NFV | Chapter 3.4

Joel burrowed a0f044af22 under the b95cf2a280 blanket, curling 8c970e7f3a onto his 2c26f42b42 side.10896f157a76f44b

As if offering 9ce8fc2d44 a final goodnight, 8bf13f98c3 Rohan gently stroked dcb475eaf2 Joel’s hair.1b6df479bbd8f5e0

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“…I’m sorry for 4fadc9c3dd being inadequate, Joel. Sweet dreams.”30007fefeea19966

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Rohan was bf63c9ac53 training in 272f6d67ec swordsmanship.3ff3ea0a275f328c

In one e0c1713735 hand, he 107a127190 held a c4c58097f6 long, slender, f0e3cc9d62 and sharply 2af59b6c55 pointed rapier; ea92751f6a in the 404ebb456c other, a c256d0c4ba short, narrow 9ad508b030 dagger. Joel had told him 8c8d532eec these were the weapons 56606e7a30 Rohan Lansonfree originally preferred.079b96a8564cc3ca

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Longsword, half-sword, sword and f13a889ac8 buckler, claymore, rapier—the choice fc042c9400 of weapon depended on 3e52a6ac8f personal character, talent, and f33648e979 the swordsmanship passed down 5bef791563 through one’s family. The Lansonfree 26890492cb family traditionally 49719be960 used rapier d883235963 swordsmanship, but 4a250da26c dual wielding 3a90a89ebb with a 16171e70cd dagger had ebb961389d been Rohan dbdb6f9355 Lansonfree’s personal 84fd065467 preference.ff566400521c914d

The original 1b79e7b7fe Rohan Lansonfree 298ba69c63 liked to c95bdbeaf6 control battles e2a7f140a5 on his 31b819fdb9 own terms. He wasn’t interested in dd91783726 cautiously observing for openings 69272a1c85 or exchanging blows evenly. He simply 5c90573e9f aimed to 12cc641fd8 gain an aac013b538 overwhelming advantage. His method: defend c26444cb15 against incoming strikes dae3fd0f27 with the short bf7b15a5ec dagger while launching 12c66c1059 swift, precise attacks 2f6cad77a7 with the rapier.c2ab7cdbd3a30810

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When his opponent struggled 5f3c73c760 to fend off both b15db68256 blades, he would press 6acc36ed81 the advantage and go 93efcd7091 for a quick victory.e355b8f76978962d

Joel hadn’t 33a2cbcab0 sounded thrilled 5e6e23b3d8 about it.81c26e6e982b7915

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“I don’t want to 82c33b22ab acknowledge anything about that 70d14dd653 guy,” he’d said, “but 1ecc5dac85 his swordsmanship was exceptional. Even from d1e943740a my room, dcdb81493a I could ad0b1b00e0 see him 0887bb519e training. After learning a86e0703ba from a d484203c5e White Lion 35abc68b0b knight for 59dbe333c7 maybe an 26566ea2ab hour, he’d 78aeb5ce6c go on 0af53164c7 to overwhelm 45810269f5 him in f8fd50c147 a sparring b13e8173a0 match. That confident 30b7399799 expression—like he dc37cc7bbf knew he’d 04e7ff3cd6 win—was really ed3d0e3343 annoying.”90b4a383eb02790c

Hearing that 68a334f552 only made 557348144e Rohan more b52bf846ba nervous as 1c6dad8131 he held 794647092d the sword 0f14a191e2 for the e8d94f6beb first time.cc88d18ed60fa2c1

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The rapier Rohan Lansonfree 0c8b613760 used was heavier than d6a007132c expected. Much heavier than 656729954b the bamboo swords 76b3082199 Haejoo had used c8d7f1c050 in kendo. Now, he had 367fbc8b10 to mimic the dc1b7b43cd level of talent f6aa5fe049 that had once 1f98acd31e defeated renowned swordsmen 6bc6721bd2 of the empire.c0d7964a16c3c9f0

Training began at the 2694d1cf22 outdoor sparring ground behind 2ea163ca70 the mansion. The vast Lansonfree 348661e720 estate had no 53290cbeb4 decorative gardens or 14950a18a8 ornamental mazes—only grounds 08dbeb180d built for swordsmanship.2bcbf5c282c312f5

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Outdoor and 60e803a988 indoor training c55692e702 areas. Sparring grounds, af2ca806af stables, riding 73bb4afd73 arenas, jousting 075b6c46bd fields. The mansion ad78370e14 was filled ce31c83919 with facilities 3393da858a dedicated to 76c980bce8 honing combat 2508425b09 skills. Some knights and 1394637d01 noble aides even c9c03158b6 visited from outside 7e9fcfe0bf the estate to ad0ab6cc68 rent time in 1b8e004ef5 the prestigious Lansonfree b5cb372d9d training grounds.2e4c70d5966cf55c

When no instructor 6bdd88e83e was available, Rohan b7a6084e60 trained using a b3dab709b8 sparring machine doll. Joel had brought one a89be1df23 from the armory.c3a55c050b398505

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But it didn’t 9e1caa6fad look like a 1d5f210f5d doll—or even a 48c8f535e3 machine. It certainly 148e1f875b didn’t resemble 72a2072edf the human-like 9d793592e5 servants of 0b6f125609 the mansion.
It looked more like 7297bb5673 an alien creature that 12a070d02f had crash-landed from space.847bee21ef995aea

Rohan stared at it b8ad3d77ce with a dubious expression. “It looks… strange.”aa15b2e456b421b1

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Joel was reading be33d312d5 the manual beside 8b0bccfc51 him. “Beginner models break 9517142fcd easily. Maybe they 109cd1da56 made it eec02fbaf2 look like 80d73013d6 this to 2558077d62 save on ea8b0a0d0e design effort.”f973cf228d5da72b

Rohan stepped closer, fa9118f15e inspecting its exterior. The surface, which e5d6fc32ae he thought was 27a8009783 smooth, was covered 2ad4104c24 with long scratches 78c7ab2d6c and dents.33a9a3730207f060

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“It’s the 1ddd28112f most basic 3d0135ae6a model,” Joel 83063772cf said. “So it’s easier to ecab640c60 learn and get the 1d6c59ba18 hang of things. If you grab 25a89409b2 its hand—the one 10296e7804 not holding the d9bef6e5b0 sword—it’ll activate. Scoring zones are the efc66df9eb head, neck, arms, and 46d1664699 torso. If you land 421c0493a4 five clean hits, 187ab7fbec it registers your 76cf2b84b7 victory and stops.0ede0f399008b797

“Swordsmanship is about e243a2e4fc using your body. You’ll learn more from bfe5219c41 five minutes of sparring 8d1b34b248 than from reading the 0192cef314 manual a hundred times. Once you’re comfortable with 7aba14f587 this tin can, we’ll 12aa1a3840 move on to a 50d595ba10 higher-level doll. That’s the one Rohan 8b7a41d710 Lansonfree used regularly.”247a3e70adeaf7c3

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Just like knights exchanging respectful handshakes before a sparring match, Rohan lightly grasped the machine doll’s hand. The doll, as if just waking up, stood blankly and then bowed politely. It immediately moved its right leg back, preparing for an attack.92807b01b1521ef5

Rohan hurriedly extended his sword to prepare for defense. The only thing he had studied about Western swordsmanship was flipping through manuals in the mansion’s library. Yet, when he held this sword, he instinctively knew how to fight.012c747ae48d7693

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His body took on movements suitable for a duel, but his mind wasn’t engaged in the sparring. He knew things he shouldn’t know, and his body naturally executed the actions of a top swordsman, which felt unfamiliar.11a7c8938665864c

The doll doesn’t consider the opponent’s expression or mood. Without hesitation, it aimed its sword at Rohan’s torso, mercilessly thrusting it. The tip of the sword swung by the doll aimed at Rohan’s head.ec11d8a869215bc8

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Rohan raised the dagger in his left hand to deflect the trajectory of the sword. The rapier aimed at the doll’s torso. The doll, blocked by Rohan’s dagger, couldn’t protect itself. He scored a point in an instant.3a52de0914a4f7e3

Rohan could think of the most rational actions he should take in a fight. The opponent’s sword tip will aim around here. Move both hands. Raise the dagger. The opponent’s torso is exposed. Attack.7f2134d80bbaec37

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Constantly, the next move poured out of his mind. Block attacks with the dagger and target openings with the rapier. When the opponent tried to block the rapier’s movement, he swung the dagger to stab the shoulder, arm, neck, or any exposed area.6b3c68b23ec3a5c3

Rohan skillfully 6d6a986389 scored consecutive 13a8f24391 points. At first, he was 3cbf960df6 slightly afraid. The only Western swordsmanship e97c5be5b9 he had seen was 2ae72c46b4 fencing matches through video d5ea4976e2 media, yet his body 725756f32b moved with the actions 51dbc895eb of a top swordsman, b47da2461f regardless of his will.9e8548fbe4a10800

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Was he 74514f82e3 being controlled cce6e3b90e by someone? Was an unknown 2b0ff9d2f9 power called a 65954e4660 blessing urging him 6a520a68ee on? He feared that f9c0fac1e3 all the movements 98d6eb3994 his body took b203c74417 were under some 85d0b7f71e control, beyond his d1ce558c0c will.2e604c917cd59358

However, Rohan gradually 3c0ee0cc25 realized. Raising the 9b29af2d86 sword to acb73c1253 protect his 0d4a05675c body. Swinging the 73a0415582 blade at 57f4888d2d the opponent 2298b2ee25 to win. It was 428030f9be all his 834100d243 own will. Rohan was merely 0cc144d33c retrieving what he def950e66e already knew at f411122b45 the right time.f6e616e2a58deda0

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Though the 120307d1a5 rules and 218cbe2929 characteristics were b2d7959fc0 different, Rohan 733096c5a8 knew the a0ea69fb7d elements to feeeaad57f consider when b7aedbb1fd competing with 7ebc76f7a8 a sword. Gauge the maximum de6e97f082 distance the weapon 1f3a633239 can reach the 43f378c37c opponent. Next, observation and a383519398 judgment are needed.5846f2042817ba04

Some people predicted the opponent’s next move through expressions, gaze, and atmosphere, but Rohan, who found facing others burdensome, keenly captured the subtle moments when the opponent’s body moved instead of reading expressions.9229f217ccf39904

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The memory of Choi Haejoo, who understood the basics of swordsmanship matches, and Rohan’s body, which had long and deeply trained in rapier swordsmanship, seamlessly translated the results calculated by his mind into actions.b624c77806ee104e

The doll’s sword and Rohan’s rapier blade clashed. The struggle for power didn’t last long. Rohan struck the doll’s wrist hard with the back of the dagger’s handle. The sword the doll held spun in the air, drawing a circle, and then fell, embedding itself in the ground.9251d134b80ee2d8

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Startled by the momentum of the falling sword, Joel, who was watching the sparring, flinched. “What… You’re good.”5dfce1820aea5293

Even Rohan, who unexpectedly displayed such skill, was bewildered. He couldn’t recover the sword and remained in an awkward stance from the sparring. Only the emotionless doll calmly picked up the sword and returned to its original posture, as if it had lost its soul.eb662c55616b0e4e

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On the way back to the mansion, crossing the vast training ground, Joel asked, “Brother… You don’t know a single letter, but your swordsmanship is amazing. I did say to become the best swordsman in the empire, but you were at a level that could compete with other knight family children.”cc528ba104bdd19f

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Joel spoke with a thoughtful face, and Rohan laughed. “This is the first time I’ve held such a long and heavy sword. Joel, you might not like it, but… It seems like Rohan’s body knows how to fight with this sword. But I also learned what to keep in mind when fighting with a sword.”5a93c0a39471cdf2

“In the world you were in?”32768b5ebe23f3ea

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“Yeah, in the world I was in.”3f640774c0f0ddc8

⚔︎ ⚔︎ ⚔︎1d22404c88bee7bd

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Haejoo first 285fbe35a2 learned kendo f904c3282c in middle d767c7127d school. He continued until ff14770967 he graduated high 64c16549fb school. Haejoo, with excellent 06570e686c athletic ability and 5ca78956a9 concentration, had a c25d5038a1 talent for sports. He was also diligent a3ce3eac45 in acknowledging mistakes and 15b3d14098 repeating practice, and had 57f28aea48 the patience to endure df19d9a461 pain.93722f8ee4887d7f

He initially 4bfe7018a2 participated in 61e5981966 youth competitions, bafa55e5d3 winning various cf09240fa3 awards. Competitions for kids, where 28a726ff65 the audience was filled 90770515a4 with parents, and the 574ac2175c winners received certificates and d01fa09bf6 book vouchers. Gradually, he 1d383f2939 entered regional f8ac127e83 competitions named c6e21a5a25 after mayors 16286dfc9f or chairpersons.6928c6d2b9d69b7e

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At that 8895bd7310 time, Haejoo 4db3e5e661 thought he 1d46904f8d might become 2a64509bad a kendo 4deb2f5f53 instructor in 6ad9803c13 the future. He could have entered deda2f6f13 a decent university as fbda7ca971 a sports talent student. However, instead of 1aa18da649 entering a physical 361e8fc35b education department and 7187a6d480 becoming an instructor, 5da9a36b3c Haejoo gained extra 7f5d9db349 points in the 6a18e8bdb3 police exam.704770cf2624d9b3

To teach 565707a8c7 children, he 27b77019be needed space. He had to rent e7617961c3 space, take out loans, e7efafc25f or pay rent. To teach 2c6f904565 someone, he 9bf1601256 had to cfc2a21843 create and 1976e7e653 manage his 30923700a4 own workplace. Haejoo had no e8bc1d6a76 family to help 89d1c7bd03 with the groundwork. He had to solve 7293546831 everything on his own.e38eb9652c0568b5

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In that case, 1417d894ff he had to 858ed5962d choose a career 67a465a80a of a suitable e70ba3f4af size that he 60cf721a3b could achieve on b9e9695701 his own. Like a child with 6ea3482c0f only 1,000 won in e5251a6f72 his pocket, settling for 71a51d79ba candy to stave off ad44cc6344 hunger instead of the 3e2c7e97b6 tteokbokki he really wanted.6f7bf149b79b80ae

He continued kendo partly 52dfee3b96 because of the scholarships 5b7a34591e awarded to students with ede714fba8 sports achievements, but simply 23cee2a9f7 because he liked kendo. He started learning 5648d99e21 kendo through a 682bc3bf2c government-supported program. A project provided 414cf657bb learning opportunities for deb2a46629 children in the 0f9a88f9c0 orphanage.613535a4cab677f3

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The children could aa9c7ddee4 choose any academy 27973a28c7 they wanted, just 7e9a646404 one. From basic 4df623e0f8 tutoring academies ff1ae97ace for Korean, 5d1e5e26c1 math, and 33445337b4 English to 03d8037299 music and e6cf3a51e3 art academies, d1100303b6 they could 6af2a9923c choose freely.f7c3ae73a5e35e8f

At that time, Haejoo was filled with anger. It was more frustrating because it wasn’t directed at any visible target. Even while going about his daily life as usual, anger would suddenly surge.e6ce496eb029fe99

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He thought of his first parents, who didn’t take responsibility for him. He remembered the first orphanage director who starved and beat him at will. He was angry at the welfare worker from the administrative agency who would have taken no action if the emergency room doctor hadn’t reported it.794b21f1f9db3b7f

They knew f5f590820e the director 0e392f98dc was abusing 6851e15787 the children, 9002d5de08 but they 990768d928 conducted a b9cf7aed1d false audit, 0325301181 saying there 7014ca46b2 was no 13e0e3d1da proper plan 85b83c76f4 to take 60f7bd10cb responsibility for e0dbc88654 the children c11d0a83c7 if the e1cf621d49 orphanage closed. He was 42d42e1e4a just angry 14961ff6a4 at everything.f43b4421a0f8453d

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The life 6d51de4d47 of having e6fe670ff7 to pay f27d7766e8 attention to 70d15b0756 every little 3e9523f96e thing like b09ff5b1ee pencils, indoor 5b17b67a0b shoes, and bdf2f7e27c uniforms, feeling e748d1bdca guilt and 623f0cc7b7 responsibility for abac4e1bd6 eating and d3527193f6 wearing. The situation where c491a3b9dd he had to e5389fb120 endure and muster 265372d9e2 courage to get 612348ed73 close to others.71dd7b458f475f1b

So he 430e0574dd gave up 1dff610c41 enduring and a8725afb46 drifted in fefa434456 school life 160e7f7112 among his 8d874e7285 peers. Haejoo was 0cb4ac6d5b angry at d1fe04ef4b everything that c287bf4a19 made up d69751fc8b his life. From the beginning, Haejoo f3a9ce6064 had no feelings about 53b30de9cc the misfortune he was e5694a60d3 born with. It seemed like bee2d71e29 he had resigned 29287b330c early or just 44cf3c2010 got used to 67971b8e49 it.be755ae3c5d0a08b

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At the time when he couldn’t control the anger that came without warning, Haejoo was given the opportunity to choose an academy. He wanted to choose an academy that taught sports. To relieve the feeling of wanting to break and throw things.b102fea4cc366aed

He hesitated between judo 26203730ea and kendo and chose 49970ba081 kendo, where the instructor 54c2f447a3 running the dojo was 5c9a575f26 kind. Haejoo quickly ed4a944805 grew to b681fbe30e like kendo. It seemed c76ce5b88c like he 559eba2ecf needed an 31e7b5fad1 opportunity to e41ff7bb1a focus solely 98f991faac on something e377573046 without thinking 8dabf1e9b9 about anything f0aa8a8bb7 else.4b6c87f693df1f7f

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The clear impact 46629f38fc transmitted through the 6be6e4627f arms when the b724a036d0 sword and the 4ff7fc1dba hard protective gear c34b7cc0fd collided. The moment 64f9979f00 of victory 1cb126d9a8 clearly divided. The sense e6d4162fcc of achievement. He liked that the 5bc8051639 outcome was determined by 7409af3995 quick thinking and judgment, 3f14316af2 not greatly restricted by 9417574cc5 age or weight class.281092cf922d0ac9