' "So is this a good or a bad thing?"

Knight Finduilas looked at him, "It's just my speculation, it might be possible that your aura can take on a different form. The sword god I met was like that, which is why I can tell that you have the potential to reach them. However, I don't know what danger it may pose to your body. Which is why I want you to train your body to its extreme without any breathing pattern."

"Now I see..." Leon replied, overwhelmed by the weight of the explanation he just received.

"So start running."

Thus began the Blindsage's intensive training.

... ... ...

...Amsterdam...Romel Empire...

"Amsterdam is a city full of stories of the old, bards get paid to sing these stories as songs."

"Then have you heard a song about Zevryt?" Kraus asked the barman.

"Hmm, Zevryt, Zevryt...that does not ring a bell..."

"A mortal that challenged the gods...?"

"My dear friend, there are many mortals that challenged the gods, which is why they are called legends, it is even said amongst them is King Gilgamesh of Uruk, some bard songs say he earned immortality as a price for deciding not to bother the gods. If you want stories about legends, you should find Eppitt of the forsaken, he is a bard that is known for singing stories of legends and gods." The man concludes.

"Do you have a clue where I can find him?"

"The price you paid before does not cover for that..." The barman said, clearing his throat.

Kraus dropped a ternatis gold coin on the man's table. He smiled, "The symposium. All they do there these days is drink and listen to music, that place is Eppitt's home since he makes some money from there no matter how uninterested people are in his songs. Plus if he does well, he gets to have free sex from the ladies in the brothels that gather and come for the symposium too. It happens every fortnight at the deserted arena."

Kraus nodded and was about to head out but paused, 'Should I just kill him...' He thought to himself.

~Cling~

The opened and some three men who with their dressing made it obvious that they were pirates entered and headed towards the barman, passing Kraus who was still thinking.

'...should I kill them too...? It might get in the way of my quest, let's just hold it in.' He walked out.