The Martial Unity

Rui had already chosen four techniques. An offensive, defensive and a counter-offensive grappling technique and an offensive striking technique.

He had already decided to pick five techniques, so that left one more. He was considering a stamina-oriented technique, this was definitely synergetic with the VOID algorithm. After all, the VOID algorithm could not work instantaneously, it needed time.

Having a stamina-oriented technique would give him more leeway to conduct the VOID algorithm.

('Alright.') He nodded. ('Let's go with that.')

There were several stamina-oriented techniques in the supplementary technique section of the Apprentice library. A lot of them were based on different principle and mechanisms that either focused on increasing the net amount of energy stored in the body to increase stamina, or focused on reducing unnecessary non-combat related energy consumption during combat.

He ended with two viable candidates screened after half an hour of browsing.

[Helical Breathing]

This technique was an advanced Apprentice-level version of Harmonic Breathing, not only did it boost general metabolic functions, but also reduced the energy-consumption significantly below what Harmonic Breathing could achieve.

[Bone Balance]

This was a balance-oriented technique that allowed the user to stand up straight purely by positioning their weight under their bones, without help of muscles. The user would be able to avoid consuming energy by standing, increasing his stamina in the long run.

This was the kind of technique that made Rui do a double-take, reminding him yet again how different from Earth Gaea was, for techniques like this to even exist and be viable and practical.

Both techniques had an equal level of flexibility and efficiency. This resulted in equal difficulty as well. The greater the sum of efficiency and flexibility, the greater the overall potency of the technique and thus the higher the difficulty.

There were no such things as potent techniques that were also super easy to master.

But despite this equality between them, the choice was clear between them, the answer was clear.

"Helical Breathing is an extension of Harmonic Breathing" Rui muttered. "It's the Apprentice level version of the technique."

Harmonic Breathing was not an Apprentice Learning, it was an Exploration technique he had mastered while he was still in the Exploration Stage. Helical Breathing was an Apprentice-level extension of it, meaning he would probably master is quicker than mastering another technique from scratch.

"Alright, that settles the deal then."

He took hold of the five techniques he decided to master. With this, he will have mastered a total of ten techniques.

Vital Pressure, Elastic Shift, Balance Direction, Acute Edge, Parallel Walk, Binding Lash, Flowing Canon, Mirage Dive, Shifting Silhouette and Helical Breathing.

This formed the bare basics of his foundation.

"No, not entirely, I still don't have techniques for all ranges of combat."

Hand-to-hand combat could be divided into several ranges even further; kicking-range combat, jabbing-range combat, elbow-range combat and full-contact combat or grappling.

Each of these ranges, despite being separated by tens of centimeters, were quite different from each other.

"Still, what I have at least ensures I don't have a weakness anywhere."

As far as offense went, Vital Pressure gave him versatility and flexibility at almost all ranges, but its efficiency was low. Flowing Canon gave him offensive options at most striking ranges although it needed accumulation of momentum from a distance each time it was to be used. Mirage Dive and Binding Lash gave him offensive and counter-offensive options at full-contact range. Thus, covering the bare basics in most regards.

His defense was better, he had Elastic Shift and Acute Edge, as well Binding Lash for defense against striking. He could use one or more of these depending on which was more apt. He also had Shifting Silhouette for full-contact/grappling offense.

Balance Direction and Parallel Walk improved his mobility and locomotion, but only in regards to travel speed, they didn't enhance his combat speed. This was something he aimed to fix in the future.

And Helical Breathing improved his stamina, allowing him to fight a slower pace and giving him more time to adapt to his opponents.

"Alright, this will have to do for now."

He applied for copies of each of the techniques and immediately head to the Apprentice respiratory technique facility of the supplementary wing, the Helical Breathing technique would be the easiest to master, no doubt, the sooner he mastered and improved his stamina, the better the remaining training regimes would work out too. What surprised him was that unlike the Harmonic Breathing technique, the Helical Breathing technique had training methodologies that specified involved actual respiratory training equipment.

"The Harmonic Breathing technique simply requires you to time inhalation with pulsing of your blood, so that the maximum amount of air can come into contact with your blood" The Apprentice supervisors explained to Rui. "The Helical Breathing technique involves not just maximizing the amount of blood coming into contact with your air, but also maximizing the amount of air coming in contact with all that blood.

The lungs inhaled air that would be diffused and mixed into blood, maximizing the amount of blood and maximizing the amount of air coming into contact with said blood allowed each cell in the body to obtain more oxygen allowing the user to generate the same amount of power with less effort, ultimately prolonging stamina.

"Since you've already mastered Harmonic Breathing, we can skip the first stage of the training, since it is Harmonic Breathing training. I recommend starting with the next stage." The supervisor explained.

"Understood." Rui nodded, having already planned that

"We'll start by increasing your lung capacity and strengthening your respiratory strength."

"Yes sir."

Lung capacity and respiration strength were important parameters of respiration even on Earth. Lung capacity referred to how open your trachea, your airway, was and how well your lung could expand. Respiratory strength was dependent on the diaphragm, the sole muscle that was actually responsible for breathing; expanding to suck in air into the lungs and contracting to expel air from the lungs.

Improving these two would significantly improve the Harmonic Breathing technique in and of themselves.

However, that wasn't all there was to it, the Helical technique was an Apprentice level technique, meaning only Apprentices and above could master it, as far as difficulty went. The later stages involved manners of breathing that further maximized the amount of air that made contact with blood! The end result was a breathing technique that facilitated much greater power and stamina.

Such was the prowess of an Apprentice-level technique.