Chapter 109: How to Use a Spear?

Crafting ten spears was too easy for someone who had hundreds of helpers. Besides, spears were easy to make. Even without a tutorial, Rino haphazardly hacked a fine wooden branch into a spear.

The key to making a good spear was enchantments, after all. In no time at all, Rino had ten spears of varying lengths. The quest system was not very picky about the quality of his spears, so Rino didn't bother putting in much effort. He still had one more day to clear this quest anyway, and the side quest was already completed.

Kragami quickly put the brewer's yeast to use for the newest batch of beer and cultivated those bacteria that he claimed were the miracle workers behind good alcohol. Rino let the necromancer be. His enthusiasm for creating good craft beer rivalled Aiden's, and they got along swimmingly.

Rino took a look at the spears he made in the farmhouse and claimed his quest reward.

As basic spear skills flooded his mind, Rino was now convinced that the spear was mightier than a sword, even if it paled in comparison to a bow. The wooden spear was better than a wooden staff because it could stab the opponent to death instead of pummelling them to submission.

Efficiency was the key to everything. 

The hobgoblin warriors used stone axes and doubled as lumberjacks with their tools when they were not on patrol duty. Rino thought that it was a shame they only knew how to use axes. Hence, he decided to introduce spears.

The small group of hobgoblin warriors not on duty, including Goblin Lord Gnut, gathered behind Rino's farmhouse and grabbed the spears Rino clumsily made.

Feeling confident with basic knowledge in his head, Rino decided to teach these uncultured goblins what true combat was like. The spear was an extremely versatile weapon that can even replace jousting lances on horseback.

"Take your positions," he told the newly recruited spearman as they shuffled into formation.

According to some basic war strategy books Rino browsed through in his previous life, he knew some basic formation for small squads. Of course, it did not really work when he implemented this with magicians because magicians simply did not need to fall in line for spells to work. In fact, putting a group of chanters together only distracted their focus and reduced their casting efficiency.

Once the hobgoblins were in position, Rino bent his knees and held the spear in front of him to demonstrate how to hold it properly. His arms were holding the spear not too widely apart, but one hand was grasping the base of the spear firmly as support.

The warriors learned quickly and followed Rino's example, spreading their feet and anchoring low to avoid getting thrown off balance as they copied Rino's example. Then, Rino lunged forward with a sharp twist of his body, thrusting the spear forward before coming back to his initial position. His back leg straightened as his front leg bent at ninety degrees as he did that, creating a nice pattern in the ground.

This was the first movement, and it took the hobgoblins some tries to find their balance while doing so. Rino felt pride swell in him at how quickly he took to this like a fish to the water as the hobgoblins struggled to determine if they were holding the spear with the correct hand.

Eventually, Rino went through all the basic movements, from blocking to sweeping. Goblin Lord Gnut was the only one who could keep up with Rino's lesson pace, so Rino asked the baron he appointed to become his sparring partner.

As they took their positions, Rino and Gnut got into their basic stance. A hobgoblin started the sparring match, and Gnut came fast with a powerful sweeping swing toward Rino, who only blocked it briefly to redirect the swing's course.

Then, Rino ducked low and twisted the spear in his hand, using the sharp tip to cause a scratch at the back of Gnut's thigh. The pleasure of first blood went to him even though the undead didn't bleed.

Gnut was a seasoned warrior. Such a minor wound did not faze him. If anything, it only fuelled him to come back with a forceful spear slam that split the ground. Rino bet that the poorly crafted weapon would have been smashed to smithereens by that force if the spear wasn't reinforced with enchantments. Thankfully, he dodged before Gnut could turn his bones to powder.

The sparring match continued with Rino dancing like a butterfly around Gnut, who was more direct with his attacks. Rino did not take any of Gnut's attacks head-on. He simply deflected them and moved out of the way before twisting around to find the goblin lord's blind spot for an attack.

Rino was prepared to end the sparring match when he felt that enough destruction to his backyard was done. Hence, he tossed the spear upwards to divert Gnut's attention before kicking the warrior in the chest and using it as a springboard to jump and retrieve his spear.

Nobody blinked as Rino grabbed his spear like a javelin, tossing the weapon that went right through Gnut's chest. If anything, their jaws fell in unison at the unpredictable combat style.

Rino did not know where the idea of throwing a spear came from either. He shocked himself when it happened but quickly moved on from it. It wasn't uncommon for fishermen to use spears for fishing. Surely, this was a recognised move.

Despite the shocking finish, the referee declared the sparring match over with Rino the victor. Goblin Lord Gnut had no complaints as he regenerated with purple soul flames. Instead of feeling discouraged, he thanked Rino enthusiastically for the learning opportunity and promised to train his hobgoblins to become decent spearmen.

In fact, the spear was such a versatile weapon that Goblin Lord Gnut thought it would be no loss to teach the farmer and crafter goblins the basics. However, the move of throwing a spear might be too advanced for them. 

Rino happily dismissed the goblin guards and decided to look for a different play buddy. Mutt might not be able to wield a spear, but he was definitely stronger than Gnut. Rino was curious to see how far he could go without the aid of magic in his tireless body.