I was totally expecting to get the basic axe skill as soon as I used it in combat. In fact it is weird that it didn't happen, this place is built to improve skills isn't it? My attack knocks the dps orc back and allows me to move past the tank by a step.

Instead of continuing after the dps orc I turn my body and bring both weapons down at the tank orc's back. Both weapons hit before the orc has a chance to turn around and bring his shield to bear. My goal is to kill him quickly, the other two will be easy once they don't have him to hide behind.

Even without his shield getting in the way he is tougher and harder to damage than the first orc I killed. Even after hitting him with both weapons a second time he is still alive. As I am getting ready to attack again I feel an arrow hit my shoulder, but it is deflected by the wind armor and doesn't do any damage.

The dps orc is also coming towards me, ready to attack, but I ignore him in favor of finishing off the tank. The tank has finally turned around and is able to block my axe with his shield, but the mind blade still hits him in the chest. The mind blade isn't quite enough to kill him, but the lightning aura is enough to finish him off.

As I am killing the tank the dps orc hits my back with his axe, it does a little over four hundred damage to me. At the same time an arrow finally makes it through the wind armor but it does less than a hundred damage. Even combined the two attacks don't amount to more than a few scratches since I have such high health now.

As I straighten up and turn to face the dps orc I can see the sudden fear in his eyes. He doesn't even try to defend himself as I bring both weapons around and cut him down. The archer keeps attacking but I ignore him as I dismiss mind blade and pick up the orc's axe.

Now with an axe in each hand I decide to do an experiment, I already have the lightning aura surrounding the axes but I want to see if I can stack more. So I activate mind blade and have it surround the axes and then I also activate my new mana blade skill. To my surprise it actually works and all three damage enhancements stack on the axes.

When I walk over to the terrified archer it only takes a single swing with one axe to kill him. While each ability on its own isn't all that impressive when I use all three the damage shoots through the roof. Just being able to experiment like this has already made entering the test worthwhile.

??? says "Opponent defeated! Skill fusion triggered!"

Skill Fusion: Lightning Aura Level 2 + Wind Armor Level 1!

New skill: Storm Armor Level 1!

Skill Fusion: Mana Blade Level 1 + Mind Blade Level 4!

New Skill: Mage Knight Blade Level 1!

'What? It triggered twice?! The new skills sound cool! Storm Armor!'

Storm Armor

Level: 1

SP Cost: 150 Duration: 2 minutes

Projectile Defense: 55% Magic Defense: 15%

Damage to attacker = Int x 2

'Huh, it's like both skills combined but stronger than either. Awesome! What about Mage Knight Blade?'

Mage Knight Blade

Level: 1

SP Cost: 50

Dmg = Str x 1.5

A blade created with mental strength and mana.

Can create bladed weapons or coat existing weapons.

'That's even better! It even changed from intelligence to strength! This is going to be super useful!'

After reading the new skill I immediately drop the axes on the ground and summon two swords with the new skill. Not only do they look awesome but they feel like extensions of my arm. As I swing them around a bit they quickly feel perfectly natural to me, I can use them without even thinking about it.

Dismissing and reactivating the skill a few times I realize I can shape them into any bladed weapon I can imagine. The only thing that doesn't work is blunt weapons, but even a spear or a halberd works. Since I no longer have a weapon restriction I can even use all the weapons I can create.

Not only that but each weapon's damage is almost as much as I do when using Blitz. With this and the armor I don't really have to worry about being caught without my equipment. The rest of the test should be fairly easy, so I start moving forward again and soon reach the next break room.

*DING*

Congratulations! Skill Magic Body has progressed to level 3!

Magic Body

Level: 3

All Stats +15 HP +15/Hour

'Hah! Another skill I completely forgot about! This place is too awesome!'

It must have leveled up because I was wounded and just let it heal on its own. Speaking of, I should have used my new healing spell to try and level it up. If there is another fight ahead of me I think I will intentionally let myself get hurt so I can use my healing spell.

Since I don't need to rest I walk straight across the break room and head into the next hallway. After walking for a while I see another room up ahead, which is different from the previous hallways. Since there isn't a fight waiting in the hallway I approach the room, when I do I spot my next fight.

In the room ahead of me are twenty orcs, among them I spot several caster types. This is going to be more difficult since with more space they will be able to surround me. What's worse is the casters, some of them are probably healers which could cause me problems.

Being outnumbered isn't anything new, but I can see at least three tank types in the crowd. If the tank types can keep me busy while the healers keep them alive then the various dps orcs can wear me down. So to prevent that I need to take out the healers first, which means my best bet is to charge through the rest quickly.