Lament of the Slave

Chapter 36: Claws

Rezso was not a trainer who was afraid to hurt his student, even though I paid him. He pointed out what I was doing wrong, explained and demonstrated to me how to do it right, which then I was supposed to show in practice. It always sounded easy, but it wasn't, and even though I tried my best, I always ended up on the ground with more bruises.

When I remembered my self-defense lessons on Earth, I had to admit that they weren't that different. That's why I also attended only a few classes before I decided it wasn't worth the pain. At the time, it seemed like unnecessary torture, of which I just had bruises that were sore all week.

I didn't expect to ever volunteer for something like that again. Wolfkin turned out to be stricter and more vigorous as a trainer than my previous one on Earth. Luckily my pain was eased by [Painless Agony], and my bruises were treated by [Never-Dying]. Unfortunately, due to the presence of skills and levels, he didn't have to pay much attention to safety and my complaints, so I got more bruises in half an hour than in a few self-defense lessons.

One hour was too little time, though.

Time flew fast, and before I knew it, it was eight o'clock, and my lesson was over. I felt like I had learned nothing, or rather it wasn't enough to absorb what I learned, to practice it. That's why I asked Rezso when he would have another free term.

Although I shouldn't be surprised, I was when he told me we could continue if I wanted to for another hour.

I gritted my teeth and suppressed my tears, not because of the pain but because of my tiny hoard. Another hour meant another expense. As a result, the purchase of weapons and armor was delayed. Not that I could buy them any time soon.

Even so, I agreed.

It was about an hour and a half in training when I asked Rezso, "How should I attack with my claws?"

"What claws?" He asked, looking at my human hands. "You mean your fragile nails?"

"No, no, no," I stopped him as I realized my mistake. He didn't know about my skill. "I have a skill that allows me to have them. Turn my fragile nails into real claws."

"Hmm..." He nodded and thought. "Such a style of fighting requires a different approach. You can't punch your opponent, but you have to slash him."

"Could you show me?" I asked him, realizing too late that I should have demanded it since I paid him for it instead of asking.

He looked at me as if making sure I meant it, "Just like before, I have to point it out to you that those with the right class have the skills to help them in such a fight. You will never be able to fight like them, to cause damage they can!"

"What skills?" I asked, wondering if there were any such skills among my general skills.

"[Slash], variations of [Sharp Claws], [Phantom Claws] which ignore the armor, hmm... [Magic Claws]." he named a couple.

I understood. Like my punches, my claw attack will be just an ordinary claw attack if I don't have the skills. Still deadly, but not so dangerous.

Nevertheless, I insisted on learning to fight with claws, at least the basics. It could be useful.

"Come on, show me your claws!" Rezso said, not persuading me to change my mind.

I didn't do it right away. Instead, I looked at him, "Last time, I was last told that I seemed to him like a high-level beast when I transformed. Just a warning!"

"Okay," the wolfkin nodded, obviously not as afraid of my transformation as I was.

It was understandable, I must have seemed like a newbie bragging about her skill.