Don't Mind Me, I'm Just A Mystic arts Major

[Authors note: This is author here, recently I have been down while writing this book, therefore every chapter written has been nothing but work for me. If the book has been difficult to read them I'm sincerely sorry. And btw this is not harem pls.]

[From now on I'll pour my heart and soul into it. Thanks for your patience.]

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Zach's arm shook.

What is this?.

His entire body trembled as he gripped the sword.

"Keep swinging" the grumpy old man barked from the front porch.

The bungalow stood at he far edge of the cadet district, separated from the sleek polished dormitories and pristine training arenas the instructiors occupied.

Here, weeds sprouted from the cracks and the garden looked like it hadn't been trimmed in years.

Revel sat lazily on the couch, his back slouched but his eyes were sharp as he watched Zach swing the sword.

"Faster!" He barked. "Feel every swing being engraved in your bones".

In Zach past swordsmanship wasn't a luxury, hed just been using the astra's skills to cover up for his lack of combat ability.

Then he discovered the internal world, and tried to mimic the moves thae shadows performed, and he was able to do it to some extent.

But now he was actually learning a sword style.

Zach swung again his shirt stuck to his back because of sweat and his breath hoarse.

Zach swung the wooden stick again, his body ached, but he continued.

Slowly the pain became a part of him and his movements became more fluid.

Three hundred became four hundred and four hundred became seven.

Zach delivered the strikes like he has always done.

Repetition leads to perfection.

He reminded himself.

Revel raised a brow as Zach swung his stick in a straight arc. Completeing the 1000th slash.

..."This kid.." he mumbled.

"Hey kid!"

Zach turned to him.

"Do you have any knowledge about swordsmanship?"

Zach shook his head.

Revel pondered for a bit and stepped down from his seat, pulling a blade out of thin air.

Zach watched as revel took a stance, slashing at the air.

The grass around the vicinity leveled, cut down by an unseen force.

Wait what?. His blade never touched the grass. Am I seeing things?.

Zach blinked at the rough grass in the area became perfectly trimmed.

"That what you're aiming for boy" he spoke.

"But frist you've passed the test, so congrats!, from today hence fourth, you're now my students" he puffed his chest out.

A few moments later zach sat on the grass with revel sitting opposite of him.

"There are many ways one teach swordsmanship, there's bonai method, the ring in a ring."

He scribbles a few things on the snow.

"But the one I like to use, is called the four senses method"

"The four senses method?" Zach raised a brow.

"Do you know what the most important thing is when is comes to fighting". Revel star d at Zach intently.

"Umm... fighting?"

"No.." Revel cut him off.

"It's intent.." he corrected.

"A blade swung down in order to kill is stronger that a blade swung with no intent behind it"

He looked at Zach with narrowed eyes.

"What's your name kid?"

"Zach"

"Well Zach, what is your intent?"

Zach paused.

His intent, he never really had one of his own, he fights to make money, sometimes to survive.

"That's what I thought.." Revel shook his head.

He stood up from his position throwing the wooden sword at Zach once again.

"The first sense your supposed to awaken is intent" he spoke.

"Once you do that then we'll move to the other 4 senses".

Zach watched as revel walked into the house, a moment later he returned with a box twice his height.

He groaned to keep the box in place clearing his throat before clicking a button that made the box fall apart.

"Now Zachariah... withness the art of a true craftsman"

Zach stared a wooden doll.

"This will be your training partner for the time you're here".

"You have no Martial arts knowledge so it'll be easy to mould you into a fine swordsman" Revel clicked a button on the waist and the featureless face stared a Zach.

"What's this"

"Oh this..." the patted the machine with a satisfying smile.

"This is my prized possession..." he announced.

"Wait what if I break it?" Zach stood up picking up the wooden sword.

"Tch.. are you mocking me?" Revel gritted.

"If this thing could break because of those measly attacks of yours then I might as well quit my job as an instructor" he spat.

"Yeah right" Zach rubbed his neck.

"The seaquence of realization your going to go through is as follows.

Intent: you're going to have to realize why you swing a sword, putting meaning and soul into your attacks.

Perception: You're going to have to see more kid, if you can't perceive attacks you can't dodge them.

Courage: I don't think this one needs explaination.

Skill: How to actually swing properly, how to connect your attacks, and how to counter and fight, this sense is one of the least important senses for you to have.

And finally strength: How fast you are and how heavy you can hit."

Revel raised a finger.

"We will go about every weakness and Burn them out through a sieve of blood and sweat" his lips curled into a creepy smile.

"Are you ready"

"I guess"

"You guess!!!"

"I mean yes" Zach stood straight.

"Now you're talking"

Revel pulled out a wooden sword from thin air and handed to the doll.

"This thing is tougher than it looked so don't slack off."

Revel strolled back to his seat while Zach faced ofwith he doll.

A ruin on the dolls face lit up and the doll got into a stance.

Zach, startled , positioned himself in an instant.

*Boom*

The ground crack as the wooden doll closed the distance within seconds, reaching Zach face before he could raise his sword.

"That now how it's done" revel shouted angrily.

"Are you afraid to hit it!. You have to want to kill that thing damnit!"

Zach sighed.

Zach widened his legs and got into a proper stance.

*Boom*

Zach raised his blade but before he could swing down the dolls sword was already inches away from his face.

Zach tried this multiple times but to no avail.

Students passing by the park all glanced at Zach, some with pity, others with disgust.

"Wait he's training under Revel?"

"I actually feel sorry for him.."

"Does he know what happen to the other students who trained under him ?"

Zach tried again and again but failed horribly.

His blade wasn't fast enough.

The puppets movements were basic, it dashed for a stab to his face but he couldn't block it, no matter how hard he tried.

Thunder rumbled.

And the down pour began.

Rain hit against the roof of the zinc as Zach stood opposite the wooden doll shimmering with countless mystial drawings.

Thunder shrieked through the grey clouds painting the world white for a split second.

Zach raised his blade one again, and the puppet dashed, but before he could swing down, the puppet had closed in.

I've tried all my best.

He sighed, looking at the wooden doll.

But his dammed dool is too fast.

He gritted in frustration.

The doll just stood still in it's stance, unmoving like a great mountain.

Rain droplets created ripples around the soil, revel still sat in the warm of his porch, untouched by the rain as he stared at Zach with an unreadable expression.

I have to know why I swing a sword.

Why do I swing a sword?.

He looked at his palm.

Revels lips pressed together.

Zach looked at the doll once more.

Determination make the blade travel heavier, intent make the blade travel faster.

Zach remembered his brother.

He remembered the game in the fissure.

He remembered the helplessness he felt when faced against the Witcher.

His gripped tighed on the sword.

What am I fighting for..?

Money ?

Power?

Wait!

His mind drifted back to the peaceful days of his family.

It was raining at a time like this and most of the residents were indoors because of the acidic rain.

The calm he felt.

He wanted to feel it again.

The noise of the rain became hazy.

What I what?

I want peace.

The peace of waking up knowing tomorrow will be alright, the peace of not having to be a pawn in a greater game, the peace of family and solitude.

Zach thought of Zain, of Eli.

The peace knowing you can protect what's close to you.

His gripped tightened around his blade.

The dool seemed to sense it, blasting at Zach with marvellous speed.

Zachplated his feet in the ground, his eyes narrowed as he swung his wooden sword in an upward arc knocking the sword of the dolls hands with a blurry movement.

Silent and calm.

*Clap* *Clap*

"I never expected you to do this on your frist day you know" Revel beamed with joy, walking towards Zach.

"You did well kiddo"

Zach's stomach grumbled in response.

"Ha hungry huh.. you know what?, I just so happen to make a little bit too much Bean cake."

He grinned.

Zach just smiled bitterly.

This training session felt more like a rollercoaster rise of memories and emotions.

Zach looked towards the sky.

"Peace..". He muttered.