Reincarnation Of A Swordsman: The Omni Mage

Chapter 118: Mission Preparations (1)

Kyle woke up the next morning by the time the early sunlight pierced his curtains. It was early, earlier than he'd usually rise, but today was different.

The day he would visit the mission hall had arrived, and he felt a sense of anticipation mixed with a determination to make the most of his preparations.

After washing up and getting dressed, Kyle made his way to his desk where the technique Dan had given him, laid neatly.

He wasn't planning on learning the technique immediately—today was busy enough.

But a quick look through wouldn't hurt, and he couldn't resist a glance at the method behind a movement style that had intrigued him for so long.

The opening page outlined the fundamental philosophy of the Wind Chasers' Air Steps technique.

The notes described it as a method for creating seamless, floating movements, where the user appeared to glide across the battlefield.

It wasn't about running fast or merely dodging; it was about walking with silent air-like steps that made one feel they weren't on the the solid ground.

He quickly read the general notes before flipping to the first stage: Foundation.

"Alright," he thought, "Let's see how you actually start with this."

The Foundation Stage immediately made it clear that the technique wasn't about flashy.

The stage's key exercise was a balancing drill, where students walked along narrow poles set at varying heights, focusing on keeping their balance with one leg while the other was free to move.

The notes emphasized body control, training each leg to stand as if it could independently bear weight without disturbing the stance.

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"So, balance first, huh? No shortcuts there." He grimaced, imagining himself wobbling along thin poles. It sounded deceptively simple but would require total concentration, breath control, and serious conditioning.

Next, he skimmed over the Flow Stage.

"This is where it gets interesting…"

The Flow Stage combined balance with precise timing and rhythm, focusing on building short bursts of energy for dodging and rapid movement.

Exercises involved stepping between spaced-out targets at different heights, timing each move with controlled breathing patterns.

Kyle imagined himself moving in and out, almost like dancing between obstacles. "So, it's not just random speed—it's bursts of energy, like small surges that keep you quick and elusive."

The text emphasized that in this stage, foot placement became crucial; there was no room for hesitation. It was all about feeling the moment, moving quickly but with control—something like a bird darting between branches.

Finally, he glanced over the Mastery Stage. This was the advanced level, where the text mentioned practicing outdoors in harsh conditions or weighted down by chains.

Here, the focus was no longer on individual movements but on instinct, letting the technique become second nature. The goal was to reach a state where each step felt effortless and natural, like hovering just above ground.

'So, you're supposed to forget you're even stepping at all,' he mused. "Once you've mastered it, it's like walking on air, completely in sync with the environment."

The book described the final stage as the point where a practitioner could instinctively evade without breaking rhythm, no longer bound to conscious thought about each step. He'd be able to glide around attacks effortlessly, reacting as if on reflex.

Kyle snapped the book shut with a thoughtful nod. "This won't be easy," he muttered, "But it's exactly what I'm looking for."

He had only skimmed through the highlights of the technique and it wasn't looking bad. They were details on each stage, there requirements and methods for completion well explained if one read deeper.

Setting the techniques aside in his inventory, Kyle got himself and Void ready for the day, placing Void into the system pet space where he could wait comfortably.

After that, he grabbed his essentials and placed them in the inventory before leaving his house and locking the door behind him as he started to head towards Orion's house.

The morning air was crisp, and he enjoyed the quiet walk, feeling more ready than ever for whatever lay ahead.

When he arrived at Orion's house, he found himself smiling at the familiarity of it all. The neatly trimmed lawn, the identical rows of dorm houses… it felt routine, yet this morning felt fresher, charged with purpose.

Kyle pressed the doorbell, and after a pause, he heard sluggish footsteps on the other side. When Orion finally opened the door, Kyle couldn't help but chuckle at what he saw.

Orion's glasses were crooked, and his normally neat hair was a mess, paired with the red eyes he had, it gave him an uncharacteristic, sleep-deprived look.

"You look… well-rested," Kyle joked as Orion adjusted his glasses.

Orion gave a half-hearted glare. "I see you're in high spirits as usual. Meanwhile, I've been slaving away all night to finish your project for you."

Kyle simply grinned at Orion's words. He was happy to see Orion pushing himself—that showed that his investments were paying of.

"Come on in. I won't bother with polite formalities—just sit yourself down," Orion gestured to Kyle before returning inside.

Kyle noted the striking cleanliness of the living room, which contrasted with strongly with Orion's slightly haggard appearance.

"So, you have the items ready?" Kyle asked, making himself comfortable.

"Right on time, as usual. Everything's ready. You've given me quite the elaborate list, but I have to admit, some of your requests were… intriguing."

Orion's eyes gleamed with a mix of curiosity and admiration.

"Good to know my requests kept you interested," Kyle replied with a smirk. "I was just trying to keep you on your toes."

Orion rolled his eyes but signaled for Kyle to follow. They made their way down the hall toward the large room downstairs that Kyle recalled from his last visit.

Back then, it had been bare—a quiet, empty space with little more than some scattered books and runic papers. But as they entered now, Kyle's eyes widened in surprise.

The room had been completely transformed.

Where there had once been nothing, there was now a mini-forge tucked into one corner, with various smithing tools arranged neatly on racks.

Across from the forge stood several lab tables, each covered with intricate alchemical equipment, beakers, burners, and rows of neatly labeled bottles.

Runes were sketched on boards around the room, and a pile of notes lay on one of the tables, bearing Orion's meticulous handwriting.

"Wow," Kyle murmured, taking in the organized chaos. While the space was clearly well-used, with tools lying about and some papers haphazardly stacked, there was a distinct order to it.

It looked more like the workshop of a seasoned craftsman.

Orion glanced around the room with a hint of pride. "It's coming along. Still missing a few essential pieces, but I've managed to set up enough to get most tasks done. Your credit donations are really doing me good."

"I'd say it was a wise investment," Kyle said with a light chuckle, though inwardly he thought if it was possible for him to pull of something like this with such funds.

'Welp, Orion's just special,' Kyle shrugged it off, following Orion to move further into the room.

Orion led him to a wide table at the center. On it was a carefully arranged collection of items.

Kyle's excitement flared as he recognized a few of the items, mentally checking them off his list.

'Yesss!... These are what I asked for!'