It's been almost 8 months of training. Working on pushing my classes towards 50 or 25 if I just recently got them. My newer classes like Dragon bloodline, Viking, Pirate, Barbarian, Ninja, Samurai and Ranger all only just recently broke level 30. Everything else made it passed 50.

Skills learned are cleave, combat expertise, enraged regen, dragoon combo, indomitable might, stamina ballad, pinpoint strike, empower pets, increased gold drops, mounted mastery, persuade, ragnarok, genjutsu (snake eyes, dragons gaze, shadow punches), quick change, shock, mana shield, curse, invisibility, healing water, magic link, spell steal, steal defenses, mojo magic, frenzy, sun absorption, lay on hands, spirit guide, stamina boost four, spell reflect, neverending potion, soul strike, sense trap, sense presence, appraisal, give knowledge and word magic… Next I'll go over my new merged skills.

Mock + Persuade = Cunning words- attempt to fluster an enemy by convincing them to either join your side or anger them into making a mistake

Rognarok + Shock = Lightning rod- Channel lightning down into your weapons, allowing you to focus it towards an enemy

Invisibility + One with shadows + Sneak = True stealth- become impossible to detect

Snake eyes + Evil eye + Dragons gaze = Dragons piercing gaze- Attempt to petrify, paralyze or charm an enemy (the effect is dependent on the strength of the opponent)

Dragoon combination + Frenzied strikes = Flurry strikes- Attack with a weapon several times, each attack striking harder than the last

Absorption shield + Spell steal = Spell copy- Absorb the mana component of a spell, mimicking its production at the same mana cost to launch the spell again (same spell is reusable, only one spell can be held to use)

Rage empowered strikes + Energy empowered strikes + Burst of power + Chi strike + Mana strike + Soul strike = Perfect strike- attack with the power of all resources at once

Treasure finding+ Sense geode + Sense trap + Sense presence = Sensory map- Focus to find things close to you (more things will be added to the map as you gain more sense skills)

Aikido martial arts upgraded- (mastery level adept) Beginner level knowledge of the martial art, able to pull off basic aikido throws and holds

Baguazhang (Circle walking) martial arts upgraded- (mastery level adept) Beginner level knowledge of the martial art, able to pull off basic circle walking techniques

Karate martial arts upgraded- (mastery level adept) Beginner level knowledge of the martial art, able to pull off basic karate attacks

Taekwondo martial arts upgraded- (mastery level adept) Beginner level knowledge of the martial art, able to pull off basic taekwondo kicks

Unnamed style- unique style all your own, as you practice and improve your own moves will be added to this style

Master of teaching gave me give knowledge was a very odd skill. I could give away my knowledge, losing it in the process… I'll have to think of uses for that because it seems fairly useless right now. I could mix goblin combination strikes and Flurry strikes fairly well to make an amazing combination attack. With shadow punches that do no damage but look exactly like my fists (or weapon) being thrown, it makes my attacks far harder to dodge with a mixture of fake attacks scattered throughout.

I also learned two time mage secret skills from the time tree.

Secret Time mage skill gained Hasten time- Able to increase the speed of time within a fifty foot area around you, drains 1% of your mana per second

Secret Time mage skill gained Slow time- Able to slow the speed of time within a fifty foot area around you, drains 1% of your mana per second

I also have a few theoretical attacks I need to practice to see if they can actually be used. I'll need an enemy test subject though. They could have ended badly inside the tree so I didn't use them.

Many of the skills will be easily implemented into my fighting style. The ones that are passive of course. Some of the ones that are similar to moves I already have like stamina ballad, cleave and word magic. Making them easy to incorporate into my fighting style. The biggest problem with word magic is it doesn't work with melded magic or instant incantations. Making it useful for single spell casting but weak compared to everything else.

Some of my other skills were too helpful to not add into my attacks. Mana shield is yet another layer of defenses they'll have to beat through to get into my health. The biggest problem is it depletes one of my best resources. A neverending mana potion would solve that problem. Lay on hands and curse are both very strong. But I have to be touching the person or item for it to work, making them hard too pull off. Spirit guide is another weird one…

A blue, see through… Creature is the best word to describe it appeared but only to me. If I wanted to, I could let someone see it by allowing them to see it. The creature was a mishmash of what appeared to be 4 different animals. A living totem pole sort of. The legs of a bear, body of a goat, head of a giant mouse and fur of a fox…

Looking at the druid skill I learned for each respective skill I gain it is each of those. Each consists of increasing one of the primary stats. Dexterity, intelligence, strength and stamina. I have a feeling my spirit animal is so weird because my stats are so close together. It didn't know which animal to be so it decided to be them all.

I'll give this to Leaf to watch over her. I don't think it can fight but it probably does something… What a hard year it has been. Non stop training is finally about to be over.

“Hey tree. How much longer do we have to wait?”

“Ten minutes.”

“...How have you been able to keep track of the time?”

“By keeping track…”

“...Good to know. Well, I still remember my promise. I'll get you out of here… Eventually...”

“I'll hold you to that.”

The tree has slowly started to get used to speaking to me. I let everyone else know.

“WE'VE GOT LESS THAN TEN MINUTES NOW!”

Aegis crawls up my body and I grab him and slip him on my hand. He's gotten to the point where he can now easily crawl on his fingertips. Honestly he might have been the one who improved the most while in here. It will be nice to have a backup blue mage right on my hand. If he decides he doesn't like me, he can leave whenever he wants to now. Aegis speaks up.

“Yea, I don't think I'm ready to leave your side yet. Who will be there to bail you out when you mess up?”

“Hahaha yea. Thanks again Aegis for all your help. I'll give you a tasty sheet of metal once we're out of here. Tree can we get a count down once it is under a minute.”

We're all standing close to the door. I can't wait until we're out of here. I'm not claustrophobic but being stuck in a windowless room for an entire year would make anyone want to head outside and taste fresh air. I hear the time tree.

“One minute left.”

“We've got one minute to go guys!”

I count down with the tree. Getting lower and lower, I start to get excited. It is silly but I'm beyond ready to leave. We're down to the last ten seconds.

“10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.”

The doors open, all us run out of the room as fast as we can, almost racing. Until we get down to the next floor and see Leaf and Trice inside it. Both look surprised by the doors opening. Where they training on this floor? I don't give a shit. Leaf begins to talk.

“Whoa?! Kite yo-.”

I didn't let her finish that sentence. Picking her off her feet with a hug and a kiss. I don't give a damn about our age difference, I can't hold myself back. Spinning her as I kiss her. Literally sweeping her off her feet. I let her down after a realize she has a confused look in her eyes. She finishes her sentence.

“Got bigger.”

I hadn't even realized it but I'm now taller than her by 6 inches. It is as if I aged 4 years instead of 1 in the time chamber. I gained at least an entire foot in that year. Was Leaf always this attractive? I look closer at her face, trying to absorb in the details… I don't remember her being this pretty before. What could hav-, THANK YOU LUST!

“You're welcome for whatever you're shouting about.”

“You're descriptive title lets me see people with more description. Leaf is more beautiful now.”

“Heh, don't worry about me. You have a beautiful woman in front of you, don't hold back.”

I look around the room. Everyone has stopped dead in their tracks and are now staring at us. I hadn't realized it but Lance is also taller than he was, now towering over the short Trice. His brown hair grew to the point where it isn't short like it normally is. Trice must have always cut his hair because he does look different than normal. I notice sweat stains on Trice's clothing before I realize Leaf stinks. Training for 2 months with no showers… I don't mind but I probably stink too…

Leon looks far worse for ware than I remember him. Deep bags under his eyes. He's started to grow a substantial blonde beard in our time inside. He must have really been struggling to leave. Speaking of which, I've started to grow red facial hair. It is just stubble right now but I plan on letting it grow out… Unless Leaf doesn't like it, then I'll shave.

“Ahh… Sorry everyone for slowing us down… Let's go outside for now and get some fresh air… Maybe a quick bath...”

We all proceed towards the exit. Leaf's face looks like a tomato now. Speaking of food, I pilfered the remaining food for later use from the fridge. I guess the greater god didn't account for bringing our own food as we have quite a bit left. I can reverse engineer them to try and figure out how to make each one.

Who cares about food right now though. We break the entrance of the time tree and all start to cry out in happiness at the sight of the fake sun… Before we proceed outside the castle mimic to look at the real sun. Taking in our first fresh breath of air in over a year. Before we head back to the fortress and take our first bath in over a year… I ask if Leaf wants her back washed but she only freaks out.

“Leaf, we have to talk after this soak in the hot springs.”

“R-right!”

As I say that, I see a kobold running up to the hot springs. He yells out.

“Master we've captured someone you might want to see.”

Right behind him is Darkclaw in human form.

“Ah, good to see you back master. I found some strange crystals you should look at.”

Trice speaks over the wall next.

“Hey… I broke the class limit and would like to discuss which class I would like to learn.”

As I think this yet another person approaches me. It is Kora from the mines.

“We've just struck a huge adamantine vein where you said there would be.”

Zergnar comes into vision next with a cat on his shoulder.

“Master, can you teach my new pet some classes?”

One freaking day I'm gone and I get all this built up. I talk after sitting for a few seconds trying to think who to address first.

“Leaf… I'll talk to you later… Can I come by your room later tonight?”

“Y-yes!”

“I'll start with you Darkclaw. Let me get dressed quickly and I'll look at these crystals… Where did you get them?”

“Uhh… I was flying around, searching the area… And I seen a ship filled with gross stuff but this looked valuable… I think I heard you say something about mana crystals being compressed mana water. Allowing you to give a boost to cannon blasts if you add in the crystals to the water before you fire them...”

“I most certainly never said that… But I do think I've read that somewhere… I think I remember Greed talking about mana crystal dust being a drug… If it has an actual purpose then I'll use it for that… Hmm… You've been acting weird lately Darkclaw… You have anything to tell me?”

“… Maybe later master. Deal with these other people first. I'll tell you tomorrow.”