Chapter 810: Taking Over The Troll Mountain (3)
The Frostbite Axe and Phoenix Feather Staff suffered the same fate. Although the axe’s icy aura and the staff’s fiery brilliance were impressive, these were weapons meant for warriors and mages with specific elemental affinities—affinities none of them possessed.
The Lightning Chain Whip intrigued them briefly with its crackling energy, but its unpredictable nature and specialized handling made it more of a liability than a boon.
Finally, the Void Edge Blade left them with mixed feelings. Its shadowy, almost malevolent aura hinted at great potential, but its abilities were too dangerous and unstable for any of them to wield with confidence.
After going through each item, their attention fell on the Windbreaker Dagger. Findir’s eyes lingered on it. Of all the weapons they had found, this one felt right. Its light, sleek design, coupled with its speed-boosting magic, made it a perfect fit for someone of his skill set. He could already imagine the way it would flow with his movements in battle.
The rest of the weapons, despite their potential, were deemed useless for their purposes. With a collective sigh, they left most of the treasure behind, realizing that in their search for useful items, only one truly matched their needs.
As they sifted through the mountain of gold, jewelry, and artifacts, they found something even more valuable—skill books. These ancient tomes, most likely left behind by unfortunate adventurers, were strewn across the pile of treasure. Since monsters couldn’t use skill books, they had been carelessly added to the heap, untouched by time and decay. The group eagerly gathered as many as they could find, their hands brushing over the worn covers of countless books. After an exhaustive search, they managed to uncover a trove of knowledge.
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[Skill Book - Phantom Step]
Description: This book teaches the art of moving in complete silence, a skill prized by assassins and thieves alike. With practice, the user can move undetected even in the most sensitive areas, bypassing guards and traps with ease. The technique not only eliminates sound but also reduces visibility, making it nearly impossible to detect the user unless directly seen.
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[Skill Book - Earthshaker]
Description: The Earthshaker skill allows the user to stomp the ground with such force that it causes a localized earthquake, capable of toppling enemies and structures. The tremors are strong enough to destabilize opponents, making them vulnerable to follow-up attacks. In larger-scale battles, the ability can turn the tide by disrupting formations and shaking the battlefield itself.
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[Skill Book - Firelord’s Embrace]
Description: This book holds the secret to creating a barrier of flames that engulfs the user, burning anything that dares come close. The Firelord’s Embrace doesn’t just defend; it retaliates, setting attackers ablaze while leaving the user unharmed. The flames are also said to provide a minor healing effect to the caster, making it both an offensive and defensive tool.
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[Skill Book - Shadow Cloak]
Description: The Shadow Cloak skill allows the user to blend into the shadows, becoming nearly invisible in dark or dimly lit environments. More than simple camouflage, it makes the user one with the darkness, allowing them to move unseen even in the presence of watchful eyes. Perfect for reconnaissance or silent eliminations, this skill is highly valued among spies and night-stalkers.
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[Skill Book - Thunderstrike]
Description: The Thunderstrike skill charges the user’s weapon with electric energy, making every strike crackle with the force of a lightning bolt. Upon impact, the energy discharges, sending jolts through the target’s body, potentially stunning or paralyzing them. The book also details how to amplify the charge, allowing for ranged shockwaves that can hit multiple enemies at once.
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[Skill Book - Windshear]
Description: This book unlocks the ability to harness the power of the wind, using sharp gusts to slice through foes from a distance. With a single gesture, the user can conjure razor-like blasts of wind capable of cutting through armor and flesh alike. Advanced users can summon tornado-like spirals of wind, creating devastating and uncontrollable vortexes in the midst of battle.
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[Skill Book - Beastmaster’s Call]
Description: The Beastmaster’s Call allows the user to form a bond with nearby animals, summoning them to their aid in combat or for other tasks. More than just a summoning skill, it includes the ability to communicate telepathically with beasts, giving commands or requesting assistance. The stronger the connection between user and beast, the more complex the actions they can perform together.
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[Skill Book - Frostbite Touch]
Description: The Frostbite Touch skill turns the user’s hands into instruments of freezing death, coating them with icy energy that can freeze anything upon contact. When used in battle, this ability can immobilize foes, leaving them vulnerable to further attacks. Over time, with mastery, the user can extend this icy touch into ranged attacks or freeze entire areas with a simple wave of their hand.
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[Skill Book - Soul Drain]
Description: Soul Drain is a dark, forbidden skill that allows the user to siphon the life force of others, healing their own wounds in the process. As the victim’s life force is drained, the user grows stronger, more resilient, and faster, while the target grows weaker and withers. The skill can be extremely dangerous to both the user and the target, as improper use can lead to madness or self-destruction.
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[Skill Book - Iron Fortress]
Description: This book teaches how to create a near-impenetrable magical barrier around the user or their allies, capable of withstanding even the most powerful attacks. The Iron Fortress skill manifests as a shimmering, ethereal wall of energy, blocking both physical and magical assaults. Advanced users can extend this barrier to cover a larger area or reinforce it with elemental properties, like fire or ice.
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[Skill Book - Arcane Blast]
Description: A staple in the arsenal of any aspiring mage, Arcane Blast is a focused burst of raw magical energy capable of obliterating most minor enemies in one hit. The skill is simple yet potent, requiring minimal mana but delivering a powerful punch. Over time, the user can learn to enhance the blast’s strength or spread its effects over a wider area, making it more versatile in battle.
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[Skill Book - Venomous Strike]
Description: Venomous Strike allows the user to coat their weapons in a deadly poison, causing each hit to not only damage but also infect the enemy. The poison slowly saps the target’s strength, causing pain and confusion as the toxin spreads through their body. With repeated use, the potency of the poison increases, making even small cuts deadly.
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[Skill Book - Dragon’s Breath]
Description: This ancient tome teaches the user how to unleash a cone of fire from their mouth, imitating the fearsome breath of a dragon. The fire incinerates anything in its path, scorching the ground and leaving behind only ash. Mastering this ability allows for increased control over the fire’s intensity and range, from a small, concentrated flame to a roaring inferno.
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[Skill Book - Mirror Image]
Description: Mirror Image is a deceptive skill that creates multiple illusory copies of the user, confusing enemies and making it difficult to land attacks. These duplicates mimic the user’s every movement, acting as perfect decoys. While the illusions can’t deal damage themselves, they are highly effective at distracting or confusing opponents, buying time for the real user to strike.
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[Skill Book - Gravity Well]
Description: This book grants the power to manipulate gravity, creating a localized gravitational field that pulls enemies and objects towards its center. Anything caught within the Gravity Well finds it difficult to move or escape, leaving them vulnerable to attacks. Advanced users can increase the field’s intensity, creating crushing pressure or using it to redirect projectiles mid-flight.
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[Skill Book - Life Bloom]
Description: Life Bloom is a healing and nature-manipulating skill that allows the user to accelerate the growth of plant life and heal wounds. It can be used in battle to instantly create protective barriers of vines or to restore vitality to injured allies. Over time, this skill can even be used to terraform desolate landscapes into lush, fertile fields.
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[Skill Book - Voidstep]
Description: Voidstep teaches the ability to phase out of the material world, making the user intangible for a brief moment. In this state, the user can avoid attacks, pass through walls, or reposition themselves without being seen. Mastery of the Voidstep allows for extended periods of intangibility or quicker, more frequent usage.
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[Skill Book - Blazing Arrow]
Description: This skill allows the user to conjure a flaming arrow from thin air and launch it with incredible accuracy. The Blazing Arrow is highly destructive, capable of igniting its target and spreading fire across a battlefield. As the user becomes more proficient, they can summon multiple arrows or increase the heat and explosiveness of each shot.
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[Skill Book - Berserker’s Rage]
Description: Berserker’s Rage unlocks a primal fury within the user, dramatically increasing their strength and resistance to pain for a short period. During this time, the user becomes an unstoppable force, tearing through enemies with sheer physical might. However, the skill comes at a cost, leaving the user fatigued and vulnerable once the rage subsides.
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[Skill Book - Chain Lightning]
Description: Chain Lightning teaches the user how to summon bolts of electricity that jump from one enemy to another, hitting multiple targets in quick succession. The skill is highly effective in group combat, as each additional bolt weakens more enemies with every strike. Mastery allows the user to increase the number of jumps or the intensity of the lightning, turning it into a devastating force.]
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"Holy shit... these are pretty good," Orion smiled.
