Reincarnator Returns: Second Shot

Eren should be punched for that. He’d implied that Geister’s scars were evidence of his failure, rather than his successful survival. What a bold thing to say.

But fortunately for him, the veteran Awakener appreciated his candid words.

”HAHAHAHAHAHA!” Geister guffawed, his back arched and his belly fully rounded out. ”I like ’ya, kid!”

He locked his left arm around Eren’s shoulder. ”That’s right. Don’t aspire to have scars like me. They don’t pay you because you survived against a Disaster-class Phantom. They pay you to kill them.”

Eren dealt with people like Geister many times before. Their egos were the ’all in or go home’ type of deal. Most of them would rather die in a fight than retreat and escape to live another day.

He knew Giester would appreciate his boldness and aspirations for becoming stronger. That’s what Geister would have been like before he retired. Before he became too injured to continue being an Awakener.

He noticed the man’s stride. Geister tried to hide it, but there was a slight limp in his left foot. One that would have been fatal on a battlefield.

Why else would he be a Physical Therapist? He was too proud of his scars to not want more of them.

”I can see it in your eyes,” Geister said. ”You’re hungry, aren’t you? You want to get out there. Be physical.”

”I do.” Eren didn’t have to lie.

”Then I’ll help ’ya.” Geister rolled his sleeves up to his shoulders. The scars underneath were denser than on his arms. ”You can’t start your Ascension Art at your current state. But you can sure as hell train for it. I’ll teach you the foundational movesets for Martial Manuals.”

Eren’s eyes widened with surprise.

”What’s the difference between Ascension Arts and Martial Manuals? I’ll explain it in boxing terms,” said Geister. ”Ascension Arts is the method boxers use to strengthen their body. Their training. Their nutrition. The way their muscles connect to produce tremendous power. Awakeners just add a more powerful aspect called Psions.

Martial Manuals, on the other hand, are the techniques in boxing. The dance in the ring. The weaving of punches. The mental battle in each fight. This means you can learn the moves of a Martial Manual, even if you still can’t apply Psions to empower it.”

Geister’s explanation was accurate. Martial Manuals just developed physical skills. It didn’t require Ræzoň to learn.

The [Masochist’s Dream] was a special case, since Eren used Ræzoň to hasten his recovery. But he borrowed Ræzoň from his surroundings and didn’t use his own innate Ræzoň. That’s why he could learn it, but not any Ascension Art.

”Martial Manuals are varied and consist of vastly different styles,” Geister continued. ”In boxing, they would be the famous peek-a-boo style, the dempsey roll, etc.

However, every single style is made out of a few foundational moves that were present in all of them: the jabs, uppercuts, hooks, and side-steps. They only differed on the execution.

Martial Manuals are the same. Underneath their complexities, there are Foundational Movesets that serve as the base.

I’ll teach you these forms now. Once you become an Awakener, any Martial Manual you learn will be supplemented by this training. This is the first move. Look closely.”

Geister took a deep breath and squatted deep. With his knees pointed outwards, he put his arms to the side and forearms parallel to the floor.

The Physical Therapist transformed into a warrior in an instant.

The ground shook as Geister punched his right arm forwards. The plaster and rubble on the floor wooshed to the side, creating a cone emanating from where Geister stood.

He punched with his other hand, taking the other back in a swift movement. Eren felt his bones tremble from mere proximity.

It was a beautiful execution of leveraging power through rotation. No doubt Geister could have punched through concrete with ease.

”It might look simple, but executing the Foundational Moveset will take a lifetime to master.”

Eren didn’t disagree. Even cultivators with thousands of years of experience still performed the Foundational Moveset everyday, striving for perfection.

Legends had it that once mastered, the Foundational Moveset could destroy an entire world. As far as he knew, no cultivator had yet achieved that pinnacle.

”Wanna try it out?” Geister’s words flamed with challenge.

Eren knew everything there was to know about the Foundational Movesets. Theoretically. But book knowledge never really translated to reality perfectly well.

He’d still need someone to teach him. Someone to point out what he was doing wrong, what he had to do right. Learning from the tutelage of someone experienced always trumped training by himself.

”Take a seat and perform the punches,” Geister instructed.

Eren couldn’t stand without his crutches. So, sitting would have to do for now. It would diminish his strength, but in the early stages of learning, just going through the motions of the punch would suffice.

He put his hands to the side. Upper arm straight, forearm facing upwards. This position puffed out his chest, which was needed to purchase power especially while in a seated position.

Aching pain assaulted his arm as he punched forwards. The heaviness and intensity was nowhere near comparable to that of Geister’s punch. A whisper against a tornado.

With sweat staining his eyes, he continued training. One punch after another. He ignored the ligaments cracking in his arms and tried his best to replicate Geister’s moves.

”Engage your core. Don’t just throw your fist forwards. Keep your shoulders straight,” Geister instructed. ”Your fist must be in the center of your perspective!”

Eren punched and punched and punched. And slowly, the realization began to dawn on him.

He was not talented.

His memories flashed back to the Palace of Wisdom. To the group of youngsters squatting in the early morning, performing punches in front of their master.

Eren was never allowed to copy their movements. He was a cripple. Thoughts of training and competing with them were crushed by the fact that he was not blessed by Ræzoň. Training was useless.

But now, he thought could do it. He was without limit. He was ready to answer the lifelong question plaguing his mind: ’what could have been?’

And the answer was something he’d known all along. The heavens had not blessed him with an innate physical aptitude.

Children younger than him punched faster and harder. Geniuses picked up the minutiae of detail in a punch that only masters could comprehend.

He thought he was one of them. Delusions, it turned out.

”Let’s take a break for now,” Geister sighed. ”Come back again tomorrow.”

”Can you perform that punch again? I want to see how it’s properly done,” Eren said as casually as he could. He tried to conceal his heart beating out of his chest.

Humoring his request, Geister strengthened his core and lower body before pouring all of his strength onto a single punch.

”Your focus must be singular, it must—”

He was too focused to see Eren running straight to his fist.