Pestilence: Rise Of The Pure Undead

"You know, trying to fight when you don't really know how to fight is kind of very stupid? Like, almost eating rocks level of stupid? Even more-so when you can ask for help!" standing in a field covered with vibrant green grass and colourful flowers, Griar was getting an earful from his eldest sister.

"Mmh… But I do know how to fight! I can even cast spells and I hit very hard-"

"And how did that go for you?"

"...Huh…"

"Exactly, you may be able to handle some shambling folks and perhaps even look a little cool while doing it, but that doesn't mean jack shit, someone knows how to fight when they can face someone else who knows how to fight" explained Lizi with a grin.

"That feels like circular reasoning… If that's the standard, then no one knows how to fight, since to begin with, no one could have been able to fight someone who already knows how to fight since that person would have had to do the same beforehand, and-"

"Don't play the smartass with me, Griar, you obviously get what I mean, you only managed not to get turned into ground meat by those villagers you mentioned before they were just flailing around, landing hits and weaving around them would have been child's play for anyone that is actually fit of body, the moment you have to face actually powerful or skilled enemies, you lost and had to run away, so come on! I'll teach you to fight like a real man!" Lizi threw a few punches in the air whilst hopping in place, clearly a bit too excited about the idea.

"Huh… How are you going to teach me how to fight like a real man? Wasn't it Aunty Antieeld who taught you? Aren't you more-so going to teach me of to fight like real wo-"

"Reflex!" she faked a punch to his face.

"I see that my baby brother is feeling like annoying me today, what, you think I can't teach you anything because your arms are bigger than mine? Come on! Show me a right hook real quick!"

"Don't call me your baby brother…" he muttered to himself as he demonstrated a right hook like she was asking, her eyes looking at him like he had just done something so bad that it was worth expressing disgust for.

"First of all- You'll be my baby brother even when you are a wrinkly old man, there is no negotiating that… Secondly, what the hell was that?! That's how you punch? Did you punch people like that? Did none of them look at you afterward and explain why they were offended that you would punch them so sloppily? I punched like that when I was four!" Lizi circled around Griar.

"W-What did I do wrong?" he asked.

"Everything! You just committed an act of heresy against every martial artist that has ever lived! In fact, even the damned undeads probably just felt a freaking disturbance from how disgusting that was! You're lucky that you are naturally tough, even with that awful stance, you can deliver a lot of strength, that's for sure…"

Lizi breathed in and out, bringing her two palms together.

"First of all, get that thumb out of your fist, you'll break it! It goes over the other fingers when punching- Like this" she demonstrated.

"Also, don't stand still like a damned plank of wood, rotate your hips and body along with the movement, you're losing out on a whole lot of strength…" she went on explaining every problem with that singular right hook he performed, and seemingly, everything was indeed wrong with it…

The eldest sibling scratched her neck after finishing her explanation.

"Now, do it again, but properly"

"...Like this?"

"Like this indeed, a bit stiff with the movements, but those problems will work themselves out with some practice… Now- Will you tell me about that Flor girl? Is she cute? Is she pretty? How old is she? Do you have a ring prepared?"

"Hum…"

"Don't be embarrassed, and talk to your big sister- I am very interested" Lizi smiled like she was up to no good.

"Why would I have a ring prepared anyways? Isn't that a bit too soon?" he questioned.

"Of course not, love is like hunting a prey, you know?"

"I don't think I agree with that analogy…"

"When you act, you need to be decisive, ensnare the prey into a trap it can't wriggle out of! There can be no room for struggle, and the ring is like a bear trap, once it's on, the trap is deployed!" she chuckled to herself, but it did not look like it was because she thought that she was saying a joke.

"Anyways, you can just ask Alize to cast a little charm spell if things don't work out-"

"That's messed up"

"I don't know, I don't think poisoning a prey to kill it is messed up"

"Love and hunting have nothing in common, Lizi, is that why you are still alone, because that's how you go about trying to-"

She casually reached out and manually closed his mouth whilst shaking her head from side to side.

"Alright, I do think that you have pretty good combat instincts, you just lack the skills and experience to go alongside with it, ever heard of grappling?" Lizi switched the subject, and Griar felt that it was indeed best not to question her on how she handled that sort of thing, he might learn horrifying things otherwise.

"Well, yes-"

"Demonstration!" after shouting that out, Lizi did exactly as she stated and demonstrated a grappling technique on Griar, who was swiftly thrown off balance and sent to the ground, where Lizi used her arms and legs to lock him in place.

"You know what's really good about those techniques? You can use them even if the opponent is physically stronger than you are! See? I am not using any mana reinforcement, but you still can't do anything! I could strangle you right now with a blood choke, you would lose consciousness in around nine seconds, isn't that neat? And if you are very strong, you could straight-up just rip your opponent's head off!"

"I- I think I get it…"

"Do you? Then let's see something else! Your spellcasting is not too bad, but not that good either, you know? I don't have any fancy elemental affinity myself, but I assume that elemental mana or not, it should basically be the same thing, I also mostly use mana in close quarters like you do, so I'll teach you how to be more efficient, more murderous!"

"Alright… Can you let me go though?"

Indeed, Lizi was still grappling him.

"Where's the fun in that? Try to figure out how to make me let go, without using mana"

"Urgh…"

"No complaining, it's for your own good- Aren't you happy that your big sister loves you so much? Alright, if you don't manage to escape in ten minutes, I'll start strangling you!"

"Wait what?"

"You heard me, the clock is ticking!"