Chapter 453: Close-Quarters Training—Weier's Flaw

Weier still wanted to ask about the Magic Beast, but Jier waved his hand, indicating that it was his turn for the upcoming training.

"Knowledge and techniques of combat footwork." While speaking, Jier led Weier to a nearby open area with few people; the ground here was level, which was suitable for the two to practice footwork.

"Show me the footwork you have mastered first, let me see what your level is." Jier did not start teaching right away, but rather wanted to understand Weier's level first.

Weier did not hesitate; because there was no one else around, only Knight Jier, he directly drew his own Sword and used it as a training tool.

Weier stood firm, facing Knight Jier directly. He stood with his feet apart and turned his body to face the enemy. It looked similar to the combat stance Jier had taught before, but his feet were spread wider, and his legs were bent more deeply.

Doing this obviously allowed for faster movement and dodging, but because the legs needed to remain in a state of contraction and tension for a long time, this required long-term training to achieve. Otherwise, an average Warrior would lose strength after squatting for a little while, not only failing to utilize the advantages of this stance but even becoming unable to fight at all.

"Very good, the stance is like a drawn bow, ready to shoot a lethal Arrow at any time. Come, take me as the target and launch an attack on me. I will cooperate with you." Jier beckoned, signaling that Weier could begin.

Weier's legs sprang, and his whole body darted forward a distance. Plus, the Long Sword in his hand reached forward, directly and quickly thrusting toward Jier.

But Jier's feet just tapped lightly on the ground. Without armor or any weapons, his body was exceptionally light and agile. His whole person was like a leaf, like a feather, drifting backward half a meter, just enough to dodge Weier's thrust.

But then, Weier's feet stepped alternately, his movements small and steady, bringing his whole body close to Jier rapidly at a stable speed. At the same time, the Long Sword in his hand swung lightly in succession, forcing Jier, who had no weapons or protection, to constantly retreat or move left and right to dodge.

"Not bad, continuous attacks. It looks like just a few sword swings forcing me back, but in reality, there is a hidden killing move that hasn't been used yet. Are you testing my agility?" Jier praised him and asked.

To keep his breathing steady, Weier did not answer, only giving a grunt. Then, his whole body lowered, and he launched an extremely fast lunge while leaning forward.

This attack was particularly sudden, with absolutely no warning, but in fact, Jier's words just now showed that he had already seen that Weier would use the hidden killing move after finishing the test.

This abrupt lunge was the killing move. Originally, its suddenness and speed were very effective aids to an attack, but because it was seen through by Jier in advance, when Weier lowered his body for a lunge and swung his sword upward after getting close to Jier, he failed to hit anyone at all.

He couldn't even touch the corner of Jier's clothes.

"The speed of the lunge is okay, and the distribution of physical strength before launching the lunge is also relatively excellent. But the problem is, it's too standard, too rigid."

Jier shook his finger, pointing out the flaw in Weier's lunge just now.

This made Weier a bit confused: "Sir, why is a standard movement not good? My teachers all taught it this way."

Jier chuckled: "Ha, but real combat is not teaching. A Warrior with slightly more combat experience can read your next series of movements from your standard, textbook actions."

"Combat is like playing cards. You cannot rely on a so-called 'winning method' to play cards with people; such a method can only bully newcomers who are just starting to play. But old card players can tell how you will move next just by looking at your playing style."

Jier used a metaphor, but Weier, who didn't play local cards much, didn't quite understand, so Jier explained it clearly to him: "To put it simply, your movements are too standard, like a fixed combat routine already carved into your bones. You start by approaching the enemy, using continuous sword swings to judge the enemy's movement speed, dodging agility, and blocking technique and speed."

Spreading his hands, Jier expressed helplessness: "But as soon as I see you doing this, I guess that you will definitely have a killing move following the test. If I guess that you will use a killing move against me, then your killing move is used as expected—can it still be called a killing move?"

Weier's lips moved; he understood what Knight Jier meant at this moment.

His combat intent was too obvious, so obvious that it could be easily seen through by Knight Jier. Just like the metaphor Knight Jier used just now, this set of his was fine for dealing with some enemies without combat experience; those people would always be defeated by him relying on this or that combat routine.

But this method could only deal with some ordinary enemies.

"This all belongs to the problem of your entire combat logic. Go back and think carefully about how to change it, otherwise..." Jier didn't finish the rest of his words, but Weier wanted to know.

"Knight Jier, what would happen to me otherwise?" he asked.

Jier shrugged: "Since you asked, I'll say it straight. If you don't correct your entire combat logic, you will only be a second-rate, no, a third-rate Warrior."

Weier felt bad, but he had asked for it himself, so he continued to ask: "Then what is a first-rate Warrior like? What about second-rate?"

Jier stretched out his finger and pointed to the other Warriors still training around them, saying in a low voice: "Everyone's level is that of an unranked Warrior. They have the Yongqi and will to fight, but they lack the corresponding foundation and techniques. At this time, if they want to win a battle, they can only rely on numbers and scale, as well as a commander to coordinate and order them."

Then Jier pointed to Weier: "Your level is that of a third-rate Warrior. You have the Yongqi and will to fight, and you also have the corresponding foundation and techniques. But that is all. You can only mechanically apply the sword techniques your teachers at the Swordsman Academy taught you. Using them to deal with ordinary enemies is barely enough, but once you face some enemies with decent levels, you won't be able to cope. Even if you face an enemy with a similar level and combat style to yours, it will be very difficult for you to win; at most, you will fight to the death with the other party."

Weier's face looked even worse. Although he had some psychological preparation for hearing unpleasant words, he was still unhappy when he actually heard them.

Immediately after, Jier pointed to himself again: "And I am a second-rate Warrior. I can flexibly use various methods to deal with different enemies and will not be confined to a certain fixed method. This allows me to have a certain winning rate in battle even when facing various enemies I meet for the first time, and I won't be flustered, not knowing how to deal with the enemy."

"Then what is a first-rate Warrior?" Weier asked with a frown. He didn't expect that even Knight Jier was only a second-rate Warrior. It seemed there were still many mountains he needed to cross in the future, and the road he had to walk was still very long.

Jier smiled and replied: "First-rate Warriors definitely have one or two very powerful skills. Relying on these skills, they can deal with all situations and all enemies. They have found their own path and only need to improve these one or two skills to become stronger."

"Using fixed methods to deal with various enemies seems very similar to the third-rate Warrior you mentioned," Weier muttered.

Jier shrugged: "But the problem is that first-rate Warriors can solve the enemy, while third-rate Warriors cannot solve the enemy."

"Is it a question of the strength of the Warrior?" Weier said.

Jier shook his head: "No, it is a question of the strength of their skills."

Clapping his hands, Jier interrupted this topic and switched the topic back to training: "Okay, I have roughly grasped your footwork level, Weier."

Hearing this, Weier immediately stood firm and maintained a respectful posture, because Knight Jier was clearly going to teach him something.

"I found that your movement during combat is very solid. Whether attacking or pursuing, your footsteps assist your hand movements very well." Jier said while gesturing. He imitated the series of foot and hand movements Weier had just made, which were basically exactly the same as Weier's own movements.

"I suppose your footwork when dodging, moving sideways, or retreating is also perfectly standard," Jier guessed.

Weier nodded, confirming Knight Jier's guess.

But then Jier's tone changed: "But that is the problem. Your movement footwork is too standard and coordinates too well with your combat."

"Is there anything wrong with that? Knight Jier." Weier asked with a frown.

"Generally speaking, standard movements are a good thing, but just like the Warrior level classification standard I mentioned earlier, simply fighting according to fixed movements can only be the level of a third-rate Warrior. Your movements are so standard that just by looking at your movement, I can know whether you are going to attack or move. Whether you are going to dodge sideways or use your weapon to parry."

"Your footsteps have completely betrayed your combat intent, Weier!" Jier said finally.

Weier looked at his own feet in disbelief. It was the first time he had heard someone say that a person's footwork could expose a person's combat intent.

"Don't believe it?"

Jier asked with a smile on his lips.

Weier didn't say anything, but it was clear he didn't believe Jier's rhetoric.

"Then shall we try?" Jier asked tentatively. Weier didn't speak, and then Jier beckoned to Weier, letting him attack.

"I will let you understand that I am not deceiving you. People are like this; once the information given by the outside world is inconsistent with what they believe, they will instinctively feel distrust toward the outside information. Even if the outside information is true and correct."

Weier launched an attack.

"At this time, an objective verification is needed. Through verification, people can understand and acknowledge whether what they have always believed is correct, or whether the information given by the outside world is correct."

Jier just glanced at Weier's footwork and then dodged to his right rear. With one light movement, he avoided a slash that Weier had suddenly unleashed.

Immediately after, Jier didn't even look at Weier's movements. Following his previous dodging action, he leaned back slightly and avoided the sword-tip thrust that Weier had followed up with after finishing the slash.

The thrust Weier launched solely by flicking his wrist was originally very sudden, with no prior movement. Ordinary people would not be able to react at all, and as a result, their face and neck would be struck by Weier's thrust.

But Jier, with a smooth lean backward, had actually dodged this thrust from Weier in advance.

"Impossible!" Weier could not believe it, his hand movements becoming increasingly rapid.

But Jier merely glanced down at Weier's feet, then tapped his toes against the ground repeatedly to retreat, nimbly pulling back two or three meters. Jier's movements were actually one step ahead of Weier, causing all of Weier's sword swings during his subsequent advance to strike empty air.

Jier then dodged sideways, once again avoiding Weier's follow-up low-position thrust after his continuous sword swings with even more time to spare.

"How is this possible?" Weier refused to accept it, turning in place to deliver a backhand thrust, but where could Knight Jier be behind him? Jier had taken two more quick steps, actually moving against the line of Weier's turn to walk from his blind spot to behind Weier.

Just as Weier turned and thrust, feeling shocked to find no one there, the back of his head was pressed by a finger from Jier, signifying that he had already been defeated in this test.

"You are dead," Jier said softly.

Weier dropped his sword in disappointment, squatted on the ground, and covered his face with both hands, muttering: "Clearly, a while ago, when you, Knight Jier, first fought me, the battle didn't go like this."

Jier raised an eyebrow: "That was because it was the first time I met you and fought you. At that time, I wasn't familiar with your fighting style, so when fighting you, I would let you have two extra moves to test your level. But now, I have completely seen through your combat movements and fighting style, so with your fixed fighting style, I only need one look to know what move you are going to make next and where you are going to attack from."

"Is it really that obvious?" Weier asked, feeling very annoyed.

Jier nodded and said affirmatively: "It is truly very obvious. And to be honest, after getting familiar with your fighting style, you are even easier to deal with than the other Warriors in the team. Because when you do one, the next is definitely two; when you do three, you will inevitably perform the action of four. Your slashes are definitely followed by a sudden thrust; these have already become your subconscious actions. You could do them with your eyes closed, but that is precisely the problem."

Jier spread his hands: "And the other Warriors in the team don't have such fixed movement patterns yet. One is not necessarily followed by two; it could be three, or perhaps it's followed by twenty-seven, and twenty-seven is followed by nine hundred and ninety-eight."

"Pfft—" Weier was amused, patted his cheeks, and tried hard to cheer up.

He then stood up, looked at Knight Jier, and asked formally: "Then, Knight Jier, may I ask how I can break this set of fixed combat movements I currently have?"

Jier gave him an unexpected answer: "Weier, why do you want to break it? Isn't it smooth for you to use now? Can't it defeat your enemies? How many other people are familiar with your combat patterns and movements? Right? Think carefully, this set of yours is very mature now; unless there is a very necessary reason, why would you want to break it?"

"But..." Weier only said half a word before losing heart, not knowing what to do.

But fortunately, Jier immediately gave him the real solution: "Actually, if you ask me, there's nothing wrong with your patterns being fixed; the only problem is that the number of your patterns is too small. Going back and forth with just those few types makes it too easy for people to see through them all and respond one by one. But if your combat patterns could be more numerous, and you combined them randomly during battle to face the enemy, then the opponent would have to spend more time each time to see through your movements, and they would have to guard against you not attacking according to the pattern, catching the other party by surprise."

"As for the footwork in this training, your footwork is solid enough to use against enemies. You just lack more combat patterns to rotate through when facing enemies. As for your movements being betrayed by your footwork in advance, that requires you to increase your combat rhythm, so the enemy has no time to observe your footwork and thus know in advance the hand movements you are pairing with your steps."

"In short, you need to improve two things: one is to split your combat movements and patterns, turning them into a larger number of combat patterns to use against enemies and guard against being seen through. Second, you need to increase your combat rhythm to guard against your footwork revealing your combat movements to be seen through and countered in advance."

"I understand! Knight Jier!" Weier cheered up again.

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