Gamer of the Dead

Book 2, Chapter 57:

Alex leaps into the air before delivering a series of quick, precise attack with her kukri knife on one hand and legionnaire short sword on the other.

Bobby took a step back but is able to block every attack with his massive bastard sword. When Alex came too near, he countered with his shoulder to pushed her back, before taking a quick overhead swing with his own sword. The shoulder push was so strong that it staggered Alex and didn't have enough time to change direction before Bobby's sword came crashing down. Except that, Bobby stopped the momentum of his sword at the last moment and held it in mid-air. Alex is able to raise both her weapon up for an overhead block, but both knew exactly what would happen if Bobby let the sword hit her.

Bobby sighed. "Let's take a break," He said.

Alex didn't need to be told twice. She walked over to her bed in the restricted roof deck of the apartment and drank deeply from the 5-liter mineral water she kept there.

"Not too much," Bobby warned her. "The Water will weigh you down."

"As if that is the main problem here," Alex said in disgust. Both of them knew that she was falling for the same trap over and over again. They've been training for the last hour, and Bobby is using a bastard sword because the leader of team 7 happens to use a massive bastard sword with Cold elemental damage. Alex is intimidated by the weapon. Not only is she not improving, but she is actually getting worse.

"It's hard to think of counter-attacks when you are twirling that thing around like a freaking toothpick," Alex said, tapping the impressive sword. "I mean I can see that you can barely wrap your hands around that thick handle, but damn it, you are moving that thing faster than my Kukri."

Bobby stared at his sister as he thinks of something to better motivate Alex. "Let's try something else for now. Stand up," Bobby said.

Reluctantly, Alex did. Bobby vanished his bastard sword and stood there with only his hands up. "Let's try unarmed combat for now."

Alex shrugged and stored her weapons in her inventory before raising her arms as well in preparation. They took their stance, and after a moment, Alex sent a flurry of blows to Bobby who stood there and took it. Jab, jab, jab, elbow, uppercut, reverse elbow, then a low kick, followed by a high kick, twist, then follow up with a roundhouse kick, dropped to the ground, and attempt a sweep, use the momentum to raised body by one hand then a helicopter kick that ends in a hammer dropkick.

Bobby deflected and easily twisted around to avoid the series of blows, until the drop kick which he held in place with one hand before ending it with a clear elbow check at Alex's neck. They held still for a moment until Alex pushed him away with a groan.

"What happened?" Bobby asked, his voice clear.

"What do you mean 'what happened?' You stop all my attacks!"

"Yes, but how?" He insisted.

"You're faster and stronger."

"Forget about my speed and strength," Bobby said cooly. "Analyze the situation slowly. How did I beat you?"

Alex thought about it and realized something. She grew angrier. "You know the attack I'm throwing before it even happens." She said accusingly.

Bobby hid his smile and nodded proudly. "That's exactly right. The moment you attack, I know your attack pattern, and I know what your next ten moves will be."

"How?"

Bobby thinks for a moment how best to describe the situation. "If I'm not mistaken, you are a level 6 in unarmed combat and level 7 in your knife mastery."

Alex blushed. "Five in unarmed and 6 in knife mastery."

Bobby nodded. "Imagine a Shaolin monk learning kungfu when he was a boy until he becomes a grandmaster. Say he learned the entire art after a hundred years of training, and now the system used this as the direct basis of our knowledge in unarmed combat. Of course, this is an oversimplification, but say every level we received is like a cumulative ten years of that Shaolin guy's experience and knowledge."

"Okay... a bit far fetched, but I'm still with you."

'Yeah, so level 5 means you have the Shaolin monk's 50 years experience of learning martial arts. And a level 6 will have the same experience plus another ten years more than you. So obviously, if a level 5 fought a level 6 on equal ground, level 6 will have a distinct advantage against level 5. You still with me?"

Alex nodded. "Wherever the system gets the skill of unarmed combat, there is some sort of a model that we all learned. which means everything is standardized."

Bobby smiled proudly. Nobody said his sister was an idiot. "And your problem is that you keep using the system's default settings. Which, unfortunately, everyone knows. Only the one with great instinct and is able to analyze the skill realized this. And that basically is where your true advantage takes place. For example, if you throw a wide left haymaker, I know and everyone else who has the skill, that instinctively, your next move is to preserve your follow through and throw an elbow after."

Alex blink because that was her instinct as well in that situation. "It's like we are programmed or hypnotize to do something," she said, trembling.

"Yes, but it is a light programming. It is more like a guide than an actual manual on how to fight. What it means is that you can CHOOSE not to follow it. It will be hard at first because all those moves are instinctive. But as you get used to it and gain more experience, it will become easier and easier to walk away from the standardized to a more customized way of fighting."

"This is the basis for fighting someone who has a higher level than you are. The higher the level your enemies have on you, the harder this trick can be implemented against them. Bu the harder you practice this, the easier it becomes to break free from your enemies rhythm and fight in yours."

Bobby took comfort in the fact that despite their differences, Alex is listening to him and is implementing what he just told her. At least, she tries. "Alright," She said with determination. "I think I got it. Let's try it one more time."

They stepped in the middle of the rooftop and prepared themselves. The siblings were about to continue their practice when someone shouted from down below.

"Robert Raval of Apartment 1207, please come out of your apartment. This is team 7 of Base Command. In violation of protocol 6-2C of the team employment you signed upon entering the north base, you are under arrest. Either come out peacefully, or we come in and get you. Resist, and die!"