Chapter 15:Swordmanship

"Will it really help?" Ian asked doubtfully, hearing Zach and Lena's suggestion. He was skeptical of their opinion because his tribe rarely, if ever, used weapons for hunting.

The beastkin race usually fought or hunted using their claws, fangs, or fists. Weapons were only used for processing prey or in specific situations. To them, a warrior standing before an enemy with raised fists was a great honor, while using weapons was seen as an insult.

"Everything in this world, if you haven't tried it, you won't know the result," Zach said in a serious tone. "You might have talent in swordsmanship, or maybe even spear skills. Who knows, you might even be skilled in cooking. You'll never know until you try each one!"

Zach's words opened Ian's mind, making him realize something he hadn't considered before. It was like a new opportunity to survive in this world. Ian also realized how narrow his view of the world had been.

'That's true. If I'm not skilled in hand-to-hand combat, I'll use a weapon. If I'm not skilled with a weapon, I'll use magic. And if I'm not skilled with magic, I'll use my brain. To hell with honor or tradition!' Ian thought. 'If I don't use everything available to survive and end up dying because of that, what's the point of those traditions?'

While Ian was deep in thought, Lena gave Zach a sharp look and said, "Are you trying to insult me, hmm?" Her tone made Zach feel a sudden chill around him, and his hair stood on end.

"Y-yeah, b-but isn't there a saying that goes 'To conquer a man, you must first conquer his stomach'?" Zach stammered nervously, swallowing hard, knowing his life depended on that sentence. Fortunately, Lena seemed to believe him and was satisfied with Zach's explanation.

"Hmm, is that so?" Lena said with a playful smile behind her black mask. "Then, how about I make you eat only my cooking for the rest of your life?"

Zach didn't react to the teasing at all. Instead, he moved closer to Lena, leaning in near her ear, which was hidden by her hood. "I'd rather eat the cook herself~," he whispered.

The sudden attack caught Lena off guard, and her cheeks flushed red, even though it wasn't visible under her black mask. Zach knew perfectly well how red her face was, despite the mask.

Ahem.

A cough came from across them, breaking the atmosphere. They looked up to see a lion beastkin across the way, veins bulging from his forehead, clearly signaling his anger.

'How do they keep flirting like this?' Ian thought angrily.

"I think you're right, Zach. I need to try it first. So, could you teach me swordsmanship?" Ian asked.

"Well, I'm not sure if my sword technique will work the same for you since our physical strength is so different. So, I'll modify the technique a bit, and your task is to refine it to suit your fighting style and physical abilities," Zach explained.

"Alright, I'm ready for any training!" Ian replied enthusiastically.

"Good. Then let's start by getting you familiar with a sword," said Zach.

"But where am I supposed to get a sword? And will it be like yours?" Ian asked, confused, as he didn't have a sword with him, nor did he own one. Zach just grinned behind his mask and pulled something from behind him.

"This is a type of sword suited for beastkin with great physical strength," Zach said, showing a wide blade with some rust on its edges, but still usable for training.

"Wait… where did you get that?" Lena asked, puzzled, because as far as she knew, Zach never carried that sword before. Her question made Zach shudder slightly in fear, then he slowly pointed behind him.

"Uh, from… over there," Zach said, pointing at a pile of bones behind them. Lena glanced over at where Zach pointed and was astonished that he could take something from 'them' without any guilt.

"Hah, whatever," she sighed, giving up. "I can only pray they don't curse you."

"Hahaha..." Zach laughed awkwardly, scratching the back of his head.

"So, when are we starting the training?" Ian asked again. Zach turned his gaze to Ian and threw the large sword at him. Ian easily caught it, though he still looked confused.

"Isn't it obvious?" Zach said, drawing his own sword. "We start now."

---

Meanwhile, in the southern part of the continent…

The southern region was always cold, covered by snow and ice, although not as extreme as the northern part where the demons lived. In this cold place, four black-cloaked figures ran swiftly across the snow, blending in with the blizzard that lashed against them. They were the ones who had come along with Zach and Lena.

They had split up shortly after seeing Ian fight the Rage Rabbit, with Zach and Lena heading toward Ian, while the rest continued southward to investigate the situation among the tribes.

"I think it's time for us to split up," Jin said to the others. "We'll go in pairs, just as planned. Investigate the area, and we'll meet again in one week at the designated spot to exchange information. Don't be late!... Ron!"

At the mention of Ron's name, all eyes turned toward him with warning looks.

"Wait, why only me?!" Ron asked, bewildered. "Since when have I ever been late or messed things up, huh?"

They all stared at him with disbelief.

"Don't worry, I'll make sure he's not late," Sarah said, glaring at Ron menacingly.

"Good! Now then…" Jin smiled behind his mask.

"Split!"