Karl followed Rita out of the cafeteria, where they met with Alice and Daniel, who were both prepared with a list of the skills that were currently being taught on the campus.
“We aren’t sure what ones they will like, and I’m not certain they will know until they see them, but I thought that we might as well start with the advanced warriors. They’re the most likely choice, since none of the three are straight magic users.
Hawk would be the closest to it, but he seems to have a vendetta against magical attacks, not a particular affinity for them. Though he did learn a wind barrier, didn’t he? Perhaps he has an affinity for more types of ranged magic.” Alice noted.
Daniel pointed toward one of the larger training buildings. “We will start there. The berserkers are in technique and theory training this morning, so Thor can join them in the afternoon for skills training. But we have a wide variety of other skills that Rae or Hawk might like.
Also, we have the drake scale potions ready for you. The drake that you gathered was an impressive one, nearly to Ascended Rank, and the potions turned out very well, with both quantity and quality coming out above average when they were finished.
We owe the Alchemy professor a favour still, but I paid for the service with a dose of the potion, so she won’t be too hard on us. We can try it out over the lunch break and see how the beasts react to the concoction. It may have no effect on Rae or Hawk, but it should be great for Thor.
With harder scales, and a bit of dragon essence derived from the drakes, he might even unlock another new skill of his own.” The sandy haired warrior explained.
Thor vaguely recognized that they were talking about him, but he was almost completely focused on smashing. He could always smash with his horns, but now he had learned to properly smash with his tail, and not just swat with it.
That was surely the way that things were meant to be. All sides of a Cerro could be weaponized with lightning, so it was only natural that the tail could become an even better weapon.
They walked into the viewing area of the training centre, a central area which had windows on all sides to view the various levels of training grounds, and Rita gave Karl an expectant look.
“Well, take a look around, or have Rae and Hawk do it, and let us know if there is anything here that piques their interest. There are quite a few skills being trained here right now, and it’s all students in their third and fourth years. The first and second years use the facility in the afternoon.” She explained.
[There. There is a good skill being used. The blue seven arenas.] Rae insisted.
“Blue seven?” Karl asked out loud, and Rita brought it up on a larger screen, as the window was on a higher level.
“I believe that skill is called [Lacerate]. It causes massive hemorrhaging from any inflicted wound. Is that something that Hawk or Rae would like?” Rita replied.
“Rae.” Karl replied with a smirk that made the others roll their eyes.
“Of course it’s Rae. I should have known. The skill deals a massive amount of damage as well, and against inorganic targets, it does as much damage as [Shred]. It’s not one that can be taught by a skill book, though. Only a few students have the aptitude for it, and they all start out with a lesser version of it as their first class skill.” She explained.
Alice led the way up to the next floor, where they could watch the skill in action directly.
“Will this be close enough, or do we need to talk to the warriors to see if they can spare some time to help Rae? There is no professor for this skill, so you would have to ask the students directly.” Alice explained.
[I need to practice it to know.] Rae informed Karl, as if it should be obvious.
“She will need to practice. But I think that I have just the thing. I gathered a lot of moss on the last trip, and I have some drying in Hawk’s space. I will trade them some in exchange for their time if they’re interested.” Karl suggested.
The beasts’ attention was drawn to his remark. They could bribe the seniors with shiny gifts to teach them new things? Why hadn’t they just done that from the start?
[It must be because he needed that skill. Now, we will have to watch for more good things in the future.] Hawk informed the other two.
[For sure. It’s good that we stored a lot of stuff. But the berserkers are easy, they just like to smash.] Thor replied.
Karl knocked at the door between the observation area and the blue training grounds, alerting the students that someone was entering, then made his way to the number seven training ring.
“Good morning. My name is Karl, and I’ve got a bloodbath spider that is very interested in learning Lacerate from you.” He introduced himself.
The senior class student smiled at the brazen young student.
“And why would I spare time to do that?” He asked.
Karl took out a small brick of dried moss, and the student’s smile grew much wider.
“Now that’s the way to do it. None of the silly haggling or pleas for charity. You said you want to teach the skill to a spider?” The student replied as he took the bundle of moss from Karl and tucked it into a pocket of his coat, which was sitting at the edge of the ring.
“Yes. Rae, come on out and say hello. I’m sorry, I forgot to ask your name, but this is Rae, and she thinks that she would be quite compatible with [Lacerate].” Karl explained as Rae stepped out into the ring.
“Damn, man, now that’s a spider. Alright, I am not quite sure how well this will work, but I’ve taught a few of the younger guys already. Step back from the ring, and I will begin. Rae, you can stay in here, since there is a magic barrier. You can call me Jonah.” He agreed.
Karl stepped back and let Jonah work, while the other students in the area watched him showing off the initial mana flow to Rae, who he wasn’t sure could even sense or feel them.
Karl kept the skill active with the two of them as the targets, and the flow of knowledge into Rae’s mind was immediately clear. Compared to the Nekomata, she was much more compatible with this skill, and after a half hour of simple demonstrations and exaggerated sword swings, she lunged forward with her forelegs coated in black energy.
The training target lit up with red light as her flurry of strikes hit it, and Jonah whistled in appreciation.
[Lacerate activated. Awakened Rank. Total damage score 750.] The screen in the training area declared.
One of the other warriors gave a pained cry. “Seven hundred and fifty? Dragon Gods, have you forsaken me? I have been outperformed by a spider.”
Jonah laughed and shook his head. “Do you not know about the Bloodbath Spiders? She’s still not even fully grown, just a young girl. Give her another year, and she will be a Commander Rank beast, hitting a thousand points without using a skill.”
[I like this skill. I bet I could pop the beetle open with just one claw now. I wouldn’t even have to decapitate it to get to the good parts.] Rae informed Karl.
“Rae says you’re an excellent teacher, and she’s very fond of this new skill.” Karl informed Jonah, who shook his head, and gave Rae a thumbs up.
Sergeant Rita and Daniel came out to join Karl, both stunned by the performance.
“If I didn’t know better, I would say that was a racial skill. That level of learning is incredible.” Rita greeted him.
“Perhaps because it’s a class skill of Jonah’s? I cast the spell over the two of them so they could communicate more clearly, and Rae picked it up right away. She doesn’t feel like she’s mastered the skill, but she can make it activate now.” Karl replied as the spider and the warrior went back to training.
