"Tell ya strength and dexterity stats first," Saku said.
Jake replied, "Strength—587. Dexterity—792."
Saku nodded, "Okay! I'll match them to make it fair and square! Now, close combat is what everyone should learn, including miners, archers, and mages! Ya can't tumble down and put your fate to luck when a swordsman or monster closes the distance on ya, right?!"
Jake replied louder, "Right!"
Saku grinned, "Haha! Good! We must take matters into our own hands and protect what's precious to us! Our parents, won, children, ores, and lastly, ourselves and our rules! It takes a lot to be a man!"
"Right!" Jake nodded, his mood taken over by Saku's presence and rigid rules.
He didn't have any woman or child to protect, but he understood where Saku was coming from and his words' crux. He was a good man from blood and bone!
Saku shouted, "Here I go! We'll practice in the darkness so as to ya can adapt faster to my close combat! I'll also tell ya where I'm going to punch you! A certain lady said you're handso, so I'm going for your face and abdon! Hands up!"
Jake gritted his teeth, "Don't make my face swollen like a pig, at least!"
"That's what I want to do!" Saku replied with a boisterous laughter.
The miner sank into the darkness.
It wouldn't have been an exaggeration to say that Saku was like a fish in the water.
He could effortlessly locate Jake and punch him in the face. Jake's right cheek suffered a heavy blow this ti. After that, Saku stood loyal to his words and directly struck Jake's abdon.
"Left forearm!"
"Once again, abdon!"
"How about your chest now!"
"Let's finish the art on your face!"
All those were Saku's words, as Jake didn't have room to talk. It was also difficult to catch breath now that his chest ached, and there was no room for respite.
Saku shouted, "Proper breathing does miracles to our strength and focus! Inhale!"
The more this close combat lesson lasted, the more pain piled on Jake.
Had Jake not put his system ssages into the corner of his eyes, the notifications of his health points loss would have sward his eyes. Amidst those, however, was a ssage telling Jake that his perception skill had adapted to Saku's close combat.
Jake felt that in his bones.
Alas, it was not enough because Jake lacked a technique.
He couldn't even block Saku's punch by raising his forearms to make a shield because Saku could easily go past such a newbie defense and hit him wherever he wanted.
"Ya are still standing! Aweso!" Saku exclaid.
Jake stuttered, "I… got beaten by a wolf boss for so ti… and learned to take blows."
"Haha! Ya were sotis tilting your body, so I was wondering what ya were doing! I see, I see!" Saku grinned. "Okay, that's enough for now. Ya need a break!"
Having said that, Saku went for the finisher. He closed up distance like a martial artist and entered Jake's comfort zone with minuscule moves. Before Jake realized any of this, Saku had already wound his arms around him and perford an over-shoulder throw, chucking Jake onto the ground.
The earth cracked.
All air escaped Jake's lungs upon the impact.
Saku sat down beside sprawled Jake and chuckled at him. "Ya did well enduring so much!"
"I won't leave you alone until I throw you onto the ground…" Jake whispered.
Saku scratched his cheek, "Eh, really? I wanted to mine tomorrow…"
Because of Jake's stubbornness, Saku didn't get to mine for a week straight.
-
'Should I tank this challenge to be free from him?' Saku thought as he stared at Jake, who was preparing to fight him. It had been a week since their first eting.
This player didn't chuck up the sponge. Regardless of how many tis Saku defeated and threw him onto the ground, Jake's enthusiasm hadn't faded. He'd co tomorrow as though nothing happened and challenge Saku again.
'I can't do that… that'd be too disrespectful. He's getting so much better, but I don't have all the ti for him! I want to mine!' Saku ca to the decision, then complained.
If he were to go to a mine, Jake would sohow find a way to get to him and trouble him. In fact, it was what happened on the second day.
Jake caught Saku in The Miner Guild and caused such an unnatural ruckus that everyone thought he was a disrespectful player. The receptionist who had recomnded him to Saku was all white because of this and regretted her decision.
Saku had already explained to her that she didn't do anything wrong.
Though annoying he must have been, Jake had a particular charm that Saku couldn't ignore.
It was particularly charming when Jake said he'd be able to beco a better archer with his help—Saku couldn't betray the young man's feelings like that, no matter how obnoxious he was.
"Archer! I'll tell ya a trick I use! But ya must promise that ya will never tell anyone about it," Saku decided to pass the trick to Jake, as it'd help him improve himself.
And it would also help Saku get rid of him.
Jake blinked before his eyes turned into shining jades. "A trick?"
Saku nodded, "There's a reason I tell ya that we must mine and get ores before every fight."
Jake narrowed his eyes. It was one of Saku's steel rules.
Saku continued, "When ya pick up an ore, ya get your hands dirty by it. My miner's golden eye is at such an advanced level that I can see the ores' dirt on you."
Jake gasped.
A Miner's Golden Eye worked in a simple way—it highlighted ores, making them spark in rainbow colors, with the ores' main luster shining the brightest.
For instance, the gold ore's rainbow highlight would have the blinding golden stars.
"Let's say that ya have held a copper ore. Even if ya throw it into your basket or inventory, so of its trails remain on your hands. Even if ya wipe off your hands, it still lingers on ya. I can see it in the darkness. My eyes have gotten used to darkness, but this trick helps protect myself the best in the mines.
After a minute, Jake whispered, "You're a genius…"
"Nah, mine elders are…" Saku weakly smiled.
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