--
[Exp: 300/300]
[Rank up? ]
"Yes, proceed."
After making this decision, a bright light illuminated TJ's body briefly before fading. He felt his strength rising greatly afterwards, and it was thrilling.
[Rank: 3★ Novice]
[Exp: 0/400]
"Another 40 days till the next rank up," TJ muttered to himself. It seems too far away, but not really; it's just a month and a week.
"The first exam of this semester is near, too. I should start reviewing for the written part."
As for the practical exam, TJ wasn't all that worried. His skills have successfully leveled up recently, after all.
**
• Advanced Breathing Technique (Entry 0/500)
Perks: [Healthy II], [Resistance II], [Poised II]
[Poised II]: Increases body's physical defense and stability by 20%
• Advanced Fighting Technique (Entry 0/500)
Perks: [Fighter II], [Combat Instincts II], [Combo II]
[Combo II]: Grants a bonus of 20% increased strength upon landing 20 consecutive hits on the enemy. Five stacks max. Lasts for 10 seconds.
• Advanced Footwork Technique (Entry 0/500)
Perks: [Lightfooted II], [Speedburst II], [Thunderous Thighs II]
[Thunderous Thighs II]: Increases lower body strength and stability by 20%
• Fencing Lv.2 (0/500)
Perks: [Sword Art II], [Sharpness II], [Carved Steel II]
[Cared Steel II]: Lowers the durability drain of the equipped sword by 20%
• Shooting Lv.2 (0/500)
Perks: [Steady Aim II], [Steady Grip II], [Steady Reload II]
[Steady Reload II]: Increases the equipped firearm's reload speed by 20%
**
The perk bonuses he receives from his skills are higher now. While the increase might not seem like much, only an additional 5% from [I] [II], don't underestimate this value, as it could turn around the tide of the battle.
Plus, he unlocked more perks after the upgrades, which further increased his overall strength.
The bonus part is that TJ has saved up so much exp thanks to his [Boon]. While it might not be obvious at his current rank, since they could still rely on sheer practice to increase the level of their skills at Novice Rank, this advantage will become even more pronounced later down the line.
Actually, his current skill level is already at an absurd degree. Novices, even ones that are diligent and as serious as him, shouldn't have been able to take their basic skills to the advanced level in the novice rank.
Those who could do so were either blessed with exp or comprehension-boosting [boons] or were stubborn ones who refused to be promoted unless they reached their goal.
Outside of these people, the rest would choose to focus on being promoted instead and then start dumping exp on these skills when they have excess. The difference between star and professional ranks was too great to ignore, after all.
Obviously, TJ was different. He belonged to the blessed ones who could achieve such a feat. But even he had to work hard for this to happen. This kind of progress couldn't be achieved just by lying down.
Of course, upgrading his skills even further is harder now. They start at 500 points for the entry level. If it still follows the same rule, then the skills would need 1000 points for minor mastery, 2000 points for major mastery, and 6000 points for perfection.
'Is it even possible to upgrade them before this semester ends? 'TJ wondered to himself.
Even with the help of the Dream Echo Battlefield, his progress was slowing down. He might even need to delete the older dream echoes and get new and stronger ones so that his progress remains speedy.
Despite all of this, TJ was very satisfied with his increased strength. He could tell that in terms of his skill alone, he's the best in his batch currently. And yes, this includes Lily.
It's still uncertain whether he could defeat Lily as he is now. But what he knows is that it's about time for a rematch with that Fusion Class Dream Echo.
**
Arriving at the familiar field of clouds, TJ slowly made his way to the main battlefield.
He saw the dream echo statues he usually interacted with during nights like this, but this time, his eyes were neither on the Warriors nor the Casters.
Instead, it was on one of the two Fusion Class statues, precisely the nameless one.
TJ needn't speak. The Dream Echo Battlefield understood his intent just fine.
All other status faded into nothingness, leaving behind only his target.
Once again, the nameless Fusion Class holder, the very same Dream Echo who made him eat his first loss, came to life.
It was the same as before. This dream echo wore the same training gear as him; he's also wearing the same gauntlets he worethe first time.
Both fighters stared at each other for a bit.
Then...
Pshew!
The Dream Echo suddenly made a move. TJ also moved at the same time, and his speed was actually much faster than his opponent's. All perks of his Footwork, [Lightfooted II] and [Thunderous Thighs II], showed their prowess by reducing TJ to nothing but a blur of motion.
**
[Combat Initiated!] ]
[All applicable skill perks are active.]
**
His fighting technique perks, [Fighter II] and [Combat Instincts II], flared to life.
Due to these bonuses, TJ was able to see how the enemy was moving exactly. In fact, because of the recent upgrades to his skills, the enemy was moving like a snail in his perspective.
His [Combat Instincts II] warned him to pay attention to the arms and legs of his opponent. And it was the perfect timing too because he sensed mana being poured into the enemy's limb, causing him to not only move faster but also be stronger.
'Mana Enhancement.' TJ judged accurately.
He took out his rapier and held it firmly.
[Sword Art II], [Sharpness II], and [Carved Steel II] took effect as soon as he held his weapon.
Clang!
Their steel clashed: TJ's rapier and the enemy's steel gauntlets.
Unlike in the past, though, Cedric didn't feel the weight behind the enemy's attack this time. He received it just fine, and thanks to the [Poised II] perk, he was completely fine. Not even the slightest bit hurt or bothered.
With a twist of his arm, he swerved the struggle to the side and moved fast to launch another strike. He lunged with his rapier, aiming to stab at the right shoulder joint of the enemy.
The enemy bent his spine backwards to avoid, borrowing this momentum into a rising kick. TJ, thanks to [Combat Instincts II], saw this coming again and already shifted his previous attack into a feint to avoid the counterattack.
He then kicked his legs, and the perk [Speedburst II] activated for the first time, increasing his speed by 20% for 10 seconds with the cooldown of 10 minutes.
TJ was already fast before, but with the perk taking effect, he's even faster.
Before the enemy could even stand upright once more, TJ was already in the middle of another venomous lunge aimed at the chest.
The enemy sensed this, but he was too slow. All he could do was to cross his arms to his chest to defend himself.
TING!
The sharp tip of the rapier met the solid gauntlets once more, causing sparks to fly due to the clash. The force behind the attack caused the enemy to fall awkwardly, carried by the force.
But before his back hit the ground, he stretched out his arm and used it as leverage to swing his legs around like a cyclone to disengage and ward off any possibility of TJ's follow-up.
However, that didn't stop TJ from trying. Believing in the [Sharpness II] perk and not wanting to waste the speed boost given by the [Speedburst II], TJ continued lunging and stabbing at the enemy.
Unfortunately, his attacks chipped at the training pants of the enemy before the speed boost faded. However, TJ didn't think about it too much. He pressed on since the initiative was still on his side.
He still hasn't forgotten how this same nameless fusion class holder pressured him to death last time, and TJ was very eager to have him taste his own medicine.
True to his fighting style so far, TJ aimed at the squishy parts of his enemy. Poke after poke, stab after stab, one lunge stringing to the next, TJ relentlessly pursued his enemy, leaving him no room to breathe or rest.
It's here that the unfairness of the Fusion Class became obvious again, because despite being less skilled than him, the enemy was still alive and relatively well.
The skill [Mana Enhancement] didn't just boost the user's attack; it also fortified everything that's covered by it. The nameless fusion class holder took advantage of this by using his gauntlets to defend, making TJ unable to deal any real damage to him.
What the dream echo didn't know is that TJ was already accumulating his advantage despite not seeing any real success.
Because even though he's failing to strike at the squishy parts, his attacks are still connecting, and each time they do, it's adding to his [Combo II] count.
It didn't take long before he got the first stack of [Combo II], receiving a 20% boost to his overall strength.
Shick!!!