The next three days would test me in every way imaginable. During daytime, Koren seemed determined to throw every weapon combination at me, both to use and defend against. The evenings, however, held their own rhythm - two nights with Elara, first mastering advanced tracking techniques, then retreating to our secret cave away from Haven's Cross's watchful eyes. The third evening would be my farewell celebration, still to come.
Day One Daytime
The morning set the tone when Renna arrived with what looked like the entire armoury's weird weapons collection.
"I don't understand it." Mac announced, frowning at his notes while I toweled off sweat from the morning's training session. "We were hoping you would have naturally gravitated toward a specific weapon type. Warriors always do, and since you did the warrior trial..."
Koren nodded in agreement, spreading out a collection of training reports. "Look at Diana - by this point in her training, she'd already specialized in spears. Bron was all about maces and myself, the staff.
"Instead," Mac continued, gesturing at my varied weapon collection, "you're spreading yourself evenly across everything. Most warriors naturally gravitate toward mastering one specific type of weapon, but you..." He shook his head. "You pick up any one-handed weapon we give you, and within minutes you're wielding it like you've trained with it for months."
"It must be connected to your Virtuoso class," Koren mused, studying his notes. "We still don't fully understand what that class means, but your ability to adapt to different weapons is... unique."
"Well, whatever it is," Mac's expression turned thoughtful, "it's clear you won't be following the traditional path of weapon subspecialties. Which actually gives me an idea for the next three days of training."
I didn't like his expression. Neither did the messenger birds perched above us, judging by how they shuffled nervously.
"If you're going to be different," Koren's grin turned predatory, "we might as well embrace it. Fully."
"Is that a combat umbrella?" I asked in disbelief.
"Traditional rain country weapon," Mac explained cheerfully. "Very effective when you need to look fashionable while stabbing someone."
From my observation post near the training grounds, I could see the usual crowd gathering. Guards off-duty, a few merchants, and that same young boy who always seemed to count coins. I noticed him talking quietly with some of the other spectators, who walked away shaking their heads but reaching for their purses, anyway.
They cycled through weapons I'd never even heard of. Meteor hammers that nearly took my head off. Rope darts that seemed to defy physics. War fans that could either block a sword or slice through training dummies. At one point, I'm fairly certain I defended against someone wielding a serving spoon.
"Mana break!" Koren would call periodically, and I'd collapse gratefully onto a nearby bench. These rest periods became more frequent as the challenges grew more complex, my skills requiring more and more energy to maintain the precise control needed.
The handicaps grew increasingly elaborate. "One arm tied behind your back," became "one arm tied behind your back while standing on a rolling barrel." "Fight blindfolded," developed into "fight blindfolded while people throw fruit at you."
"You know," I gasped during one break, watching Elara try to hide her amusement from her observation post, "most people just stick to regular sparring."
"Most people," Mac retorted, "don't have your particular talent for adapting to any weapon we throw at you. Speaking of throwing..." He pulled out what appeared to be a bag of marbles.
Day Two Daytime
They'd run out of conventional weapons and started getting creative. I defended against a warrior wielding two brass knuckles, while I was handed... a quill.
"Seriously?" I stared at the writing implement.
"The quill is mightier than the sword," Koren quoted sagely. Then added, "Also, it's technically a piercing weapon." During the increasingly frequent mana breaks, I noticed our young betting enthusiast's clothes getting progressively nicer. He'd wave cheerfully at me while other spectators grumbled and handed over coins.
Mac and Koren kept pushing the boundaries of what made up "training." They'd have me switch weapons mid-fight, defend against multiple opponents, or try to disarm someone while reciting poetry. ("A warrior needs to multitask!" Mac insisted.)
A tremendous surprise came during what seemed like a routine exchange. They had me back to using slashing weapons in combination with piercing and blunt. I was facing off against two opponents when suddenly.
Quick Jab Activated!
Skull Crusher Activated!
Breaker's Opening Executed!
The training ground went silent as a blue glow surrounded both my opponent and me. Everyone watched in amazement as my opponent's armour seemed to weaken visibly before my next strike landed with unprecedented force.
Combo Discovered: Breaker's Opening
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Target armour reduced by 20% (2 turns)
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Next, attack deals +25% damage
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Cooldown: 4 turns
"What just happened?" Koren demanded, his eyes wide.
I explained how the skills had somehow combined into something called "Breaker's Opening," creating an entirely new effect that reduced armour and increased damage.
Mac dropped his training clipboard. Koren's jaw hit the ground. Even Elara leaned forward from her observation post.
"That's... that's impossible," Koren whispered. "Skills don't combine like that. They never have."
"Apparently they do for him," Mac muttered, frantically scribbling notes. "Must be connected to his Virtuoso class... the ability to weave different techniques together..."
"This is so unfair," groaned one of the training partners, pulling himself up from the ground. "First you adapt to any weapon we give you, and now you're creating combinations that shouldn't even exist?"
Mac was still furiously writing notes. "In all my years of training warriors, I've seen nothing like this. Skills are supposed to be distinct techniques, not... whatever this is."
"It's like he's composing with combat moves instead of music notes," Koren mused, then caught himself. "Not that we understand what a Virtuoso is supposed to do with music, either."
A familiar chime sounded in my head.
System Notice: The path of the Virtuoso holds many secrets. Your first composition marks the beginning of a greater symphony.
"Did you just get another cryptic system message?" Elara called down from her post, recognizing my expression. When I nodded, she laughed. "Of course you did. The system seems to enjoy being mysterious with you."
We spent the next few hours discovering more combinations. Elara had me go through all the possibilities as she tracked them down on paper. Three more emerged over that period. First, when Skull Crusher combined with Precise Thrust and Armour Breaker, creating "Armour Breaker" - a devastating combination that ignored 30% of armour and created a weak point for two turns.
Skull Crusher Activated!
Precise Thrust Activated!
Armour Breaker Executed!
Combo Discovered: Armour Breaker
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Ignore 30% armour
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Create a weak point for 2 turns
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Cooldown: 4 turns
Then Rhythmic Strike merged with Skull Crusher to form "Rhythmic Crusher" - guaranteeing a bonus attack if the first two hits landed, each with a chance to stun.
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Rhythmic Strike executed!
Skull Crusher Activated!
Rhythmic Crusher executed!
Combo Discovered: Rhythmic Crusher
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Bonus attack guaranteed if first two hit
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Each hit has a 15% stun chance
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Cooldown: 5 turns
Finally, Rhythmic Strike and Precise Thrust produced "Precision Rhythm" - ensuring a critical hit on the second strike if the first connected, while both attacks ignored some armour.
Rhythmic Strike executed! Precise Thrust Activated!
Precision Rhythm Executed!
Combo Discovered: Precision Rhythm
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Second hit always crits if first hits
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Both hits ignore 10% armour
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Cooldown: 5 turns
During one of our mana breaks, Mac theorized that this was just the beginning of what might be possible. "If you can create all these combos now," he said, wiping sweat from his brow, "imagine what else might be possible once you've mastered more skills." Near the end of training, I noticed something strange when my Rhythmic Strike and Quick Jab landed in succession - there was a familiar magical resonance, but no combo emerged.
"I think there's something there," Koren said thoughtfully. "Maybe it's like music - you're missing a note. Could be a triple combination waiting to happen if you find the right third skill."
The theory made sense. After all, if two skills could combine, why not three? It was just a matter of finding the right sequence...
Koren was right. As I flowed from Rhythmic Strike into Quick Jab and followed with Skull Crusher, I felt the familiar resonance build into something more. The movements weren't just connecting - they were amplifying each other, each strike lending power and momentum to the next. The system confirmed what I could already feel happening:
Rhythmic Strike executed!
Quick Jab Activated!
Skull Crusher Executed!
Warrior's Flow Executed!
Combo Discovered: Warrior's Flow
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Each hit builds momentum (+10% damage)
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Final hit deals bonus damage based on momentum
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All effects from individual weapons apply
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Cooldown: 8 turns
Mac's eyebrows shot up as he furiously scribbled in his notes. "Three skills combining into one sequence - it's like watching a combat symphony come together. The implications for martial training are staggering." "Did you see how each hit flowed into the next?" Koren asked excitedly. "The rhythm of the first strike carried through the entire combination. It's exactly like composing music, but with combat techniques instead of notes!"
Day Three Daytime
It felt like they were throwing everything at me just to see what would stick. Word had spread about the combo discovery, and the training ground was more crowded than ever. Our young betting enthusiast was now wearing silk.
"The verdict is clear," Mac said, reviewing the final tallies. "You will not follow any traditional weapon specialization path. Instead, you've demonstrated something entirely new - the ability to adapt to any one-handed weapon almost instantly, and more importantly, combine skills in ways we've never seen before. Combined with your exceptional dual-wielding capabilities, you're developing into something completely unique- a fighter who can use any 1H weapon in either hand, and create combinations that shouldn't be possible." Elara joined us, having descended from her observation post one final time. "So," she said, "creating impossible skill combinations, defying normal class progression, and getting mysterious system messages about symphonies. Quite the three days."
"At least nobody tried to kill me this time."
"Yet," she corrected. "There's always tomorrow."
The system chimed one last time:
Assessment Complete: The Virtuoso's path diverges from the known. Your symphony awaits.
Final Three Day Training Summary:
Skill Mastery Progress:
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Blunt Weapon:
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EXP: 300
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Disorient Successes: 10
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Defeats multiple at once blunt: Completed
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Piercing Weapons:
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EXP: 300
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Critical Hits: 25
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Staggers Achieved: 10
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Combat Achievements:
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Weapon Adaptation (All one-handed weapons)
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Multi-opponent victory
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First Skill Combination Discovered: "Breaker's Opening"
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Successfully wielded unconventional weapons (including the infamous ladle incident)
Notable Discoveries:
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Unique ability to combine combat skills
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Universal weapon adaptability
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System acknowledgment of "composition" potential
1H Blunt Reached (Uncommon 4)
1H Blunt (Common 4)
Effect:
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Attack: +8
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Defence: +4
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Blunt Weapons: 15% chance to deal +3 damage
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Skull Crusher Enhancement:
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Disorient chance increased to 35%
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Damage increased to base + 6
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Mana Cost reduced to 4
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New Move: Ground Slam
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AOE attack that creates shockwave, affecting enemies in 3 metre radius
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Deals base weapon damage + 5 to primary target
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Deals 60% damage to other targets in radius
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15% chance to knock down enemies hit
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Cooldown: 5 turns
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Mana Cost: 20
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Requirement for Uncommon 5:
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EXP Requirement: Gain 400 additional EXP
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Skill Usage Requirements:
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Hit 3+ enemies with single Ground Slam
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1H Piercing Reached (Uncommon 4)
1H Piercing (Uncommon 4)
Effect:
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Attack: +8
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Defence: +4
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Piercing Weapons: 15% chance to deal +3 damage
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New Move: Riposte Thrust
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Cooldown: 5 Turns
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Mana Cost: 10
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Counter enemy attack with precision strike
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150% damage if timed perfectly
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Can trigger stagger effect (5% chance)
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Requirements for Uncommon 5:
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EXP Requirement: Gain 400 additional EXP
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Skill Usage Requirements:
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Successfully Riposte 10 enemy attacks
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Land 10 staggers with Riposte Thrust
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Combat Harmonization Quest Completed!
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Receive 2 basic piercing weapons of your choice
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Receive 2 basic blunt weapons of your choice
Looking over my new abilities and skill improvements, I couldn't help but feel a mix of pride and concern. The new Ground Slam and Riposte Thrust were impressive additions to my arsenal - one focusing on crowd control, the other on precise counterattacks. Both perfectly suited my emerging fighting style.
But those mana costs... 20 and 10 mana respectively, with my tiny pool of 34? That was going to be a problem. Even my improved Skull Crusher, though now more efficient at 4 mana, showed how crucial mana management would be in the future.
More intriguing was the potential for new combinations. If I could create something like Breaker's Opening by pure accident, what might happen if I deliberately tried combining Ground Slam or Riposte Thrust with other abilities? The possibilities were exciting, even if my mana pool wasn't up to extended experimentation yet.
Looking ahead, I knew I needed to focus on multiple attributes. Strength would boost my base attack damage, which seemed increasingly important for a fighter who relied on constant weapon switching and combinations. And constitution... well, both a larger health pool and more mana would be essential. Getting into close combat meant taking hits, and my current HP would not cut it for long.
For now, though, I had clear goals: master Ground Slam against groups, perfect my Riposte timing, discover what new combinations might be possible, and somehow figure out how to not completely drain my mana in the first minute of combat.
"Koren," I said, approaching him with a satisfied grin, "I've just completed your Combat Harmonization training quest. For my reward - the four basic weapons - I've given it some thought. Here's what I'd like." I handed him a small list. "For piercing weapons, a rapier and dagger - the rapier for precision work, the dagger for close in combat. For blunt weapons, a war hammer and studded club. I want options between heavy hits and faster strikes."
Koren read over the list, nodded approvingly, and dispatched one of the younger trainees to the armoury. The boy returned moments later, arms full of carefully wrapped weapons.
"Excellent choices," Koren said as he helped unwrap them. "The rapier will serve you well for precision work, and that dagger's perfect for your off-hand techniques. As for the blunt weapons..." He lifted the war hammer, testing its weight. "This hammer's nicely balanced - not too heavy, but enough weight to make your Skull Crusher count. And the studded club?" He gave it a practice swing. "Faster than a traditional mace, but still gives you that blunt impact you need. They'll all take enchantments well too, when you're ready for that step." He handed them over, each weapon feeling natural in my grip despite their differences. Just another reminder of my unusual affinity for adapting to any weapon.
You receive a Rapier
You receive a Combat Dagger
You receive a War Hammer
You receive a Studded Club
Name: Rapier
Type: Weapon (Piercing)
Damage: 1d8
Range: Melee (5 feet)
Weight (kg): 1 Cost: 25 GP
Properties: Finesse, Precision
Durability: 100/100
Material: Steel, Leather Grip
Quality: Common
Description: A well-balanced training rapier with a sharp point and comfortable grip. The blade is thin but sturdy, perfect for thrust attacks and precise strikes. The crossguard provides hand protection while maintaining mobility. Ideal for those focusing on technical swordplay and riposte maneuvers.
Name: Combat Dagger
Type: Weapon (Piercing)
Damage: 1d4
Range: Melee (5 feet)
Weight (kg): 0.5
Cost: 15 GP
Properties: Light, Finesse, Thrown (20/60)
Durability: 100/100
Material: Steel, Leather Wrapped Handle
Quality: Common
Description: A versatile combat dagger with a double-edged blade. Its compact size makes it perfect for off-hand fighting and quick strikes. The balanced weight distribution allows for both throwing and close-quarters combat. The grip provides control for precise movements.
Name: War Hammer
Type: Weapon (Blunt)
Damage: 1d8
Range: Melee (5 feet)
Weight (kg): 2
Cost: 20 GP
Properties: Crushing, Versatile (1d10)
Durability: 100/100
Material: Steel Head, Hardwood Handle
Quality: Common
Description: A single-handed war hammer with excellent balance. The head features both a blunt striking face and a back spike. The hardwood handle is reinforced with metal bands and provides a secure grip. Perfect for delivering crushing blows and executing skull-crusher techniques.
Name: Studded Club
Type: Weapon (Blunt)
Damage: 1d6
Range: Melee (5 feet
) Weight (kg): 1.5
Cost: 15 GP
Properties: Light, Crushing
Durability: 100/100
Material: Hardwood, Steel Studs
Quality: Common
Description: A well-crafted club reinforced with steel studs for additional impact. Lighter than a traditional mace but still capable of delivering significant blunt force trauma. The grip is wrapped in leather for comfort and control. Ideal for quick successive strikes while maintaining blunt damage potential.
Looking at my new weapons laid out before me, I couldn't help but reflect on these past three days. What had started as standard combat training had developed into something entirely unexpected - discovering impossible skill combinations, adapting to everything from war fans to serving spoons, and pushing the boundaries of what a warrior could be. My new arsenal represented this perfectly: four different weapons, each with its own purpose, yet all equally natural in my hands. The traditional path of mastering a single weapon type seemed far behind me now. Instead, I was forging something new - a fighting style as unique as my Virtuoso class itself.
Mac and Koren had helped me lay the foundation. Now it was up to me to build upon it, to discover what other combinations awaited, and to somehow manage it all with my limited mana pool. But those were concerns for another day.