Chapter 232: Master and Apprentice
Amy kept her head bowed, her small hands twisting the hem of her skirt into a
mess of wrinkles. She expected a further lecture—expected Big Sister Lia to tell
her she was too weak, too pathetic, too useless.
Instead, Lia knelt. With swift, clinical efficiency, she began picking up the
salvageable scraps of kitchen waste, placing them back into the reed basket one
by one.
"We have slimes to harvest," Lia said without looking up. "Your objective
remains incomplete."
Amy stared at Lia's expressionless face. Her nose wrinkled, and a sharp prickle
hit her eyes—this time, it wasn't from grievance. It was something else.
"Uh-huh!"
Amy nodded vigorously. She knelt beside Lia, helping to gather the breadcrumbs
and wilted leaves that hadn't been completely ground into the mud.
The setting sun slanted into the alleyway. The amber light cast two long, sharp
shadows against the stone—one large, one small. Amy stole a sideways glance at
Lia. In the direct light, the crisscrossing scars on her face were impossible to
miss, jagged and harsh.
But Amy decided right then that it was the most beautiful profile she had ever
seen.
"Big Sister Lia?" Amy whispered.
"Mmh."
"You're... you're really amazing."
Lia didn't respond. She simply continued her work in silence.
Amy bit her lip, her heart hammering against her ribs. She took a deep breath,
gathering a desperate kind of courage. "Could you... could you teach me how to
be strong like you?"
Lia's hand paused for a fraction of a second. She placed the final crumb into
the basket and stood up.
"I can."
Amy's eyes lit up like stars. "Really?!"
Lia nodded once, hoisted the basket, and headed deeper into the gloom of the
sewer. "Follow."
Amy hurriedly wiped the remaining tears from her face and trotted after her.
They returned to their usual junction. Sensing their presence, the nearby slimes
undulated toward them, expecting a meal. Lia set the basket down and turned to
face the girl.
"First, provide data for analysis."
"Eh? Data?"
"When you encountered those three boys... why did you not initiate a tactical
retreat?"
Amy looked down at her boots, her voice a tiny squeak. "I... my legs turned to
jelly."
"Cause?"
"I was scared."
"Logic for the fear?"
"Because there were three of them, and only one of me," Amy whimpered.
Lia shook her head, a sharp, horizontal movement. "Incorrect."
"Huh?"
"Your fear did not stem from their numerical advantage," Lia stated clinically.
"It stemmed from your internal assumption of defeat. You decided you could not
win before the engagement began."
"But... I really can't beat them. They're much bigger."
"You haven't attempted to."
Lia reached out and tapped Amy's forehead with a single finger. "Battle does not
commence with the body. It begins here."
Amy touched her forehead, looking puzzled. "My brain?"
"Correct." Lia stood straight. "Before any engagement, the first phase is
Observation."
"What do I look for?"
"Height. Weight. Posture. Respiratory rhythm. Tension in the musculature." Lia
began to pace slowly in front of Amy, her violet eyes focused. "The three
variables from earlier: The tallest one is approximately 1.4 meters, weighing no
more than 35 kilograms. The one in the cap has a lingering injury in his left
leg; he subconsciously favors his right when moving. The heavy-set one has the
lowest stamina—he was winded after a twenty-meter sprint."
Amy stared, her mouth agape. "Big Sister Lia... you saw all of that?"
"It is the baseline," Lia said, stopping in front of her. She extended her hand.
"Now. Initiate an attack."
Amy jumped. "What?!"
"Strike me. With your fist."
"But... I don't want to hurt you!"
"Execute the command."
Amy bit her lip, clenched her small hand into a soft ball, and swung a limp,
hesitating punch toward Lia's stomach.
Lia didn't move. The fist stopped a palm's width away from her dress.
"What is the meaning of this hesitation?"
"I... I'm afraid I'll hurt you," Amy whispered.
Lia let out a breath that sounded like a mechanical sigh. "First: your strike
possesses zero threat. Second: your grip is too tight; you are wasting internal
energy—your Od—on a static hold. Third: your center of gravity is entirely on
your rear foot. You have no leverage."
Lia stepped behind Amy, manually adjusting the girl's limbs.
"Left foot forward. Right foot back. Distribute your weight evenly. Keep the
fist relaxed; only clench at the micro-second of impact."
"When you strike, the force does not originate from the arm. It is a rotation of
the waist."
Lia demonstrated. Her movement was agonizingly slow, allowing Amy to track every
play of muscle.
"Observe."
Lia's hips shifted, her body sank slightly, and her right fist snapped forward.
It was a fluid, seamless motion—zero wasted energy. Her fist cut through the
air, stopping millimeters from Amy's nose. Amy felt the displacement of air—a
sharp, localized wind—hit her face.
"So fast..."
"That is a fundamental straight punch," Lia said, withdrawing her hand. "Now.
Replicate the movement."
Amy took a deep breath, setting her feet as Lia had instructed. Left forward.
Right back. Center her weight. Relax.
She twisted her waist and threw the punch.
Snap.
The sound of the fist cutting the air was faint, but audible. Amy's eyes
widened. "I... I made a noise!"
"Insufficient," Lia said, stepping closer. "The rotation of your hips was
shallow. The kinetic chain was broken. Again."
Amy nodded, resetting her posture. This time, she committed to the twist.
THWACK!
The sound was sharper, louder.
"Acceptable," Lia offered—a rare note of praise. "Continue."
Excitement flooded Amy. She began punching the air rhythmically. Thwack! Snap!
Thwack! With every repetition, her form grew tighter, her strikes more
confident. The nearby slimes, startled by the percussive sounds, undulated away
into the shadows.
After twenty repetitions, Amy stopped, her breath coming in ragged gasps. "Big
Sister Lia... did I learn it?"
"You have mastered the mechanics of a basic strike," Lia corrected. "But that is
only half of the equation."
"What's the other half?"
"Learning to receive a blow."
Amy froze. "Receive... as in, get hit?"
"Correct." Lia's expression was deadly serious. "You cannot evade every variable
in a chaotic engagement. You must learn to protect your vitals when the impact
is inevitable."
Lia reached out and gave Amy a sharp, sudden shove. Amy, caught off guard,
stumbled backward several steps, nearly falling.
"See?" Lia pointed to Amy's feet. "Your center of gravity is in shambles. If
that were a strike, the engagement would be over."
Amy pouted, looking a bit hurt. "But... I didn't know you were going to push
me."
"An enemy does not issue a formal notice of intent," Lia countered. She stepped
back into Amy's space, adjusting her stance once more. "When under pressure,
your reflex should not be to retreat, but to anchor your center. Feet apart.
Knees bent. Lower the center of gravity."
Lia demonstrated. She stood with her legs braced, knees slightly flexed, looking
as immovable as a mountain.
"Now. Push me."
Amy hesitated, then put both hands on Lia's chest and shoved with all her might.
Lia's body swayed slightly, but her feet didn't budge an inch.
"More force," Lia commanded.
Amy gritted her teeth, throwing her entire body weight into the push. Lia
remained anchored.
"Understood? If the center is stable, the opponent's momentum is neutralized.
Now, replicate the anchor."
Amy set her stance. Feet wide. Knees bent.
Lia gave her a gentle push. Amy wobbled, but stayed upright.
"Good."
Lia pushed harder. Amy's boots skidded a fraction on the damp stone, but she
held her ground.
"Continue."
The third push was a sharp jab. Amy held firm.
"I did it!" she cheered.
Lia nodded. "The final lesson for this cycle: The Counter-Attack."
"What is that?"
Lia locked eyes with her. "Defense ensures you do not lose. But it does not
ensure you win. To win, you must capitalize on the enemy's overextension."
Lia adopted an offensive posture. "When an opponent strikes, they leave a 'flaw'
(隙). Observe."
Lia threw a slow, exaggerated punch. "As I strike, my body leans forward. My
weight shifts to my leading leg. My lower half is now vulnerable."
As she spoke, Lia withdrew her fist and gave Amy's shin a tiny, symbolic tap
with her foot. "A strike here would terminate the opponent's balance."
Amy nodded thoughtfully. "I think I see it."
"Shall we test the theory?"
Amy looked ready to lunge, but Lia shook her head. "Sufficient for today. Your
physiology is unaccustomed to this level of strain. Overtraining leads to
injury. We resume tomorrow."
Amy looked disappointed, but she gave an obedient nod. "Okay. Back to the
slimes, then!"
Lia checked her internal clock. Night had fully claimed the world above. "Mmh."
The two returned to their work. As Amy scattered the breadcrumbs, she kept
stealing glances at her "Master." Big Sister Lia was truly peerless. She knew
how to catch monsters, how to fight, and so many other things. And she was
willing to teach her.
"Big Sister Lia?" Amy asked softly.
"Mmh?"
"Did you... did you use to fight a lot? Before the amnesia?"
Lia's movements stiffened for a micro-second. "Why do you ask?"
"Because you look so... practiced. Like the knights in the Vollachia stories."
Lia was silent for several seconds. "It was... a component of my existence."
"I knew it! You must have been a great hero!" Amy's eyes were shining again. "I
bet you beat a thousand bad guys!"
Lia didn't answer. She returned to her crouch, waiting for the slimes to divide.
Amy didn't push. She simply sat beside her, the silence of the sewer filled only
by their breathing and the rhythmic undulation of the gelatinous blobs.
Suddenly, Amy spoke again.
"Big Sister Lia."
"Mmh."
"Thank you."
Lia looked at her. The girl was wearing a wide, radiant smile.
"Thank you for teaching me. And for standing in front of me."
Lia turned her focus back to the water. "You provided sustenance. I provided
tactical instruction. The debt is neutralized."
Amy laughed. "Then I'll bring extra bread tomorrow! That way you have to keep
teaching me!"
Lia offered no rebuttal. She simply reached out and caught a baby slime with
perfect, gentle precision.
The night wind drifted down the drainage grate, carrying a chill. But Amy felt
warmer than she had in weeks. Lia turned back to her work, but for a fleeting
second, the corner of her mouth quirked upward. It was a tiny, almost invisible
movement, but it was there.
"Seventy!" Amy announced triumphantly. "Big Sister, we broke the record again!"
Lia nodded. "Sufficient. Proceed to the market."
Amy hoisted the heavy bag. It was a daunting weight for a child, but she didn't
seem to feel it.
"Are you coming with me today, Big Sister?" Amy asked hopefully.
Lia shook her head without hesitation. "I cannot venture too far from the
extraction point."
Amy's shoulders slumped slightly. "Oh... okay."
"But... go and secure the medicine. I shall require more instruction from you
tomorrow."
Amy's face lit up again at the word "instruction."
"Uh-huh! I'll be here! Don't you dare sneak away while I'm gone!"
Lia was silent for a beat. "I shall not."
Amy gave a final, happy wave and vanished around the corner with her lantern.
Lia's mouth quirked again.
"I will wait for you."
☆☆☆
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