Chapter 20: Mastery

Sakura

The dagger hit square center on the target, as it moved in rapid jerking motions from side to side.Yes! I let a small smile touch my face, as I pulled the next dagger out of my belt holder and launched it at the seventh target.

“You’re sure you’ve never used one of these?” Kalgar asked.

“Yes, Teacher Kalgar. I have never used one of these contraptions before.”

“Then how did you train with the daggers?”

“I practiced against solid targets, and when I got good enough I did so against attacks launched by my honored Uncle Gamera. Then I sparred with my brother, and eventually used them in tournaments. Once I got to the Silver Star Sect at twelve, I spent three years perfecting their use against the many animals I hunted on the sect's mountain range.”

“Humh.” He was clearly intrigued by what I had described.

“This contraption is very useful though. I’ve already learned several things using it.”

He smirked. “Like what?”

“That this region has quite a few colorful birds.” I smirked as I sent another throwing dagger into the dead center heart of yet another target. All of the targets were shaped like wild birds from the region.

“Little cheeky git,” I heard him say under his breath. “Alright, let's ramp this up to maximum and see if you can beat it when the birds can fight back.”

What? Before I could voice my question, he hit a dial on the control panel he was standing at and then pressed the start button.

My hands darted to my hips and pulled two daggers simultaneously. Dozens of birds appeared almost at once. Each moving in different patterns, paths, and at different speeds. If they made it to the other side of the contraption before I hit them, I’d lose.

I forced mana and chie into my limbs and the strings attached to the daggers. Super charging their recall speed, even as I let the first dagger fly from my fingers pinning the fastest moving target on the board.

A stream of sizzling acid erupted from the bird I struck directly at me, and I had to dodge to the side to prevent myself from getting burns.

I like this teacher, Sky said again.

You would, King said annoyed. Don’t worry Sakura, if you get hurt I'll heal you.

Thank you, now please let me focus. I finished thinking the words as my second dagger landed its target forcing me to move again, while removing the two fastest birds on the board.

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Daggers flew from my hands at an almost breakneck speed. I had to constantly adjust my angel and footing to avoid getting spanked in the face with burning acid, belching fire, or other poisoned dart as each landed their mark.

Several bird targets changed their speed once they reached the quarter, or half way mark, and I found my priorities suddenly shifting as quickly as my feet did.

Flexible mind, I told myself as I struggled to keep up.

Finally, I cut the field down to three birds. The most slow moving of the pack. As I let loose the first of the trio of daggers, the birds sped up in unison, then shifted again each going a different speed. Then suddenly the fastest shifted to a different path all together and started doing loops just inches before the end line that the others now raced towards.

My first dagger missed. Then my second. Come on focus!

“Focus,” Kalgar encouraged from behind me. “You can do it.”

I let loose two daggers at once. One for the fastest and the second aimed at the looping bird target. Boht struck at the same time, and fire and a fountain of acid filled the space I had just been as I dodged away.

Rolling to my feet, I let loose the last of my daggers, as the others began to dematerialise and return to me. It soared through the space between myself and the last target.

A loud blaring noise filled the air around me, and suddenly the air was filled with childish balloons and confetti. All illusions created by the fields settings.

“Did i . . .” I had to wait until the storm of congratulatory silliness dissipated, but when it cleared I saw my dagger cutting through the edge of the target. Not a bullseye, but enough of a hit to have counted. “ . . . I did.”

“Very nice!” Kalgar came up behind me and patted me on the back, as I worked to steady my breathing. I hadn’t exerted myself over much, but I had stretched my skills to their limit and my body reflexively reacted to that stress. “Well done. You’re not at a Grand Master level yet, but I’d grant you mastery. Very well done.”

“Thank you master, I mean teacher.”

He smirked down at me as I bowed slightly in respect. “Come on then, let's switch it up with the daggers.”

I put away my throwing dagger belt back into my arsenal gantlet with a flash of white light. In their place on my belt were the two sheaths for my twin daggers. I followed him from one part of the field to another as the constructs that he had summoned using the field's innate magic disappeared in flashes of multi-colored light behind us.

In front of us was another set of constructs, this one looked more like an obstacle course. Dozens of targets, and constructs with arms and padded weapons covered the very clearly marked running area.

“This is a gauntlet I’ve used to train dozens of dungeoneers to listen to their instincts.”

What’s a dungeoneer? There are so many things I'm still learning about this place. But now is not the time to ask.

“I’ve modified it with half a dozen force constructs. For each force construct broken as you go through the course, you’ll get a point. For every hit the enemy constructs land on you however, you'll lose two points. Understood?”

“What do I need to show you I have mastered this weapon?”

He smirked. “A perfect score.”

“How many force disks does the field have?”

“That you’ll have to find out as you go. You will face many situations where what you think you know, is not the truth. The very core of being a true weapons master is having a flexible mind. Now, ready yourself.”

I did as instructed and made my way down to the start of the field. As I went I examined the obstacles. None of them looked too difficult, particularly for someone as advanced in their cultivation as I was. I could practically jump over any wall in my way, and my speed was perhaps my greatest asset in combat.

I smirked, confident I’d do well.

Then, dozens of disks of light blue mana appeared in the air hovering above and in between different obstacles. Some in places where I was sure it’d be nearly impossible to get to without getting struck.

“Feel free to do the course as many times as you like . . . Come get me when you’ve accomplished this task. Then we’ll move on to the bow.”