Chapter 19 : Class Attunement (2)

Lilian showed her class screen.

Class : Archer (White)

Rank : I

Skills: Detection (Use your focus to pin point living units at a certain radius), Arrow winding (Arrows are able to bend, twist, or turn towards where you are aiming for), Aiming accuracy - Bow (Increased accuracy using bows), Peek (Can see an individuals class.), Bow handler (Bow's durability hardly diminishes.), Spatial quiver (Arrows are stored in a sub-space) Arrow maintenance. (Arrows are automatically maintained using magic power.), ...

Two new skills were shown, Detection, and Arrow winding.

"Lilian, these skills are hard to come by. Detection normally could be obtained once you have enough battle experience – somewhere at the VI-X rank at your class, while Arrow winding, is a skill that shows up at a rare class archer branch. You are a genius!" She was elated.

"Make sure you train your Arrow winding. Although the skill costs too much concentration and stamina at your current class, it is worth it to master. Let's go back, I'll show you." She strode off to back to the Dawnsteel training grounds.

Roth was still waiting for the two ladies to comeback, and Raymond was still not yet awake. He heard ruffling noises and the two ladies emerged from the forest. Lilian though, was extremely haggard.

Sapphine went to the middle and summoned her bow.

She threw a rock straight above, and she aimed her bow at a different direction. The arrow flew but it twisted back and went straight to the rock that was floating above and shattered it to pieces.

Lilian was amazed, as this was a glimpse of what she could do this in the future.

"Not yet to be that happy miss." She said as she could see Lilian's joy.

"And this if you combine with the proper use of spatial quiver."

She picked up a hand full of rocks and threw it high above again. The rocks were scattered at almost every direction.

She aimed at another direction but an immaterial-like arrow was being drawn, like the subspace itself. As she shot the arrow, before it started to twist, it split into different arrows that matched the number of rocks as they all followed each individual rocks, tracing them whenever they go and hit them.

"That's how you use it, study hard Lilian." She smiled as she went to Lilian.

"Thank you very much!" She knew that this kind of mastery is only seen at the peak, and this extremely hard to learn. These are techniques, could be very well preserved at different factions, only to be used by elites. These were precious applications that she needed to train and master!

"Okay, Next! Come on now Roth boy." She was smiling evilly.

Lilian went over to the side and snickered at the still unconscious Raymond. She went over and used her lap as a gentle pillow for him.

Roth came up nervously as she saw how eager Sapphine was.

"So Mr. Cleric, do you fight or just stand at the back?" She smiled.

Roth summoned a sword and poised up.

"Okay then." She took the branch from the ground and pointed at him.

"Let's see, how do you plan on fighting as a cleric."

Roth braced himself as Sapphine charged. He wanted to meet the branch like Raymond did, but to his surprise, he was blown off way further and dropped to the ground off balance.

"You think you are still on par with little Ray? Boy is a hero, you're a Cleric." She started to lay out the facts.

Roth felt his hands shivering from the impact as he stood up. His sword was dropped, so he casted his skill.

'Offensive blessing. Defensive blessing.' Roth's body let out a quick faint shine as he felt power and sturdiness around his body.

"Well, I guess that will help a little." She smiled as she charged at Roth again.

Roth barely evaded, and each swipe of the branch caught the edges of his clothes, ripping it. Some even scratched him. He backed away to create distance and started to heal himself.

But as Sapphine saw this, she charged again.

"Do you really think in a real battle, others will let you heal?!" She shouted as she pounced for a strike.

He summoned two daggers and threw it at her to impede her advance while he heals himself.

It was easily deflected by the branch and she closed in. She went for a stab that hit his waist, and he barely moved on time to avoid it. He grabbed her hand that was stretched, grabbed her collar, turned back, placed his foot in between her, and wanted to use her momentum to throw her down.

However, he couldn't as if she was a huge boulder rooted in position. He couldn't move her.

"Strength difference boy." She kicked him and he flew towards the edge of the field.

Lilian was looking at this and was worried. She was also mulling over the fact this was the first time he saw Roth this helpless. She was now thinking that he really might have chosen the wrong class.

Roth was breathing heavily as he barely stood up again. He healed himself and was able to stand properly.

"Masochist little boy. So you want to get beaten time and time again." She taunted again.

Roth summoned a bow and unleashed some quick shots before he rushed towards her.

Sapphine was standing there and casually deflecting the arrows, then suddenly Roth was crouching in front of her with a dagger aiming for her throat.

"Nice distraction, But too slow!" She hit his arm and the dagger fell, but Roth didn't stop as he kicked the ground and a wave of dust flew to Sapphine's face. He swiftly picked his dagger and tried puncture the dust that was still covering her vision.

"I said, too slow." She casually blocked the dagger with the tip of her branch.

"Petty tricks like this only works for low level opponents, my dear cleric." She kicked him again as he flew.

"You can perfectly identify and choose a perfect bow for Lilian, but can't choose a proper class for yourself? Such arrogance!" She was incredibly annoyed.

"Still want to continue?" She were sharp like a predator.

Roth ignored her comments and was silent. He knew he was running out of stamina, further interaction would just deplete his energy. He breathed heavily and lightly jumped for a while to jog his mind for ideas.

"So… one last try?" Sapphine knew what he was thinking.

He picked up the dagger and charged towards her. She blocked the dagger, but he feinted it as the dagger was not gripped that well and just flew upwards. His left hand caught this dagger and tried to reach her.

Sapphine smiled at this amazing tactic.

"What if I do this?"

She focused her killing intent at the branch and stabbed it towards his stomach.

"Roth!" Lilian shouted with great worry as she couldn't believe what she just saw.

The branch cleanly pierced Roth's stomach up to his back as blood splattered on the training ground and his abdomen started to flow with blood.

"Why didn't you dodge?" Sapphine asked with a dark face, her two fingers were gripped at Roth's dagger aiming at her throat.

"I thought I could reach." He coughed blood.

*Tsk* Sapphine pulled the branch out and his wound started to splatter more blood.

Roth fell down to his knees as his vision started to blur. He tried to cast heal, but the wound barely even moved to close.

"Heal doesn't work that way. Heal is proportionate to you magic power, a resource like your stamina. And even you are in top shape, you couldn't close a wound that severe." She said as she knew what he tried to do. She checked her storage ring and took a potion of high quality.

"High-tier potion." She opened it and completely drenched Roth's wounds. The wound slowly closed and his breathing was starting to normalize.

"Thank you." He looked up to Sapphine with a smile.

*Slap* Sapphine slapped him so hard that it made her hand a tattoo on his face.

"Don't ever do that again!" She was furious.

"What were you thinking? Using your life in exchange?! You stupid?!" She started to berate him.

"I thought I could…" Roth looked down and realized his mistakes.

"And what if you couldn't!? Huh?!!.... What if you couldn't?!" She grabbed Roth by the collar.

Roth was looking sideways, embarrassed by his actions as he couldn't say anything.

"Look at me." She let out a soft voice.

Roth slowly put his gaze on Sapphine. He saw the woman was full of worry.

"Sorry, I won't do that again." He apologized.

Sapphine let go of him and breathed out a heavy sigh.

"Remember this day Roth, make sure you understand all of your skills before you can make a move. 'If's' are very dangerous." She advised him.

"Good thing I stayed for a while. Wake that baby hero. I'll tell my piece before I leave." She ordered as she took out a long pipe and started to light it.

'Fckin kid, it was a 20 good years since I stopped smoking.' She complained in her mind as she breathed out smoke.