The Knight Captain rested the wooden sword over his shoulder.
"Alright, kid."
"Listen carefully."
"This is the foundation every Imperial Knight learns."
He paused.
"...Though I forgot what the style's actually called."
Levi stared at him.
"..."
"...Captain."
"Hm?"
"...Are you serious?"
The Captain scratched his cheek.
"I am."
Levi sighed inwardly.
'How did this man become the Knight Captain...?'
The Captain waved a dismissive hand.
"Names aren't important."
"The technique is."
He walked toward the center of the training grounds.
"Watch my feet."
The lazy expression he'd worn all morning...
Disappeared.
His posture straightened.
His gaze sharpened.
For the first time...
Levi caught a glimpse of why this man had earned the title of Knight Captain.
Step.
Step.
Step.
Twenty-four precise movements.
Each step carried just enough force to leave a shallow imprint in the dirt.
When he finally stopped...
The ground resembled a carefully drawn pattern.
"I used a little strength."
He glanced back.
"Should make following easier."
Levi nodded.
"I see."
"Good."
"Now recreate it."
Levi stepped forward without hesitation.
The Captain blinked.
"Hold on."
"I didn't say-"
Before he could finish...
Levi had already begun.
One step.
Then another.
Twenty-four.
Not a single footprint was misplaced.
The Captain's eyes widened.
"..."
Levi looked back.
"...Like this?"
The Captain remained silent.
"...Captain?"
"H-how many times have you practiced footwork?"
Levi shook his head.
"...Never."
"..."
"You've... never?"
"I simply followed your footprints."
The Captain stared at him for a long moment.
Then...
A grin slowly spread across his face.
"...Interesting."
"You've got talent."
Levi rubbed the back of his neck.
"...Thank you."
The Captain nodded.
"Now."
"Footwork alone won't keep you alive."
He planted his wooden sword before him.
"There are three basic stances."
"Defensive."
"Balanced."
"And Offensive."
"Master these..."
"And you'll have something to build upon."
He shifted his footing.
"This..."
"...Is the Defensive Stance."
His right foot slid back.
His knees bent slightly.
The sword remained close to his body.
"Don't hold it too far away."
"But don't hug it either."
"Leave enough space to intercept."
"And counter."
Levi copied the stance.
The Captain walked around him.
"...Good."
"A little lower."
Levi adjusted.
"...Better."
They continued.
The Balanced Stance came next.
Then...
The Offensive Stance.
Nearly thirty minutes passed before the Captain finally nodded in satisfaction.
"Not bad."
"Now..."
"The fun part."
Levi smiled.
"The sword?"
"The sword."
The Captain picked up another wooden blade.
"For a one-handed sword..."
"Grip it firmly."
"But don't strangle the handle."
"If your hand is tense..."
"Your movements will be too."
He demonstrated slowly.
"Your thumb stays outside."
"The blade becomes an extension of your arm."
He swung once.
A clean vertical slash.
"Vertical."
Another swing.
Horizontal.
"Horizontal."
Then...
Two diagonal cuts.
"Diagonal."
He repeated each movement several times.
Explaining the muscles involved.
The shift in the hips.
The importance of the shoulders.
Even the breathing.
Levi listened intently.
Absorbing every word.
The Captain glanced over.
"..."
Levi's eyes were half-closed.
His head bobbed slightly.
A thin trail of drool threatened to escape the corner of his mouth.
The Captain sighed.
...Maybe the Academy wasn't responsible after all.
Ten minutes later...
The explanation finally ended.
Levi stretched his shoulders.
"...So."
"I just need to swing it a thousand times?"
The Captain smiled.
"A thousand..."
"...Of each."
Levi froze.
"...Each?"
"Vertical."
"Horizontal."
"Both diagonals."
The Captain flashed an enthusiastic thumbs-up.
"You'll thank me later."
Before Levi could protest...
The Knight Captain turned around.
Walked toward the office.
And disappeared inside.
A second later...
Snoring echoed from the newly cleaned room.
Levi stood alone in the middle of the training grounds.
Wooden sword in hand.
He looked toward the office.
Then at the sword.
Then back at the office.
"..."
"...I shouldn't have asked."
A nearby knight overheard him and let out a sympathetic chuckle.
"Don't worry, Young Master."
"We all said the same thing on our first day."
Levi looked at the endless training ahead of him.
He sighed.
"...Wonderful."