Book Two – Chapter Seven – Part Three – The Days of Training

And so, after seven more days, for a total of fourteen days since the mentorship began, Servi once again stood in the non-existent arena. She had her shield and her sword from the weapon shelf but also something else. Since it was the third time sparring, Fisher allowed the use of Rank 10 skills.

As Servi waited for her mentor to pick out her opponent, her mind raced back to the events of the previous six days.

After arriving at the headquarters, she went to the training room as usual. It was mainly a standard affair consisting of running, crouching, sit-ups, and push-ups. But after around two hours, Fisher suddenly stopped them.

“Listen up and follow!” Fisher yelled as he walked over to a shadowed area of the grassy field. Looking up, Servi saw that the ceiling wasn't all glass like she believed it to be.  Some spots were covered in a silvery material, but those modifications had to have been constructed recently.  Regardless, there were now numerous shadowy spots on the grassy area. “Take a seat! We're going to learn about shield techniques and what to do when certain circumstances show themselves!”

Fisher then began to explain that while being a tank was about taking the hits, there was far more to it.

“The way you move, breathe, duck, and dodge all have to do with tanking. For example, Riki!”

“Aye?” Riki said.

“If fighting a troll or an ogre and you see an attack coming, what would you do?”

“Roll or dodge out of the way.”

“Right! A troll is big, and an ogre is even bigger. Feral, what would you do?”

The three-meter tall Kobold in question growled and spoke. “I take it head-on. The might of a Kobold is nothing to scoff at.”

“You’re right. The physical strength of a Kobold is amongst the highest of those who can use skills. And so, you would be right to take it. Anyone else would have to dodge. Don’t try to be a hero. A tank needs to keep the attention of the enemy in front of them. If you go down, then it’s pretty much over. But there are things even a Kobold cannot block. Some people think tanks are stupid or brain dead for taking hit after hit, but they are the first line of defense. You need to have the right judgement if you want to be a proper tank.”

Goddamn it, I can’t believe I’m complimenting them. Come on, Fisher. Fisher's mental state began to change ever so slightly. The Demis he hated so much were growing right before him.  The changes were small and minuscule at first, but they weren't making the same mistakes they used to.

But one question ran unconsciously ran through his mind.  Will the change be permanent?

I know they didn’t do it. Hell, that was ten years ago. But something like that is not something I can forgive so easily.  I couldn't do it in the past, and I can't do it now.

For the rest of the day and the following five days, physical training took a back seat, but it didn't disappear entirely. From training in the morning for a few hours to listening to Fisher's lectures, a particular Kobold’s thoughts began to change.

Perhaps my thoughts about the Justice Captain were wrong. I never knew about these strategies.

As a Kobold, Feral was proud of his massive arms, thick legs, and resilient body. But even with his tremendous physical strength, he wasn’t that smart. The average intelligence of a Kobold was quite a bit lower than other races capable of using skills. Even so, Feral was devoted to becoming a stalwart warrior that was deserving of Warden's fabled Rank 0.

At some point during the six days, Fisher had a kite shield with him. He picked volunteers from the crowd and performed a few shield techniques. He told them that their defensive equipment could be used for offense. To demonstrate that, Fisher turned his hand so that the shield's flat surface faced the sky.

“If you have a kite shield, you can puncture your foe's skin like this if you have the opportunity. Some even choose to sharpen the edge of their shield so they can swipe like this. Just remember that whatever modifications you do to your shield, like adding a spike or covering it in oil, are worthless if you drop it. Under no circumstances should you drop your shield, but if you do, you’d best get it back ASAP.”

After lecturing on shield techniques, Fisher went over the list of Rank 10 skills that should be learned first. At the risk of repeating himself to the point where his students hated it, Fisher reiterated the most predominant information multiple times a day.

I’ll say it as many times as I need to.  Skills are the one thing that allows the races to keep up with monsters like dragons and ogres.

“Protection is obviously a given. Next up is both Thunder Snap and Lucem.  Those three are the main skills. Decoy is good and very useful, but it can be dangerous.  For example, if you use it at the wrong moment, like in a cramped cave, then there's a chance your party could be overrun by monsters.  Monsters that you didn't even know lived there.  By the time you reach Rank 9, you should have a good idea of how you want to tank. Remember, everyone has their own style. Some prefer to be an evasion tank with a small shield, using their natural speed to their advantage, and others prefer to be a standing pillar with a heavy shield while reinforced with defensive skills. I can teach the basics and train your bodies, but I can’t do anything else. However, I can say this. If you can block and chant without losing concentration, then you’re already ahead of the game.  Focus on doing that."

Back in the present, Servi was in the ring, and she had her shield in her hand. Every Rank 10 Skill, except for Protection, was allowed. Fisher had told them that they needed to fight without relying on Protection. He said it wouldn't always be there to save them, and there would be times in which they will need to defend against a monster without a tank's crucial skill backing them up.

“Now then, Desperado, go in the ring,” Fisher said. The Koena did what he was told. He had his black kite shield and a wooden club.

This should be easy. Our Lucem and Thunder Snap should be on a whole different level.  Itarr said.

The moment Fisher stomped his foot, Servi held her shield and began to walk forward. She chanted quietly, even though she didn’t need to and held it. This was called pre-casting, and Servi decided to use it but did so incorrectly. The moment she was a meter or so away, Desperado’s black scaley mouth began to move. It seemed he didn’t know anything about the technique. So, she finished the chant and used Thunder Snap.

Was that pre-casting? No, it wasn't.  She went about it all wrong, and she used the wrong chant. Thought Fisher, as he read her lips. Due to her inexperience in using skills the standard way, Servi had messed up.  She tried to copy what Momo did when they were in the sewers two weeks ago, and she failed, but Servi's skill still went off. When a skill chant was interrupted or incorrect, the technique flat-out didn't work. The invisible mass of Skill Energy evaporates, and the energy is returned to the body.  Nothing happens, and the user is free to try again. However, this didn't go unnoticed by Fisher, who was able to confirm something.  Servi was more than what she let on.

Even though what she did was incredible, there's no use in bringing it up now.  I'll have to keep an eye on her.

A powerful crack rang out where she snapped her fingers, which was right in front of her. It seemed Desperado didn’t expect it. The Koena flinched hard, and Servi took that moment to push him.

Servi had the upper hand, and a moment later, he was on the ground with a sword to his neck.

Of course, she won the rest of her fights, except one, that way. Even if Riki was the one who got off a Lucem first, True Immortality kicked in, and Servi saw the axe swipe coming as clear as day. Even if her eyes didn’t automatically adjust, she could rely on her afterimages. The next moment, Servi let off her own Lucem, which was more powerful. The Dwarf didn’t expect Servi to have the calmness to reply with a skill of her own, and he didn’t have to time close his eyes. The Dwarf took the full brunt of it, and that was what led to his defeat. With Riki unable to see, Servi effortlessly knocked him to the ground and won yet another match.

Even though the four of them knew Lucem and Thunder Snap were coming, they were still only Rank 10. One: they couldn’t recover that fast from being temporarily cut off from one of their five senses. Two: it’s hard to fight against the feeling of flinching when hearing a loud noise, and Servi knew that. Her True Immortality allowed her to disregard that feeling, which was how she won each fight. She had an advantage so overwhelming that it was cheating.

But then it came to her against Feral. Out of the six mentees, he and Servi were the only two to be unblessed. Feral didn’t see it as a weakness but as a challenge. One to be overcome. Sure, he was at a disadvantage, but he knew it made victory all the more sweeter.

“Servi, you can’t win physically, but let’s see if the use of skills are enough to overcome that gap. Start!” Fisher said.  The stomping of his feet was the signal to begin.

Servi was more determined than ever to win, but she didn’t know how. As she watched Feral fight against the other four, they couldn’t chant fast enough. Feral rushed up and either attacked with his tail or shield. Not once did he ever use a skill.  It wasn't because he thought it was beneath him, but he didn't use them because he couldn't.  He had no skills to use. He had joined Warden because of the mentorship, and thus he didn’t have any Potential saved up. But he relished the challenge of being the underdog.

Smiling, she quickly chanted. Just like before, Feral charged in. His giant body stomping towards a lone girl was something to behold. If someone didn’t know what was going on,  then it looked like an innocent young Human was about to be trampled by a vicious Kobold. But that couldn’t be further from the truth.

She paused during her chanting and waited. What she did next depended on Feral's actions. Fortunately for her, he chose to stop and spun around. She waited a bit longer to make sure it wasn’t a fake, but she still almost got hit. When it came to judging speed and distances on her own, she was pathetic.

I really did rely on that skill. I wonder if I’ll get to a point where I can fight without it.

During the jump over his tail, she extended her left arm far in front of her and used Thunder Snap. Even though he was a mighty lad, Feral was taken back. His hands quickly retreated to his ears, and Servi finally had a chance to attack.

Once landing, she took off, speeding around Feral until she was behind him. Then she drew her sword and slammed the flat edge of the blade into the back of his knee. Hearing a dull thunking noise, she increased her power as Feral began to get his hearing back. He could have, and later realized he should’ve, used his tail or even his arms to flail around. But he didn’t think of it.

Feral had lived a life of being strong and durable. But even though he knew humility, like when he realized he could learn from the Justice Captain, that disappeared in battle. He wanted a good fight. Unfortunately, that thrill of wanting to fight dulled his common sense. That was why he stood there in pain and covered his ears. There was no way for him to guard against it since he thought his speed and tail would be enough to win in the first few seconds.  After all, it worked for him every other time, so why not now?

But when Servi realized her sword wasn’t cutting it, she did what Fisher had told her. Sheathing her sword in the shield, she rotated her hand until its flat, evil-like surface was pointing up. But then the black-haired girl realized something, and Servi un-rotated her hand. She knew she didn’t have a lot of time, so she started to prepare another chant. This time, it was for Lucem.

Fisher couldn’t believe it. Again, he was stupefied. He saw Servi grab onto Feral’s shield, which wasn’t flat and smooth. It was rugged and ugly, with a few blemishes and cracks that were just big enough to act as handholds. And the crazy girl climbed up until her face was right in front of him.

Feral couldn’t tell anyone was climbing, so he was shocked out of his heart when he realized it wasn’t the red sun he saw. It was eyes belonging to Servi, the Human girl who did the impossible and lifted his shield.

“Lucem,” her cute lips parted to say a single word. A tremendous flash of light appeared right in front of them, and both were blinded. Servi hopped down from the shield, her eyes already healed, and with haste, made her way to his backside.  Without any time to waste, Servi rotated her arm so that her shield was facing up, and she punched  Feral's legs.

“GAAH!!” the Kobold roared with pain and anger. Servi's shield's edge wasn’t sharpened, but it cut better than she expected it to. It did pass her mind to use her sword, but Servi decided against it. Something in her mind told her to do it this way, and she felt like she couldn't go against it. Still, her shield penetrated through his green skin and found the hidden red gold.

“Now, when fighting a larger opponent, go for the legs and knee. If you, as the tank, can incapacitate an opponent, then congratulations, you’re actually pretty fucking good. But don’t ever risk it if you can help it. Trust in your party to take out the enemies, and they will trust you to keep them safe.” Fisher said that a few days ago when Rakkire asked about taking down something bigger than him. The Dwarf kept stealing glances at Feral when Fisher answered him.

A large Kobold like Feral needed a lot of strength in his legs to support his heavy weight. And when one was damaged, he had to shift the weight to his other leg. That, coupled with the fact he was blind and his dulled common sense in the heat of battle, was why he eventually lost a few seconds later.

Servi continued to stab her shield into his legs and knees, and then she heard a pop. The next moment, the three-meter tall Kobold fell to the ground and groaned in pain. His large shield fell with him, and the whole area seemed violently vibrate.