"Well, follow me to the training area so we can get a look at your skills and see what best suits you." Caz motioned for me to follow as we walked in the back.
My eyes widened at the training area before me. It was rather large with dummies to practice on and targets to shoot scattered across the large circular room. There were wooden swords and bows scattered around on the smooth wooden floor.
"First, take this," Caz said as he tossed me a wooden axe.
I swung it a few times.
My form was clumsy and stiff.
Next, I was given a wooden spear.
My balance was uneven with it.
So, I tried a bow.
An utter failure.
Finally, I was given a sword and shield.
This, too, seemed to be a failure, as my form with the sword and shield was stiff and ragged.
"Wow, ya really suck don't'cha?" Ellie said.
"Hey, I told you I've never done this before, so don't judge me." I sounded rude, but I was actually having fun for the first time in a while. And upon practicing with the weapons, I had reached level 3.
"Yeah, but kid, I've never seen someone suck with all weapons."
"Yeah?" I stared at my left hand where I wielded the sword.
Even on Earth, I was an uncommon thing. I was left-handed, and in this world that was even rarer, or so Caz mentioned.
In reality, I'm not surprised that I wasn't good with any of the weapons. After all, in my old world, I never did anything. I never worked out, practiced sports or any fighting techniques. All I ever did was play games, read manga, and watch anime.
I was about to give up and accept that I may not be a fighter when an idea crossed me.
Hang on, I'm trying to fight like everyone else would in a video game, with the basic stance and all that. But I should actually use what I find comfortable.
The answer was so obvious.
The reason people of this world could be naturally skilled with a weapon they never picked up before was because this world worked like a game, giving everyone a skill they are good at along with a stance. I wasn't from this game like world though, so instead of using the world's default stances, I'd use something that I thought was cool, more me.
I dropped the shield and got in a low stance as I bent my knees a little and put my right foot in the front and left in the back. Instead of holding the sword forward, I held it backwards, with the blade behind me.
This stance was known as Zatoichi style, although I was a nerd, so I considered it to be the Jedi Form Shien, a battle form from the Star Wars saga. (LOL)
I raised it up and focused on the dummy. With a single fluid movement, I kicked off the ground and was in front of the dummy. I hit it with the sword, and as the sword reached the opposite side of the dummy, I twirled and slashed again, once that hit connected, I twirled again, slashing up.
It was a rather unusual sight and style of fighting. It consisted of me twirling and spinning around.
"Wow!!" Ellie clapped her hands together. "That was impressive."
"Ya think?"
"Stop flirting," Caz said as he pated my shoulder.
"I wasn't fli-"
"Pa, don' tease him." Ellie chuckled.
"Sorry, couldn't help it," he shrugged with a grin. "But it looks like you found your weapon, and you're fighting style, as unusual as it is."
"Yeah." I smiled for the first time in a while.
I actually had fun and even enjoyed being here.
After that, we went back to the front and I bought a custom-made sword. It would take a while to make it, and it was more expensive too.
It's not like there wasn't a sword I didn't want in the store, in fact, I saw several I would have bought. I didn't do this so they could get more money though! Really!
As Caz was in the back, where the smithing happens, Ellie showed me around the store, pointing out gear she could make.
She recommended some medium or heavy armor for a beginner like me, for extra protection. I, of course, refused and said I'd rather light armor to allow for more free movement. My fighting style required it after all.
She agreed, after much arguing, and showed me some styles she could add to upgrade my gear. She told me that picking light armor wouldn't make any changes to my armor, but rather have a protection spell placed into the fabric.
She took the clothes, leaving me in an robe she had given me, until she came back 30 minutes later with my clothes. I put the gear back on and was dusting myself off when she handed me a glove.
It would go on my left hand and was a fingerless dark grey leather glove. She told me she added an enchantment to it called Grip, which enhanced my grip on the sword so it would be harder to get knocked out of my hand.
"So how much longer till the swords done?" I asked as I sat down on the counter. I didn't want to wait to much longer. There was a whole world waiting out there.
"Well, the sword ya asked fer is quite strange in mah book. A black an' red blade. That requires rare material, which I'm sorry ta say, will cost ya more." I waved my hand dismissively.
"Price isn't an issue."
"Really? What, are ya loaded with money or somethin'?"
"I wouldn't say loaded, but I have a decent amount..."
Thanks to that old man...
"Hmmm. I see," she looked at me. "What are ya planin' ta do after ya get yer weapon? You gonna become an adventurer?"
"Yeah. I thought it'd be fun to go fight things and get stronger, ya know?" I looked at the her as I spoke.
"Get stronger huh," she smirked. "How strong are ya?"
"Oh, uhh…" a sweat bead appeared on the side of my head. "Not very. My level is still pretty low."
"Really? I'm level 24."
"Oh?"
"Yeah! I had to practice my skills at weavin' an makin' good armor. So that gave me quite a bit of experience. Though I haven' leveled up in a while since then."
"So…you're stronger than me. Is that what you're getting at?" I raised an eyebrow at how she smirked when I said that I wanted to get stronger.
"Oh, I don't know," she shrugged. "Maybe jus' a little."