"Gehehe. This thing keeps jumping off. " He said while tucking the plate back inside his shirt. " You can call me Quentin, I'm one of the ones responsible for this headquarters here. They told me about you Leon. Managed to defeat an orc alone on the same day you joined a group."
He nodded to himself and went back to smoking. " You have a good body for swordsmanship, it's worth teaching you a few things if you want. " As soon as he said that, Leon did not hesitate and spoke with conviction. " I accept !. In the fight against the orc I saw how limited I still am. "
Leon looked at the broken sword in his hands. " I understand the basics with a sword. Slash, thrust. Defense. But none of it is good yet. And you said I could have cut the wood. I have no idea how. If you can help me I would be grateful. "
As he spoke his eyes shone with the sunlight and he waited for Quentin. " Gahaha, well said. Young people these days don't want to listen to their elders. Very well, let's get to work. You have a mission tomorrow. So I'll teach you a few things today itself. "
Quentin threw another wooden long sword in Leon's direction, which he caught with his free hand.
" Now get into position again. "
Leon walked a little further back while looking at the dummy again. And soon entered the stance to attack exactly as he had done before. Muscles tense, vision focused on the target.
" You already understand the basics, but you still need to fix that basic. " Quentin said while walking up to Leon, who was already in the position he thought was correct. The old man then touched Leon's shoulder pushing it slightly to the side. Then adjusted his leg, moving it a little inward. And then pushed the back leg, which stayed as the base, slightly outward.
That made all the strength Leon was using there feel more natural to him. " You don't have a sword in your hand, you have an extension of your body. The moment you enter combat, that is what will make the difference between you winning or losing. "
Quentin then walked to Leon's front, casually placing the cigar in his mouth to smoke. " Your strength begins first in the ground, and then it is distributed to the rest of the body. " Quentin picked up a sword and took the same position he had put Leon in.
But he moved the sword from top to bottom as if attacking the air, and along with it a wave of wind formed as the old man swung the blade. Leon paid attention to the entire form. And especially at the end, where the ground where Quentin stood had cracked forming the imprint of the old man's feet.
" Feel your strength, it's not simply forcing your whole body. Get closer to the dummy. And attack. Start with the basic and then try to apply the same while running. "
' He is much more experienced than me. Simple movements that emit an absurd force ! ' Leon looked a little excited at the old man. And then positioned himself closer to the dummy as instructed.
Taking a deep breath, he spread his feet forming his base, holding the sword with both hands, Leon tensed his body as he had seen. And then delivered the strike from top to bottom aiming at the wooden arm.
The sound was different, denser, more fluid. And then a heavy impact hit the ground. It was not a clean cut, Leon's strike had gone halfway through the log, and then cracked it diagonally outward.
The young man's arms trembled, muscles contracting, not because he used too much force, but because he used it the right way, or almost the right way. And then he received a system pop up.
[ Basic Swordsmanship acquired ]
' What ?. ' And then right after " And you managed to cut it, didn't expect that on the first try Leon. Gahaha !, but you still have a long road ahead kid, don't get carried away. "
Quentin soon started walking out. " Now get ready, you're paying for dinner for the training ! " And then went inside the door laughing loudly. Leon imagined that refusing what Quentin had just said was not really an option. So he grabbed his shirt putting it on and went after the old man.
They walked for a while until arriving at a place that looked like an old bar. " Here they make good food. " Quentin said while walking inside. ' I hope I can afford this... ' Leon didn't have much money left, but if he could eat something good he would already be happy.
Sitting on the chairs, he could notice some looks directed at him and the old man, but the latter ignored them, and so Leon did the same.
Without time to think about what to order, the old man already spoke. " Bring the usual Rein, for two !. " He looked at the bartender of the place who nodded.
" This place is wonderful, they serve good beer, and tasty meat !. " The old man seemed like an easy person to talk to. It didn't take long and the food arrived at the table. Two large plates of meat with salad, and two glasses of beer.
Leon left the beer aside, and soon began to eat, remembering how good roasted meat tasted, almost tearing up with emotion. " Mhmf This is really good !. " He said with his mouth full while putting more meat inside.
"Mhpf Yes, I come here when I'm not on a mission." Also speaking with his mouth full, Quentin soon after took a big gulp of beer and slammed the glass on the table " This is life !. Gahaha ! "
In the middle of dinner, the bar door was thrown open as a group of four men entered as if the place belonged to them. All of them looked rough, they didn't seem to be mercenaries either. Soon arranging a table for themselves.
Leon didn't pay much attention to it and continued eating calmly. " Do you work a lot then Mr Quentin ?. " The old man answered nodding his head up and down, soon coughing exaggeratedly and taking another sip of beer.
" I'm almost never free, today I managed using a good excuse. " He pointed his fork at Leon. " You're the kid who killed the orc. I wanted to see what you were like. " Leon raised an eyebrow. " And what did you think ?."
" You. . . " As he was about to speak, a commotion happened in the back with the four men who had entered earlier. A woman's scream was heard. Leon, who was focused on what Quentin was about to say, looked toward the sound.
Seeing a woman who was one of the bar attendants, with one of the men at the table complaining and pulling her by the arms.
" You have to do as I told you !. Don't they make anyone useful in this place anymore !? " One of the men shouted at her while holding her by the wrist.
Leon slammed both hands on the table as he stood up. He felt a vein bulging at the side of his forehead. " Hey you !. Let her go. " Leon said while looking at the group of men whose attention turned toward him and Quentin.
" And what are you going to do about it big boy ?" He pushed the woman who fell sitting on the floor, grabbing a bottle from the table, and the group moved toward Leon. " Is grandpa here scared that he's not saying anything ? "
The man said while smashing the bottle over Quentin's head, who fell to the side onto the floor without reaction.