Training

That was all—Malone had finished looking over the four skills he could use.

They were all powerful and versatile, but Malone wasn't satisfied. He urgently needed to know how to level up, unlock more skills, and even access other classes.

Before that, though, he had to train with Teron Gorefiend. The Death Knight had returned.

The Death Knight was carrying several weapons in his arms. He jogged around the hill and entered the prisoner-of-war camp through the fence.

With a clatter, a heap of weapons hit the ground at Malone's feet.

Which one should I use? Malone crouched down and began looking through what the Death Knight had brought.

Now that his body had become so strong, Malone really wanted to experience what it felt like to be one of those heroic swordsmen in TV dramas.

Dressed in white as bright as snow, holding a three-foot sword, he'd shout, "Hey, you scoundrel! Don't run!"

Yes, that was the feeling, Malone thought.

But the gap between ideals and reality was still a bit too wide. Malone discovered that there were no slender swords like the ones he'd seen in TV dramas among the weapons in front of him.

Maybe it was because of his physique. Though most of these weapons had been seized from Stormwind's armory, they were mostly two-handed swords, battering rams, and double-bladed battle axes.

"I'll stick with a two-handed sword!"

Malone thought that kind of weapon seemed more refined. Warhammers and battle axes looked like they were made for barbarians.

"Picked one?"

Teron Gorefiend asked as Malone picked up a greatsword and stood.

"Yeah, this one."

As he answered, Malone casually flourished the two-handed sword twice, trying to look graceful.

It was great being strong. He'd never heard of anyone handling a two-handed sword as gracefully as he did.

Malone was still congratulating himself when Teron Gorefiend frowned at his movements.

"You're holding the sword wrong, Maicomarlon. Like this."

Teron Gorefiend drew his own weapon and demonstrated for Malone.

"What does it matter..."

Malone muttered under his breath.

"It matters. Hold the hilt that way, and an enemy can easily disarm you."

Teron Gorefiend spoke seriously.

Disarm? Malone couldn't help laughing. Did Teron Gorefiend think this was a game?

In World of Warcraft, there really was a skill called "Disarm." But now the sword was in his hands—who could take it from him? Wouldn't they be afraid of getting sliced?

"I'll show you."

Teron Gorefiend could see that Malone didn't believe him. He raised his weapon and gestured for Malone to attack.

"...Careful, Teron. I'm really strong."

Malone didn't hesitate. If Teron Gorefiend was going to train him, the two of them would have to spar sooner or later. He'd just have to be a little careful.

"Take this!"

Malone shouted, gripped his two-handed sword in one hand, and charged at Teron Gorefiend in the heroic style he'd been hoping to emulate.

Teron Gorefiend frowned, then nimbly hopped half a step to the side, dodging Malone's attack and blocking the one-handed strike with his staff.

"Don't shout before you attack. You're just warning your opponent."

Teron Gorefiend seemed completely at ease, and still had time to instruct him.

"Fine, fine... I get it."

Frustrated that his first strike hadn't landed, Malone put a little more force into his swing, trying to knock Teron Gorefiend's staff aside.

"You should hold the sword with both hands, and you shouldn't rely on your wrists alone."

Teron Gorefiend said this as he easily blocked every one of Malone's attacks.

Malone said nothing, but he didn't do as Teron Gorefiend suggested either. He refused to believe that he couldn't beat Teron Gorefiend with one hand.

Wasn't he stronger than Teron Gorefiend? Stronger than the two of Teron Gorefiend put together!

But fighting wasn't arm wrestling, and Malone soon realized that his attacks weren't working at all.

Suddenly, Teron Gorefiend became much faster. He trapped the blade of Malone's two-handed sword in the forked end of his staff, then gave his wrist a slight twist.

A powerful torque came through the sword. Malone's wrist couldn't withstand the force, and a sharp pain shot through it.

"Ow!"

Malone cried out and instinctively let go of the hilt.

"See?"

Teron Gorefiend lowered his staff and said to Malone.

"This..."

Malone stared at the two-handed sword on the ground, clutching his right wrist.

The slight sprain wouldn't cause any trouble for Malone's strong body, but he realized that he really had been disarmed.

"Again!"

Malone picked up his two-handed sword. This time he'd learned his lesson: holding it with both hands was steadier.

"Good."

Teron Gorefiend was a man of few words. He raised his staff and attacked Malone's right ribs.

Malone tried to block the attack with his two-handed sword, only to find that its long blade got in the way.

His elbows also couldn't bend outward, making it impossible to maneuver the sword freely in such a cramped space.

Teron Gorefiend's staff landed a heavy blow on Malone's right ribs.

It had no blade, so it didn't draw blood, but it still hurt.

"Again!"

Grimacing through the pain in his ribs, Malone charged at Teron Gorefiend once more, swinging his sword.

"You're pretty fast, but you're too straightforward. You don't know how to fool your opponent. Anyone can tell what you're about to do."

Teron Gorefiend shouted as he dodged Malone's attack a full second before it landed.

Fool your opponent? Too straightforward?

Malone remembered his brief fight with Kaldara. He'd landed a punch that could have knocked down the Blackrock Orc, but Kaldara had dodged it with ease.

Could opponents like Teron Gorefiend and Kaldara really predict the direction of his attacks in advance?

How was he supposed to fight them, then?

Malone felt a little discouraged, but still gathered his strength and charged at Teron Gorefiend with his weapon.

He thought back to the details of his fight with Kaldara, and to how he'd handled himself.

Gradually, Malone began deliberately aiming for Teron Gorefiend's weak points and the places he couldn't defend with all his strength, such as his ribs and lower abdomen.

Malone's strength was astonishing. Even though the two-handed sword weighed ten pounds, perhaps more, he could swing it with ease, making it whistle through the air without tiring at all.

Even wearing heavy armor, Teron Gorefiend didn't want to take a blow like that.

With his wealth of experience, Teron Gorefiend could control the force of his strikes. Malone, however, was still a complete novice. Though he didn't mean to, he could easily gut Teron Gorefiend with the weapon in his hands.