Chapter 23: Mysterious master

[You have completed a swing of your sword, completion rate 95%, "Side Quest — Familiarize with Weapon" progress 513/1000.]

[You have repeatedly accomplished high-completion learning, Heavy Weapon Mastery Experience +1.]

[Current Heavy Weapon Mastery Experience 41/100,when reaching 100 points, "Level 1 Heavy Weapon Specialization" can be mastered.]

"Feels... a bit sore."

Bai E murmured to himself.

Swinging a sword in the same motion for a long time, and considering that the combat blade was so heavy, had already put too much strain on his arms.

Not to mention that the soreness from the physical training that had pushed his body to its limits had not yet completely disappeared; his tired body was now struggling against his willpower.

Willpower, too, is a resource that can be depleted.

Hundreds of sword swings tested not only his body and skills but also mentally ground him down in a way hard to put into words.

Of course, he could rest when tired; the instructor had never stopped anyone.

After all, sword swings with seriously altered motions had no training effect, and at that moment, many humanoid soldiers also set down their combat blades to ease their muscles.

But Bai E could see the panel...

A tangible quest right in front of his eyes, already half completed.

What's most important is that the countdown had also nearly reached its midpoint...

If the mission was still incomplete when time was up, that would be more unbearable than death.

Others might rest, but not him!

Bai E lifted his combat blade high, feeling a bit weary at heart.

But... did he really need to take it that seriously?

Maybe try swinging the sword in a more comfortable position?

With this thought, Bai E brought down his sword in a swing.

[You have completed a swing of your sword, completion rate 66%, "Side Quest — Familiarize with Weapon" progress not increased.]

[Your completion rate has significantly decreased with this swing, falling below average standards, identified as slacking off! Progress -10, "Side Quest — Familiarize with Weapon" progress 503/1000.]

[Masterfulness comes from diligence, playfulness leads to waste, hope you won't neglect your skills!]

"..."

Damn it!

Bai E instantly snapped to attention.

His previous performances were too outstanding, so much so that a casual swing even resulted in a penalty.

Better to rest than to swing haphazardly?

Bai E planted his sword into the ground and took several deep breaths.

"Fine!"

A bit of mental adjustment allowed Bai E to regain his spirit. After easing the muscles in his arms, Bai E once again lifted the great sword high with both hands.

In front of him seemed to stand that accursed panel quest.

With one swing, the pale blue panel shattered, and a killing aura flew wildly.

[You have completed a swing of your sword, completion rate 98%, "Side Quest — Familiarize with Weapon" progress 504/1000.]

[Perfect execution! Keep it up!] Sёarch* The nôvel_Fire.ηet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

I'll chop you down!

...

"Pfft~"

Yueying couldn't help but let out a soft sound.

513 times.

Even though her gaze swept across the entire field, trying to witness the characteristics of every humanoid soldier in person, she never forgot to observe the one who had been noticeable from the first swing.

513 swings! She remembered the number.

Every swing was above standard, precise and consistent like a mechanical being.

It was hard to imagine that this was something a newly created humanoid could achieve.

The overly stable performance within expected parameters let her observation enter a state of indifference.

Until the coming of the 514th swing...

A misfire, yet unexpectedly delightful.

After all, it made him seem more human.

"What's the matter?"

The young officer beside her took the chance to cast a concerned look.

"Nothing..."

In an instant, Yueying's expression returned to its usual calm, her tone cold and indifferent as if it were none of her concern.

Emotions, after all, are something the elves strive to suppress as much as possible...

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"Oh~"

Weslin responded with a hint of disappointment.

I actually liked you quite a bit, didn't expect you to be so cold and indifferent...

I like you even more now.

"Simple training might be somewhat dull..."

"No!"

Yueying interrupted for the first time, "It's very interesting."

Weslin's eyes shone slightly, feeling she might have discovered Miss Yueying's interests.

It is said that from the moment elves come of age, they choose a skill to pursue as their ultimate path in life.

Each elf makes a different choice, with wielding swords and handling weapons being quite common, but if they approve, painting or playing with mud can also become an elf's ultimate pursuit.

In the eyes of humans, this is a racial quirk, but no doubt it was a breakthrough at this moment.

"Miss Yueying really likes swordsmanship?"

The hooded figure nodded slightly, "I have studied it a bit."

Weslin's heart leaped.

The way elves speak and their mannerisms are somewhat similar to those of the East Asians living in a city 2,000 kilometers away, who typically speak with modesty.

But they are straightforward in character; if they aren't interested, they usually say so directly.

Does this mean that Miss Yueying's elven path is truly swordsmanship?

Swordsmanship? I myself don't know swordsmanship.

Perhaps those artificial human soldiers currently training with combat swords could bring her some joy?

To teach is also a hobby for many.

"Then may I ask if Miss Yueying is interested in giving some pointers to my soldiers?"

"Not..."

Yueying's first instinct was to refuse but then hesitated, "It's not out of the question..."

She bore a racial mission, needing to see if humans were worth long-term cooperation.

Examining the results of the human core technology, the artificial human soldier project, seemed reasonable.

To assess the learning capability of these artificial soldiers that had just stepped out of their incubators.

After basic training, whether they could acquire enough combat experience.

"Then it's settled!"

Saying this, Weslin waved to his aide-de-camp not far away, "Pass the word, have each instructor select the most proficient soldier from their unit; Miss Yueying will personally guide them later."

"Yes!"

...

[You completed a sword swing with 96% proficiency, "Side Quest - Familiarize with Weapon" progress 837/1000.]

[You have completed several high-proficiency training sessions consecutively, Heavy Weapon Mastery experience +1.]

[Current Heavy Weapon Mastery experience 45/100, you can master "Level 1 Heavy Weapon Specialization" at 100 points.]

So tired...

So sore...

Swinging a sword is not only a two-handed task; it requires the coordination of the entire body. Although it doesn't exhaust the body like the earlier physical training, it nearly destroys the arms.

Long durations and fast-paced sword swinging had almost numbed Bai E's arms.

Swinging the sword had become instinctive.

Fortunately, there was good news: the increase in proficiency experience and the extended mechanical sword swinging turned the standard movements into Bai E's muscle memory.

Even without deliberate control, each sword swing was almost always above standard.

This also resulted in a higher efficiency in gaining mastery experience directly from training.

Of course, the most important was the 50 points of mastery experience granted after completing the mission.

Only ten and a half minutes left.

Can't slack off now.

...

Wood glanced at his watch; the soldiers in front of him were showing signs of fatigue from the prolonged mechanical training, the atmosphere was down.

But it was still early; time couldn't be wasted.

They needed a boost!

"Lads! I've got good news for you!"

Wood's announcement captured the attention of all the artificial humans.

"After the training ends, a mysterious expert will offer some guidance to the best among you, and if your performance satisfies the superior officers, there will be a mysterious reward waiting for you!"

[Whether it's the mysterious reward or the challenge of facing an unknown mysterious expert, both are very attractive to you, you decide...]

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