I reforged the glory of the magic ring in Middle-earth

Chapter 48: A teacher who is passionate about combat skills
Facing Fili and Kili's confusion, Bernard patiently silenced them and explained, "Listen to me first. This combat technique requires mental preparation, lowering your center of gravity, and steadying your steps. This instantly increases your defense and reduces damage."

Qili still felt that what Bernard said was too fantastic, but he was unsure, so he looked at his brother Fili.

Fili was carefully recalling how Bernard looked when he was attacked by Qili. If his memory was correct, Bernard did not show any signs of shaking.

Could it be that what Mr. Bernard said was true? Philip was a little skeptical.

Bernal shrugged. "If you don't believe me, try it on each other. Kili, you punch Fili like you just punched me. Fili, you try to perform the endurance combat technique I just told you to."

Qili's eyes lit up. "Really?"

Fili looked at his brother with a speechless look: "Wait a minute, if I fail to perform my fighting skills, won't you punch me in the face for nothing?"

Qili nodded in sudden realization. Just when Fili thought his brother understood what he meant, Qili suddenly smiled confidently: "Then if I don't punch you in the face, won't the problem be solved?"

Is it a question of punching someone in the face? Fili’s eyes widened.

Bernard urged, "Alright, both of you hurry up and don't dilly-dally. If you think Qili can't do it, let me do it."

Fili glanced at Bernard and saw him eagerly groping for the hilt of the knight's greatsword stuck in the ground. He quickly said, "No need, let Kili do it. But Mr. Bernard, could you please repeat it again?"

"Of course, no problem. Kili, listen carefully. After Fili attempts his endurance combat technique, it will be your turn."

Bernard readily agreed, and Qili, whose name was called, saw that his brother suddenly became interested for some reason.

He doesn't really want to beat me, does he? Qili wondered.

Fili took a deep breath, crossed his hands in front of him, and assumed the same defensive posture as Bernal just now.

Bernard noticed Fili's lack of confidence and said, "It's hard to describe how to successfully perform the Endurance Technique. When you feel your body become as hard as steel in a moment, it means you've succeeded. If that doesn't work, just keep repeating the name of the technique in your mind."

Fili nodded, then nodded to Kili, "Come on."

Qili also hit his brother's face without any hesitation.

Patience! Patience! Patience!!!
Fili's orange pupils watched as Qili's fist continued to grow larger and larger in his field of vision, and he screamed nervously and desperately in his heart.

"—!"

At a certain moment before Qili's fist hit his cheek, Fili really felt that his body seemed to become as hard as iron, and an indescribable sound came from inside his body.

It worked!
Fili cheered inwardly.

But the next second, a burning pain came from his cheek, making Philip's eyes go black.

However, his body did not shake at all, just like Bernal who had been attacked before. Only Philip's head with golden orange braids and short beard shook several times.

Bernard then smiled and said, "Well, not bad, not bad. You got it straight away and successfully demonstrated endurance. But there's one thing I forgot to tell you. While endurance combat techniques can reduce the damage done to the user, the pain remains the same."

Fili tensed up, using all his strength not to cry out from the pain in his cheek.

Then he raised his face, looked at Qishi with a forced smile, and said word by word through his teeth: "Qili, it's your turn."

Qili blinked. Even if his reaction was slow, he knew what Fili was going to do to him next.

So Qili asked Bernard, "Teacher Bernard, can I learn a different combat technique?"

"no!"

At this moment, Bernal and Fili refused in unison and looked at Qili with a smile.

Finally, amidst Qili's screams, the dwarf brothers were able to master the technique of [Combat Skills·Endurance].

Bernard warned earnestly, "Fili, Kili, even if you have mastered the combat skill [Endurance], unless it is unavoidable, do not actively use it to trade wounds with the enemy. It does not make you invulnerable. Do you understand?"

Philip collapsed on the field and responded weakly, "We understand, Mr. Bernard."

Then he looked at Fili and Kili, whose faces were still swollen and tired even though they were trying to endure it, and took out his Red Dew Drop Holy Grail bottle and handed it to Fili.

He weighed the red bottle in his hand and said, "Tannis should have told you what the liquid in this bottle does. Drink it, restore your strength, and prepare to practice the next combat technique."

When Fili and Kili heard that they were going to practice the next combat technique, they showed a resigned expression on their faces.

They had some initial understanding of why Teacher Tanes looked at them with sympathy before leaving, and also told Bernard to be more restrained.

The dwarf brothers each took the Red Dew Drop Holy Grail and took a sip. The physical strength they had consumed was quickly replenished, and the physical injuries they had suffered while practicing endurance combat skills were also quickly restored to normal.

Bernal looked at Fili and Kili, who had stood up again and adjusted their mindsets to prepare for the next combat skill. He smiled with satisfaction again. "Very good, both of you are very energetic. What combat skill would you like to learn next? If you don't tell me, I will choose it myself."

Fili was afraid that Bernard would teach them another technique similar to [Endurance], so he quickly asked, "Teacher Bernard, could you please teach me the technique you used on Teacher Tanes when you and Kili first sparred?"

Bernal searched his mind for information about the recent duel, then nodded and said, "Oh, you are talking about [Vacuum Slash]."

Fili and Qili nodded vigorously immediately. The considerable power and invisible attack method of this fighting skill made the dwarf brothers particularly want to learn it.

However, Bernard shook his head. "With your current strength, it's still a bit difficult for you to learn [Vacuum Slash]. Even if I teach you now, the power of your combat skills will not reach your expectations. If you want to fully master [Vacuum Slash], you have to start from the most basic combat skills, unless..."

Qili asked impatiently, "Unless what, Mr. Bernard?"

Bernard looked at Qili and said, "Unless you possess a weapon with the [Vacuum Slash] skill, you can skip learning it." Then Bernard looked toward Tanes leaving the training ground and said, "But among the people I know, it seems that only Tanes has such a weapon. The skill attached to that weapon was created by him and a skilled blacksmith."

After hearing what Bernard said, Fili's mind immediately came to the Frozen Shell Axe on Thorin's waist, which he loved so much and never left.

He had heard his uncle mention the origin of this battle axe, which was a battle axe given by Tanes, with magical witchcraft powers. Fili saw with his own eyes that Thorin used the battle axe to freeze the attacking Orcs into ice sculptures.

Fili glanced at Kili, and it was obvious from the latter's eyes that he was also thinking of Uncle Thorin's battle axe.

"Such a magical weapon is so precious. I think even Teacher Tanes would not give it away casually. Besides, we have already gained too much from Teacher Tanes... Teacher Bernal, please let Qili and I start learning from the most basic combat skills first." Fili patted his cheek and said with energy.

Kili nodded vigorously as well.

Bernard praised loudly with satisfaction, "Excellent! I'm very pleased that you're willing to work hard to lay a solid foundation! Then let's start with the most basic combat skills!"

Fili subconsciously looked at his younger brother, Qili, and rubbed his face, which was hurt from being beaten. He asked softly, "Um, Mr. Bernard, can you start by teaching me fighting skills that won't hurt?"

Bernard didn't refuse. He nodded and walked towards the armory, saying loudly, "Of course, no problem. Let's start with [Ready Stance]!"

Along with the sound of weapons being rummaged through in the armory, Bernal quickly returned with three of the most common standard long swords and three iron-shaped shields in his arms.

He threw the sword and shield to Fili and Kili, and the two dwarves caught them very accurately. Now all three of them had a sword and a shield in their hands.

Although the sword and shield seemed a little awkward for Fili and Qili.

After all, they were dwarves, and the longswords and medium-sized shields used by normal humans almost became "big swords" and "big shields" in their hands. The standard longswords were several centimeters longer than their legs, and the iron-shaped shields almost covered half of their bodies.

Bernard didn't draw his sword from its sheath. Instead, he turned directly to Fili and Kili and asked, "I have a question. When you're in close combat, what do you do when facing an enemy with a raised shield?"

Qili answered without hesitation, "Of course, get around to the enemy's side or behind them as quickly as possible, where their shields can't protect them."

Fili thought for a moment and replied, "If it were me, I would probably throw a throwing knife at the enemy's eyes, and when they raise their shield to protect their upper body, I would quickly rush over and attack their exposed lower body."

Bernal said, "Well, both of you are actually right. They are both reasonable ways to deal with an enemy holding a shield. But the preparatory stance I'm going to teach you is a combat technique that can directly penetrate the enemy's defense from the front."

Then he raised his scabbarded sword, keeping it parallel to the ground, and said to Fili and Kili, "No matter how much I talk, I will never be able to see it in action. Fili, raise your shield with both hands and do your best to block my attack."

With a look of doubt in his eyes, asking, "Why am I the one suffering first?", Fili made a bitter face and followed Bernal's instructions. He gripped the handle of the iron-shaped shield tightly with both hands, lifted it up, and hid his body behind the shield.

"Qili, watch my movements carefully. Switch places with Fili later and let him watch my movements carefully as well." Bernal said as he looked at Fili.

Fili poked his head out from behind the shield, nodded to Bernal, and quickly retracted it.

Seeing that Fili was ready, Bernal lunged forward, and the scabbard in his hand hit the lower half of the shield from bottom to top.

Philip, who was hiding behind the shield and holding the shield handle tightly, felt like he was hit by a goat. He couldn't hold the shield and his body staggered back a few steps.

If it weren't for the dwarf's exquisite control of his balance, Philip would have sat down on the ground long ago, instead of staggering backwards to release the force like he was now.

Of course, this also has a lot to do with Bernal not using his full strength.

Otherwise, Philip would be flying backwards now.

Bernal quickly reached out and grabbed Fili's arm to help him stabilize his body.

Fili first looked at his hands, which seemed to have lost their strength, with wide eyes in surprise, then looked at Qili silently, his eyes asking what Qili had just seen.

Qili noticed his brother's look and frowned. "Mr. Bernal is just attacking your shield from below in a very ordinary way. No, it doesn't seem very ordinary. The moment Mr. Bernal moved, I seemed to see something different about the weapon in his hand."

Bernard didn't hold back. He said directly, "That's the feeling of a successful combat technique. Kili, now it's your turn. Fili, stand in Kili's place and observe me."

Kili nodded, picked up the shield and switched places with Fili.

Afterwards, he behaved in the same way as Fili, with his shield almost falling out of his hand, and he staggered backward.

Although Qili's face was filled with surprise, he also felt anticipation and excitement for being able to learn this fighting skill.

Fili walked over, also surprised. "I understand what Qili meant. When you attacked, Mr. Bernal, there was a moment when every part of your body reached a perfect level of coordination, and that lasted until the end of the attack."

Qili nodded repeatedly: "Yes, yes, that's pretty much what I was going to say."

"Okay, okay, you dwarves are really interesting. You can guess the essence of the fighting skills after just watching it once. Well, you have all seen the demonstration of preparation postures, and it's your turn to use your fighting skills on me. Fili, you go first." Bernard said while laughing.

Fili nodded, imitating Bernal's previous gesture.

But Bernard came over, extended his hand, and personally corrected Fili's posture, step by step, teaching him enthusiastically: "Keep the sword parallel to the ground, and don't lower your body's center of gravity too low. Relax your muscles, don't tense them... Kili! Don't just stand there, come and see where your brother's posture is wrong, so you don't end up like him."

As Bernal spoke and the dwarf brothers studied diligently, time slipped away like water through their fingers day by day, and in the blink of an eye, it was a month later.

Roger and D, unable to hide their fatigue from the journey, returned to the territory of the Golden Tree and brought back news of Shabad.

And an old friend also came back with them, and the three of them met in the quagmire of Shabad.

Gandalf, riding a white horse, wearing a gray robe and a wizard's pointed hat, looked up in shock and looked at Hyde Fortress, Morn City and Stonewell City standing on this land.

After a brief moment of surprise, Gandalf, an old and wise man, smiled faintly: "My friend Tanis really gave me a big surprise."

(End of this chapter)