The Stone of Days Chapter 35

"Morning Star!"

"Yes."

My father from my words smiled as he stood with his previous stance. Wait, he's going to spar again with that?
He proved me right.

"Now, let's resume our fight. Since I won and lost once, I will do my utmost to claim this round."

Please, not with that warlike tone……

"I'm coming!"

The Morning Star, a long stick with an iron ball attached at the tip, and if severe, would have a variety of spikes embedded in, was an appalling weapon to even look at. For my father to have such a weapon above all things……
Ahk, I shouldn't be standing like this!
It was coming straight down!

"Ahhhhh!"

I placed my right foot forward, and simultaneously s.h.i.+fted my left hand from the hilt to the end of the blade. It would be quite a big problem if my hand was cut off.
Although it's as if the sword was a long rod, I can't face it head on. The impact will be too large……..

Tikang!

"Ugh……."

Although I told myself that I would avoid a  frontal attack if possible, the impact onto my elbow was immense. I could feel my bones trembling. The aftershock that jarred from the arm up to my shoulder was so immense that it could make me drop my sword.
But… if I were to drop it……
I had first released my left hand grabbing onto the blade.

It was a sword too heavy to be held with one hand, as I stopped it from vibrating by s.h.i.+fting my left hand onto my right arm. To be precise, I was supporting my wrist as I went in.
This…wasn't the end.
The sword that clanged head on with the briefly deflected morning star was striking downwards again diagonally.
What, what a monster.
Slightly withdrawing my sword to the left, I slashed horizontally. I thought that it would've been nice if I had asked the sword in advance. Well, for example. 'Are you confident you won't break while clas.h.i.+ng with that?' etc.……

"Uhhkkkk……."

There won't be many that would be making such a screaming noise while wielding when you're not even hit.
My slas.h.i.+ng blade precisely clashed against the tip of his morning start. I'll aim for the joint, no even half of it…….
I'll strike it!

"Chaaaat!"

My calculations were wrong. I had struck the metal ball aside at a breath's time. The trembling morning star, as if it was playing ball…….
To play ball with that metal ball, no…….
There was no time to recollect myself.
It was aiming towards me again!
This time from the opposite side!

Tikang!

An impact that was indescribable in words transmitted into my arm a second time. Although I was in the same stance as before, this time I did something reverse and deflected the iron cudgel head on.  Ah, was I getting the gist on how to block against this thing?
Again!

Tukang!

In this attack, two spikes were cut off by my sword as they flew off the side of the hill. I sent praises at the cutting power of my sword. Although my grip was trembling, I gripped the hilt even tighter. My father wasn't really playing around with his attacks. Everytime I fend off the morning star, it feels as if I had overcome a life-and-death crisis.
Those earnest eyes of his……
It's as if he's really determined to kill me.

"Mmm!"

After the morning star had interchangeably clashed against my two-handed sword about five times, that frightening metal ball punched straight for me.
S, so…

Although I had to think quickly, I couldn't come up fast enough with a decision on how to block this time.
For now, I brought my left foot forward as I turned my body halfway. I faced against the attack with all my might. The morning star wasn't light, and even if it did have some force, it wasn't fast. However, that was only when it swung it down.
This time, it was piercing towards me.

"Ahyaaaaaah!"

This time I didn't decide to withdraw, but instead aimed for the hand that was holding the rod. I swung forcefully onto the head. The moment the two weapons collided, I had pushed onwards to the body. One step, two steps…

"Hayaaah!"

My father's strength was quite strong. He bent and pushed down the morning star towards the ground. Both weapons tried to endure as they exchanged blows against each other as hard as they could. That screeching, appalling sounds of the two metals colliding.

Guguguguguk…

Ah, it's as if my arm is going to fall off. It's no mistake that it's a miracle that I can endure this long.
Unable to withstand the pus.h.i.+ng force, I looked around my surroundings in hope for a different solution as I quickly searched through my mind. Compared to earlier, it seems that I was much more composed now when thinking.
To deflect this to the side with strength alone……
I turned the blade slightly sideways as it made the two blades slide down. Cheuuuk- it nearly reached his hand.
But my weapon was a sharp blade, and my father's was a 'rod' that had a metal cudgel attached at the end. And the only person who could touch this sword was me.

Right before my hands met my father's, I quickly pushed the hand that he held the rod with upwards. That power to flip it up.

"Mmm……."

My father stopped his attack and was checking my stance.

"Just now, that was a good stance. Excellent. However."

"……My, my arm hurts too much…."

"It's because you forgot one thing that I had taught."

What was it? Aigoo, can't I put down my sword for a moment?
But, I was holding the sword up, barely holding on. Although I strengthened my wrist, I could see the end of the sword shaking. Why? It was because I was extremely out of breath!

"Yes, it's the exact reason why your sword is shaking."

I tried to control my breathing and calmly move my sword down. But, strangely, it wasn't settling down as fast as I thought.

"It's because you forgot the method of how to breathe."

I regathered a bit of strength and pulled away from my father's morning star.

"What did I say on how to breathe when you receive a blow?"

Ah, that's right.
When I exchange blows against my father's sword, the impact was a lot larger than I had originally thought. It was because I had breathed in too much air from being anxious.

"I need to exhale."

"Yes. When you swing down your sword, and when you receive a swing, you need to exhale. When you're aiming the sword at me, that's when you breathe in. When you shout, there's a relations.h.i.+p between that and breathing in. That's why, when sword meets sword, the impact is less."

My father briefly stared at me and added another sentence.

"And if you carelessly move like that, you'll breathe as if you're a bull. If possible, use minimal movement. Do you understand?"

"… Yes."

Seeing how often I forget, to spend my life chasing those monsters would really not be appropriate at all I suppose.
But, I still won't give up on myself.
My father resumed his lecture.

"Fabian. You can't say that sword is yours yet."

TL Afterword

d.a.m.n, Fabian is having some valuable sword training experience. All these details on how to fight were quite enlightening (I could imagine him in each step of the way).

Translator: Calvis
Proofreader: Sai101