Sparring (1)
Bagan stared at her, utterly bewildered. What the hell was she talking about? How could she not know how to do it?
He had never imagined that the formidable Selena was someone who couldn't even manifest aura.
Wait, or is that actually more impressive?
It was far more astonishing that she had risen to the position of Navy Commander-in-Chief without ever being able to wield aura. Bagan tilted his head slightly.
"You at least know what aura is, right?"
"Of course. There were explanations about it in the swordsmanship manuals."
At her answer, Bagan nodded. Aura was the innate power every living being possessed. It wasn't something external, but a force born from within the heart and mind. At its root, it was the same kind of energy as a mage's mana, but to put it simply, it could be called life force.
That's right. Aura was something every living creature had. The only difference was that those who could fully sense it, wield it actively, and use it efficiently became powerful warriors.
Having finished that thought, Bagan looked at Selena. Her expression was deadly serious, making it impossible to predict what she might say next.
"If you want to become an outstanding warrior, learning to handle aura is essential. You've managed somehow until now... but you've only faced opponents at that level. To fight greater enemies, you need to awaken your aura."
"I understand what you mean. If it's absolutely necessary, then I have no choice but to learn it."
Hearing her response, Bagan considered how to teach her. The truth was, he couldn't use aura himself either, so it was a case of the blind leading the blind. Still, he could at least help her sense a similar kind of power.
That's right. At its core, aura is still mana.
To awaken the mana sleeping within one's life force, there was no choice but to experience it directly. One had to let mana flow through every nerve in the body, endure the electrifying sensation, and strike at the dormant power hidden somewhere inside.
"Unlike mana, aura is an abstract power. Mana flows through your body even now with every breath, but aura is something whose very existence is difficult to grasp."
"Abstract, huh... Even if you say that, I can't picture it. What kind of power is supposed to be inside me?"
Of course she couldn't imagine it. If everyone could sense it that easily, then everyone would be using aura already. Still, every person who had ever learned to feel and wield it had probably started with the same thought.
"Think about it. The feeling of blood flowing through your veins, the sensation of your bones vibrating, the tremble of your flesh, the vitality pulsing in your organs, the way your hairs stand on end before settling down, the moment when your muscles pull against each other and grow taut. All of that is the foundation of a living being. That's where aura resides."
At Bagan's explanation, Selena closed her eyes and tried to feel those sensations. But all she could sense was the rapid pounding of her heart and her already exhausted muscles. It was nothing more than what anyone would feel. Still, it wasn't a bad thing. When was the last time she had focused so intently on herself like this?
Confirming that her eyes were closed, Bagan slowly crept closer. Completely unaware, Selena remained focused on the sensations he had described.
Soon, Bagan positioned himself behind her and placed his palm against her back. Her white uniform was already soaked with sweat, but he paid it no mind and gently pressed his hand against her warm back.
She flinched slightly when she felt his hand, but soon relaxed as she sensed the gentle energy flowing from it. Bagan was channeling purified mana into her—mana that belonged to no one else, perfectly refined and clean.
Selena hadn't yet realized that the energy flowing through her veins was mana, but she thought it felt rather pleasant. The sensation of her entire body being filled with it was actually refreshing.
"Th-this is...?"
"It's mana. It's the power closest to aura, yet different. Still, the sensory experience should be similar."
He spoke softly, careful not to break her concentration. Now there was only one thing left for her to do.
"Remember this feeling and search for it inside yourself. Every living being hides this energy deep within their body and uses it little by little throughout their entire life."
"If we've been using it our whole lives, why can't we feel it?"
Her question wasn't unreasonable. It meant that a power we had been using our entire lives remained unknown to us. But there was a reason for that.
"Even warriors who can use aura only utilize about ten percent of it over their entire lifetime. For those who can't use it at all, even that much is impossible. It's not something you can sense with ordinary perception."
That was precisely why aura was considered life force.
"Yeah, I understand now."
It seemed Selena had finally grasped the concept. Even after Bagan removed his hand, she kept her eyes closed. She breathed evenly, as if in meditation, inhaling and exhaling with perfect rhythm.
Gradually, the mana Bagan had released began to scatter helplessly, unable to find a place to settle. He had hoped she might at least catch onto the mana if she couldn't find her aura. But whether she did or not, Selena was giving it her all to locate her aura.
Where the hell are you? My aura...
She had to find it before the energy he gave her completely dissipated. Since she wouldn't be able to remember the feeling forever, she needed to locate it while it was still vivid. The best opportunity was while some of it still lingered in her body.
She searched past her neck and heart, through her upper and lower abdomen. She moved to her right arm, then her left, even checked her head before examining her left leg and right leg as well. Bagan had said that within every human lay life force, and that was precisely aura.
But no matter how desperately she searched, she couldn't feel it. Was sensing one's own vitality really this difficult?
The thought rattled around in her head until she could no longer concentrate.
"Haa..."
"Don't be too disappointed. You can't fill your stomach with one bite. If you keep working at it steadily, you'll definitely find it."
Bagan offered immediate comfort. He hadn't expected her to awaken her aura on the very first try anyway.
"But still..."
She couldn't hide her impatience. The strength of her desire to become stronger was impossible to measure.
"What if I still can't feel my aura no matter how hard I try?"
"If we assume you truly cannot feel it, then no method in the world would let you sense it."
"Isn't there any other way?"
"There is a method for those whose talent is lacking and progress is slow. However, I don't recommend it."
The talent to sense energy varied greatly from person to person. Even Bagan himself wouldn't have known the extent of his own talent if not for his unique traits and core. Still, it was too early to judge Selena's aptitude. After all, this had been her first attempt.
"...What is this method?"
"Do you really need to know?"
Selena nodded with a deadly serious expression.
"Fine. I told you aura is life force, right? A candle burns brightest just before it goes out. There are those who only feel their life force and awaken their aura at that moment. But please don't risk your life over something like aura. You're already strong enough without it, Selena."
"...I understand."
Selena felt both grateful and a little disappointed that Bagan was thinking of her well-being.
There are no shortcuts. The only path is steady, sincere effort.
She was confident in her ability to work hard, but she couldn't help fearing that she might simply lack the talent to sense aura.
Clap!
Bagan changed the mood with a sharp clap.
"Enough worrying about that."
Selena snapped out of her thoughts and looked at him.
"Today, let's spar. It's important to gauge exactly how much stronger you've become."
Bagan had prepared a plan to lift her spirits. Why would sparring cheer her up? She'd understand once they actually did it.
From what he could see, she was now more than ten times stronger than before. Previously, she would become completely drained and weak after performing a single sword dance. Now, she could execute the entire sequence of her signature Selena-style swordsmanship—from beginning to end—without collapsing. He wanted to plant the hope that she could grow even stronger without relying on aura.
Her trait was that important of a factor.
"There's no way I can win against you anyway, so what's the point of sparring..."
She spoke as if flustered by his suggestion. Still, she was genuinely curious about how much she had grown.
"While it's true that you should win a spar if you can, that's not the only purpose. It's about understanding each other's level and gaining a more intuitive grasp of your own skills. Just that alone makes sparring an excellent form of training."
"If you put it that way..."
In the end, Selena's curiosity about her own growth won out, and she accepted the spar. The truth was, for the past week Bagan had only corrected her posture and hadn't been able to give her proper training. This was the perfect opportunity to teach her real combat techniques.
Bagan himself hadn't fought all that much, but he knew quite a lot.
After all, I've run countless simulations.
It would be more accurate to call it image training. Combat was real battle, and image training for real battle was essential. In that regard, Bagan was practically a genius. His persistence and talent lay in challenging opponents he couldn't beat hundreds, even thousands of times until he finally found a way to win. His true strength was in discovering the method.
That was why, unless the situation was truly exceptional, Bagan rarely faced any real threat. It was all thanks to the combat simulations he had built up over time.
Even if it was just a game.
Bagan and Selena took their stances and raised their weapons. It had been quite a while since Bagan had held a weapon with real substance. The weight felt unfamiliar at first, but it wasn't too uncomfortable. He extended the wooden sword forward.
"I should use a wooden sword too, right?"
At that moment, Selena also headed toward the area where practice weapons were stored, saying she would use one as well. However, there was no curved saber like the one she normally used. The weights were all different too, making it difficult to find something similar.
She grabbed a random wooden sword and gave it a few swings.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
It was only natural to feel awkward when using a weapon with a completely different weight and shape from what she was used to. As she swung it, her discomfort became obvious.
Seeing the clear frustration on her face, Bagan spoke up.
"It's fine to use your usual saber. If you underestimate your teacher, you'll regret it."
It was permission mixed with appropriate provocation meant to ignite her fighting spirit. However, since she knew Bagan well, it sounded less like provocation and more like pure confidence.
"Hehe! Is that so? I'll make you regret those words, Bagan."
She still refused to call him teacher, even in death.
"Haha. Oh boy, this won't do. Since it's a spar, how about we make a bet? It'll motivate us both."
Bagan suddenly felt a competitive spark. He also wanted to make her participate with even more sincerity.
"What? You need something?"
Selena asked what was needed, as if she was fully on board.
"Let's set the victory conditions. If Selena gives up, it's my win. If you land even one valid hit on me, it's your win. And if I win, when Razetta and Cyron return, you have to call me teacher."
"Bagan, aren't you underestimating your student a bit too much? As the Navy Commander-in-Chief of De Marinda, calling you teacher would be utterly humiliating. Fine! But I have a condition too. If I win..."
"If you win?"
"On my day off, go on a date with me."
"Sure. Wait, what?"
Bagan was left completely stunned by Selena's words. And he couldn't stop the thought from echoing in his mind.
Should I let her win?
Bagan found himself caught in quite the dilemma.