What Bladestorm?

Before stepping out of the wooden hut, Malone had been pondering that question.

Even when he stood in front of Kaldara, his excitement still hadn't settled.

"Maicomarlon, Teron told me about your training. He said you've been making rapid progress and that all you need now is to get used to fighting. So he wants me to teach you something else."

Kaldara said to Malone.

"Yeah!"

Malone nodded excitedly.

"What do you want to learn?"

Kaldara asked Malone.

"Um... things like Bladestorm or Wind Walk are fine. Teach me whatever you want!"

Malone said with a goofy grin.

"What are those supposed to be?"

Kaldara asked, looking bewildered.

"Huh? You've never heard of them? They're the Blademaster's signature moves!"

Malone seemed even more confused than Kaldara.

After Kaldara explained, Malone finally understood that Kaldara didn't know a thing about "Bladestorm," "Wind Walk," or anything like them.

Perhaps Kaldara could perform similar combat techniques, but they weren't something Malone could learn at his current level.

"You don't seem to know what you want to learn either, so I'll teach you something useful!"

Kaldara said to Malone.

"All right..."

Malone looked a little downcast. He felt like the Blademaster of the Burning Blade wasn't quite as cool as he'd imagined.

"Before I teach you, I need to remind you that this is just private sparring between us. Sparring, understand? You can't go around saying I'm your teacher. If my teacher finds out, he definitely won't let me off the hook."

Kaldara gave Malone a "heads-up" in advance.

"Oh, I understand."

Malone answered earnestly.

From his conversation with Kaldara, Malone learned that the Blademasters of the Burning Blade had a lot of rules. Kaldara wasn't qualified to take on a student yet, and Malone would also have to pass quite a few trials to become a Blademaster of the Burning Blade.

"All right. Teron told me you've already learned to combine martial arts and spells in combat. That's good. If you want to get stronger, all you need to do is practice hard."

Kaldara said to Malone.

"Just practice all the time...? Are there any so-called tricks?"

Malone wasn't interested in practice. For one thing, he felt that as long as he got Tiffany somewhere safe, he could stay out of trouble.

For another, Malone was pressed for time. He had to leave with Tiffany as soon as she recovered, and he didn't have much time left.

So, compared with practice, Malone was more interested in tricks.

"What tricks could there be? When I first started learning swordsmanship, I had to swing my sword at a wooden post tens of thousands of times every day."

Kaldara dismissed the tricks Malone had asked about.

"Tens of thousands of times? That many?"

Malone gaped in disbelief.

"What's so surprising about that? I also had to run laps around the clan camp carrying a huge log, and sleep hanging upside down from a tree at night... Anyway, becoming a Blademaster of the Burning Blade isn't easy at all."

Kaldara recalled the "hellish training" he'd gone through, but his tone carried a hint of pride.

After all, not everyone could endure that training. Only those who did could earn the honorable title of "Blademaster of the Burning Blade."

"That sounds awful... I just want to learn some tricks that can make me stronger as quickly as possible. There must be something like that, right?"

Malone asked, settling for the next best thing.

"There is."

Kaldara nodded.

"For instance, even if you've mastered the way of combining spells with martial arts, you still wouldn't be able to beat me. Do you believe that?"

Kaldara said to Malone.

"Yeah."

Malone nodded.

That was true. He wasn't arrogant enough to think a few days of practice could surpass swinging a sword ten thousand times every day.

He knew he'd be doing well if he could reach Teron Gorefiend's level, and even Teron Gorefiend wasn't confident he could defeat Kaldara.

Of course, Malone had skills that were practically cheats. He believed that if he found a way to level up or unlock other classes, he would be able to defeat Kaldara one day.

"I'm not bragging about how strong I am. I'm saying that your spells pose a real threat to me, but most of your attacks can't hit me."

Kaldara explained.

"That makes sense... But why?"

Malone thought back carefully to his first fight with Kaldara. He had indeed taken down an Orc with one strike, but that same strike hadn't even come close to brushing Kaldara.

"That's what I'm going to teach you. If you can see what your opponent is about to do before they move, you can do the same thing I do."

Kaldara said to Malone.

"How is that possible?"

Malone gaped at him.

What was this supposed to be? Seeing the future? Sensing what an enemy was going to do before they moved? That was terrifying!

"There's nothing impossible about it. Come on, try hitting me."

Kaldara said to Malone.

"Okay."

Malone didn't hesitate. He'd spent all day doing the same thing with Teron Gorefiend yesterday.

Unlike yesterday, Malone had made some progress. At the very least, he no longer shouted, "Take this!" before attacking.

But this time, Malone's attack was thwarted too.

Just as he was about to strike, Kaldara suddenly spoke.

"You're going to attack my left side, right?"

Kaldara said.

The Blademaster of the Burning Blade's words nearly made Malone wrench his back as he stood with his fist clenched, ready to strike.

"How did you know?"

It took Malone a great deal of effort not to throw the punch he'd been holding back. He looked at Kaldara and asked in confusion.

"I told you. I can see what you're about to do before you move."

Kaldara shrugged.

"That's impossible. It must've been a coincidence."

Malone said, unconvinced.

"Try again."

Kaldara said.

"That's what I was thinking!"

Malone shouted.

This time, he didn't give Kaldara a chance to speak. The instant he finished speaking, he was already charging toward him at full speed.

"Left!"

Kaldara shouted, stepping a short distance to the right.

Malone's full-force punch missed, leaving him feeling awful all over, as though something were blocking his muscles and bones.

He swayed, then forced himself to stop from pitching forward. Of course, that wasn't because he was especially skilled; it was just that this body had excellent balance.

Malone steadied himself and punched at Kaldara again, who was waiting at his leisure for him to attack.

"This time, the right... Now the middle!"

Soon, Kaldara's voice rang out again and again across the open space in the prisoner camp.