Theo, having received unexpected harsh criticism, became sullen.
'It's not just bad, it's very bad...'
However, he quickly gathered his wits and asked Nay a question.
─Nay, did you say I can't even defeat a single low level demon?
─Yes, my child.
─It seems there's quite a difference between the current times and when you were active, Nay.
─I don't quite understand. What do you mean?
Nay's voice was full of genuine confusion.
Theo answered.
─In the modern world, no one refers to it as 'just' a single low-level demon anymore. The emergence of even one low-level demon requires the full force of a large guild to handle. If it's a mid-level demon, it can devastate an entire country, not just a guild.
Nay spoke again after a moment of silence.
─...That's difficult. If what you're saying is true, it must be one of two things. Over the 300 years, either the demons have become much stronger...
─Or the people have become much weaker. One of the two.
─Correct. It's good to see your mind works well. It saves the body from hardship. But if the body is strong, it saves the mind from trouble. Now that I think about it, I remember colleagues who fit on both sides. There was a colleague who was really smart. Funnily enough, he was illiterate until the age of 13 but devised strategy after strategy that no one could have imagined...
Nay seemed about to turn on the switch to her motor mouth again.
Theo immediately interrupted her with a question.
─Nay, what do you think is the fastest way for me to improve my swordsmanship?
─It's not the swordsmanship that's the problem.
─Then it must be me, the user.
─...I know you're smart, so can't you just listen? It's been 300 years since I had a talking companion, don't be so heartless.
─It's because your words kept veering off topic, Nay.
─Tsk tsk... Even in my days, children would interrupt their elders' speech, but it seems to have gotten worse nowadays.
Nay clicked her tongue and continued.
─Anyway, it's not the time to touch upon swordsmanship itself. First, you need to learn how to use your strength properly. You're not using your body correctly right now. Even if you only learn to use your strength properly, your skills will improve dramatically.
─What should I do?
─Try taking your stance once more.
Theo took his stance again, ready to display his swordsmanship.
Nay said,
─Very slowly. Try to unfold your swordsmanship at the slowest speed you can manage, my child.
Immediately, Theo gripped [Demon Sword] once more and executed his swordsmanship.
His hand holding the sword moved slowly.
In his own opinion, it was nearly 10 times slower than his previous swordsmanship.
Nay said,
─Try to go even slower. You need to be 10 times slower than you are now.
─...I understand.
Like a turtle slowly creeping, Theo's sword moved sluggishly.
─Right. Maintain that speed and continue your swordsmanship until I tell you to stop. Remember, do not speed up the sword because it feels difficult.
Move your body as if savoring each motion.
After about 10 minutes of practicing swordsmanship, Theo was drenched in sweat.
His whole body, including his arms and legs, was trembling.
Theo's mind was racing.
'I haven't been able to adjust the speed of each technique properly.'
Up to now, he realized he had merely been imitating the techniques of geniuses like Neike, Piel, and Maximin, mixing them up adequately.
As he continued to swing his sword, being conscious of this aspect, he started to feel a stabbing pain in his lower abdomen.
"Ugh."
A groan escaped him unknowingly.
This wasn't the pain from [Twisted Noble's Dignity].
Nay finally spoke up.
─How does it feel, child? It's quite different from before, isn't it?
─Yes, Nay. I felt that up until now, I was more focused on merely using the swordsmanship rather than its purpose. Slowly performing the swordsmanship, I began to get a sense of when to unleash my power.
Nay asked meaningfully.
─Is that all?
─It might just be my imagination, but my lower abdomen keeps hurting. I've been consistently training my abs, so it's strange.
─That's good. It seems you've finally managed to awaken the qi that was dormant within your body. The way you breathe does guide qi, but it felt somewhat clumsy.
Theo put down [Demon Sword] and fell into thought.
'The concept of qi has never appeared in the game before.'
He pondered what it could possibly be, but no satisfactory answer came to mind.
Theo picked up [Demon Sword] again and asked.
─What exactly is qi, Nay?
─As I thought, you didn't know. Even my previous wielders felt the presence of qi within them, but I've never seen anyone use it proficiently. Well, qi is...
Nay suddenly stopped talking.
Feeling something was off, Theo said.
─What's the matter, Nay? Please continue explaining.
─I was just preemptively stopping in case you interrupted me again.
─...I won't interrupt, so please continue.
─You've promised then? A man who goes back on his word lacks charm.
─...Don't worry.
─Alright, alright. Then I'll explain. What is qi... Simply put, like mana, it's an intangible energy within a person's body. Mana gathers in the heart, while qi accumulates in the lower abdomen's dantian. Of course, there's a slight difference since mana can be replenished from external resources like mana stones, but I'm explaining this at a beginner's level, so just go with it~. First, let's start with the history of qi...
And so began Nay's lecture on qi.
Nay had a talent for making the simple complicated and the complicated simple.
'I'm getting dizzy.'
But since interrupting her again could potentially annoy her, Theo chose to stay silent and just listen.
After about 20 minutes, Nay's lecture finally ended.
─...Anyway, that's how qi works. How about it, child? Do you understand a bit now? Phew~
Having released her talkative nature, Nay even let out a satisfied snort.
─Yes, I've understood it all. Thank you, Nay.
Theo nodded, albeit reluctantly.
Nay's lecture of over 20 minutes could be summarized in one sentence.
'It's like the internal power from martial arts novels. And it seems I've just opened my dantian.'
It seemed the half-baked breathing technique he learned from Jang Woohee had awakened the dantian in his lower abdomen that had been dormant.
Unlike before, he could now definitely feel something condensed in the area of his dantian.
'This must be the 'qi' Nay was talking about.'
Nay said,
─Then sit in a lotus position. Let's start by feeling the flow of qi within your body.
Theo complied without complaint and sat in the lotus position.
─Take a deep breath. Inhale as much as you can and then hold the breath at the lower abdomen as if...
Following Nay's instructions, Theo continued.
Nay's teachings went on and on...
─...Right. You're quick to learn because you're smart. Now, I'll teach you how to increase your qi. The breathing technique you're using now is such a poor product it's hard to even call it a technique. Anyway, clean air is necessary for pure qi to gather, so for now, just open a window or something.
...All night long.
The next morning.
Piel, dressed neatly, stood in front of Theo's room.
"Hey, let's have breakfast."
She knocked on the door, but there was no response from inside.
"Could he still be sleeping?"
Piel pressed her ear against the door and closed her eyes.
Whooosh, whoosh──
It sounded like the window was open, with only the sound of the wind blowing fiercely.
'Hmm, that's strange...'
Piel tilted her head.
The Theo she knew was very strict with self-control.
He was like a robot, getting up early in the morning even on weekends to complete his training routine.
But he was equally unstable.
He often pushed himself almost to the point of torture.
'Could it be...'
As she thought this far, a sense of unease crept up on her.
Piel shouted into the room.
"Hey, hey! Can I come in? I said I'm coming in, okay?!"
Then, Theo's voice came from inside.
─...Please tell Piel I'll be skipping breakfast and lunch today. I haven't slept at all last night and feel like I might collapse. I plan to catch some sleep now.
Piel's eyes widened.
Her inner thoughts slipped out.
"What were you doing all night?! Hey, you bastard, what are you hiding? Come out right now!"
There was no answer from inside.
Listening closely, it seemed he had fallen asleep in the meantime, as only intermittent breathing sounds could be heard.
"······Crazy guy. ······Damn bastard."
Piel frowned and left the spot.
Her expression looked somewhat sad.
