Reincarnation Of A Swordsman: The Omni Mage

The dojo was silent, save for the soft rustle of fabric and the faint sound of Kyle's measured breaths. Across from him, Instructor Dan stood at the other side of the mat with his katana held in loosely.

Kyle tightened his grip on the katana and hit into his stance, ready to fight. His stats had seen a very large leap from the last time they fought and Kyle was somewhat confident of keeping up against Dan this time.

"Remember, this isn't about showing off," Dan cut off Kyle's thoughts with a reminder. "This is about control, precision, and growth. If you think mastering the Air Steps Technique means you can slack off, think again."

"Wouldn't dream of it, Instructor," Kyle replied with a grin.

Without another word, Dan charged and his katana sliced through the air in a controlled arc. Kyle met the attack head-on and their blades clashed with a resounding clang.

He managed to win out in the clash and gud katana had made Dan's blade move an inch. The instructor had a smile on his face when he saw the result.

'Seems like I underestimated you again. Now I've seen your new strength I'll know have to hold back less.'

Dan immediately readjusted and went for another strike, no, strikes. He was relentless with his blade, slashing at Kyle in multiple directions with controlled strength.

For Kyle, the strikes were like trying to fend off a storm; there was no wasted motion and no hesitation. He parried and dodged and his feet moving instinctively in the patterns of the Air Steps Technique.

With a quick pivot, Kyle darted to the side. His movements were so fluid it seemed like he was gliding. He circled Dan after managing to free himself from the assault, striking from unexpected angles and testing the older man's defenses.

"Not bad," Dan said, blocking an overhead slash. "But you'll have to do better than fancy footwork to catch me off guard."

'Then let me step it up a notch.'

>FWOOSH!<

Kyle launched into a series of rapid movements and his body became a blur as he executed the full sequence of Air Steps. His feet barely touched the ground, and the dojo echoed with the faint sound of his steps. Kyle's katana became an extension of himself, each strike flowing seamlessly into the next.

Dan's eyes narrowed as he adjusted to Kyle's speed, his katana intercepting the younger man's strikes with practiced ease. "Impressive," he admitted with an approving tone. "But speed without precision is nothing more than wasted energy."

Kyle didn't respond, instead focusing on maintaining his momentum. His strikes became sharper and more deliberate, and Dan began to feel the subtle shifts in Kyle's technique.

Suddenly, Dan had enough of watching Kyle and shifted his stance and his movements becoming more aggressive. He closed the distance between them in a heartbeat, his katana flashing as he launched a flurry of attacks. Kyle's eyes widened as he struggled to keep up, his Air Steps allowing him to evade some strikes but not all.

A sharp sting on his arm told him he'd been grazed. Gritting his teeth, he forced himself to refocus and his movements became more precise.

"You're hesitating," Dan said, his voice cutting through the noise of their sparring. "Hesitation will get you killed."

Kyle clenched his jaw, determination flaring in his eyes. He stepped back, putting some distance between them, and adjusted his grip on the katana.

Dan smirked. "That's better. Now show me what you've got."

>WHOOSH!<

Kyle surged forward with all the speed he could muster as he pushed the Air Steps Technique to its limits. His strikes were faster, more aggressive, and Dan found himself having to reveal more strength to keep up.

But the instructor was far from being outmatched. With a well-timed parry, he deflected Kyle's strike and countered with a powerful slash. Kyle barely managed to dodge with the blade passing so close he could feel the air shift.

"Not bad," Dan said and his grin widened further. "But not good enough."

Kyle's frustration bubbled to the surface. He was giving it everything he had, but Dan was still ahead of him, still pushing him to the edge.

And then it happened.

As Dan's katana came down in a powerful arc, Kyle felt something snap within him. It wasn't fear or panic but a sudden clarity, a raw, untapped power surging to the forefront.

The dojo seemed to still for a moment as Kyle's katana caught Dan's strike. But this time, it wasn't just skill or strength behind the block—it was intent.

A white line of energy radiated from Kyle's katana causing Dan's eyes to widen in surprise. The air around them grew heavier as the line surged towards Dan in unfathomable speed, but just before it could deal any damage, Dan released a bit of his aura, like he always did in these situations, and nullified the intent.

Dan sheathed his katana and let out a low whistle. "You really don't know how to take it easy, do you?" He gave Kyle a proud look and the corner of his mouth curved into a small smile. "That was faster than the last time. Much faster."

"Faster?"

Dan nodded and leaned his katana against the wall. "You've released your intent before, but it's always taken longer. I'd usually have to push you to your absolute limit before you could bring it out. This time, it came out almost naturally—like it's starting to become a part of you."

Kyle couldn't help but smile, despite his exhaustion. The weight of Dan's praise was not lost on him.

Dan walked over to the side of the dojo and grabbed a water bottle from a small wooden shelf. He tossed it to Kyle, who caught it with one hand.

Kyle twisted off the cap and took a long gulp.

[Energy +10]

[Energy +10]

A refreshing coolness spread through his body, washing away all of the fatigue that had been dragging him down. The ability of the water bottle never ceased to amaze Kyle.

Placing the bottle aside, Kyle grinned. "Let's go again."