Previously on Wizard: Starting With the Knights Breathing Method...
Levi advanced to Sword Squire, significantly improving his physique, but recognized his lack of combat skills and the need for swordsmanship training from Knight Fred. During a New Year's banquet, a young blacksmith named Milan reported that his father, Toby, was captured by the Wild Boar Gang. Enraged, Levi vowed to deal with the gang and its leader, Pig, the Hog Rider.
Levi shook his head to clear his thoughts and composed himself. "The road is currently obstructed by deep snow, and it is difficult to determine if this is an ambush prepared by the Wild Boar Gang. Toby possesses a certain level of talent, and I am certain he will do whatever is necessary to survive. For the time being, we ought to dispatch an envoy to negotiate with the Wild Boar Gang before we take action."
"What a nuisance! These lowlifes actually think they can trample over us," Knight Fred sighed deeply.
"Your Excellency Knight Fred, I suggest you take some rest and resume my lessons tomorrow; perhaps then I can test the new blade Milan forged for me."
Levi leaned his head against his hand. Beneath the flickering candlelight, his eyes radiated a magnificent light—not the mere gaze of a noble, but that of a legendary entity that had surpassed the mundane world.
Knight Fred swallowed hard as he observed Levi. It felt as though he were being scrutinized by a predatory beast.
His gaze drifted to the oil painting situated behind Levi—a black serpent entwining the castle, clutching a candle within its jaws. It appeared both enigmatic and malevolent.
'The young master has truly changed,' Knight Fred mused.
It had taken the late Baron three months to reach the rank of Sword Squire after learning the breathing technique, followed by a year to become a Quasi-Knight. It then required two more years to reach the rank of an official knight and another eight to ascend as a Great Knight.
In contrast, Levi had only been practicing the breathing technique for two months, and he had mastered the basics in a mere fifteen days.
Knight Fred could not fathom the reason, so he simply credited it to Levi’s tireless dedication.
"Master, you should sleep. Do not burden yourself with too much stress," he advised before retreating into the darkness.
Levi’s fingers brushed against Milan’s sword as he looked at his proficiency panel with a quiet sigh.
"I only wish to cultivate in silence. Is it so wrong to want to be a self-reliant lord living a peaceful life?"
By the second day of the new year, the sky remained pitch black during the early hours of the morning.
The inhabitants and guards of Blackwater Valley were still lost in their peaceful slumbers.
Meanwhile, Levi stood upon the training grounds, clad in heavy armor and gripping Frostmourne; he had chosen this name for his blade as a tribute to the world he could never return to.
Knight Fred unsheathed his own sword, Dawn, and spoke, "I shall instruct you in a technique I happened upon during my younger days wandering the kingdom. It lacks a formal name, but I refer to it as the [Golden Cross]. It channels an unimaginable power into your weapon. The type of weapon is irrelevant—be it a hammer, a simple blade, a spear, or even a pitchfork. This Golden Cross is comprised of three stages: [Vibrate], [Ripple], and [Whirlwind]."
"Observe," Knight Fred continued. "Vibration is the most basic, followed by Ripple, and finally Whirlwind. Despite my years of experience, I have only reached the Ripple stage, yet its strength is unparalleled. The power of this technique depends entirely on the practitioner's comprehension."
"Is that the case?" Levi gave a faint, wry smile. "If someone of your skill has only mastered Ripple, has anyone ever reached the pinnacle of this swordsmanship?"
"Do not lose heart, Master. The Ripple stage provides more than enough power—even your father only reached that level, and he was the most formidable among all the Great Knights."
Levi gave a nod. He knew that with his proficiency panel, it was only a matter of time before he surpassed everyone.
Gripping Dawn, Knight Fred released a crushing aura, his form vibrating and blurring like a ghost. This concentrated energy was then channeled directly into his blade.
The sword trembled with fierce power, emitting a radiant glow. With a sudden forward strike, a violent wave of energy erupted, instantly cleaving the massive boulder in front of him into four distinct sections.
With a fluid motion, he returned the sword to its scabbard.
Levi was left speechless. While the stone was not as durable as steel, shattering it into four pieces was a feat impossible for any normal man.
This was the true power of a knight. This was what it meant to be truly strong.
And Levi craved that strength.
Knight Fred exhaled. He had utilized only thirty percent of his power for this demonstration.
Had he exerted his full strength, he could have sliced through the thickest plate armor!
However, doing so would damage the blade, and it was unnecessarily flamboyant.
"This is fundamentally about how you exert force through your sword. It may be hard to grasp, so I will show you again."
Levi nodded. Knight Fred's movements were so rapid they were difficult to track.
Levi observed Knight Fred’s actions with intense focus, slowly beginning to understand the underlying mechanics after numerous repetitions.
Then, it was his turn to swing.
Training was a cycle of endless repetition, constant learning, making errors, and refining the process.
If the technique was even slightly flawed, the vibration would simply dissipate.
Knight Fred patiently guided Levi through the motions time and again.
Levi persisted with his breathing exercises and threw himself into his sword training. He was determined to see this new skill manifest on his proficiency panel.
Given his natural aptitude, Levi was well-suited for such rigorous, long-term practice.
On the third day, as Levi continued his drills, he finally sensed a faint vibration humming through Frostmourne; it felt as if the steel itself had begun to breathe.
A surge of joy washed over him.
'V-vibrate. This has to be it!'
Simultaneously, a new skill appeared upon his proficiency panel.
