Steady Progress

As for the shield...

For one thing, Rain believed staying alive came first.

Used properly, a shield could block swords, arrows, and other attacks. It could even stop a spell, or at least lessen the damage.

For another, Humbert, the instructor before him, was skilled with shields.

In a way, this was a chance to learn Combat Techniques from the Warrior Profession, though Rain had never seen any shield-related techniques.

"Spear Thrust and Shield Block cost two and three silver coins respectively. The course lasts a month. Instructor Humbert provides guidance every morning, and afternoons are for independent practice."

"Once the month is up, Instructor Humbert's teaching ends, regardless of how far you've progressed."

"Is that acceptable, Mr. Rain?" Lia promptly quoted the price.

"Of course." Rain was still a little taken aback by the cost.

The tuition was hardly cheap.

Of course, if he learned something useful, it would be well worth it. Nothing was more precious than his life on an adventure.

After he paid, Rain was quickly taken over.

"Instructor Humbert, this is Rain. He's here to learn Spear Thrust and Shield Block."

"Hmm. Practiced before?" Humbert asked casually as he sized Rain up.

"No."

"Try thrusting at that straw dummy with all your strength."

"Yes, Instructor Humbert."

Whoosh!

Rain picked up a spear and drove it at the straw dummy with nearly all his strength.

Thud! Straw flew everywhere!

Rain had no intention of holding back in front of the man who would teach him.

"Not bad. Are you sure you've never practiced?" Humbert asked, giving Rain a puzzled look.

The boy's thrust had been strong and fast. Only his aim and the way he applied his strength needed work.

"Uh... does using a pitchfork count?" Rain asked, scratching his head.

"A pitchfork? All right. You seem to have a good natural physique, but your aim and the way you apply your strength still need work."

"And if you want to use a shield with it, you'd best start practicing one-handed spear thrusts now."

"It'll feel awkward at first, and you won't have as much power, but it's a necessary step," Humbert added after a moment's thought.

"Yes, Instructor Humbert."

"Oh, have you learned Shield Block before?" Humbert asked, glancing at the small round shield Rain had just bought.

"No."

"Then we'll start with the shield. Follow me."

With his hands behind his back, Humbert walked toward the center of the training ground.

"Including you, five newcomers have signed up to learn the shield over the past two days. Instructor Humbert will give a demonstration for everyone," Lia said quietly as she followed.

"Mm." Rain was delighted.

A personal demonstration from a Dwarf warrior could only be a good thing.

The short, stocky Humbert picked up a heavy Steel Shield from the side of the training ground. After giving it a few swings, he began his explanation.

"Those of you learning Shield Block, watch closely!"

"Raising a shield isn't like lugging around a door. This is the proper stance!"

Humbert bent his knees sharply. He held the shield on his left arm, his elbow bent across his chest, with its lower edge almost completely covering his knees.

His already stocky body looked like a squat iron block.

"Keep your center of gravity low and your feet apart. Tighten your waist and abdomen like a wound spring. Don't hold the shield straight up or flat. Adjust its angle for different attacks. That part takes practice."

"Come on, take a swing at me!" Humbert said, pointing with his free hand at a young man practicing with a greatsword.

"Yes, Instructor Humbert."

The young man seemed to have seen Humbert's demonstration more than once. Rain could tell he had no intention of holding back.

He rushed forward three steps, leaped with all his strength, and brought his greatsword crashing down on the heavy Steel Shield in Humbert's left hand. It was a powerful jumping slash!

Clang!

Sparks scattered everywhere!

To Rain's astonishment, Humbert's shield arm was as steady as a reef that had stood against the sea for centuries. It did not even tremble.

Rain had noticed one thing, though. Just before the greatsword struck, Humbert had made a slight adjustment to the shield's angle.

"Once more. That demonstration wasn't clear enough," Humbert said, apparently realizing the difference in their strength was too great.

"Yes, Instructor!"

Seconds later, the young man leaped again, face flushed, and brought his two-handed sword down with everything he had. This time, Rain clearly saw Humbert angle his shield and let it move downward with the blow.

Clang!

"Did you see that?"

"Every one of you learning Shield Block must remember: blocking means redirecting force, not meeting it head-on!" Humbert said sternly.

Redirecting force, not meeting it head-on?

Rain turned the words over in his mind.

Recalling how Humbert had let the shield move downward, he realized the motion had guided the force of the two-handed sword toward the ground.

That one lesson was enough to convince Rain that Humbert was a Dwarf who truly knew his craft.

But why would such a skilled Dwarf warrior stay in a little place like Mill Town?

Rain thought about it briefly, then shook his head and put the question aside.

He was here to learn and grow stronger. That question could wait.

"Otherwise, when you face an ogre someday, one swing of its club will break your shield arm," Humbert added.

"Remember! Watch the angle of your enemy's weapon as it comes down, and keep adjusting."

After watching Humbert's demonstration closely, many of the young people there immediately began to practice.

Rain was no exception.

For the next half month, Rain's days followed almost the same routine.

Each morning, he took a detour from the Oak Inn to a patch of dense woods outside town and cast Freezing Ray, the spell he had obtained from the Mutant Goblin, twice. Then he went to the Mill Town branch of the Adventurers' Association to practice Shield Block and Spear Thrust.

He did not return to the Oak Inn to rest until night was about to fall.

During that time, Rain tried hunting field mice and rabbits. He even happened upon a wandering wolf, but none yielded a bloodline.

Rain began to wonder whether it worked only on humanoids like Goblins.

Or did the target have to be a monster?

After all, the Adventurers' Association classified Goblins as the lowest grade of magical creature.

Early one morning.

In a clearing in the woods southwest of Mill Town.

Rain sent a blue beam, slightly thicker than his thumb, straight into a tree trunk about twenty meters away.

After all his accuracy practice, Rain could now aim Freezing Ray reliably.

But when he removed the Cold-Enhanced Goblin icon from his bloodline slot, he could no longer cast Freezing Ray.

A faint impression of how to cast it lingered in his mind, but it was too vague for him to perform the spell.

Training helped, but I still can't cast it once I remove the icon.

His attempts over the past half month had shown him that daily practice could strengthen that impression.

The improvement was simply too slow.

It might take him years to master Freezing Ray, despite its being only a zero-circle spell.

Wait.

An idea suddenly struck Rain.

He focused his attention on the Frost Affinity bloodline talent:

[Frost Affinity (Passive) Lv. 1: The power of any ice spell you cast increases by 10%; your learning speed for any ice spell increases by 20%.]

Maybe there's another way to learn spells quickly: stack Frost Affinity.