The next morning, Conrad came back and started the training with Laliana.
He focused on the training as much as he could because he knew that all of his training that he would have with the sword would decide life and death in the future.
In the end, he will only use his sword whenever he needs to kill the target.
"You are so crude and not creative in your strikes," said Laliana as they trained.
"It is a cliché, but you really need to think of the sword as your limb."
"You need to be more agile and quick and decide on how to strike and block and where to move in an instant."
"Now you defend," she said and then simply attacked with a right slash.
Conrad moved the wooden sword to block it, but the strike changed as it was coming, and then the target of the wooden sword was revealed to be his legs instead of his body.
"If I am not using my heightened senses due to nen, I have no way to understand where the sword comes from."
Conrad thought.
He understood that he really lacked mastery of the sword as the training continued.
Each strike and each move, given another comment by Laliana and Conrad, made changes in his thinking and actions according to the advice and comments from Laliana.
The week passed like this.
In the morning time, Laliana looked at Conrad for a moment and then smiled.
"This is the last day of our training."
"In just one week, you already reached a great level. With more training on your own and, if you need, with me, you will reach even higher levels."
Conrad smiled and said nothing as they trained again.
This time, it was more of a natural battle. There was no comment, just constant hitting of swords into each other, blocking, parrying, and evading—all sorts of things were performed by both individuals.
One thing never changed. Each attack Conrad did resulted in him getting hit back, and each attack Laliana did still resulted in Conrad getting hit.
For one whole week, Conrad was never able to hit Laliana, and after thousands of strikes and blocks, he got hit every time.
"Those hits..."
"It would be lethal if I were in a real battle," he thought.
Two hours ended quickly. Laliana sat on the stone stairs overlooking the courtyard and gave a water bottle to Conrad while she took one for herself.
"You were great."
"For just one week of training, you already know the basics, and the foundation is great."
Conrad nodded.
"You are a great teacher."
"I can see that," he said.
Laliana looked at Conrad for a moment and then said.
"May I ask you something?"
Conrad looked at the woman and nodded.
"Can we train for one more time?"
"But I want you to use your physical power and agility. I mean your real power to fight against me."
Conrad smiled.
"I can do that, but that would not be great for you."
Laliana smiled.
"I am a big woman, Conrad."
"I can take it."
Conrad then took a deep breath and got up from his seat, taking the sword from the ground, and Laliana did the same.
Conrad then closed his eyes for a moment and used a little bit of nen and then launched straight forward.
Laliana suddenly felt like she was on some sort of a battlefield. The opponent is not the man that she was training but a powerful force of nature.
With one strike, the sword in the hands of Laliana was broken into pieces. She did not even have any chance to react to it.
For ordinary people, the speed and capability of Laliana were supernatural. But for a new user like Conrad, even a strong one, those who also have great physical capability.
She was nothing.
"I..."
"I..."
Laliana felt like there were no words to explain what she felt.
She did not see it, feel it, or hear it until it was too late.
One step, and he was gone when her senses came back. What she saw was simple: her sword and wooden pieces.
Conrad looked at the woman and added.
"If I use my physical capabilities."
"You have no chance."
"When training with you, I blocked the use of my reaction time and movement speed, almost everything down to normal human standards."
"So, I can learn from you."
She gulped for a moment.
"Something is weird with you hunters."
"Especially you."
Conrad smiled.
"What is that thing that you feel weird about?"
Laliana shook her head.
"I cannot explain."
"It is like you people have something that is hidden from the others."
"Some sort of forbidden knowledge about how the world works, a different kind of power," she touched her chin and added.
"This power is more than just physical power, just body training or sword training."
"It is more about the soul and the mind. But I don't know about it."
Conrad smiled and then thought.
"Do I teach her or not?" He then shook his head and then spoke.
If you want to learn more about what you are saying. I suggest you take the Hunter Exam."
Laliana looked at Conrad and then asked.
"So, you are saying it is something that hunters would know..."
Conrad smiled.
"I am not going to say much."
"If you take the exam and pass it. You will learn eventually."
Laliana furrowed her brows and asked.
"Could you just tell me what it is and go on with it?"
"Why should you hide it from me?"
Conrad laughed.
"It is better for you to learn there. Trust me. It is worth the effort and time."
"Also, I do not have time. I have things to do."
Laliana smiled and shook her head.
"Okay."
"I will be at the next hunter exam then."
Conrad nodded and bowed down as he said it.
"Thank you for the training and everything."
Laliana smiled and nodded.
"I got paid from it. No need for you to thank me."
Conrad then left the villa.
He went to a coffee shop and sat down and ordered a dessert and coffee.
"I do not want to teach anybody NEN for the time being. It is just better to spend my time improving myself."
"In the end, two or three years later, Chimera ants will show up."
"Just after that, the Chairman Selection Arc, Succession Arc, and Dark Continent Voyage."
"The target is to become strong enough to have the power to survive and fight even in a place like the Dark Continent."
"It will take time, but I can do that!"
After finishing his dessert at the coffee shop, he purchased another ticket and this time went to Elder Loe for the "Cane" training.