(A/N I released chapters wrong, read the next one first then this one
The Dream Trial.
Although each night I attempted it, I still never completed it. I did find better success with a one handed longsword that I could use two handed. The ritual proceeded as normal. I woke up in the dojo, grabbed the weapon of choice, and proceeded to get totally beaten.
Again
And again
'Since brute force just doesn't work, there has to be a method to this.' I thought, during a short rest to recover. 'I clearly cannot force him into a net and I can't react once he moves.'
"There has to be a way…"
'That leaves trading blows. I always notice his strikes unbalance me, but don't disarm.' I pondered, holding my sword to the side in a way I can attack or defend. 'So if I can land a follow up, even if I'm knocked down, then I should still win.'
One must remember that the victory condition was to land a single strike against him. It never said I must be standing while doing so.
A plan slowly formed in my mind.
After trying different parts of it, I knew it was my best chance yet.
I pulled myself to my feet, held my sword in position, bent my knee, and charged.
"Oh?" Adam asked, intrigued. He knew I was going to try something different.
As I reached him and swung in a wide arc to my left, he responded by striking my left shoulder, causing me to stumble forward. However, before I fell, I put my full effort in twisting towards him, swinging the sword all the while.
"Well, it seems that your gamble has paid off, if I do say so myself."
As I looked up from the ground, I saw it.
There was a small cut on his sleeve.
Now before you go and say that Adam was uninjured, I only had to land a strike on him overall, not necessarily his body. Clothes counted too.
Adam snapped his fingers and the surroundings changed. Gone were the weapons, minus the longsword, sheathed next to me. Instead in between us was a table and tea.
"You learned fast. In a fight, glory and honor is for those who can afford it." Adam began, with me listening silently. "In the annals of history, few fights were won by those who followed a code of honor. Must fights were decided by who could adapt, who could improvise, and those who could scrape together a victory from narrow defeat."
"Risk and reward go hand in hand. By sacrificing your mobility, you managed to land a strike." Adam continued. " Few weapons are designed for one purpose. By focusing on the most adaptable, you honed in on that fact. I hereby grant you the passive skill -{LONGSWORD MASTERY I }-."
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-{SKILL GAINED: LONGSWORD MASTERY I }-
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