Chapter 105: Negative Status Effects and Combo Techniques
After asking around a few Adventurers in the North District Training Ground, I quickly spotted Kashya in the Amazon Training Camp. The Amazon Training Camp, as the name suggests, mainly has two fields: the Archery Practice Field and the Javelin Practice Field. Warriors in the Diablo World are divided into several Levels: there are Beginner Students who aren't even a match for a Fallen. After training for a period in the academy, these Students can generally become qualified Soldiers. If they have the Aptitude/Talent, they can continue to advance to Mercenaries, or even Class Changers. The Archery Practice Field in the North District is only accessible to Warriors of Soldier Rank or higher, while these Students can only practice in the Training Camp.
Kashya was currently strolling on the Archery Practice Field, holding a thin Staff in her hand, and occasionally tapping a Student on the waist or leg with the Staff: "Stand up straighter."
The Student who was reminded immediately straightened their waist. To be taught by Lady Kashya was an immense blessing for them.
Sweat, could this be the legendary Devil Instructor? I was already starting to back down in my mind.
I just didn't expect Kashya, who was usually so carefree, to personally come to the Training Ground to teach these Students. The Warrior Leader who I had originally only pictured drinking alcohol and teasing people in my mind instantly rose to become a diligent and responsible Senior. This was much stronger than Fara, who only knew how to research.
"Yo, kid, you're here. I thought that old fellow Fara would be playing until very late." Kashya walked towards me in a casual manner.
"Lady Kashya, could you please not use the word 'play' which has ambiguous meanings?" I was already speechless at Kashya's teasing.
"Haha. It's fine, it's fine. Since you're here, let's officially begin our Course." Kashya patted my shoulder, almost sending me tumbling into the stinking ditch nearby. Damn, was it necessary to use so much strength?
Afterward, I followed behind Kashya and arrived at the Training Camp's Javelin Practice Field. There were still many Students practicing inside, but Kashya quickly sent them away to the Archery Training Ground. Speaking of the Amazon Training Camp, it was truly spectacular. The other six major Classes all had both men and women, but due to Class preference, the proportion would be slightly skewed. For example, among Paladins and Barbarians, males accounted for the majority, while Wizards were mostly women. Druids and Assassins were relatively balanced. As for the Necromancer Class, because the nature of their work is a bit... unusual, it is very Rare. I haven't seen many to this day, and I've never seen a female Necromancer. Heh, the first time I saw Lin Ya, I even mistook her for a female Necromancer.
As for the Amazon Class, it was the most peculiar. I had never heard of male Amazons. Of course, they might exist, but they are just very Rare.
Therefore, in the Amazon Training Camp I saw, women accounted for almost eighty percent. In my opinion, the remaining men would at most reach the level of Mercenaries in the future. Although I also look forward to the appearance of a male Amazon, hehe.
After everyone left, the huge Training Ground was left with just Kashya and me. At this moment, Kashya stood opposite me. She had completely shed her usual carelessness, and her expression was very serious. The tense atmosphere made me swallow a mouthful of saliva without realizing it.
"Oh dear, what should I teach?"
This solidified atmosphere lasted for a long time. Kashya suddenly dropped her facade, scratching her fiery red Hair, then pulled out her iconic large wine bottle and took a big gulp. The words she spoke almost made me fall to the ground.
"Lady Kashya, shouldn't you have thought about this when you offered to teach me?"
"Kid, that's true, but there's just too much to teach, and with your current Level, it all seems a bit impractical."
"..."
If I hadn't seen Kashya genuinely looking troubled, I would have even thought she just called me over specifically to strike my Confidence.
"Lady Kashya, why do you keep calling me 'kid'? I remember Lady Akara introduced me..." I twitched the corner of my mouth, extremely unenthusiastic about this way of addressing me.
"Because, well, if I have to call everyone by name, wouldn't there be a lot to remember? It's more convenient to use a unified address." Kashya laughed heartily, picking up the wine bottle and taking a big gulp as if to cover up.
Lady Akara, are you sure the two people you introduced me to are really okay?
"So, Lady Kashya, have you thought about what you want to teach me?" After a while, I couldn't help to ask again.
Kashya seemed to be really trying hard to strike my Confidence. She stood and thought for a while before slowly speaking.
"Alright, since I've already said it, I'll give you some good guidance. However, before that, I want to tell you that I am not a qualified teacher, so you won't learn much from me. In these few days, all I can probably do is..."
Speaking up to this point, Kashya paused. In an instant, the air seemed to solidify into an Entity, and the entire Sky seemed to "come alive". A Pressure surging from all directions almost suffocated me and made me collapse. Even standing was an extremely luxurious thing. And the source of the Pressure was Kashya, who had just been smiling cheerfully. At this moment, she seemed like a different person. An Aura that made people tremble emanated from her Body, like a bloodthirsty Demon God. That was the endless presence and killing intent that could only be forged through countless battles and countless deaths. And this Aura, so Powerful it materialized, kicked up the dust on the ground high into the air. The dust filling the Sky blocked the scorching sun's rays, dimming the entire Sky. And Kashya's figure, which wasn't particularly tall, now seemed like the master under this dim Sky, overlooking the entire land.
"All I can probably do is make you deeply understand your true shortcomings."
Every word spoken by Kashya seemed to carry immense weight, striking my heart. Just when I thought I couldn't take it anymore, this Pressure disappeared without a trace. I immediately collapsed onto the ground, gasping for air. I had never felt that air was so precious. My face and Body were covered in cold Sweat. I looked up at Kashya, but she looked like it had nothing to do with her.
Is this the Strength/Power of a Strongest Expert? I really was just a frog in a well. Just by presence, I was completely unable to fight back.
"I say, kid, your Willpower is too weak. It's even worse than that of ordinary Class Changers." Kashya frowned in dissatisfaction, seeing me sweating profusely.
Of course! I'm a genuine Otaku who transmigrated from a peaceful world. Willpower is not something that can be trained just like that. Reaching this level within a year can already be said to be a Miracle. I rolled my eyes but was unable to refute.
"Forget it, Willpower is a byproduct of Trial. After a long time of Trial, and with rich Experience, it will naturally come. So it's fine to leave it alone," Kashya said indifferently.
"Then, let's start training. Hmm, how should I guide you? As for Bow and Arrow, I heard that little girl Sharna has already taught you. Although her level is not up to par, when it comes to teaching Novices, she might be more suitable than me. So let's skip that. As for Javelin, you're not an Amazon, so it doesn't have much practical meaning."
Kashya said to herself, frowning and thinking hard. Wait, Bow and Arrow? Javelin?
"Lady Kashya, could it be that your Class is Amazon?" I asked in surprise.
"Huh? How did you know? Did I let it slip? Oh dear, really. No choice. Anyway, there's no need to hide it from you." Kashya patted her own Brain, looking indifferent.
Speaking of which, what exactly does "from you" mean?
"Alright, it's decided."
Just as I was feeling confused, Kashya finally had an Idea. She slapped the Staff in her hand hard into her palm.
"Kid, in these few days, I will let you see one of the techniques that a Strongest Expert must master."
"What technique?" Finally back to the main topic.
Kashya waved the Staff in her hand a few times. She didn't answer me immediately but asked with a chuckle.
"Combat, to put it simply, is nothing more than Attack and Defense. Kid, when you were on your own Trial, you must have had a relatively deep understanding of these two things, right?"
I nodded, considering it an admission.
"Then, what do you feel when you are attacked by an Enemy?"
"Feeling?"
I frowned: "A feeling of great Pain."
"Kid, I'm not talking about that," Kashya said with a headache.
"For example, what kind of situation appears?" she said with gestures. It seemed she really didn't have much experience as a teacher, but I understood her meaning.
"Well, if I don't Shapeshift, being hit by a Shaman doesn't matter much. If I'm hit by Monsters like Yetis (the second evolution form of Giant Beasts), my own Attack is sometimes interrupted."
I said gloomily. This situation often happens during combat. When a Monster's Attack lands on my Body, it often causes me some trouble besides Damage.
"Yes, that's exactly right," Kashya snapped her fingers and said happily.
"Generally speaking, when attacked by Monsters, several types of states can appear. The first type is what you just mentioned: being hit by weak Monsters like Shamans won't cause any Influence at all, because your Strength and Dexterity are much higher than theirs."
"In the second situation, when the Monster's Strength and Dexterity are not much different from yours, there's also no big problem. At most, it will slightly hinder your mobility, causing some deviation in your Attack Damage, or slightly reducing it."
"But starting from the third type, it becomes more troublesome. When the Monster's Strength is almost the same as yours or even a bit higher, its Attack can sometimes have a great Influence on you. At best, it will reduce your attack power and Accuracy. At worst, it will cause your Attack to deviate and miss, or even result in states like Attack interruption, pause, or stun."
Kashya's Tone slowly became serious.
"And the fourth type is even worse. Your Strength and Dexterity are much different from the opponent's. In this situation, being hit often has a certain Chance of being knocked back, or even a brief stunning phenomenon."
Kashya's words startled me. That's right! When dealing with Fallen, Shamans, and the like, if I Shapeshift into Werebear Form, I can often slap them away or make them dizzy. It feels great. This is the Gap brought by Strength and Dexterity. But I had never considered what kind of situation I would be in if one day, the Enemy's Strength and Dexterity were much higher than my own.
Seeing my appearance of sudden Realization, Kashya said in surprise and doubt: "Did your Master not teach you these things?"
I nodded honestly.
"Heavens. What kind of Master is this? Even more irresponsible than me," Kashya covered her face with her hand and said painfully.
"..." I really didn't know how to retort appropriately to Kashya's words.
"Alright, let's continue. Seeing how you still look completely ignorant, I'll explain in more detail," Kashya continued helplessly.
"Remember, for you, a Druid, you have neither the Assassin's Dexterity nor the Amazon's agility. Therefore, Strength and Dexterity are very important. Don't always think that putting on that Equipment is enough. If so, in the future, you will easily be knocked flying by those Monsters with a 'whoosh'."
To emphasize the seriousness, Kashya, holding the wooden spear in her hand, made a motion of swinging a bat to knock something away.
"Then wouldn't Wizards and Necromancers be very dangerous?" I suddenly thought.
"Oh dear, why is your Brain so slow? When did you ever hear of Wizards and Necromancers engaging in close-range combat with Enemies? If a Sorceress in a Party is approached by a Powerful Enemy, it means this Party is also almost finished. Even if they don't finish now, they will definitely finish later."
Kashya determined the Destiny of such a Party with an extremely harsh Tone, then immediately overturned her own conclusion within a few seconds.
"Of course, if this Sorceress or their Party is very Powerful and has rich Experience, that's another matter. Thinking back then, didn't Lord Tal Rasha also Trial alone in the identity of a Wizard? I am referring to ordinary Rookie Parties. Stepping back, even if truly approached by an Enemy, a Sorceress is not necessarily completely unable to fight back. Don't forget, a Wizard's Frozen Armor can Freeze Enemies. Even if knocked back or in a stunned state, it can effectively prevent the Enemy from continuing to pursue. And a Necromancer's Bone Armor similarly offsets a portion of Strength."
Kashya patiently explained these basic Knowledge to me, making me suddenly feel enlightened. It seemed every Class had its own set of self-defense techniques.
"Then, Lady Kashya, is there any connection between the states that appear due to Strength/Power Gap/Difference and the technique you are about to let me see?" Hearing Kashya's explanation, I was becoming more and more interested.
"That's right. The set of techniques I will let you see later precisely utilizes the Strength Gap/Difference to keep the Enemy in a state of passive Defense or even being beaten for a long time. This technique is especially useful against fast Enemies with little Strength. Understanding this technique doesn't necessarily mean becoming a Strongest Expert, but as a Strongest Expert, you must definitely master this technique," Kashya said eloquently.
"What is this technique called?" My interest had been completely aroused by Kashya.
"Combo!" Kashya picked at her fingernails and said carelessly.
I almost fell headfirst. Why does this Move name sound so familiar?
"Don't think I'm talking about those shallow Moves where Rookies just hack around with a Greatsword, which at best can only be described as 'continuous'. High-Level Combo is not that easy to master," Kashya said seriously, seeing my blank look.
Next, Kashya began to explain the principle of High-Level Combo to me.
In summary, the so-called High-Level Combo is a technique used when the Enemy's Strength is less than or similar to your own. To master this technique, first, you must understand the opponent's Strength intensity. Then, based on the opponent's Strength/Power, use appropriate Strength to Attack, making the opponent enter the three states of interruption, pause, and stun. Strength must be controlled well. If Strength is too low, these three states cannot be caused. If Strength is too high, it's easy to knock the Enemy flying. Just this one point of technique is already super troublesome. Not to mention the difficulty of controlling Strength, just judging the opponent's Strength is already very difficult. Even Monsters of the same type, their Strength will also fluctuate. To judge at the moment of Attack, how easy is that?
Then, there's the Body part to Attack. The size and shape of different Monsters are different, and the Chance of Negative Status Effects appearing is not high. At this time, you must judge which part to Attack has the highest Chance of appearing, and the effect and Duration of attacking different parts are completely different. This point is simply impossible to do without massive Combat Experience.
Third is consolidation and strengthening. The Enemy you face may not be just one. How to dodge the Attacks of other Enemies and stand in the most advantageous position to continue the Combo. I don't need to say more about this Difficulty.
In short, to describe it in one sentence, with my current Strength/Power, it's simply impossible to learn this technique. Even after another ten or twenty years, I may not be able to fully master it.
Seeing my frowning and distressed appearance, Kashya said seriously: "Kid, do you remember what I just said? My guidance is not for you to learn anything, but to give you an understanding, just a direction. In this world, to learn High-Level Combat Skills, there are never any shortcuts. Don't think that in just a few days, you can learn something from me. All I can do is point out a small path for you. To truly become a Strongest Expert, you can only rely on your own continuous effort, effort, and more effort."
Kashya's words were like a basin of cold water poured onto my feverish face. That's right! What's wrong with me? Could it be I read too many wish-fulfillment novels? Hearing about teachings, guidance, etc., I got excited, always thinking I could learn some technique from it and then my Strength/Power would greatly increase, but I ignored the most important Fact—being down-to-earth, taking one step at a time, accumulating bit by bit. This is the key to becoming a Strongest Expert. There is no ease whatsoever.
Thinking of this, I took a deep breath and tried hard to make myself calm. I bowed to Kashya sincerely and convinced: "Thank you for Lady Kashya's reminder. I already understand. I will definitely not be overly ambitious in the future."
Seeing me wake up from the fervent state, Kashya continued to say with an expression that says "this child can be taught".
"Although there's no way for you to learn anything, during these few days, I will let you properly experience this feeling. This will still be of some help to your future Combat Skills."
"Experience it?" The calmed down me suddenly had a bad feeling.
"That's right, kid, do you know? To prevent being hit by an Enemy Combo, there are also many methods."
Without waiting for my answer, Kashya continued: "First, the simplest method is to strengthen your own Strength and Defense, making it impossible for the Enemy to shake you. Then, it's dodging or blocking. Of course, a true Expert will not give you this opportunity. This depends on whose Technique is superior. Besides this, when being attacked is unavoidable, you can also adjust the angle of the attacked part to Weaken the Enemy's attack power, preventing its Attack from causing Negative Status Effects on yourself. Also, there are some relatively special Equipment that can reduce the Duration of Negative Status Effects, such as 'Faster Hit Recovery' and so on. However, this type of Stats generally only appears on Unique or higher Equipment, so don't count on it now."
"As for the last type, by constantly getting used to these Negative Status Effects, you can also shorten the Duration to a certain extent," Kashya smiled sinisterly, immediately giving me goosebumps all over.
"But the Enemies I have to face now should not have mastered High-Level Combo Technique yet, right? See if it's better to let me see something else more useful?" Kashya had already explained it so clearly, how could I not understand her meaning?
"Stupid! The reason I told you the principle of Combo, the ultimate goal is just to use it as an example to let you know how serious it is when Negative Status Effects appear. You can't possibly keep fighting Monsters weaker than yourself in Strength, right? Even if they don't Combo, how to effectively reduce Negative Status Effects during combat is also crucial. You who already have Combat Experience should also be able to deeply understand this, right?"
"In other words, what you said about letting me see High-Level techniques, the main purpose is just to make me get used to Negative Status Effects?" I said in complete Despair.