Chapter 106: Ashisabaki ( Part 2 )

In truth, Stella's reflexes were good enough. She just couldn't respond effectively and utilize her advantage since she doesn't know what to do in certain circumstances. 

Even if she knows the proper stance and sword techniques, it doesn't mean that she knows when to use them… 

Only experience and constant practice can help with that… 

"Ashisabaki… Do you mean all those difficult footwork?" Stella asked after hearing her master.

"That's right, that was why your first exercise was to run… It wasn't just to improve your stamina but also to train your legs… Footwork requires trained legs to execute them flawlessly… We'll work on your footwork for this whole week…"

"Yes, Master!"

"Show me the shizentai…" 

"Yes…"

Reiji instructed Stella. It is the natural stance where you place your left foot one foot-width to the left and one foot-length to the back… You would then lift your left heel gently to complete the form…

Stella was used to this so she effortlessly assumed the form.

"Good… All ashisabaki starts from this stance. You need to have a habit of going back into this form especially when you can't read your opponent's rhythm…"

"Yes!" Stella answered as she maintained the shizentai.

"Mhmm… In case you want to know why… remember that the function of footwork can be divided into two. One is to retain your physical center of balance and another one is to move in all directions, forward and back, right and left…"

'I see…'

Stella thought as she somehow understood what her master was trying to say. Anyway, she didn't interrupt her Master and only listened silently.

"If you're having trouble launching an attack and you don't know what kind of attack your opponent would use, just maintain your stance and don't act recklessly. As long as you are in your best form, you won't easily get caught by your opponent. An opening will naturally appear if you remain calm and steady in your form."

Stella nodded at this. If moving around would result in showing her weak spot, she wouldn't mind staying still and wait for her opponent. Of course, she can only do this if she's confident that she could properly respond to the speed of her opponent.

But most of her sword techniques so far were all return techniques so it wasn't surprising… 

After all, her master wants her to always target the opponent's vital targets… Their eyes, throat, heart, and there are even some areas where her master said as nerve points which she could exploit if she has the chance.

Anyway, most of them can only be hit if the opponent wasn't in a defensive position… It means that she can only target them when her opponent was similarly attacking her or if she could hide her sword strike's intention, or perhaps if she improved her swordsmanship skills…

"I understand, Master… I'll work on my footwork!"

"Very well…"

Stella then started with Ayumi-Ashi while similarly doing her sword swings… 

Ayumi-Ashi or walking footwork can be used as a technique to close in from afar and retreat a long distance…

"Haa! Haa!" Stella waved her swords as she moves forward with the foot technique before she swiftly retreated. 

The technique was simple as one just needed to step alternately between right and left foot as one would normally walk but you'll have to use a suriashi or gliding foot technique to make your swift movements.

Of course, just like all the other footwork, Reiji made a modified version of this footwork so Stella can use them even on uneven ground. It includes the swift lifting of one's feet to achieve the desired movement…

Stella did this for three sets before she changed to different footwork.

Whoosh! Whoosh! 

Stella's angle of strikes also changed after changing her footwork.

This time, she used Tsugi-Ashi or connecting footwork to execute her sword swings. 

The young girl was very familiar with this step as it is very effective to close her distance to the target without affecting her sword stance… It must be reminded that holding two swords was still a bit heavy for her if she's not using her Spiritual Energy. This footwork allows her to easily balance her sword even while moving. 

From her shizentai form, Stella brought her left foot forward enough not to pass her right foot…. Then moved her right foot forward using suriashi and executed beautiful sword strikes…

She repeated this for five sets as she really likes this movement. She can even do smooth transitions with other footwork like Fumiko-Ashi and Nusumi-Ashi which is something she learned just by playing with all the ashisabaki.

While Stella was practicing this together with her sword strikes, Reiji remained leaning on a tree as he looked at the lady who was observing Stella…

"Why is this woman here again?"

Reiji thought after seeing Enri watch his student with a curious gaze. 

The woman was still wearing her cloth or mask covering her nose and mouth. However, instead of wearing her leather armor, she wore a normal villager's clothes and pants. 

She's actually dressed as a man!

'Well, she seems to be a warrior… Perhaps long dresses would hinder her movement…' Reiji thought as he noticed that the woman was also taking a glance at him from time to time.

'Must be my imagination… Wait. Perhaps, she's attracted to my beauty?' Reiji thought after realizing that he was always using 'Cleanse' whenever dust and dirt touch him. 

'I must be the cleanest and gorgeous looking sword that she's ever seen…' 

He concluded in his mind. Aside from the fact that a shinai's form was unique, his sleek body together with his attractive sakigawa and nakayui, it must be appealing to her. 

Anyway, Reiji continued monitoring Stella's movement as she practices all the Ashisabaki…

'Hey! Use your left foot first! Don't move your feet at the same time! Are you jumping!'

"Oh, I was just confused... Sorry, Master!"

'Ahh! Don't speak! Don't speak! Someone's here. I used my Sense Link!'

Reiji exclaimed as he made a mistake. He should've told her sooner that someone is watching so she would've been careful.

'Ah... Is that so? I'll be careful.'

Stella could only say as she heard someone approaching her.

"Hi, Stella! You're very diligent, huh… Do you practice here every day?"

"Oh, Miss Enri… You're here."

Although she knows from her master that someone was here, she didn't know who it was so she was still a little surprised.

"I normally practice here since the guard's practice area is always full… Especially now that the Knights have arrived to train them. How about you, Miss Enri, what brought you here?"

"Well, I was scolded by my father… so I just stepped outside to get some fresh air."

"Scolded? By the village chief? I didn't think that he could get angry…"

"Haha… He can actually be scary, you know?" Enri said as she chuckled at Stella's words.

Stella smiled wryly as she steadied her breathing.

Her sword practice was interrupted again…

Anyway, her master said that human relations are important so she might as well take this as a break.

"May I know why you got scolded?"

"Err… You must've heard about my failure. About how I failed to protect our prisoner and let him get killed by bandits… It was my first job here, after all." Enri said without any change in her tone.

"I-is that so? It must've been tough." 

Enri only smiled mysteriously as she changed the topic.

"Anyway, I heard you talking to someone…"

"Eh? That… I'm talking to myself. It helps me focus."

"Oh… I see. I also have a student like that… I guess everyone has their method to keep in focus, huh."

"You're a teacher at the Arcane Academy?" Stella asked curiously. She heard it briefly in the chief's residence before but she wasn't aware of the full details. 

"Yeah… As you probably realized by now, I'm Arcanist… Anyway, my father told me that his village was attacked and there was a lack of strong people to guard against beast wave so I returned quickly. In the end, the Knights arrived first."

Enri explained as she remembered how difficult it was to file a leave. 

On the other hand, Stella noticed that Enri was really glancing at her master from time to time! She already noticed this the first time they've met so she couldn't help but ask her straight.

"Uhmm… Is there something wrong with my sword?"

Enri heard the question but she didn't immediately answer. Instead, she approached the sword and looked at it closely.

"Oh… Well… Nothing…"

"Hmm?"

"Err… You see… I find this sword familiar. I think I saw this being summoned as a colorless Arcana before. However, I only saw it for a moment when my student summoned it so I can't be sure…"

"Your student?"

"Yeah…  In one of my classes… His name is Noel Faust… I wonder if this is…"

"Hahaha!" Stella suddenly laughed and interrupted Enri's words.

"It's been with me for many years… I didn't think that the sword that I inherited from my father has a similar-looking Arcana! I'm glad to hear that, Miss Enri!"

"Oh, really? Well, swords might look similar if seen from afar… That must be it…" Enri nodded as she believed Stella's words.