Then Archery is my path

"What's the problem?"

Master probably noticed my strange behavior after receiving the martial arts.

"It's nothing. These are wonderful martial arts. I was just thinking about the people from the major clans."

"Master, how do you view their actions—like when they kicked me out of the clan or destroyed your family? Was it worth it for the clan?"

"I have no idea. For a tree to grow taller, people cut the lower branches. Maybe what they do really does help the clan and society as a whole to develop. But they don't have the right to decide what's good and what's bad. I'm certain they've cut many branches that could have grown higher than the ones left now. But history is written by the winners. For those who lost, only resentment remains—and discussions like this."

"Indeed," I replied, unintentionally biting the corner of my mouth.

"Now you can't change anything. Go over the martial arts in 10 minutes, and we'll start training," Evans said before leaving the house.

Not now, but someday.

I started reading about the martial arts:

Breathing Technique: Tempest Flow (4 ☆)

Let the wind around you penetrate within, circulating through your aether arteries with each breath. Instead of slowing, it gains momentum, enveloping you, guiding you through the world.

This technique requires maintaining a constant aether circuit within the body. Its drawback is that for maximum effect, time is needed to both accelerate the circuit and decelerate back to a passive state. At peak speed, aether is expelled continuously over time, granting significant power and speed.

This technique has 5 stages:

Stage One: Wind Circulation

The activation stage, beginning with a deep breath (all breathing techniques start with one), to fill the body with ether. The ether must then be transferred in small but consistent amounts from the body to the ManaVentis, forming a discontinuous circuit of aether intake and release.

This will be the first step in forming a new constitution.

Movement Technique: Wind Kingdom (4 ☆)

Establish your own territory with a single step. Choose your stance to claim a domain of wind. Within this area, the wind becomes your subject, and you, the sovereign it cannot resist.

The concept of this technique involves creating an imaginary hemisphere, representing a territory that can be traversed in a single movement or jump, assisted by the wind. The area should automatically form whenever the foot touches a solid surface.

This technique has 4 stages:

Stage One: Territory Formation

Formation of an area no smaller than 5 meters in the shape of a hemisphere. Activation is achieved when the user perceives an imaginary, transparent green barrier with themselves at the center, indicating it is ready for use.

And finally:

Archery Technique: Tornado Archery (4 ☆)

Imbue arrows with the destructive power and imperceptible speed of the wind. This will guide the arrow directly toward the enemy, with wind blades that will tear them apart.

The bow enables arrows with different properties, allowing them to interact and multiply in speed and power through their interactions.

There are 5 stages:

Stage One: Guided Arrow

The arrow becomes faster, with greater penetrating power, and can ride wind currents. Understanding these currents allows for more efficient use.

These techniques were incredible, suited for both close and ranged combat, perfectly aligned with my specialization. With renewed inspiration, I headed for the exit.

"What do you think?"

"These are truly exceptional martial arts. Only the five-star techniques could surpass them. But unfortunately, they ended up with a master who won't be able to show their true power."

"I wasn't the best at representing them either. But right now, only the two of us can practice them. I hope they don't die with us, which is why you must marry a talented woman."

"HAH? You realize you're saying this to a 12-year-old boy, right?"

"Doesn't matter. Start running."

After I finished the route, which seemed to be ingrained in my muscles by now, I moved on to the next Wind Kingdom training. This involved jumping with a tree log. But when I approached the circle, the log was gone; instead, a jacket with weights was waiting for me.

After all the time I spent hugging you, you decided to disappear without a word, my beloved log?

I think I'm really starting to lose it.

"From now on, you'll be using this weighted jacket. Just so you know, you'll be wearing it 24/7."

"Maybe… not?"

"You don't have a choice."

And with that, I gained a new 20 kg friend, making everything much harder.

After I finished with the jumps, it was finally time for archery. I grabbed the bow and arrows from the house and headed towards a tree with a target on it, stopping about 20 meters away.

With my left hand holding the bow and my right readying an arrow, I started shooting.

The first arrow hit the center. Surprisingly, it felt easy compared to the other exercises, even with the new weighted jacket.

Again and again, I hit the target. It felt really good.

I remembered my basic archery training:

Back then, archery was considered pointless, and even the instructors taught it with a certain disdain. Despite that, I enjoyed shooting the bow. But with all the focus on mastering the sword, I eventually forgot about it.

Now, after a few years, I found myself enjoying archery once more—until I heard Evans say:

"Go 15 meters further back."

"Can't I just savor this a bit longer?!"

Still, I stepped back as instructed. But something unexpected happened. Even after increasing the distance to 35 meters, I was still hitting the target. I took another 10 steps back and managed to hit most of my shots, though not all. Then I heard him say:

"Another 15 meters."

This time, I started missing. Most shots went wide, with only a few hitting the edges of the target. Then Evans called out:

"Stop."

He walked over, pulling the arrows out of the target as he approached me.

"You have talent in archery, but you need to learn to feel the wind currents."

What? Did he just… praise me? Or did I go deaf for a second?

Master continued explaining something, but I couldn't hear him—I was still in shock from his praise.

Realizing this, Evans slapped the back of my head, snapping me back to reality.

"Listen."

"What?"

"The wind. Listen to it. Watch the trees, falling leaves, grass—anything that shows its direction. Once you understand how it moves, imagine it and project it into your mind. Use not just the bow but also the wind to guide the arrow where you want it to go."

For the first time, Master was giving me an explanation, and I intended to make the most of it.

He returned the arrows to the ground quiver and moved back to his spot, watching me.

I began observing my surroundings. I noticed the trees swaying slightly to the right and focused on the faint, slow breath of the wind. It was always there, quietly whispering its presence to us, though we often ignored it.

"I'll listen to you and learn to use you."

It wasn't easy at first; nothing seemed to change. But with each new arrow, I adapted, continuing to listen to the wind's subtle voice.

Eventually, I started aiming closer and closer to the target's center, understanding more each time.

"Another 10 meters."

I moved back to 60 meters, but I wasn't discouraged. I was beginning to see the wind.

Soon, I was hitting the target consistently. The world around me appeared different—before me were invisible wind currents: some larger, some smaller; some faster, some slower. I could see and understand what was important.

With each arrow, I experimented. Some arrows only grazed the currents, while others traveled through them. I noticed that each arrow created its own current, strengthened or weakened by its interaction with others.

"Another 10 meters."

Without hesitation, I moved another 10 meters back.

The number of currents grew, and I resumed shooting, noticing a pathway—a perfect route for the arrow. It intersected with many currents, but crucially, it didn't disrupt any of them. In fact, it even aligned with some.

Eager to try it, I reached for another arrow… but they were all gone.

"No! Just a little more, and the path will disappear!"

Then, as if answering my silent plea, an arrow came flying toward me, riding the wind currents, interacting with each one as it moved. I caught it, nocked it onto my bow, and released it along the path I'd seen.

The arrow shot forward, gaining speed with each current it crossed. Faster and faster it flew, until it struck the target, embedding deep into the tree behind it.

I let the bow slip from my hands, breathing heavily. My vision blurred, and I braced myself on my knees to avoid collapsing. Just as I felt my balance slipping, Master caught me.

"What did you see?" he asked, and for the first time, I saw an unfamiliar expression on his face—was it concern? Without thinking, I answered him.

"The wind."

He looked stunned.

Once I'd caught my breath and managed to stand on my own, Master regained his usual calm, indifferent expression. I approached him and asked, "What was that?"

After a moment's silence, he said, "This is called Windweave Vision. Don't let it go to your head—everyone who practices wind-based martial arts develops it eventually. Just… not usually this early, not before changing their body constitution."

He paused, giving me a strange look. "It's ironic for you—a boy from a fire-specialist clan—to have such talent in controlling wind."

"Speaking of constitution," I said, "when can I start practicing the breathing technique?"

"If you want, we can start now."

"Then let's start."

We headed back toward the house.

"Wait a minute," Master said, disappearing inside. When he returned, he was carrying two meditation boards.

"We're going to do this outside?" I asked.

"Yes," Master replied. "I don't want the whole house smelling like metabolic waste."

(Practicing breathing techniques involves opening up pores that have long been inactive, releasing accumulated waste from within.)

"Watch first," he instructed.

Evans took a deep inhale, then began a series of short inhales followed by slow, lengthy exhalations. The ether in his ManaVentis activated, circulating like the wind in various directions. When two currents of aether met, they formed a small vortex, which then split back into two currents, moving in harmony.

"Now it's your turn."

"Okay."

I took a deep inhale and began trying to distribute the aether through my arteries. It was my first attempt in over half a year. But… I transferred the aether too quickly. The aether from my first breath dissipated before the second could connect, and the circuit failed to form.

The session ended there for the day.