Chapter 239 Skillz

Chapter 239 Skillz

Choosing [Balanced Combatant] opened up an entire row of pictures representing new skills. Three from Attack, three from Defence, and one more that was the progression skill for the Balanced path.

That was the one that he checked first.

[10 Points] [Beast Space Upgrade] upgrades the mental spaces to match the needs of the beasts residing within.

Karl simply stared in annoyance at the description for a few long minutes. Was that why he got no guidance on how to advance his Beast Spaces? Because it was a skill that he could just learn?

No, there was no skill like that attached to the other two trees, they would still have to improve their own, but they would get many more beast skills in exchange. Quite a few more, as he quickly realized.

On the Defence side, he had the option for [Barrier] [Bestial Regeneration] and [Refresh]. All of those were skills to be used by the Beast Master on his team, and all of them were currently being provided, in some basic sense, by Thor's [Group Refreshing Lightning], so Karl turned to the offensive side.

2 Points [10 Points for Balance] [Haste] improves the speed of the target beast by 10 percent per Rank (30 percent at Ascended)

2 Points [10 Points for Balance] [Terrorize] improves the damage done by the target beast by 10 percent per Rank (30 percent for Ascended)

2 Points [10 Points for Balance] [Brutality] increases the size and strength of the target beast by 10 percent per Rank (30 percent for Ascended)

That points cost differential was completely, insanely unfair. The next rank also looked like it contained all sorts of actual attack abilities that he could grant his pets for a period of time, all of which could come in useful in the future, and Karl was tempted to pick [Terrorize] just to get to see the descriptions.

But the first that Karl wanted to spend some of his thirty remaining points on was [Beast Space Upgrade].

The three spaces quickly adjusted, changing the setting inside to be more elaborate and detailed than what Karl had created on his own, though the actual energy level didn't change much. It felt like it didn't actually improve the power level of the space, except for Rae's which adjusted up to better match her power.

So, he would still need to meditate to improve them, he just wouldn't have to worry about the bottlenecks anymore.

That was spectacular, but not as earth-shattering and overpowered as it had seemed at first.

Choosing that skill caused two new skills to appear as available above it in his skill tree.

50 Points [Evolution] Cause any bonded pet to evolve into a form one Rank Higher than when the skill is used. Usable once per beast, some materials may be required.

That one was out for now, he didn't have the points.

10 Points [Skill Master Rank 2] Usable only by those with the Skill Master Learned Ability. Allows learned skills to improve to one rank above the bonded partner's current Rank with practice.

Now that was the sort of ability that he couldn't turn down.

She had the battle armour spell that she had learned not long ago still active, and if Karl was right, it looked much more draconic, and that golden glow around her was also a new skill, but there was an unspoken "don't ask, don't tell" policy in place, and everyone liked to keep something in reserve for emergencies.

If they underestimated what you could do, they wouldn't be as likely to put you in a situation that you couldn't survive.

Karl stood and stretched tired muscles, while Lotus flopped out on top of Rae for a nap and waved a hand at Tessa.

"Alright, come up with an idea for how to get out of here. I will be here."

Tessa smiled at her. "Alright, we're finished." She called out to nobody in particular.

The snowy battlefield vanished, and they found themselves back in the room where they started.

Dana and the two Awakened Spellswords were already there, heavily wounded, and doing their best to stop the flow of blood with minor healing potions and bandages.

Lotus activated her area healing spell, closing their wounds in seconds.

The little cleric didn't even look up from her spot on Rae's back as she spoke. "I take it things didn't go as well as you had hoped?"

Dana gave a bitter laugh. "The first and second waves went from bad to terrible, but we almost died the moment the third one appeared. We used the Golems as shields and ran until it kicked us out."

Karl nodded. "That's similar to what happened to us, only we could fight the third wave, but it still kicked us out at the end of it. That freezing effect was rough."

The Spellswords looked at him strangely. "Freezing effect? We were in the middle of the desert."

"Oh, we were on a frozen battlefield, covered in snow and bodies." Karl explained.

Prince Corbin was the next one back, and Tessa jumped into action, adjusting his position and checking his body while using her more powerful healing magic and whistling for Lotus to do the same.

Between the two of them, they barely managed to save the heavily injured Royal Rank mage, but fortunately, his severed left arm had come back out with him, and Tessa held it in place during the healing, so it reattached without issue.

The Prince was out cold, but breathing steadily when the last two came back, exhausted but uninjured.

"Well, good news, if you run when things get bad, it will let you out." Alice joked with Larry, then realized that everyone else was already here, and mostly covered in blood.

"Goddess, what happened to you all?" She asked.

"No, we want to know what happened to you all that wasn't a disaster." Prince Corbin countered, without opening his eyes from where he was laying in the double healing circles.

Larry frowned. "There was another space that said Commander Rank trial, and then an endless wave of Ogres coming our way. We fought them while retreating, and then we were returned here."