Chapter 163 Learning Air Steps [Dragon Gift Bonus]
Barely 1 week had passed since Dan handed Kyle the martial technique—Air Steps. Kyle had been so excited to learn it at that time but his confidence had waned the moment he had seen its process.
Martial techniques were physical and unlike spells, they didn't give one the privilege of specific instructions that led to a goal. Kyle had once skimmed through the technique and had figured out what it was all about.
The technique entailed various positions, steps and postures one was required to be able to maintain before they could undertake it.
Kyle wasn't naive to think that it would be easy to pull off. The postures and steps were very complex and would all require diligent practice to master any of them.
They weren't something you could learn how to do and begin doing it. It was kinda similar to a back flip. A person who couldn't perform a back flip could never do so just because he knew how to do it. If such person wanted to really know how to do so, they would require enough practice before they were able to.
Some people could spend a year trying to learn a technique, while other talented ones could spend months. That went to show the difficulties involved in learning and mastering one.
But Kyle wasn't ready to wait months before he could use air steps. He was presented with a golden opportunity by the system to learn the technique without any effort and while that chance had previously been too far fetched for him before, the quest he had gotten during the mission had made it possible for him to do so.
Did he feel bad for going the easy way? Kind of. Does that cause him to reject the opportunity he had received? Definitely not.
While Kyle might have liked to practice the techniques on his own, he wasn't a fool as to reject an easy way of mastering it when he saw one.
'There's no problem with using skill points,' Kyle thought. 'After all I have worked to obtain them, so it's only right I use them make my task easier.'
With renewed confidence, Kyle turned open the hard cover of the book, meeting the usual, persistent notification once again:
[Do you want to learn the Basic Martial Arts Technique: Air Steps]
[Cost: 100 Skill Points]
[Yes] [No]
That amount have sounded too outrageous for him a couple of days before and while it still was, at least it was affordable by him, even though doing so would leave him empty once again.
Kyle read the notification with a huge smile on his face, because, for the second time only, he would not be selecting the second option.
"Yes!"
He screamed to the system with excitement and anticipation, wondering what happened next. He didn't need to wonder for too long though as his vision soon blurred, sending him into a world of darkness.
Kyle found himself suspended in a void-like expanse and a sense of weightlessness enveloped him.
Suddenly, faint whispers began to surround him, growing louder and more distinct as if hundreds of voices were speaking in unison. They weren't random or chaotic but instead deliberate, like a rhythm building toward something. Kyle recognized them as the movements—the steps and postures described in the Air Steps manual.
Soon, his body began moving on its own, each motion precise and measured. His arms extended, his knees bent, and his legs shifted fluidly into positions he'd barely skimmed in the book.
'What's happening?' Kyle thought, even as his body danced through the complex motions.
A sudden gust of air surged beneath him, and for a moment, he felt as though he were floating. The feeling was fleeting, but it was enough to elicit a burst of excitement in his chest. Then his feet shifted again, this time stepping downward into thin air.
Rather than falling, his foot found resistance, as though he'd stepped onto an invisible platform. Kyle's movements didn't stop there; his body pivoted sharply, his weight shifting to his other leg as he pushed off into another step.
Each motion he was undertaking was seamless and his body glided through the air like he was part of the wind itself. He was walking—no, dancing—on air. It was surreal, exhilarating, and oddly terrifying all at once.
'Is this… the technique?' Kyle thought, though there was no time to dwell on the answer.
As his body moved, memories not his own began to flood his mind—years of practice condensed into moments. He saw countless failed attempts, felt the burn of muscle fatigue, and experienced the triumph of finally mastering each position. It was as though he had lived through the journey of mastering Air Steps in an instant. Enjoy exclusive chapters from empire
He didn't know how much time passed, but it felt like countless years had gone by with him practicing the technique and then, suddenly, it stopped.
The whirlwind of movement and memories remained ingrained in Kyle's mind, and he found himself standing upright on what seemed like the air.
He looked down, finding his feet resting firmly on the air.
A triumphant grin spread across Kyle's face. He shifted his weight forward experimentally, and it had that same feelingbeneath him held firm. He took another step, then another, slowly picking up speed as he dashed forward. Each step felt natural now, as though he had been using Air Steps his entire life.
Before long, he was sprinting through the air, laughing uncontrollably. "This is insane!" he shouted, his voice echoing in the void.
The laughter came to a halt as Kyle's vision blurred once again. The void disappeared, and he was back in his room, standing atop his bed. A soft ding resonated in his mind, followed by the system's notification.
[Congratulations! You have learned the Basic Martial Arts Technique: Air Steps.]
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[Air Steps ]
[A foundational martial technique that channels physical mastery and balance to achieve near-weightless movement. By seamlessly transitioning between complex footwork and precise posture, the user gains the ability to move as though defying gravity—dodging strikes, creating space, or closing gaps effortlessly.]
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