Proficiency Level
"Jab, Cross, Slip, Cross, Hook, Cross, Slip, Cross, Hook, Body Kick, Jab, Rear Elbow, Jab, Low Kick!"
"Nice! Good job kids! Let's take a 15-minute rest." Matthew said in a loud voice.
In response, the twins and the first kobold kid slumped down on the ground with their mouths wide open and their tongues out.
Not only the kids were tired, but if the kobold kids had no fur, then we can see blisters particularly on their fist, elbow, and shin that had been used for hitting the punching bag hundreds of times already.
Knowing that the kids will be genuinely tired after punching and kicking the punching bag nonstop for quite some time, Matthew had brought a bucket full of water from the village well and he gave them to the kids.
The kids take turns drinking straight from the bucket and by the time they gave the buckets to Matthew, it was already drained of all the water.
'Although their strength and stamina are clearly above an average human kid standard, I guess doing intense activity back to back without rest is still taking a toll on their bodies. But at least with this, I know that the training is not too easy for them. If it was too easy then they wouldn't be growing at all…'
The first kobold kid had missed the morning strength training session and he was supposed to be less tired than the twins. And although it is indeed true that he wasn't drop-dead tired like the twins, the intense activity had also gotten to him as well as he is currently leaning on the punching bag with his limbs limp.
"How's the magic training so far, kid?" Matthew asked the first kobold kid.
"I already learned how to gather the fire elements yesterday and I created my first spark of fire and opened up the proficiency level stat in my info tab just this morning." The first kobold kid replied unenthusiastically while showing a nonchalant expression as if he was trying his best to show that he didn't care at all.
"Isn't it quite a fast progress? And what is the proficiency level?"
"Proficiency level basically means that the higher the level I have, the more proficient I am in controlling and using magic. At the level I'm currently on, which is level 1. I can only summon a small fireball that grandpa had shown us at that time. It is impossible for me to control a huge amount of fire like grandpa did during the celebration night."
"Grandpa also said that it took him a full week to open the proficiency level stat in his info tab and he said that he was called talented at that time by his grandpa."
"So that means you're ultra-super talented then?"
"Well, I guess he called me a genius this morning… But I still kinda regret that I missed the morning training with everyone. I guess I can shorten the magic training session because my progress is faster than expected?"
"No, you've promised to spend the whole morning training magic and I don't think breaking your promise is a good thing to do especially for someone who wants to be a kobold warrior and lead everyone."
"Yes, I know brother, I will never break a promise. I only said it randomly because it suddenly came to my mind without actually meaning to say it."
"And besides, grandpa said that opening the proficiency level stat is only the beginning. Grandpa is currently still on level 4 even after about 1 and a half-decade."
"Wow…I don't know what kinds of magic you can do with a higher proficiency level, but even seeing your grandpa's magic is already astonishing for me…"
"Well, thank you for the compliment!" an old-familiar voice suddenly came from behind the group.
Matthew looked behind him and saw that Mutt is walking towards them with his usual walking stick that is actually his magic staff.
"It's quite hard to reach level 4 in the proficiency level, you know? Even my grandpa only managed to reach level 3 until the end of his life." Mutt said.
"But it's true that this kid is certainly a genius. He will probably reach proficiency level 4 in less than a decade if he focuses on training his magic," he added.
"No! If I spend even more time training magic then I will be left behind by the twins!" The first kobold kid quickly protested.
"Yes, I know. I'm not here to drag you to learn magic. I want to ask Matthew about something."
"Me? Yes? What can I help you with Mutt?"
"It's nothing crucial, I'm only curious if you had any idea about how to use those."
"Those?"
Mutt then explained to Matthew that they had gathered the spoils of battle from the humans. They got several swords and several pieces of light armor. It wasn't much because although the humans left in a hurry, they didn't forget to bring back as much as they could resulting in the kobolds being unable to harvest much from the remains of the battle.
While the kobolds know how to use armor, they didn't have any experience in using swords. The only weapons that they had made were spears for hunting, axes for cutting trees, and other bone tools to be used in their day-to-day lives.
And Mutt had come to ask Matthew if he knew how to use swords since Mutt thought that it would be wasteful if they left the weapons left untouched in a corner of a warehouse somewhere in the village even though they seems to be more versatile in certain situations compared to the spears that the kobolds usually use.
"Hmm… I do know a little bit about swords…"
'From movies and stuff…' Matthew said to himself
"But I have only seen people do it and I've never actually done it myself though…"
"It's okay, at least we'll get a rough idea on how people usually use them. Can you show me and the kobold warriors what you know?"
"When? Now?"
"Tomorrow will be alright, I will inform all the kobold warriors today and tell them to gather first tomorrow morning before they lead the hunting team away."
"Okay, I will try to remember as best as I can."
Mutt then said his goodbyes to Matthew and the kids and returned to going around the village to check if anyone needs his help.
"Well kids, are any of you interested in using a sword? It's one of the most favorite weapons for people to use in the world. And it doesn't mean that it was a weapon for the weakling or beginner, there are many sword masters that use all kinds of techniques that are capable of doing inhuman feats with their swords!"
"Inhuman?"
"It means that they are capable of doing feats that humans are incapable of doing!"
"I know what inhuman means brother, but what I'm asking is, aren't we all not human…?" The first kobold kid asked.
"Um… What I mean is…umm… they become super strong when they are using a sword!" Matthew tried his best to recover from his minor blunder.
"Not me! I want to use my fists just like brother Matthew!" The second kobold kid declared without even a shred of hesitation.
"I'll be using a spear since that's what all the kobold warriors use." The first kobold kid said after thinking about it for a second or two.
"There's a chance that you may turn into a kobold swordsman or something else when you evolve in level 15, you know?" Matthew tried asking once again.
Matthew himself had considered using a sword, but he hadn't given it a real thought yet as he was still more comfortable relying on his own body. And from what he had seen, his claws are not less sharp than the swords that the human uses.
'But the sword does have more range compared to my claws… I'll just leave this thought for later…'
"Um…Brother Matthew, can I try using a sword?"
Matthew heard the voice calling out to him and it was unexpectedly the third kobold kid.
"Sure! I will tell the village chief to spare one for you later."
"But using sharp swords right away is dangerous so I will ask Tim to make a wooden sword for you first to train with it. Is that okay?"
"Okay!" She said while giving an okay sign with her right hand.
'That means that the third kobold kid's training will be slightly different than the others when they are training the technique part. But the first kobold kid said that he wanted to use a spear so won't it be more practical to skip the fist technique training and go straight into spear training?'
'Then I need to revamp their training to achieve the best result.'
"Alright kids, let's end today's training earlier. I will change one or two things starting tomorrow so just think of today as mental preparation day because the change will be anything but easier for you guys!"
Although Matthew's training was tiring for the kobold kids, they are the ones who asked Matthew to train them and they're also the ones who wanted to get stronger, instead of getting depressed that their training will potentially get harder, the kids didn't complain and just prepared themselves mentally just like what Matthew told them to do.
Matthew then went back to his house and started thinking of a new training plan for the kids. He went outside later for a quick meal together with the kobolds and returned to his house to continue designing the most optimal training for the kids.
After finally finishing a rough sketch with a slight detail for the kids' training, Matthew thought that he will improvise it again tomorrow while actually doing the training and decided to go to sleep thinking,
'What kind of dream will I get tonight?'