Although the Spear is the most common weapon in warfare, given to every soldier and guard, it has some flaws. First and foremost, being its reach. Unless in the hands of an extremely skilled warrior, the spear loses its value the moment its reach is breached.
Once an opponent avoids the initial strike and closes in, the spear loses most of its advantages. But then again, getting past it is also difficult if it is everywhere, or in the hands of a competent spearman.
Many weapons, such as the hammer, mace, dagger, bow, and a plethora of others, have strengths and weaknesses, even if amplified by Ki or Mana. The sword is the same; however, it is the most versatile.
It doesn't have many weaknesses, and most importantly, Warriors on Vakuma have developed Ki enhancement to such a point that the sword virtually has no weaknesses. Everyone in Vakuma knows how to wield a blade.
The sword is the most adaptable weapon, the most versatile, and thus, it is the strongest form of weapon. A straight or curved piece of sharp metal defeats everything else. However, this versatility does make it simple.
Even if, theoretically, there exist a million or more ways to swing a sword, in your unique style, and develop it into a proper art of swordsmanship, the basics are the same.
Just swing.
That is it. Just swing your weapon. Wielding a weapon boils down to that; the 'extreme' intricacies are involved when Ki elevates your sword to another level. The basics of fighting, however, are easy and should be the same no matter where.
Ethan would never teach anyone on Alapur proper Vakuman swordsmanship, such as the popular Vakuman arts, and not a single soul, even on Vakuma, his own swordsmanship, created by his Grandfather.
However, he is confident in teaching someone how to wield a blade and become a good fighter; furthermore, he is also confident in creating a new sword style after observing the youth of Alapur.
He was confident in teaching him everything he would need to surpass the average man, and even more, however, that was only if he learnt something from him as well. Ethan was curious to see how a young man of Alapur thought, his thoughts on life, as well as the invasions on his continent.
How did Alapurians think? What were they concerned about? What did they prioritize, and what did their society lack? In what ways were they above Vakumans, and in what ways were they below?
He could study Ilika, see how he manipulated Mana, witness what he would do with it, and grasp more of Alapur's secrets. He also wanted to know how much three Alapir was... he needed to learn the currency of this world, and what better than the educated son of a prominent merchant?
Furthermore, he could also learn more about Ian from Ilika. That man gave him a bad feeling.
Standing at the edge of the village, in a small clearing, Ethan waited silently for his 'student' to emerge. He held his sword tightly in his hand and noticed the Rakaru sigil present on the hilt.
'... Why did I never get rid of this?'
He thought to himself. It was so faint, so unremarkably carved into the wood that even Ethan forgot about it. The Crest of House Rakaru was simple: a hand holding a sword pointed at the sky.
'...'
After a moment of trepidation, he awakened his Ki, focusing it on his finger, and promptly removed the crest. It was a liability on this continent, and perhaps even the reason Ian was suspicious of him. Ethan wondered how it had gotten past him for so long.
Perhaps the paranoia of being stuck had made him forget about it, which was... surprising. This should have been the first thing he got rid of... So why did he forget about it for so long?
'Did the Huntress have any hand in this?'
He thought, but before he could ponder about it any further, his 'student' quickly appeared. Ethan raised his head to see Ilika sprinting at him. When he finally reached him, instead of bowing to show his respect, he supported himself by putting his hands at his knees, catching his breath.
'Pathetic stamina, average flexibility, and low muscle mass.'
Ethan noted.
'And no damn respect.'
If this were Vakuma, Ilika would have had the shit beaten out of him, not only for being late, but also for being discourteous. The behavior awakened a bad memory for him.
Once... young Ethan had been late for a lesson with his Grandfather... and when it finished, he went back to his room crying for his mother. Young Ethan's buttocks were reminiscent of the red hue around Mount Elemor, an active volcano back on Vakuma. Perhaps even the magma within...
It was a memory Alicia constantly made fun of him for.
"..."
Ethan shook his head, getting rid of that embarrassing memory, and analyzed Ilika.
'Now... let's get this thing started.'
Ethan had many things to do in Alapur, and many of them would begin with this encounter with young Ilika.