Puppet Master Chapter 54: Chapter 54: Combat Techniques

Read chapter 54 of Puppet Master by PeName on NovelPedia.

Even Tris himself wasn’t sure if what he was teaching could be considered “common.” After all, the knowledge he had explained to Rin earlier was just general theory from books. The actual techniques Tris had learned and used didn’t come from any book or teacher. They were entirely pieced together from his dreams, imitated and self-taught. So he couldn’t say for certain whether they counted as common knowledge or not. Tris: “Alright. Let’s dive deeper into this technique directly. Enhancement can be applied to the whole body or focused on specific parts. Of course, enhancing the entire body is more complex and requires more spiritual energy, so we’ll start with smaller parts first. Enhancement isn’t limited to bones or flesh—it can also be applied to senses, like ears or eyes. In particular, enhancing the eyes is very common, allowing the user to see farther or more clearly in low light.” Rin: “So, which part should I learn to enhance first?” Tris: “Actually, you’ll need to learn them all, so the order doesn’t matter much. The principle is the same, so once you master one part, you’ll quickly understand how to apply it to others. Personally, I think it’s best to start with the legs. If you can’t win, running fast is always the right choice. Sometimes, when chased by Magical Beasts, you don’t need to outrun them—just outrun the people next to you.” Rin: “...” The logic wasn’t wrong, but Rin still felt something was off. Tris: “Enhancing the legs involves many parts—bones, tendons, muscles, flesh, blood vessels... But the details only matter for more advanced combat techniques. For the enhancement skill I’m teaching now, you don’t need to worry about that. The key is learning how to channel spiritual energy precisely into the legs. The specific process is...” Tris then began analyzing and explaining in detail, guiding Rin in channeling spiritual energy as a demonstration, just like when he taught her physical training. Very quickly, Rin grasped the basics and began practicing. As time passed, by late afternoon, one could see a little girl sprinting around the training ground. Her speed was far beyond what any normal child could achieve. Tris: “Remember, to run fast over long distances, you also need to enhance the heart, lungs, and even the core muscles around the abdomen and back. Focus on channeling spiritual energy precisely while running.” Rin: “Yes, master.” She replied cheerfully. Rin truly loved the feeling of her body brimming with strength, her steps light as if flying. It was a joy that a frail child from the slums could never have experienced before. After running for a while, Tris called her back. Tris: “Now you’ve learned how to use spiritual energy to enhance yourself. But just knowing how isn’t enough. You’ll need a lot of practice to master it. Knowing is easy; mastering is hard. In real combat, no one waits for you to slowly channel energy to the right spot. You must do it quickly and precisely. For example, if someone punches you, you must instantly enhance your legs to dodge, or immediately enhance your arms to defend and counterattack. Everything must be done instantly, exactly where needed.” Rin: “I understand.” Tris: “From now on, you must practice this technique constantly, whenever you’re awake. Try enhancing one eye, one finger—whatever you choose. Do it as fast and accurately as possible, then release the enhancement and repeat. Turn this skill into a natural reflex of your body. So that whenever you will it, it happens instantly.” Hearing the task ahead, Rin knew it wouldn’t be easy. Yet she was confident she could do it. Compared to the hardships she had faced alone in the past, this was nothing. Seeing her confidence, Tris smiled and said: “Finish this exercise quickly, then I’ll teach you four higher-level techniques that use spiritual energy.” Rin: “Four techniques?” Tris nodded, drew the dagger at his waist, and cut his own hand. Seeing her master suddenly harm himself, Rin panicked. But soon, she