Sword and Conviction
As he swung his sword, Ludenberg Lavante did not simply repeat his basic techniques. He recalled his battle with the Devourer, matching his strikes to the creature's movements. Swordsmanship did not improve merely by slashing at empty air. Once the fundamentals took root, it was far better to train as if a hostile enemy always stood before him.
At this point, Ludenberg had nearly perfected the sword techniques his future self wielded through Liberatus Ahad's body. What had once been mere glimpses had sharpened into clarity via Liberatus's flesh, and now he could fully manifest them in reality—not as some distant future art, but as his own.
Ludenberg pictured the Devourer in his mind. He remembered how its fist strikes unfolded, the nature of its footsteps. With every step it took, its blows surged forward to engulf his entire field of vision. Yet even in those strikes, traces of exquisite skill lingered, suggesting it had devoured warriors of extraordinary caliber. The swiftness in its steps was secondary; the prowess with which it closed the distance was impossible to ignore.
Ludenberg swung his sword, batting away the imagined fists. His ability to fully comprehend any martial art he had witnessed began to awaken. The flow and paths of the strikes became visible. Even amid the storm of blows, patterns emerged. He discerned which punches launched first, which followed slightly later, and deflected them in sequence. Knowing the rhythm and trajectories made blocking them straightforward.
In his mind, the Devourer's fists clashed against his blade with ferocious momentum. Ludenberg never forgot to maintain his sword's form amid the deflections. That had been the greatest factor in his previous defeat. The impact of its fists had disrupted his guard, leaving him open to a lethal blow. Fortunately, he vividly recalled the shock of that collision, allowing him to judge how best to parry and minimize the force.
Even a single swing demands focus, yet I got lost in Liberatus's body and forgot the basics. I must stay true to fundamentals in any situation... No wonder I lost.
Even as he countered the fists, Ludenberg pondered the distance between him and the beast. Why had its barrage overwhelmed him? Because he had failed to maintain spacing. Realizing this, he concluded that to deny the Devourer any room, he needed to meticulously analyze every step it took. Drawing on Liberatus's senses, he began reviewing and dissecting its stances one by one.
First step. It closed the gap in an instant. I should have reacted to preserve distance. Failing that let the fight spiral unfavorably.
So what was the solution? Simple, in truth. React precisely to its speed and watch its feet closely. Seasoned fighters exploded forward with leg power to seize advantageous range. Professors Nadan Tes and Nah Tes did the same. He had seen it often during their relic expedition.
I need to take in its entire body. Then the path will appear. But I can't overlook variables.
Variables—the fact that it was a Devourer. It could grotesquely warp its body for surprise attacks, sprouting thorns, tentacles, or chains at critical moments.
For now... I have no choice but to confront it directly.
He layered training upon training. He had to imprint every action, grow accustomed to its speed. Move faster. Miss nothing. With each repetition, Ludenberg advanced. Facing such an overwhelming foe accelerated his growth steeply. Though this trial borrowed Liberatus's body, experiencing clashes with beings a dimension above him yielded incalculable gains.
That day, from dawn till dusk—save for meals—Ludenberg replayed the Devourer battle in every moment, adapting his training accordingly.
Ludenberg opened his eyes. The trial world reappeared, right at the moment the Devourer revived. Unlike his first encounter, he faced it without panic and successfully parried its initial swipe.
But he knew this was just the beginning. Staying vigilant, he kept watching its movements. With his senses fully attuned from the start, he missed nothing—not even its sudden dive into his guard, which he easily repelled.
As Ludenberg maintained distance and denied it room, the Devourer began warping its body. Its human-like arms split into multiple branches. Two became six in an instant, and their reach extended far beyond before, negating his spacing advantage.
Though startled by this, Ludenberg quickly regained composure.
I foresaw this. It can reshape itself anytime. Don't panic.
Six fists now blanketed his front. Yet the division diluted their density, making them easier for Ludenberg to deflect. For anyone else, it might have been simpler still, but complexity meant nothing to one who read every attack path.
Sensing this, the Devourer reverted, merging six arms back to two while keeping the extended reach. Ludenberg's efforts to control distance proved futile as it pressed on, fists invading relentlessly. Shockwaves rippled with each clash of blade and knuckle.
Ludenberg racked his brain for answers, but to no avail. He could counter every assault, track every motion. Yet he inflicted no wounds. Even now, strikes infused with resolve left no mark. Fist and sword met without so much as scratching its hide.
The fight dragged on unchanged. No matter how keenly he read its actions or parried its blows, without landing direct hits, he could not prevail.
Soon, the stalemate wore him down. Though he poured more resolve into his blade, it faltered. The Devourer twisted wildly, pressing him. Unable to wound it, his stamina ebbed, and he took a fatal strike—dying as before.
"Damn it."
Ludenberg could only mutter a curse before Raha.
"...You did well. You're worlds better than last time—don't beat yourself up."
But her comfort did little; brow furrowed, he stewed in dissatisfaction.
"How do I pierce its hide? Even channeling Liberatus's conviction did nothing. Did I fail to infuse it fully?"
Raha shook her head at his question.
"No. You did infuse his conviction into the blade. But... that was the mistake."
"Liberatus's conviction was wrong?"
She shook her head again.
"Not that. Think carefully. What went wrong? Why didn't it cut despite your conviction? I'd love to tell you, but it wouldn't help your growth. Relying on me too much would rob you of your own strength."
She was right. Conviction was something he had to grasp himself. He couldn't lean on her forever—her aid was supplementary; true progress was his alone. Understanding this, he accepted her words.
"...Yeah. Raha, can you extend the trial deadline a bit?"
"Easily."
"Thanks."
"Keep pondering it, Ludenberg. When you find your answer, speak through Libera, and I'll reopen the trial."
The conversation ended, returning him to reality. There, he could only brood on the nature of conviction. But it was no simple matter. Was it just unwavering belief? Faith in his ideals?
He recalled Raha's words: belief that affirmed his thoughts. So what were his thoughts? How did he normally view the world?
No. He shook his head. It wasn't about him precisely. Borrowing Liberatus's body meant channeling his conviction for full effect. Yet how could he know it? Ludenberg had no insight into Liberatus's life.
He had only his past words and deeds to glean clues on what shaped that conviction. Only then could he slay the Devourer through Liberatus's flesh.
Ludenberg could only conclude as much.