Chapter 201
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 201
Whenever I trained, I brought Ragnata with me.
Ever since I made the Akies Combat Style my mainstay, I’ve neglected learning other combat styles.
Akies Victima was a meta-combat style. A system like that served to enhance lower-tier styles; it couldn’t function as a standalone martial art.
I slowly balanced myself in a handstand on a single finger. My body stilled, perfectly vertical, as if rooted to the ground. In this position, I closed my eyes and lost myself in thought.
After my proficiency in Akies Victima reached a high level, my personal training fell by the wayside. My combat repertoire is still stuck at the level I learned during my cadet days.
In particular, the areas outside my main interests were lacking compared to other powerhouses of my level.
During my cadet days, focusing on select areas was the right approach. There simply wasn't enough time to raise even a single field to a first-rate level.
But things were different now. I had to elevate my other abilities to that same first-rate level.
My close-quarters combat ability was at a level where I wouldn't lose to anyone, provided our gear was equivalent. In terms of pure close-quarters combat, few could match me even without Akies Victima.
Should I learn skills in my weaker areas?
For instance, marksmanship and sniping. That way, my options in battle would expand.
Because I favored close-quarters combat, I often took unnecessary risks, which drained my concentration even more.
The high-mobility evasion characteristic of close-quarters combat consumed a massive amount of stamina and focus. Fighting like that every single time would leave me exhausted in a hurry.
I need to raise the abilities I neglected—the ones that didn't fit my temperament or aptitude—to a first-rate level. It's time to do the homework I've been putting off.
Ever since I had fully stepped into the shadows of the Empire, it had been difficult to find time for personal training. Even the spare time I did have was spent entirely on Akies Victima.
I opened my eyes as I finished my thoughts and saw Ragnata sitting in her wheelchair.
"Luka, why do you think you lost to me back in the Empire?" Ragnata asked, resting her chin on her hand. She was eating snake-skin crackers one by one, washing them down with alcohol. The way she tilted her glass was elegant and refined, like a well-bred noble.
"A pure difference in skill and experience."
"Indeed. As expected of an Akies Victima user, you know it well. If you were to fight me again from that time, how would you bridge that gap?"
"Well, since I can't artificially increase my experience, I’d have to hone my skills."
After replying, I placed both hands on the floor and smoothly brought my feet down, standing upright. It was a clean movement without a single unnecessary tremor. My sense of balance is excellent today, too.
"Your Akies Victima is top-tier. Even if your mastery increases further from here, the boost to your combat power will be marginal. To raise your skills…"
I wanted to get straight to the point.
"I get it. You're telling me to expand my options. You mean I should practice things like marksmanship or assassination techniques until they're usable in real combat."
"That is what I did. I learned and absorbed everything I could get my hands on. But you cannot do what I did."
I frowned. In all my life, no one had ever flatly told me that I "couldn't do" something when it came to combat. I prided myself on having a natural talent for battle.
"Well, that's a first. No one’s ever told me I lacked talent. How refreshing."
"Talent isn't just about the speed of achievement. Oh, and you lack the flexibility to master Akies Victima perfectly. I, on the other hand, am far more suited for it. If I had received the same level of nervous system chemical treatment as you and had been introduced to Akies Victima during my growth period, my achievements would have far surpassed yours."
A spike of irritation shot through me, but I barely managed to suppress it. Hearing things like this was exactly why I kept Ragnata by my side.
"And why is that?"
"One of the core characteristics of Akies Victima is adaptation, like water. Water takes the most suitable shape to match its external environment."
Ragnata said this as she shook a liquor bottle containing a whole snake.
"I know that much."
"It is the same for Akies Victima. It adapts flexibly depending on the opponent and the situation. It creates the optimal conditions in any combat scenario, and no matter what organization or group you place it in, it finds the most suitable position. But you are not that kind of person. While you possess the ideal conditions to learn Akies Victima quickly, your 'temperament' is not suited for achieving true mastery."
My eyes widened. Suddenly, my thoughts began to race. I had never considered this before.
"It might sound like an excuse, but my master never pointed out anything about my temperament."
"That is because he was also an Akies Victima user. He would have become the most ideal master tailored to your very existence. Besides, temperament is something you are born with; it cannot be changed. There would have been no point in pointing it out…"
Ragnata activated the hologram on the wall and moved her finger to write a few words.
I waited for her to speak. Every time this happened, I felt like a student. I suppose Ragnata really was a teacher.
"…I do not possess the abnormal observation skills unique to Akies Victima. That is why, when I face an opponent, I quickly categorize them based only on their major traits and revealed information. I divide a warrior's temperament into five main categories."
Ragnata drew five circles, then slid two of them to the side, separating them to the left.
"I divide close-range temperaments into two. One is the Pleasure-Killing Type, and the other is the Honor-Seeking Type. You are the Honor-Seeking Type. Of course, everyone has a mix of both to some degree. What matters is which one lies at the core."
Ragnata wrote the words inside the circles. It seemed writing while explaining had become a habit of hers.
"I understand. The closer the distance, the more intensely you feel the reality of taking another person's life with your own hands. That's why pleasure-killers prefer their bare hands or blades. They will always try to finish things in their favorite way."
As soon as she said it, their tendencies immediately came to mind.
Ragnata nodded and continued.
"See? You understand right away. That is why this kind of categorization is useful for predicting an opponent without detailed observation. You probably know the Honor-Seeking Type better than anyone. They have no interest in those weaker than themselves and tend to burn hotter against the strong. Sometimes, they will even give up an advantageous position just to test their skills against their opponent. They are the most irrational category. Consequently, their survival rate is low, and their numbers are few. Yet, if you look at the powerhouses at the highest levels of combat, a strange phenomenon occurs where this type becomes the majority."
"Well, that's because if they do survive, they grow strong the fastest."
I had to admit that Ragnata's categorization was convenient. I recalled the powerhouses who had readily accepted my requests for head-on duels in the past. Because I had been intuitively certain they would accept a direct clash, I had often discarded my guns and weapons first.
"And I also divide those who prefer long-range combat into two categories. Of course, this is strictly my personal standard, so adding your own criteria is the mark of an excellent student. It is always a pleasure when the disciple surpasses the master."
Ragnata grouped two circles to the right, pulled them aside, and finished writing.
'Wise Coward, Cold-Blooded Strategist.'
They were intuitive names. I knew what they meant immediately.
"The vast majority of people are Wise Cowards. They prioritize their own safety and lives over victory or the mission. It goes without saying, but there are few powerhouses among cowards. On the other hand, a Cold-Blooded Strategist, though they also prefer long-range, doesn't prioritize distance for safety. They maintain a broad perspective to assess the situation on a larger scale. Close-quarters combat inevitably narrows one's field of vision. They simply prefer long-range, but they can handle close-range weapons perfectly well if needed. They also have a high potential to become excellent commanders."
Ragnata wrote the word 'Powerhouse' and ranked them.
'Honor-Seeking Type, Cold-Blooded Strategist, Pleasure-Killing Type, Wise Coward.'
She explained that the number of powerhouses was highest in this order.
"The advantage of the Honor-Seeking Type is their deep reserve of potential. Through what is commonly called spirit and self-discipline, they often exert combat power beyond their actual abilities. However, their tendency to take risks is also a weakness. Even when they know it is a trap, if it appeals to them, they will willingly walk right in just to test their skills."
"Hmm, that hits close to home."
I didn't deny it. I couldn't. I knew my own tendencies all too well. If my luck had been just a bit worse, I would have died a long time ago.
"The Cold-Blooded Strategist has an excellent sense of balance. They take moderate risks and know exactly when to retreat. However, they have a fatal weakness. Because they are so rational, they lack madness. Since they do not make unpredictable decisions, they are easy to read. That is why they fall just a step short at crucial moments. Furthermore, they are a type that finds it difficult to learn Akies Victima. To throw oneself into a chaotic flow where one cannot see even an inch ahead requires madness."
That was Ilay's temperament. However, I found it hard to fully agree.
"Your classification is wrong on this one. Cold-blooded judgment and irrational madness can coexist."
I recalled Ilay's irrational behavior and the chilling madness he occasionally displayed.
"Don't be so impatient. Keep listening. There is still the final type."
Ragnata wrote a word in the remaining circle.
'Versatile Type.'
I muttered inwardly as Ragnata pointed to herself.
"...I am a prime example of the Versatile Type. I can change my combat style and weapons depending on the situation. If all abilities are evenly mediocre, one is ordinary; if they are all evenly at the peak, one is versatile. It has the best compatibility with Akies Victima. In the end, it all comes full circle: the highest good is like water."
Ragnata murmured as if reciting a poem.
I thought of Kinuan. In my eyes, Kinuan didn't belong to the Honor-Seeking Type, the Pleasure-Killing Type, the Wise Coward, or the Cold-Blooded Strategist. He, too, was a 'Versatile Type.'
Excluding Ragnata, among the people I knew, only three were Versatile Types: Kinuan, Noel Mulrizka, and Ilay Kartika. That was likely correct.
"So you're saying the Versatile Type is the best. Have you just been bragging about yourself this whole time? Seriously."
When I grumbled, Ragnata laughed. She took another sip of her drink and continued.
"The superiority of a temperament does not guarantee the superiority of the individual, Student Luka. And this is merely an arbitrary classification, a prejudice for the convenience of my predictions. Prejudices built on experience reduce the burden on the brain."
"But if that prejudice is wrong, won't it backfire on you?"
"Perhaps. But I have never been wrong. After all, I am still alive."
Ragnata's confidence made me chuckle—not in mockery, but in admiration.
"...So, what's the direction of my training?"
"Elevating various skills to a versatile level doesn't suit your temperament. Even if you painstakingly learn something like marksmanship, you'll just end up drawing your blade and rushing in at the crucial moment anyway. As I said earlier, repetitive mastery is what's important for you. Through repetitive mastery, turn the high-level combat techniques you've learned into second nature. For example, perform a technique like Ballistic Prediction, which consumes a lot of concentration, as a subconscious combat reflex."
I tilted my head, pondering her words deeply. The more I tried to understand, the more my brow furrowed.
"Hey, are you going senile? What kind of absolute bullshit is…"
Ragnata's lips curled into a laugh, as if the idea were absurd. Her eyes crinkled with amusement.
…It wasn't bullshit, damn it.
"For your information, I accomplished it when I was your age."
My blood boiled. Yes, Ragnata was right. I had a problem with my temperament. Even though I knew it was a provocation, I couldn't help but rise to it.