Liberi Reader

This is only the fifth round.

And you're already slowing down on your targets, and not even hitting vitals.

In a real combat situation the enemy could've even shot back.

What's wrong, Jessica? Is this training exercise too hard for you?

Ah, er, phew... N- no!

Let's keep going!

You have the right attitude, but you need more strength behind it.

Let's take ten. Catch your breath.

I want to go over handgun basics with you one more time.

You can't neglect your fundamentals. Not even for a second.

Right!

First is balance and posture. No matter what kind of environment you're moving through, you can't let yourself go.

Keep your upper body low, protect your core.

Then, keep the Originium Arts you're using to control the gun nice and stable.

Feel the connection between your arm and the gun's interior. Reach out to the ammunition feeding into the chamber, then activate it and let it fly.

It's easier said than done. You have to meticulously engage your Originium Arts to trigger it.

If you lose control of your Arts, the gun could misfire. You could even damage it.

Last, line up your target, aim, fire, and move.

These are the absolute basic basics of Blacksteel firearms theory. You should be well acquainted with them, Jessica.

Now, do you know the biggest mistake you made with your shooting just now?

Um... I haven't trained enough, so I wasn't moving my center of gravity fast enough, and then I didn't control my Originium Arts very well...

And... I hesitated too much before firing, flinching and missing my targets.

Aaaahh! When I say it out loud, I messed up everything I did!

You're half right.

Jessica, you're trying to do everything all at once. You want to be fast, and you want to hit all your targets.

You find yourself worrying about every little thing. You end up getting spooked by your own tail.

And because you're so panicked, you're losing control of your Originium Arts. Then, when you start aiming at the enemy, you have to be running control tests inside your weapon.

That's why you have so much trouble shooting.

Th- that's what's happening...?!

The first thing you have to do is clear your mind of all those things you worry so much about, and just focus on your fingertips.

Trust your partner. The gun in your hand won't betray you.

The way you treat it, that's how it'll respond to you.

The speed and volume of your Arts aren't important. Just focus on maintaining precise control and stability.

Come on, let's go. I want to see you move past those three windows and hit as many targets as you can as fast as you can.

Go five rounds! Focus on your Originium Arts!

Got it!

Fundamentals, fundamentals, fundamentals. It's been three hours...

Get me out of this sweaty training room.

It's just a scouting mission in some ruins, an easy little thing for Jessica to take care of.

You think she'll run into a big baddie out for a stroll?

What I think she needs to train most of all is her confidence.

Looking at Blacksteel files, Jessica's stats are all completely middle-of-the-pack.

And it's not like she's not under pressure, with this special mission attached to Rhodes Island.

She's going out with Frostleaf and Meteorite and they'll take care of her. But making sure she's prepared can't hurt.

It's gonna hurt when she passes out from exhaustion in the ruins out there.

......

She came looking for me to train up her combat ability. She's worried she'll be a burden.

Right after the Lungmen cleanup, we're heading back to Blacksteel HQ. We don't have much time to train Jessica.

I'm trying to share as much of my experience as possible, especially with firearms.

You take such good care of your little girl. It's sweet.

Who knew you remembered we had to go back to Blacksteel.

We'll report on the Lungmen situation, but we also have the usual tests to go through.

You're not preparing at all? Not worried about your numbers?

I've already prepared everything we need to give to the company. It's not like I've been goofing off every night at Rhodes Island

Hehe, how did you know I've just been goofing off?

You really look after your teammates, Liskarm.

And as for my scores, if they drop too much and I get transferred, at least I won't have to deal with you—

Judging by what you've been doing with Jessica, I guess the idea is just to pile on the training so she gains experience?

......

I just see her grinding away over and over and over again.

I mean if you're just having a little firearms seminar, why not go get those sparkly angels?

They're the real gun masters, right? Bang! Pow! I bet they'd straighten Jessica out. A lot better than learning from you, anyway.

If you go ask them, all you'll get is, 'What is there to study? There is nothing simpler.' 'Why not just feel it out?' Answers like that.

To those angels, who walk around with multiple heavy weapons, a handgun like this is little more than a toy.

Laterano firearms practices are insanely advanced and complicated. She couldn't learn anything from them.

Heh. Makes you kind of envious, doesn't it?

Getting a handle on the fine control of Originium Arts under a wide variety of potential circumstances is no easy feat, and doesn't come with a typical training regimen.

Why do the Blacksteel bosses even want their people using such nasty weapons?

It's a long-range weapon that's harder to use than a crossbow, with more expensive ammunition, and more finicky maintenance.

The pistol is a logical enough choice for Blacksteel.

Standardized weapons make management easier for the company, reduce turnover, and screen out mediocrity.

Plus they have a guaranteed rate of fire and are easier to conceal than other ranged weapons.

All right, all right. I get it.

You just keep at it. I'm gonna head home, if you don't mind.

I'm cheering Jessica on in spirit. I need to rest up some more before we go back to HQ.

I didn't call you here for my health. Jessica needs your help too.

I can't teach her frontline assault and high speed maneuvers at the same time.

Just teach her to carry a big shield and move around while shocking people.

Be serious.

Your experience is worth a lot more to Jessica than my advice.

Moving back and forth around the front lines, breaking through the enemy's defenses, maintaining Originium Arts to power weapons.

Nobody in Blacksteel has the kind of control over Originium Arts that you do.

Stop stop stop already. How is it this kind of stuff just flows out of you?

You're embarrassing me.

Anyway, it's not that I'm against teaching Jessica. I just have no idea how to be a teacher.

What if she can't follow me? What if she can't keep up? I don't know if I can slow down.

That's fine. That's how Jessica would want it.