My Slime Wife: Training and Pampering Her Makes Me Stronger
Chapter 38: Improving His Stance

Chapter 38: Improving His Stance

Liam stepped into one of the empty shooting lanes with Evan, while Lydia followed behind them, quietly looking around with curiosity.

The booth itself was simple. A metal table stood on one side beside a weapon rack and a control panel used to adjust the distance of the electronic target.

At the far end, about fifteen meters away, the familiar human-shaped practice target waited.

Liam placed the black case he had bought earlier that morning on the table.

Evan rested a hand on the lid.

"Let’s see what you picked."

Liam unlatched the case.

Inside were the compact submachine gun, the semi-automatic pistol, and several boxes of different types of ammunition.

The instructor let out a low whistle.

"Well..."

He picked up the pistol to inspect it.

"Looks like you’ve got good taste in firearms."

Liam smiled modestly.

"Thank you. But honestly, almost everything was recommended by the salesman."

Evan looked up.

"Oh? Who helped you?"

"Scotty."

Lydia raised a hand.

"He’s incredibly muscular."

She exaggerated the size of his arms with her hands.

"And he has a very... distinctive mustache."

Evan burst out laughing.

"Ha! It couldn’t have been anyone else."

He set the pistol back inside the case.

"After me, Scotty is the second-best marksman in the guild."

Liam blinked.

"Seriously?"

"Of course. He’s an outstanding hunter. The problem is..."

He smiled.

"...he loves guns a little too much. He’d rather sell them, collect them, and talk about them than actually go into dungeons."

Liam immediately remembered the massive shop filled with rifles, pistols, rocket launchers, and every kind of firearm imaginable.

’So he wasn’t just a salesman.’

’He’s a hunter too.’

Evan closed the case.

"For now, put all of this away. We’re not using your weapons yet."

Liam nodded.

Before he could even pick the case back up, Lydia extended both hands.

The surface of her white dress rippled like gelatin.

The case was slowly absorbed into her body until it disappeared completely.

Evan blinked.

"..."

Liam scratched the back of his head.

"My wife has a few pretty useful abilities."

Lydia smiled proudly.

"It’s much more convenient than carrying bags."

Evan chuckled.

"I’d say so. Between that, your shapeshifting, and everything else..."

He slowly shook his head.

"I’m starting to understand why everyone keeps talking about the two of you."

◇◆◇

Evan opened one of the drawers inside the shooting booth.

He took out a small black pistol.

It was almost identical to the one the guild had lent Liam during the E-Rank dungeon examination.

He placed it on the table.

"Recognize it?"

Liam nodded.

"I used one just like it."

"Exactly."

Evan crossed his arms.

"James already told me how things went during your exam."

Liam let out an awkward laugh.

"You don’t have to go into the details..."

"No."

Evan smiled.

"I only know that you survived."

He picked up the pistol.

"The first thing you need to understand is that your problem wasn’t your aim."

He raised the gun slightly.

"It was this. The recoil. Most beginners fight against it. And they always lose."

He carefully handed the pistol to Liam.

"Come on. Aim. Don’t overthink it. Just fire three shots."

Liam took a deep breath.

He gripped the pistol, positioned his feet, slowly raised the weapon, and tried to keep the sights steady.

When he felt the target was perfectly lined up...

He squeezed the trigger.

Bang!

The first shot missed by a wide margin, not even grazing the paper target.

Liam frowned and aimed again.

Bang!

The second bullet barely clipped one edge.

He inhaled once more and tried to correct himself.

Bang!

The third shot struck the opposite side of the target.

Liam slowly lowered the pistol.

He had clearly felt how every shot pushed the weapon upward and to one side.

It was only a slight movement...

But enough to completely ruin his accuracy.

Evan smiled.

"That wasn’t bad."

Liam raised an eyebrow.

"It wasn’t?"

"Of course. I’m sure if you were throwing darts, your aim would’ve been much better."

Liam laughed.

"Thanks... I think."

"But that’s exactly the point."

Evan pointed at the pistol.

"Before you learn how to aim... You need to learn how to control the recoil."

◇◆◇

The instructor stepped in front of Liam.

"Watch me."

He placed one foot slightly ahead of the other.

His body turned slightly sideways.

He fully extended his right arm.

His left arm bent slightly as it supported his shooting hand.

"This stance lets the recoil travel through your entire body... instead of just your wrist."

Liam watched carefully before copying the position.

"No."

Evan corrected him immediately.

He stepped closer and nudged Liam’s front foot a few centimeters.

"Wider."

Then he adjusted his waist.

"Not that much."

Finally, he lifted one of Liam’s elbows slightly.

"There."

He adjusted his shoulders.

"Relax your neck."

Then he corrected the position of both hands.

"Perfect."

Liam took a deep breath.

The stance genuinely felt much more stable.

"Now."

Evan stepped back.

"Fire another three rounds."

Liam nodded.

He inhaled slowly and aimed.

Bang!

The pistol recoiled, but this time he barely had to realign the sights.

Second shot.

Bang!

The bullet struck just a few centimeters to the left of the center.

Liam’s eyes widened.

He breathed once more.

Third shot.

Bang!

This time, the round landed just above the bullseye.

He slowly lowered the pistol.

A huge smile spread across his face.

"It worked!"

He looked at the target excitedly.

"It barely moves now!"

Evan smiled with satisfaction.

"Exactly."

He walked over and gave Liam a friendly pat on the back.

"You’ve got a lot of potential."

Liam felt a mixture of relief and pride.

"Thank you very much. I never thought something as simple as a stance could make such a huge difference."

"Most people underestimate the fundamentals."

Evan replied.

"But every great shooter starts with their feet."

◇◆◇

While they continued talking, a young woman’s voice came from the neighboring lane.

"Instructor Evan?"

It was the young hunter he had corrected earlier.

She smiled shyly.

"Could you come over for a moment?"

Evan turned.

"Something wrong?"

"I wanted to ask if you could check my stance again."

She raised her pistol.

"I think I’m still doing something wrong."

Evan smiled kindly.

"Of course."

Then he looked at Liam.

"Keep practicing."

He pointed at the pistol.

"You’re doing well. Fire a couple more magazines. When I come back, we’ll work on improving your technique even more."

Liam nodded.

"Understood."

Evan followed the young woman into the neighboring lane.

Liam watched him walk away.

She never stopped smiling as she talked to him.

Evan calmly nodded.

A few seconds later, he was already standing behind her again, correcting her posture.

Liam blinked twice.

"No way..."

Lydia slowly walked over until she was standing beside him.

She glanced at him.

A system message appeared before Liam’s eyes.

[Lydia: I told you that guy’s a flirt.]

Liam tried not to laugh.

"You were right."

Lydia smiled with satisfaction.

[Lydia: See? Wives are always right.]

Liam chuckled.

"That’s debatable."

Lydia crossed her arms.

"Oh, really?"

"Yep."

"So when are you ever wrong?"

She thought about it for a few seconds.

Then she smiled with complete confidence.

"Never."

The two of them burst into laughter.

On the other side of the divider, Evan looked up after hearing them.

He stared at them for a moment, completely confused.

Liam simply gave him a thumbs-up.

"Nothing, Instructor! I’m still practicing!"

Evan smiled.

"I certainly hope so."

And while the instructor patiently continued helping the young hunter, Liam raised his pistol once again, carefully assumed the stance he had just learned, and smiled.

He might still be a long way from becoming a great marksman.

But for the first time...

He truly felt like he was improving.