Chapter 485: Cryomancer Skills
[Frost Pillar]
[Order: Second]
[Rank: Rare]
[Proficiency: 0%]
[Details: Conjure a pillar of ice that consumes itself to launch attacks or defend against incoming threats. The pillar acts as an autonomous attack and defense tower until its mass is fully depleted. +150% Damage.]
Moon’s eyes narrowed thoughtfully as he read through the skill.
This was interesting.
Frost Pillar wasn’t a direct damage spell or a defensive barrier in the traditional sense. It was something in between. A self-operating tower of ice that could attack and defend independently, consuming its own mass to function until nothing remained.
Most spells required active attention from the caster. Channel the mana, direct the attack, time the release. Even passive defensive spells like barriers had a fixed shape and required maintenance to keep up.
But Frost Pillar was different. Once conjured, it operated on its own. Moon could cast it, walk away, and the pillar would continue defending and attacking until its mass was spent.
In a fight, that meant he could effectively summon a stationary ally. A pillar at a chokepoint to slow down pursuers. A pillar beside him during a duel to provide passive supporting fire while he focused on his own attacks. A pillar guarding his blind spot while he engaged a target from the front.
The 150% damage bonus was solid for a Rare-rank skill. Not earth-shattering, but enough to make each automated attack meaningful.
’_If I pair this with my other crowd control skills, the combinations get nasty._ ’Moon thought, already running through various use cases.’ _Use earth to pin a target, summon a Frost Pillar behind them to fire while they’re trapped, then close in for the kill.’
The skill wasn’t a finisher. It was a force multiplier. And combined with his existing arsenal, it could turn one-on-one fights into effective one-on-two engagements without requiring him to summon his beasts.
After reading through every detail of his new skills, Moon began to practice.
He started with the secondary skills, Frost Pillar and Ice Storm. Casting both repeatedly not only deepened his understanding of each one individually but also pushed his Cryomancy proficiency upward in parallel. Every use of an ice-element skill fed the foundation it drew from, accelerating his comprehension of the whole package.
Moon would cast Frost Pillar. Let it run through a defensive cycle. Dispel it. Repeat.
Cast Ice Storm at the cave wall, observe the angles and the spread, adjust his channelling. Repeat. When his mana began to drain, he stopped, sat down with his back against the stone, and let his reserves regenerate.
Then he started again.
Two hours passed.
[Ice Storm]
[Order: Second]
[Rank: Rare]
[Level: MAX]
[Details: Unleashes a barrage of icicles above a target, covering a total radius of 15 meters. On hit: Frostbite — 15% total damage per second for 5 seconds.]
Moon closed the status display, nodding to himself. The damage increase wasn’t massive, which made sense for a Rare-rank skill, but the addition of the Frostbite effect was a meaningful upgrade. Sustained damage on top of the initial impact meant the skill would continue working long after the icicles stopped falling.
He glanced at his second skill’s progress.
**[Frost Pillar]
[Proficiency: 92%]**
’Almost there.’
He kept practicing. Ten more minutes of focused casting and the skill was now his.
[Frost Pillar]
[Order: Second]
[Rank: Rare]
[Level: MAX]
[Details: Conjure a pillar of ice that consumes itself to launch attacks or defend against incoming threats. The pillar acts as an autonomous attack and defense tower until fully depleted. +200% Damage.]
’_Fifty percent damage boost from comprehension. Not bad._’
The pillar’s autonomous attacks were now relatively stronger, which meant the construct could pressure targets effectively rather than just acting as a minor distraction. Combined with Ice Storm’s frostbite effect, Moon could lay down a frost pillar to anchor a position, then use Ice Storm to flush enemies toward it while the pillar handled the rest.
Two skills comprehended. The main one, Cryomancy itself, was still building.
He returned to practice.
Meanwhile, in a luxurious office overlooking Zone A of New Avalon, Tom Glassy had just finished signing the last document on a pile that had occupied his entire morning.
He leaned back in his chair and let out a long, dramatic sigh. His eyes drifted to the stack of papers still waiting on the other corner of his desk.
"Whoever invented paperwork should be hung." He muttered, rubbing his temples. "I’m an Ascender. I split mountains. And yet here I am, signing my name three hundred times because someone in accounting needs a paper trail."
He stretched his arms above his head, his joints popping satisfyingly, then tapped a small intercom on the desk.
"How’s the tournament going? Anything I should be watching?"
His secretary’s voice came through the speaker.
"We’ve compiled all the highlight clips from our group’s representatives along with footage from the other notable candidates. I’ve sent them to your screen, sir."
"Thank you."
Tom turned to the large display mounted on the wall and tapped through the playlist. The first few clips played in sequence. A talented young swordsman from a competing faction beating down two opponents in succession.
An aeromancer from a rival group unleashing an impressive area attack.
Tom watched them with his chin resting on his fist, his expression growing thoughtful.
"Hmm. They’re stronger than last year. The pyromancer especially. Solid technique."
The next clip showed his son.
Kael Glassy, dispatching a Second Star Evolver with a clean attack. Tom watched in silence for a few seconds.
"Not bad." He nodded once. "His fire control had improved since the last time I’ve seen him. He’s been training hard."
The clip ended and the next one began.
Moon and Selene fighting the Elephantos.
Tom sat up straighter in his chair the moment Moon’s blue fire flashed across the screen. He leaned forward, his elbow sliding off the armrest. By the time the purple lightning appeared and tore through the beast’s drenched body, Tom was grinning from ear to ear.
