East Meet West
Chapter 99: The Missing Key

99- The Missing Key

After I reached the training grounds of the Lamia tribe, I could hear the shouts of Instructors and Lamia people training.

Usually, I don’t come often to the training grounds, because their training routine is different from mine.

After I entered the training grounds, I went to the seating area, and then I started observing.

Some, Lamia’s were practicing with swords, some with spears, some with knives, and some with bow & arrows.

The Lamias practicing with swords were swinging swords repeatedly, they were slashing, piercing, stabbing, blocking.

The Lamias practicing with spears were practicing spear techniques. And others were practicing their respective weapon techniques.

The techniques they were practicing were mostly offensive. That leads to an imbalance during fights.

And the techniques that I learned in Gurukul and Leon clan were superior. They had many offensive, defensive and balanced techniques with them, which gives the person to choose anything they wish to learn. While from the looks of it, Lamia’s do not own a wide range of techniques. And hence they can only choose from the few available techniques. And they are mostly offensive type techniques.

Well, it can’t be blamed.

Lamias belong to the monster race and since monsters are endowed with huge strength, a strong body, extraordinary senses, and some extreme powers but, they lack creativity.

And Humans being physically weak, are compensated in the area of creativity and intelligence.

Anyone can swing a sword but humans possess the creativity to create a technique that can make a human stronger than an average guy. While the monster race depends on brute force and innate strength or abilities to fight.

So, the creator (if there is any), has made every creature with some drawback but also compensated with them something.

.

After seeing them practice for an hour, I felt bored and thought that maybe it is impossible to gain other jobs.

So, instead of wasting time, I decided to go back to my room and sleep.

.

“OK everyone, stop your practice.”

“Today, you will be having mock battles.”

“No matter how much you practice any technique, unless you use them in real battles, you will never learn anything.”

“Only after gaining combat experience, will you be proficient with the technique.”

“So, for the whole month, you will be having a one-on-one battle and every day your opponent with being different.”

“Everyone, divide into 3 categories according to their cultivation level. 1 group for Refinement stage, 1 for Evolver stage and the last group for Demi-Monster stage.”

“Now, I want everyone to line up, and one by one come to me and draw a number.”

“When your number is called, get on the fighting ring and you will have a one-on-battle.”

“Killing is prohibited, you will only win after your opponent is unable to continue or admits defeat or pushed out of the ring.”

.

I almost reached the exit of the training grounds, but suddenly I stopped walking.

Because I found the answer to my problem.

Even after I practiced with a sword, spear, axe, knife, and other weapons, I did not get any job or skills. But why did I get the ‘Blacksmith’ job within just an hour and without much effort?

I was racking my brain to find- What did I miss? What did I do wrong?

I studied the basics of the Blacksmith job from the book that I bought from the shop. But I had trained in many weapons while I was studying at the ‘Gurukul’ school and in the Leon clan. This means that buying a book from the shop, is not the answer to my issue.

I bought all the items required for the ‘Blacksmith’ job from the shop. But for getting jobs or skills related to sword, spear, or other weapons, I just need to have that weapon with me and I did have them. So, this is also not the answer to my issue.

I had just hammered the Bronze metal for 30-45 minutes and I did not put much effort into my technique or anything. But I practiced with every weapon for many days and put a lot of effort into it. And I still did not get a job or skill, which means there is nothing wrong here.

Or

So, I thought.

But when I heard the sentence:

“No matter how much you practice any technique, unless you use them in real battles, you will never learn anything. Only after gaining combat experience, will you be proficient with the technique.”

That’s when I realized the answer to my problem.

The key ingredient that was missing from the recipe.

The reason I did not get the job or skill was that- the ‘combat’ element was missing.

Although, I bought the book, items, materials, and other things related to the ‘Blacksmith’ job, and only after I started making the knife, I got the ‘Blacksmith’ job.

Of course, the book, items, materials, and other things related to the ‘Blacksmith’ job are also important.

And the same goes for my trials to get a job or skills related to sword, spear, and other weapons.

I had weapons, techniques, and experience with the weapons. But I did not spar with anyone.

I thought that just by practicing with weapons, I should be able to unlock a job or skill related to it, but I did not bother to have a spar with an opponent. And this was what missing and hence, I did not get any job or skill.

Of course, this is just a speculation, but something tells me that I am close to the truth.

So, to prove this theory, I must join this mock battle.

.

I went to one of the instructors and asked her,

“Hello, I would also like to participate in the mock battles, is that ok?”

The Lamia instructor was startled hearing my [male] voice and she looked at me. Then she realized who I was and said,

“Oh, are you sure? I mean, you are still getting treatment for the poison, so will you be fine?”

From her tone, I can understand that she was a bit worried that I might get hurt or it might affect my condition. So, I replied,

“Yes, I would be fine. It's just that I have been slacking off for many weeks and I feel that my skills will get rusty if I do nothing every day. And rest assured that if it gets dangerous, then I will quit.”

The Lamia instructor tried to convince me not to take part, but I did not listen and asked her for permission to fight.

Seeing my insistence, the Lamia instructor sighed and allowed me to participate in the mock battle.

Then she told me to join the line and wait for my turn to draw a number.

I got into the demi-monster stage group and waited for my turn to draw a number.

Actually, many people in the Lamia tribe have seen me but only a few people know about me. And the people like Lamia instructor are only aware of my poison condition and the fact that I saved Armelia.

Hence, the instructor recognized me and while I was standing in the Demi-monster group, other Lamia’s were whispering about me. And trying to figure out Who I was? Or What am I doing here?

Finally, someone’s asked me,

“Hey, are you also participating in mock battle?”

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