Chapter 33

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Chapter 033: No Dancing

Nightfall outside the gates of Stormwind.

The refugee camp was quiet in the rain, unlike usual nights filled with songs, laughter, or cries.

In the woods a few hundred meters away, faint lights from the refugee camp could still be seen.

Greed held a somewhat straight wooden stick and walked back and forth, saying, "Dwarves used to make swords to fight heavily armored enemies. They excelled in crafting all kinds of armor as Khaz Modan never lacked metal ores. Bronzebeard and Dark Iron Tribe still uphold this ancient tradition as they fend off ancient enemies. But Wildhammer Clan is different; we now focus on battling lightly armed enemies since our main foes are trolls. The Forest Trolls, who prefer heavy armor, have been magically burned to death by Elves for thousands of years."

"So, which should I learn then?" Jesse asked, wiping the water droplets off their forehead and eyebrows, "To fight enemies without armor or those in heavy armor?"

"Definitely the former," Greed replied, "Can you imagine a Gnoll in full armor? Remember their chief, the one who shouted ‘Harg, Harg,’ with only a single shoulder plate stolen from orcs."

"Speaking of Blackrock Orcs," he tugged his beard and said, "Rest assured, after they clash with the Dark Iron fools north of Redridge for a few years, there won’t be any proper armor left to wear. Come, attack me with the swordsmanship you’ve seen."

Jesse looked at the dwarf in front of him, then glanced at the long stick in his hand, feeling its weight. He started to recall the swordsmanship he had seen before.

He hadn’t seen many real sword fights. The battle between Greed and the elf on the slope was the most frightening duel he had ever witnessed.

Most of the fights he had seen were just groups of people swinging various weapons randomly, making clanging sounds while missing each other. They would back off after being hit once, too scared to continue the chaotic brawl.

So, he began to draw upon memories from his past life – games, movies… horseback riding and sword fighting, Star Wars, wizards, Glory Souls, Game of Thrones.

Gripping the wooden stick in his hand, Jesse wiped the raindrops from his eyes and said, "I’m ready."

"Come on." The dwarf beckoned and pointed the stick slightly forward with one hand. Jesse guessed that this was a prepared stance to defend against his attack.

Jesse suddenly took a step and swung diagonally, but the dwarf easily parried it. He then attempted to spin around like the powerful swordsmen in movies for a striking blow, but was tapped on the neck from behind by Greed halfway through the turn.

"What are you doing? Planning to run away?" Greed asked, furrowing his brow.

Jesse awkwardly gestured his original intention and asked, "I was trying to turn around, so swinging like this would be more powerful, right?"

"Maybe," Greed said as she tossed her braid over her shoulder, "But you have to be unexpected… like when you need to quickly close in on your opponent, when you have to deal with multiple enemies and fight for space, or when your opponent loses balance and can’t attack you immediately. Don’t rigidly stick to routines!"

The dwarf was getting anxious, gesturing with his stick as he spoke.

"The most important thing is to be quick, very quick! Don’t just casually swing around like a fancy minstrel, you are here to defeat the enemy, not entertain them! Don’t let them tip you with coins!"

Abruptly stopping his gestures, he pointed at Jesse and said, "Remember, you are a beginner now, especially as a human, try not to push beyond your limits with fancy moves. Focus on the basics first."

"Control your weapon, try not to let it stray too far from your grasp, like swinging it behind you… Aim the tip of your sword at your opponent, always keeping the threat alive."

Finishing his demonstration, the dwarf swiftly demonstrated diagonal slashes, vertical strikes, and stabs, without any heavy chops or swings.

"Just like that, each strike needs to be fast, and sudden, catching the enemy off guard. Don’t dance around, I repeat, don’t prance around like an elf in battle."

The dwarf sighed, "To be honest, I’m not saying his fighting style is useless, it’s actually very threatening, quite deceptive. But only elves can pull it off, they are fundamentally different from you. Forest Trolls, elves from Quel’Thalas, they can perform unbelievable feats, like a group of six to seven feet tall ferrets darting around the battlefield. But as a human, you have to adapt and respond, not mimic."

Leaning against a small tree, he continued, "For example, if an Ogre loses his weapon, he could uproot this tree and continue the fight, but you can’t. However, you must anticipate this and use the Ogre’s slowed movement after uprooting the tree to tire him faster… Turn it into your advantage, do you understand what I mean?"

"Got it," said Jesse.

"Let’s try it again," Greed shook off the water from his head and said, "I’ll help correct your movements and practice with you to find the most suitable feeling for humans."

Jesse nodded, this time he forgot about the fancy sword dance and thought about the movements of Olympic fencers.

After all, the athletes’ movements were fast enough, sudden enough, and the tip of the sword was pointed forward towards the opponent, the weapon staying under control, perfectly meeting Greed’s requirements.

He turned sideways, holding the stick with one hand, took a deep breath, then took a big step forward, stepping on a puddle of rainwater, and suddenly stabbed towards Greed with his right arm extended!

The dwarf widened his eyes, quickly stepped back, surprised, and deflected Jesse’s stab. Jesse didn’t hesitate and seized the opportunity to attack again, taking another step and attempting to stab forward. This time, Greed took his attack and deflected it, sending Jesse’s stick flying.

Greed picked up the stick and handed it back to Jesse, asking, "Who did you learn this from, huh?"

"Watching others," Jesse said.

"From the nobles of Lordaeron?" Greed said. "It’s powerful, I admit, but along with the power, there are also great limitations."

"Your moves remind me of the reckless attacks nobles make during duels. It looks fancy, but nobles wouldn’t dare use them against real enemies. One mistake and it could be your downfall. I’m teaching you swordplay to keep you alive, not to show off in front of women. If you want to impress them, use a different sword that can still stab but is more effective."

Greed patted his pants and said, "Also, this wooden stick is too light. If you had a heavier real sword, you couldn’t move as fast. I could easily block your attacks or disarm you, leaving you vulnerable unless you’re a mage. Watch my moves, practice along, and start with the basics."

Watching the dwarf’s earnest downward and upward swings, Jesse felt a bit ashamed.

Swordsmanship and combat skills require years of practice and experience. Fancy tricks from unknown sources won’t help beat seasoned enemies.

He must progress patiently, step by step. Greed is willing to teach him this way, Jesse should repay with seriousness and hard work, not shortcuts.

Due to years of labor and work, Jesse’s physical condition was decent, so he imitated Greed’s moves quite well.

Seeing Jesse earnestly following his moves, Greed couldn’t help but smile and say, "That’s it, my little Jesse. Once you master these moves, I’ll teach you a few more, then you can practice on your own without me watching every night. You need to keep pushing yourself!"