Raine nodded.

The next instant, he stepped forward and swept the greatsword through a swift semicircle, bringing it down toward Claire at a forty-five-degree angle.

Clang!

The harsh crash of steel filled the training room.

Claire raised her sword in both hands, her chestnut ponytail swaying as she caught Raine's Cleave on the strong of her blade near the crossguard. They immediately sprang apart.

"The Guard Form of Great Bear Swordsmanship has two variations for different situations," Claire explained.

"The first resembles a guard used in one-handed swordsmanship. You receive an enemy's chopping attack with the strong of your blade."

"The second is different. Thrust at me, Raine."

She gestured for him to attack again.

"Yes, Miss Claire. Be careful."

Clang!

This impact rang sharp and clear.

Claire planted her two-handed greatsword point-first against the floor and perfectly blocked Raine's Step Thrust. The shock numbed his wrist and almost knocked the hilt from his grasp.

Looking closer, he saw that his sword point had landed in the fuller running down the center of Claire's palm-wide blade. She had not counterattacked at all; this was pure defense. The fuller trapped his point and prevented it from glancing off in a shower of sparks toward her body.

"Do you understand?"

"The second variation is designed to stop rapid thrusts. When an enemy attacks at high speed, trying to intercept with the strong of your blade becomes unreliable."

"But you must choose your greatsword carefully. It needs a single or double fuller."

"You must also counterattack immediately after the block. Great Bear Swordsmanship is not a defensive art. Use fierce offense to break your opponent's rhythm and force them to defend."

Claire's clear explanation opened Raine's eyes.

After thinking it through, he realized she was exactly right.

Great Bear Swordsmanship consisted of five forms: Wrath Cleave, Leaping Cleave, Cleave, Guard Form, and the still-unlearned Whirlwind Cleave. Four of the five were cleaving attacks, making the art's offensive nature unmistakable.

Unlike one-handed sword techniques, which included numerous thrusts, every form of Great Bear Swordsmanship was designed to exploit the weight and heavy edge of a greatsword through powerful chopping attacks.

With Claire's guidance on the underlying principles, Raine's progress accelerated.

Over the past three days, he had sparred with Claire many times using Great Bear Swordsmanship. His Militia class had now advanced to Lv. 4.

[Militia Lv. 4 (18/1000)]

The advancement awarded one Attribute Point and one Skill Point.

Name: Raine Callan

Class: Blacksmith Lv. 1 (5/100) / Militia Lv. 4 (18/1000)

Constitution: 6

Strength: 9

Agility: 8

Spirit: 8

Remaining Attribute Points: 1

Remaining Skill Points: 2

Raine was in no hurry to spend the Attribute Point. Increasing an attribute also restored his physical condition, so he intended to save it for an emergency.

He remained undecided about the two Skill Points. Should he improve his Core Skills or use them to advance the later postures of the Great Bear Breathing Method?

Unable to choose, he left them untouched for now.

"The final thing I'll teach you today is Great Bear Swordsmanship's secret technique."

Claire signaled for him to stop practicing the Guard Form.

"A secret technique?"

Raine was taken aback.

"Neither Great Bear Swordsmanship nor the Great Bear Breathing Method is unique to House Habsburg. Both are widely circulated among the Empire's noble families."

"However, only families that have studied the swordsmanship for a very long time can create their own secret technique—a finishing move built on the breathing method and sword art."

"Today, I will teach you House Habsburg's original Great Bear Swordsmanship secret technique: Roaring Strike."

"This move requires powerful lungs. It imitates the sonic impact of a great bear's roar during an attack and combines it with Whirlwind Cleave."

A sonic attack paired with a physical strike?

Raine immediately understood the technique's power. If two fighters were evenly matched and one suddenly unleashed Roaring Strike, the sound needed to stun the opponent for only an instant. That instant would provide all the time required to deliver a killing blow.

"A demonstration will help you understand."

A mischievous glint entered Claire's eyes.

"Yes, Miss Claire."

Raine tightened his grip on the greatsword, angled its point upward at forty-five degrees, and assumed his starting stance.

"HAH!"

A tremendous sound wave erupted from Claire's lips.

Even though Raine was prepared, the force struck his face like a powerful gust, making his cheeks ripple. Pain stabbed through his eardrums, and his head filled with ringing.

The effect lasted less than half a second.

By the time his senses returned, Claire's greatsword already rested against his neck.

"Pfft."

Claire laughed at his dazed expression.

"Ahem. Well, little fool? Did you feel the power of Roaring Strike?"

Perhaps realizing that her behavior had not been entirely ladylike, she cleared her throat.

"As a woman, I'm at a natural disadvantage when using this technique. I also don't practice the Great Bear Breathing Method, so what you just experienced was only an imitation."

Raine nodded in silence.

Claire was right. If a powerful Knight who specialized in the Great Bear Breathing Method used Roaring Strike, the sound alone might rupture his eardrums and leave him bleeding and stunned—not merely disoriented for less than a second.

Yet between experts, who could afford to lose even one second?

In his previous life, a hundred-meter sprinter could cover ten meters in a second. Martial strength in this world was far more extreme. One second was enough time to die several times over.

For the first time, Raine truly appreciated the importance of Constitution. A strong Constitution would help resist dizziness and other abnormal effects while improving recovery and endurance.

He needed to devote more effort to the Great Bear Breathing Method. Raising it would improve his body across the board, with additional benefits to Constitution and Strength.

Claire returned her greatsword to the rack.

Before Raine could wonder why, she turned to him.

"Raine, I'll return to Mayst City shortly to see my father. Tomorrow morning, I leave Mayst County for the Imperial Royal Academy."

Raine froze.

So soon?

Claire had told him she would be leaving, but now that the moment had arrived, he still felt an unexpected sense of loss.