The Villain's Story

Chapter 727: To fight is to kill.

”There isn’t anything complicated about fighting, honestly. It’s simply kill or be killed.”

I spoke with confidence the only truth I know, as I kicked her feet as gently as I could to make her fall to the ground.

With a thud, she fell, and glared at me like a cat. It was honestly adorable, but I should probably get to the lesson.

Extending a hand towards her, I said.

”There isn’t any thing like fighting most effectively, shit happens during a fight, the only effective form of fighting is managing to kill your opponent before they kill you.”

She grabbed my hand, and there was a small attempt made to drag me down, but with her strength it was... laugha- Well, let’s just say it didn’t go as she might have expected.

”What was I even thinking...”

She stood up, lamenting at herself for her paultry attempt to drag Alan down. What was she even hoping to accomplish? Alan’s strength was no joke...

This was a man that could probably lift a building without enhancing himself without mana, at all! Not even an SSS-ranked could do that without enhancing themselves with mana...

The difference of species was far too great. Dusting herself off, she asked me.

”Aren’t the greatest fighters those that can think of every move their opponent is about to make, and counter them?”

Alexander let out a chuckle from the sidelines, and I suppressed one myself too. I wouldn’t dare laugh and upset her more.

”Not really, anyone who thinks too much during a fight is dead, or has never been in a fight. You can think during one, yeah, but to do it to that length? Suicide.

It’s mostly instinct, muscle memory and stance, and physical prowess.

If you have a weak body you can strengthen and enlarge your muscles with mana, thus increasing your physical prowess, but it is the least important thing. Precisely because it can be controlled as easily as that.

Instinct is also a wild card, but you would be surprised as to how vital and common it is during a fight to the death.

I was more of an instinctual fighter myself, Master Arken had trained me in order to use them the most. Stance and muscle memory were also important in my style of fighting but not so much.

It isn’t easy to knock me off the ground, and when I take a proper stance it’s almost impossible to do so unless the difference in power is far too large.

As for muscle memory, it’s similar to instinct, but it has it’s uses... For others, instinct works for me fine. The instincts of a dragon are nothing to laugh at, I just do as my body wants me to do, and my mind is compelled to act upon it.

Usually, it’s the best course of action. I have yet to find my instinct fail me greatly. Minor mistakes, yes, but never fatal.

It’s kind of ironic, really. Among all of Master’s students, the one who relied on instinct the most was the last to unlock the state of ’Enlightenment’. I shook my head and sighed.

It’s not like I could be mad or disappointed in her, even I had the same thoughts until Master Arken beat them all out of me. Obviously I can’t do that to Sabrina, but she isn’t as stubborn and dumb as me.

”Look, your a mage, so I won’t tell you to hone your skills to extreme degrees. Just enough to hold your own for a while until help arrives.”

”What if I’m alone?”

”You have me, your never alone.”

She shrugged her shoulders.

”Fair enough...”

Though it may go against what I said before about how combat is murder... Sabrina is a mage, she is already going for that in any fight. Instead of weapons or fists she is using magic.

The end goal is the same, the means used to achieve it different. Furthermore, she doesn’t need to master any martial techniques or weapon. She only needs enough to hold her own in a fight.

While I’m ecstatic to teach her about this, I also have to think of this logically.

I can’t put her through what master put me through... Anyone else, yeah, but I don’t have the heart to do that to her.

So I have to take this gently as well as teach her some variety of weapons.

While my specialty lies in the spear and my fist, master did make sure to teach me the basics of every weapon.

She mainly uses a staff, so I can teach her the spear, a spear is just a staff with a blade at the end after all, and she shouldn’t have any problem manifesting one.

Or she could just whack the shit out of the enemy, Blunt damage is also very good.

A spear is also very easy to use, something I’m sure she can pick up quickly.

But I can’t be satisfied with just that, so what would be something else I can teach her?

Hand to hand combat... Well, that’s granted of course. I’ll teach her everything I know about that. But what she needs is another weapon...

But what? I can’t think of something at all?

Spear/staff, hand to hand combat and... Daggers/knives?

’Yeah, that sounds good.’

Pleased with myself, I was beginning to think I was a good teacher, perhaps even equal to Master Arken, in a more gentler way.

Only with her, though.

”I got it, I’ll teach you how to use a spear and a staff, dagger arts, and hand to combat.”

I was proud of myself, although my expertise on daggers is lacking, I can probably do a good job.

However, my student was looking quite odd, a face of contempt apparent on her face, perhaps even disgust.

”... Can we not do the hand to hand combat? I’d rather not get that close.”

”Yeah no. You know what? We are starting with hand to hand combat.”

Germ freak or not darling, I’m going to make you a fighter. Even if you hate it.

It’s the best for you, after all.