New Skill and A Challenge

As the beast hunter fought the beast tamer, Freya was only partially focused on the fight. She gave half her attention to the new messages that the system displayed. She had received a new skill book, similar to the small orange book that had appeared in her bag previously.

[Skill: Ice Dagger Throw

Type: Active

Rank: Rare

Spell Circle: 1st Circle

Attack Damage: 112

Magic Damage: 150

Description: A combination of the Ice and Air element magic. The Ice element spell creates a small dagger and the Air spell propels it towards its target at high speeds. The dagger inflict both physical damage and Ice element magic damage, causing a speed slowing effect. This skill can be used with any regular dagger as well.

Effect:

i) Reduce the target's speed by 5%. The effect can be stacked up to 20%]

As she read the description, she didn't see anything worth a second glance except the slow-down effect. It was a simple combination of two first circle spells. Freya possessed a multitude of such spells that would be far more useful at long ranges.

The fireball spell had an explosive effect, while the lightning flash had tremendous speed and a blinding effect and she had a lot more spells like these. She was honestly disappointed with her new skill, but nonetheless, it was the first active skill she received through the system that she would be able to utilize right away.

[Would you like to learn this skill? Y/N]

Freya mentally pressed the 'Y' to initiate the procedure, and a new set of messages flashed across her retina.

[You have successfully learned the skill 'Ice Dagger Throw'.]

[You already possess the skill 'Ranger's Dagger Techniques (Lvl 5)'.]

['Ice Dagger Throw' skill has been integrated into 'Ranger's Dagger Techniques (Lvl 5)']

['Ranger's Dagger Techniques (Lvl 5)' (Uncommon) has been upgraded to 'Magic Dagger Techniques (Lvl 1)' (Rare)]

Freya was surprised once again as one of her skill that she possessed since she first got the system increased from uncommon to rare rank and gained a new name. Freya had so far ignored the skills that she had possessed before the system. Yet no, she noticed a big difference between them and her new skills.

'Art, why do some skills have levels while some don't?' the female mage asked curiously as she passively focused on the fight before her. Alex had pinned a wolf using his spear and was fighting the other with his shield.

'Some of the skills that you had were still developing and hadn't reached their final form.' The ancient mage explained to the best of his ability. 'Just look at your water magic skill.'

Freya opened her skills window that displayed a skill named 'Beginners Water Magic (Lvl 3).

'Although, you are quite proficient in Water Magic and even able to use its variant Ice magic. You are still a novice and only able to use beginner level spells. As such it is a developing skill, while the 'Swordsmanship of the Lightning King' had already reached its full potential so it has no level. You only need to master it to be able to use its full power, and not upgrade or improve it.'

'So any skill you possess with potential improvement, it will have a level between 1 and 5. Once it reaches it a certain stage or receives an upgrade, it will evolve into the next form like those dagger techniques, which may or may not have any level depending on its further future potential.'

'Why does it have to be so complicated?' Freya's voice her frustrations to her partner. She already had so many things to worry about, and now there was a new thing to worry about.

'It necessary as it would allow the system to help you improve your skills.' Artium replied wisely, 'Since you haven't focused on such skills they haven't improved, but just by gaining a single skill you were able to increase the rank of your skill and also add magic to a purely martial technique.'

Freya slightly nodded and returned her full focus to the ongoing fight in front of her. Alex had finally killed the last wolf and forced his opponent to surrender. He took the two short swords as spoils and retrieved the Orichalcum spear before returning to his side.

"Thanks for lending me the spear, Freya." He spoke as soon as he reached his teammates, "It was a lot better than my steel one. Here, you can have it back."

He extended the red spear towards her, but Freya refused with a wave of her hand, "Keep it. It will serve you better than me, and I also have no use for it, so it's yours."

Alex didn't argue and retrieved the spear as he had already formed a small connection to the weapon, "Thank you so much, Freya. I will repay you for this."

Freya just smiled at him and looked back at the battlefield. Roya, the beast tamer, had returned to her side with a shameful look and eyes filled with anger and ambition. The third Orc warrior came towards the middle ground with his sword unsheathed. It was one of the orc that Freya had noticed during her observation from atop the wall.

[Othgor

Species: Orc

Age: 35

Level: 39

Job: Swordsman

Highest Stat: Agility 40]

"Alright, it is my turn." Jenga jumped forward, brandishing a set of steel gauntlets in his hands. The steel gauntlets extended up to his forearms and had small sharp metal spikes at the end of its knuckles. The spikes were painted red as if soaked in blood and had a serrated edge for maximum damage. The mercenary was also wearing a set of low grade leather armor covering his torso and lower body.

The mercenary didn't wait to exchange any words, and attack the Orc as soon as he got range of his fist. "Nice sword, it will fetch some good coin." He shouted as he threw a punch aimed at his head.

The seven feet tall Orc dodged his punches with surprising agility and nimbleness, easily sidestepping out of their range or just parrying them with a flick from the flat side of his sword. Jenga continued his assault, increasing his ferocity, and yet the swordsman remained untouched with an unimpressed look.

"Is that all you've got. Disappointing!" Freya heard the orc shout loudly, yet his voice did not betray any emotion. The Orc finally straightened his sword and ducked under the brawlers aggressive attacks. He swung his straight sword in a lightning quick diagonal slash.

Jenga's movements stopped suddenly, and a moment later his body fell to the ground in two pieces, bisected at the waist. Othgor leaned down to retrieve the gauntlets from the corpse of his opponent and threw them away like trash after observing them for a moment.

He then stood up and instead of returning to his spot he raised the sword towards Freya and spoke in his tongue, knowing full well that she understood, "You have killed my brother in arms in fair combat and I am coming to exact revenge in the name of my brother. The next time we meet on the battlefield, I will bathe in your blood."

The Orc finished his speech and returned to his place after giving the orcs their first victory.

[You have received a new quest!]

A new message flashed before Freya's eyes.