Chapter 221 Volume IV - Chapter 66: Brand New Skills
I gripped tightly the first weapon of my life, the first weapon of my own.
It was a strange feeling to hold the handle of the spear that fit perfectly in my hand. The weight was also close to what I wanted, even if not perfect, and everything else.
I smiled, thinking about what I had done all day.
Lithoa's house was full of treasure. I mean, really full... That's why I had a hard time choosing something suitable for me. Because I wanted to know what almost everything was for and choose accordingly.
That's how I started to read the descriptions and features of everything I could get my hands on throughout the whole treasure trove.
It was full of useless artifacts, or rather, low-level artifacts that wouldn't be of much use to me. So this 'search' took quite a long time. About two hours...
Still, I was happy with the result, the selection of artifacts was finished.
A normal-looking bracelet that provides a dimensional inventory that no one but me has access to was at the top of my choices. Constantly using dimensional buttons was annoying and having a single dimensional inventory artifact was a blessing.
Apart from the bracelet, there were a total of three artifacts I bought for myself.
I couldn't choose too many as Lithoa had allowed me to take a maximum of three, he had told me that relying too much on things other than myself would not yield good results.
I trusted him and it made sense, so I did as he said.
The three artifacts I took with me were a ring that allowed me to store mana and then use it, earrings that could sense danger and emit light if I wanted to, and a necklace that allowed me to use my mana more effectively.
Apart from that, choosing a spear was easier than choosing an artifact. I chose two spears, one of which was to be used only in emergencies. It didn't make much sense to use an extremely high-grade weapon in front of everyone, after all.
So, when we got to the present, what I did was look at the spear I was going to use for a long time and couldn't help but grin.
The metal of the spear, with a double-edged blade at the end, was made of particularly hard and magically sensitive metal, while the handle was just the right size to fit my hand and was made of wood rather than metal. Of course, using a fairly good material.
The spear was also gray with red embroidery, and a short piece of cloth dangled from the sharp point, connecting it to the handle. It was a nice detail on the spear, even if it didn't do much.
I widened my smile and focused on the bracelet on my right arm, and in a moment the spear in my hand disappeared into nothingness with a blue glow.
When I focused, I realized that I could see the spear lying in the bracelet as if it were right in front of me. It would re-materialize in front of me if I wanted it to.
'Stop grinning like an idiot and finish your work in the room.'
I ignored Lithoa's insult, but I did as he said.
I know what I came here for.
'How many skills can I get? Do you have any suggestions for that, like the artifacts?'
I don't know how many skills he has collected in his lifetime. I'm sure there are at least a few he hasn't used, right?
'I didn't have many skill cubes, I only had two, and you can use them both.'
Hearing this made me feel a little sad. It wasn't difficult to understand though.
Skill cubes... they're very rare, and usually it's even harder than usual to find things with useful skills.
So even if I was a little disappointed... I couldn't say anything.
'There's a leather case to the right of the door, I told you to ignore it while you examine the artifacts. The cubes are in it.'
I nodded quickly, then walked over to the leather case as soon as I saw it.
When Lithoa told me not to touch it in the first place, I knew there was something important inside. So there were skill cubes in it...
The first time I touched the leather bag, excitement swept through my whole body. However, I suppressed this excitement as much as possible and opened the bag after tilting it on its side.
Inside were two black-colored cubes with shimmering patterns, the size of intelligence cubes. From the mana they emitted, it was clear that the one on the left contained a higher-grade skill.
I swallowed, then reached out to the cube on the right and touched it.
<<------------------------------
You are about to learn an active skill!
Skill: Wrath of the Vines (C)
The user can cause vines to grow out of any object for a short period of time, attacking targets around it.
The size and number of vines depends on the amount of mana allocated to the skill.
Vines can only be controlled to a certain extent using this skill.
Do you accept learning the skill?
------------------------------>>
This is... exactly the kind of skill I need. It's easy to imagine tons of scenarios where it could come in handy. However... I'd better be careful when using this skill. I don't like that last paragraph and the 'wrath' in the name of it...
I imagined that I was confirming the question.
First, I felt a flow of mana coming from the cube into my body. I closed my eyes and focused, letting the flow of mana enter my body, then move closer to my chest and from there slowly spread throughout my body.
So, after a while, this feeling slowly started to disappear and I opened my eyes.
What I saw was that first the glow on the cube began to fade, and then the cube itself began to turn to dust.
<<------------------------------
Congratulations! You have learned the [Wrath of the Vines(C)] skill!
------------------------------>>
I smiled, then quickly turned to the other earring and touched it too.
<<------------------------------
You are about to learn an active skill!
Skill: Guardian Radiance (A)
Creates a layer of light that envelops the body of the user or the person the user is focusing on. This layer allows the person whose body it envelops to feel less pain, to be protected and gently healed.
Do you accept learning the skill?
------------------------------>>
When I finished reading the skill, my eyes widened and I just froze in place.
It was the most useful skill I had ever seen in my entire life. It provided both protection and healing... And on top of that, it reduced pain.
Will I ever find a skill like this again in my lifetime?
At the very beginning... Why didn't Lithoa use this cube on himself?
"L- Lithoa... Why didn't you take this skill for yourself?"
'I could do almost exactly what this one does with my other skills and masteries, so I didn't see the need.'
I found myself imagining what kind of monster Lithoa had been in the past. Powerful enough to ignore such a skill...
I shook my head from side to side, stopped daydreaming.
I read the description of the skill again, and then, without thinking, I accepted to acquire it. I couldn't help feeling that it would slip away from me...
So, the same thing happened again as when I learned the previous skill, except that a more intense flow of mana was absorbed by my body for a longer period of time.
<<------------------------------
Congratulations! You have learned the [Guardian Radiance(A)] skill!
------------------------------>>
I opened my eyes with a smile, watched the talent cube dusting, and finally clenched my fist.
It was worth it to come this far... It was definitely worth it.
'You're done with this room, now... We'll start your training.'
This is what I wanted. I wanted to try out my newfound skills, and my spear, so I quickly stood up, closed the leather bag, and put it back. Then I took one last look around the room.
How many hours have I been here... I was even starting to embrace the room.
I let out a deep sigh and went outside.
Kari, the white-furred tiger, or rather the white-furred cat as it is now, was waiting for me right outside.
When I closed the door to the room, she realized that I was done and came over to me. Then she started rubbing lightly against my leg.
Actually... she's a scary creature, but she's quite friendly on the other hand.
I leaned over and started petting it, and Kari, much to my delight, spun around on the floor.
"And you're supposed to be a giant tiger... No one would believe the real you if they saw you like this."
Kari meowed in a nonchalant tone. She really didn't care.
'Heh, you're close now, but we'll cut it short. Because I want to start your training right away.'
I stopped petting Kari and stood up, imagining the size of the crimson spear inside my bracelet, and it slowly appeared in my hand.
Kari just stood there, obviously not happy that I had stopped loving her.
"What do I do?"
A short silence followed this question, and then I felt a slight chill run through my body.
"L- Lithoa?"
'First of all... I will teach you the basics of a spear style that I think will suit you.'
The intensity of the coldness increased with each passing second and I finally found the source of this sensation.
The white cat I had just petted, rolling on the floor... was now looking directly at me and... smiling broadly.
'Then Kari will beat the shit out of you and prepare you for the tasks I will give you.'
"O- oh..."
I couldn't help swallowing.
Somehow it felt as if Kari could speak directly to Lithoa. A worse scenario was... that this tiger's way of thinking was the same as Lithoa's.
If the latter was the case...
I felt goosebumps all over my body, fear gripped my body as I faced the 'smile' the cat offered me.
'Don't worry, you won't die. I mean... hopefully.'
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