Chapter 76: Teaching

On the grassland, two figures clashed ceaselessly. The golden figure moved faster, but the bulky silhouette always managed to block her attacks with his small dagger.

The clash of the thin sword and dagger produced a ringing sound, accompanied by sparks. Field's voice echoed continuously.

"Pay attention to your steps. Experienced opponents don't focus on your sword but on your feet. They can predict your next move based on your footwork. Use this to your advantage."

"Well done. Your sword stroke and footwork synchronization is excellent, very deceptive. But it needs more practice. Again."

"Chirpy, observe carefully how to use a dagger like this."

"Faster, your sword speed can be quicker. Utilize your speed advantage. Discard unnecessary rolls and feints. When deception fails, attack with your fastest, most aggressive speed!"

"Yes, keep the rhythm!"

Field's dagger seemed to turn into a shadow, constantly colliding with Hilda's thin sword. His other hand remained busy, sometimes blocking her wrist to change the trajectory of her strike, sometimes forming a fist to launch an attack.

His relentless assault made it extremely difficult for Hilda to defend.

But through this intense battle, she gradually adapted to Field's fighting style and grew increasingly proficient.

"Just right. Understand your opponent, adapt to their rhythm, and never stop thinking. What else can you exploit?"

Field's voice remained calm, as though Hilda's attacks posed no threat. In reality, he was also surprised.

Platinum Two-star Hilda's combat prowess now surpassed Platinum Seven-star Okott, who was only marginally comparable to her.

This confirmed that Hilda wasn't bluffing. At full strength, she truly had the ability to slay the ferocious werewolf.

However, Field knew Hilda could become even stronger, although she was unaware of it.

Ten minutes, twenty minutes, thirty minutes. Continuous intense combat left beads of sweat on Hilda's beautiful face. In contrast, Field didn't break a single sweat.

His clothes were somewhat torn, bearing over ten cuts made by Hilda, along with minor injuries, including four shallow sword wounds.

Finally, a loud explosion of magic sent Hilda flying, stopping only after sliding across the ground for several meters.

"Huff... huff... huff..." Hilda gasped heavily, her stamina flagging.

"Not bad. Let's call it a day," Field nodded and said.

Hilda nodded as well, putting away her sword and smiling. "What do you think?"

"You're better than yesterday," Field commented.

Hilda raised her chin, pleased with herself.

But Field continued, "Yet, it exposed some flaws, more evident than yesterday."

"What flaws?" Hilda asked.

"Three things," Field held up three fingers.

"One, you have too many unnecessary movements, even though they're feints. They're unnecessary. Those who can beat you won't fall for them, and those who can't wouldn't notice them anyway. These can be discarded."

"This will make you faster and increase your attack frequency!"

Hilda nodded, accepting it.

"Two," Field continued, "your body is very flexible, but you don't fully utilize it. With your supple body, you can perform moves others can't. Yet, you mostly use it for evasion."

"In fact, just like when I kicked you away initially, you can leverage your physical advantages to execute extremely challenging maneuvers."

"But isn't that redundant?" Hilda queried.

"If it has no meaning, yes. But if it allows your sword to hit your enemy from a bizarre and precise angle, it's a surprise attack. So, you must understand your body to control it," Field explained.

"Understood!" Hilda nodded. "What about the third point?"

"The third, and most critical issue," Field suddenly laughed. "Throughout, you relied solely on your sword to fight me."

"I reminded you just now, but you didn't realize it."

"So, did you forget something?"

Hilda froze, pondering for a moment before shaking her head. "I can't think of anything."

"Magic. Did you forget you know magic?" Field chuckled.

Hilda's eyes widened.

Right...

"As the best student of the Heidi Magic Academy, I find it hard to believe you don't know magic. But apart from your sword techniques and combat enhancements, you didn't cast any spells."

"That won't do. Your combat style being too单一 makes it easy for enemies to anticipate your actions."

"You need to diversify your fighting style, making it complex. Then, in crucial moments, you'll have more options."

"You rely too much on your sword. Sometimes, you should try forgetting it and explore new ways to fight, like using magic."

Hilda fell silent for a moment, then raised her hand toward Field.

In the next instant, a golden magical array rapidly condensed, followed by nine golden light swords flying out, aiming at Field.

Field immediately raised his arms, releasing magic to form a shield that barely defended against the attack. Nevertheless, he was pushed several meters back, with several shallow cuts on the direction where the light swords struck.

"Like this?" Hilda asked.

"Perfect!" Field snapped his fingers, ignoring the wounds on his body.

"So your magic is actually as strong as your sword skills. How could you forget it?"

Hilda couldn't help sticking out her tongue. "I don't know. During battles, I always forget to use magic..."

"So, as long as you reduce your reliance on your sword and incorporate magic into your fights, you might actually defeat me head-on," Field chuckled.

"Really?" Hilda was excited, almost itching for another round. If not for her depleted mana from using combat techniques multiple times, she would have challenged Field again.

As expected, Field's guidance provided tremendous insights. This time, she realized she had neglected her powerful magic aid.

She was not only a swordsman but also a mage!

How could she forget that? That was careless of her.

"Of course, I guarantee it," Field nodded, then couldn't help laughing. "From the beginning, I noticed this when watching you fight the werewolf."

"The second time we sparred, it became even clearer."

"And during this third time, I confirmed that you know magic but simply forgot to use it in combat."

"Hilda, you're making me think you're foolish."

"I'm not foolish!" Hilda immediately retorted, her cheeks puffing up. At this moment, she resembled a little hamster.

"Not using magic when you can is foolish. Your magic effects are so powerful, yet you don't use them in battle, wasting their potential. Do you know how painful it is for me, who wants to use magic but can't?" Field shook his head.

Hilda couldn't argue, resorting to puffing her cheeks and kicking the grass in frustration.

However, she soon thought of something, raising her eyebrows at Field. "Wait, did you say you watched me fight the werewolf earlier?"

"Erm..." Field was taken aback.

"You weren't just passing by. You hid and watched, right?" Hilda's gaze grew sharper.

Field scratched his cheek, chuckling awkwardly. "I thought you could handle it..."

Hilda stayed silent, drawing her sword once more.

Field's Adam's apple twitched, then he bolted.

Hilda chased after him.

"You sneaky devil! You could have helped me back then, but you didn't. Prepare for my punishment!"

"Oh, don't be mad. I didn't know you'd struggle!"

"You're still mocking me! Take this!"

"Hehehe, you won't catch me!"

Hilda, of course, wasn't really upset with Field for not helping her immediately. After all, he had no obligation to assist her, and it was all in jest. She cherished these playful interactions typical of real friends.

After chasing for a bit, Hilda stopped, put away her sword, and crossed her arms. "Don't do that again."

"Agreed, we were strangers before, but now we're friends, so I won't stay idle," Field chuckled.

"That's what I wanted to hear," Hilda said contentedly, taking a deep breath. "Thank you, Field. Without you, I wouldn't have discovered my weaknesses so quickly and accurately. It means a lot to me."

"It means a lot to me as well," Field said seriously.

Curious, Hilda tilted her head. Field then chuckled. "When traveling, what's more important than having friends?"

Hilda's eyes brightened, and she beamed. "Exactly!"

"Let's take a break then. I brought plenty of snacks to replenish our energy!" Field suggested, happily trailing behind Hilda as they headed back to camp.

While walking, Hilda pulled out a healing potion and offered it to Field. However, he shook his head. "I don't use those."

"Why? You're injured," Hilda pointed out.

"Because I am injured, I shouldn't use it. I want my body to heal naturally, allowing it to adapt to injuries and strengthen its regenerative abilities," Field explained seriously.

"You see, my wounds are already scabbing over."

Only then did Hilda notice the scabs on Field's wounds. They had already healed, with shallow scars barely visible. They would fade within days.

Impressive recovery ability!

Hilda nodded in agreement. "I won't use healing potions either. I'll train my own regenerative powers!"

Field chuckled. "That wouldn't work."

"Why not?" Hilda pouted, subconsciously believing Field was looking down on her. She believed if Field could do it, she could too.

Actually, Field's decision stemmed from his巨人 physique. He was intentionally training his regenerative abilities, which was possible due to his unique constitution. Others might be able to do it, but the process would be incredibly slow and inefficient, far from Field's results. Therefore, it was unnecessary.

As for drinking the healing potion when he first arrived in Haedu and fought the werewolf – it was purely to test the potion's quality.

Of course, he couldn't reveal this secret.

His giant status was his secret.

So he said, "My body type allows such training to be effective. Since I have incredible natural strength, it works for me, but it wouldn't for you. Doing so would only prolong your injury and lead to negative consequences. Remember, kids shouldn't mimic adults!"

Hilda nodded, then grumbled, "I'm not a kid!"

"You're a year younger than me. To me, that makes you a kid."

"What about Chirpy?" Hilda pointed at Chirpy running over.

"She's a kid too."

"That means you're employing child labor as your teammate. That's illegal!" Hilda flashed a mischievous grin.

Child labor was indeed illegal in the Helios Empire, but children under twelve were exempt. Though Chirpy appeared young, she was seventeen. Hilda was just joking.

Field knew this but still put on a pleading expression, clasping his hands together. "Officer, I apologize!"

Hilda burst out laughing. Field's unpredictable yet reasonable reactions were always entertaining.

"It's alright this time. Just remember not to do it again," Hilda giggled, then couldn't help laughing again.

They then enjoyed an afternoon tea and delicious treats together.

Chirpy loved Hilda's gourmet snacks, as they were of higher quality and taste than anything she'd ever had. Sharing food and conversation, the girls quickly bonded.

After resting, Field resumed training Chirpy. This time, Hilda took turns with Field, sparring with Chirpy to improve her skills.

Field requested this because both Hilda and Chirpy were agility-based fighters. While Hilda excelled in both speed and offense, Chirpy needed to learn from her.

Hilda was delighted to help, and Field offered guidance throughout. Against Hilda, Chirpy was easily overwhelmed. Hilda didn't even need to move much, simply waving her sword to block Chirpy's attacks. This pressure was precisely what Field wanted.

"Watch how I swing the knife," Field instructed, demonstrating with a wooden stick. "Keep your arm slightly bent when swinging, so your joints aren't locked. If blocked, your arm might receive a rebound, potentially dislocating your elbow."

"Keep your elbow bent and maintain a curve. Observe my power transfer technique…"

Field demonstrated, and Chirpy attentively observed and practiced.

Under the combined training of Field and Hilda, Chirpy's combat skills improved, becoming more efficient and deadly. Still, she needed more practice.

Remember, Chirpy was wearing a weight vest. Under this intense training, she would grow rapidly as long as she persisted.

To Field's surprise, Chirpy's flexibility, likely due to her cat-person heritage, was extraordinary. She was as limber as Hilda and could execute intricate maneuvers.

In terms of nimbleness, she even surpassed Hilda slightly.

Most importantly, Chirpy exhibited equal dexterity in both hands, indicating her potential to wield dual daggers.

Field had used dual knives in his past life.

Thus, he decided to craft another dagger for Chirpy. He named it "Cat Claw," complementing her existing "Cat Stab."

Eventually, Cat Claw would be slightly longer, providing Chirpy with a versatile fighting style, requiring more skill, something Field could teach her.

"Puuffff… So tired," Chirpy collapsed onto the grass, panting heavily.

"You did great," Hilda smiled.

Field shook his head. "Not enough. You must also master the use of magic alongside your weapons."

"It's okay, Chirpy tried her hardest," Hilda argued.

Field disagreed. "No, as my teammate, you must meet certain standards. It's for her own good."

"Today's sweat prevents tomorrow's blood!"

Hilda's pupils constricted, memories flashing through her mind.

Field slipped into his strict mentor role. "Don't lie on the ground. Get up and walk. We'll continue once I finish this cigarette!"

Watching Field light up, Hilda snapped back to reality, feeling sorry. "But she's exhausted already…"

"Tiredness is exactly what you need. Getting stronger doesn't come without effort. Didn't you go through the same thing?" Field exhaled a cloud of smoke, letting it dissipate gently.

Hilda fell silent. Indeed, she had endured rigorous training from her grandfather, knowing firsthand the pain it entailed. That's why she didn't want Chirpy to suffer too much.

Now, Field's approach reminded her of her grandfather's training. It was familiar, and she could understand his intentions.

Back then, she resisted and cried during training, blaming her grandfather for it. Seeing Chirpy rise, gritting her teeth to stand, Hilda suddenly comprehended her grandfather's benevolent motives.

Was this what it meant to be responsible?