Chapter 6. Combat Training

The next day at the training grounds, instead of a rack full of assorted weapons, Bastion was shown a table covered with books.

"These, Young Master, are the skills you will be required to learn and improve until you enter the Royal Academy. These will be the only Skill Books your parents will ever provide for you, so expect nothing more," Sibelle announced.

On the table were thirteen books on basic Apprentice Rank skills—skills essential for any budding close ranged combatant. They were: Slash, Stab, Smash, Shield Bash, Parry, Dodge, Block, Dash, Charge, Jump, Taunt, Reinforce, and Amplify.

These were truly the most basic skills most people gain from their first class, but they were prohibitively expensive as Skill Books due to the demand for Rank 1 paper, ink, and Scribes to make them.

Rank 1 paper is made from Rank 1 wood pulp or beast skin, Rank 1 ink is derived from Rank 1 ores or beast blood, and a Scribe is a Rank 2 class capable of crafting Skill Books and one-time-use Skill Scrolls, provided certain requirements are met.

The Scribe class is quite rare because of the immense patience and practice required to become one. Large organizations often invest a century and a mountain of resources to create just one Scribe, binding them with slavery-style contracts to force them to work for the organization.

Even the Diamonhart family doesn't have the resources to produce a Scribe. The Royal Family could likely afford it, but it would create a massive deficit in the short term.

Using such precious resources for Apprentice Rank Skills is reserved specifically for the children of nobility. 

These skills were considered Apprentice Rank because they belong to Apprentice Rank classes, typically the starting point for most commoners. Classes like Knight usually have Amplify, Reinforce, Slash, Dash, and Parry.

Since Bastion is to be a Rank 3 Diamond Knight for his first class, he will not have these Skills as a foundation to build upon which is why these Skill Books are so necessary for him.

Slash and Stab are basic skills that force the armed appendage to slash or stab a set number of times, depending on the skill's level. They pair well with skills that enhance the physique, such as Reinforce, or with weapon-coating skills like Flame Edge.

Smash and Shield Bash are similar but focus on increasing the area of effect rather than delivering repeated blows.

Parry, Dodge, and Block are fundamental defensive maneuvers common in physical classes. Parry is associated with the Knight and Duelist classes, Dodge with Thief and Archer classes, and Block with Warrior or Defender classes.

Dash, Jump, and Charge are basic movement skills, similar to the defensive maneuvers mentioned above.

Taunt is a basic Defender skill that forces those with lower magical stats, such as Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charm, to attack the user.

Reinforce temporarily increases physical attributes while continuously draining mana, whereas Amplify does the same for mental attributes while using stamina. These two skills are the primary abilities of the Apprentice Rank Knight class that allows the class to be so powerful physically and magically in the future.

Knights are considered defenseless spell swords in terms of classes so they always rely on armor to defend themselves properly. 

With these foundational skills, Bastion won't need to take Apprentice Rank or Rank 1 foundational classes, which typically serve as stepping stones for future growth. Instead, he can bypass them entirely and advance directly to utility classes at Rank 2, augmented classes at Rank 3, or even domain classes at Rank 4.

Rank 5 classes do not exist and are considered the domain of the gods. The books in the library offer no further information beyond that.

Most commoners accept classes at their current rank due to either a lack of knowledge on how to obtain higher-ranked classes or the absence of wealth and connections needed to purchase Skill Books. 

As a result, they typically receive Apprentice Rank classes at the age of eighteen when they accept the blessing, followed by Rank 1 classes at Rank 1, Rank 2 classes at Rank 2, and so on.

This doesn't mean commoners are inherently weaker than nobles—only that they have less diverse options when it comes to combat.

There was once a commoner who reached Rank 4 using only the initial basic offensive, defensive, and movement skills of the Warrior class. His ability to apply those simple tools effectively against stronger opponents was the secret to his rise.

True nobles don't look down on commoners—but they do look down on the weak. Conversely, no one dares look down on nobles, as their legacy, wealth, and connections grant them the potential to grow stronger in the future.

Bastion wasted no time. He began channeling his mana into each book, one by one. As he did, they disintegrated into motes of light, each drifting toward him and merging into his chest.

There was no sudden rush of knowledge—only a quiet awareness. Each skill settled into his mind as a natural possibility, like an instinct. He didn't need to speak the names or make grand gestures. Merely thinking of the action was enough to trigger it.

Bastion stepped forward and met the knight's charge head-on.

The knight swung wildly with his sword, but instead of responding with a Skill, Bastion raised his shield and braced himself, just as he had before.

Just as the blade was about to make contact, it suddenly accelerated. The unexpected burst of speed and power knocked Bastion off balance, and a second slash came swiftly, aiming for his chest.

Dodge.

Despite his unstable footing, Bastion stepped aside, narrowly avoiding the strike and placing himself out of reach of any immediate follow-up.

The knight quickly repositioned and came at him again.

This time, Bastion went on the offensive. He raised his sword high above his head.

Smash.

He brought the weapon down with force. The knight held firm, absorbing the blow with a natural block.

Shield Bash.

Bastion surged forward, slamming his shield into the knight and knocking him back—his first time ever pushing the knight away since training began. It didn't seem to cause much damage, but it created precious space.

Charge.

With a burst of speed, Bastion dashed forward, shield raised. The knight finally responded with a Parry, redirecting Bastion's momentum to the side.

Dash.

A follow-up slash came swiftly, but Bastion kept moving, narrowly escaping and gaining distance.

Just as he prepared to turn and re-engage, his stamina hit rock bottom. He stumbled mid-step and faceplanted spectacularly onto the dirt.

Predictably, the knight took full advantage, raining down punishing body blows as Bastion tried to recover his breath—and his dignity.

'Apparently—ow—you're not—ow—supposed to—ow—spam—ow—skills,' Bastion thought between thuds.

Five minutes later, the knight finally relented as Sibelle stepped forward, dropping a single drop of health potion and another of stamina potion into Bastion's mouth.

"Stamina, like mana, is a resource used to activate physical skills," she explained calmly. "While our enhanced physiques allow us to perform strenuous activity all day without rest, Skills and Spells demand significantly more energy. It would be wise to manage your stamina and mana more carefully in future battles, Young Master."

"Thank you for telling me, Sibelle," Bastion replied, voice dripping with sarcasm.

"You're welcome, Young Master," she responded sweetly.

Bastion's combat training evolved with the introduction of Skills. Now, he not only had to contend with opponents stronger than himself, but also remain constantly alert for when they activated skills capable of inflicting serious damage, like that initial Slash that struck twice.

Since his first battle using skills, Bastion had refrained from using them offensively. He understood the importance of conserving stamina to defend himself when it truly mattered.

After all, his opponents could shrug off his skill-enhanced strikes, while he risked serious injury if he failed to counter their own empowered attacks with skill-based defenses.

Unlike previous training sessions, the knights Bastion sparred with finally began speaking to him at the end of each day. Well—speaking at him was more accurate. They never introduced themselves, nor did they give him a chance to respond.

"Your balance was off for most of the fight. Work on fighting back even when your footing is unstable. I get that this mostly matters against overpowered opponents, but covering your basics is what ensures survival down the line.

Also, you didn't use Reinforce even once. Start weaving it between attacks. Don't just skip it because you're low on mana. You won't improve if you keep ignoring it," the knight remarked after the final bout of the day.

He didn't wait for a response—just gave his critique and walked off like always.

Bastion took the advice to heart, storing it away for later. The day's training had left him more exhausted than usual—using Skills had drained him far more than he expected.

"This will be your new training regimen, Young Master. Be sure to adjust—it will continue until you leave for the Royal Academy."

"Thanks for the pep talk, Sibelle."

"My pleasure, Young Master."

Thus, Bastion's new training regimen continued daily from sunrise to sunset for the next nine years of his childhood at the castle.

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