Zane began his attempt to learn the Expert Weapon Mastery skill by allowing his body to relax. As his body relaxed, he felt the pressure on his mind decrease and his confidence increase. With his eyes close Zane began visualizing exactly how he wanted to learn his skill.

Rare skills like Expert Weapon Mastery had more than one way of being learnt. Most experts that have attempted to learn the Expert Weapon Mastery skill focused on their dexterity or intelligence stat. An increase in the dexterity stat provides an increase in an individual’s ability to control their weapon. An increase in the intelligence stat provides an increase in an individual’s ability to learn and understand their weapon. The other six attributes have been tested and proven to weaken the power of the Expert Weapon Mastery skill. Only a fool, genius, or mad man would deviate from the established standard.

Zane planned to deviate from the established standard. When Teacher Isabelle told him about the Expert Weapon Mastery skill, he immediately rejected the standard approach. The standard approach was logical. Zane knew that being able to control and understand the weapons he used was important. However, he believed it was more important to be able to form a connection with the weapon he used.

This connection was formed through the will of the weapon and the will of the wielder. Zane planned to focus on the willpower stat when he learned the Expert Weapon Mastery skill. A stronger will would allow him to from a stronger connection. It would bring him better control of his weapon and a deeper understanding.

Pursuing the willpower stat while learning the Expert Weapon Mastery skill wasn’t an unreasonable decision. Zane heard multiple stories and read a few books describing how powerful experts used weapons. The legendary sword wielders, the invincible spear wielders and the mighty axe wielders all had deep connections with their weapons. The stories usually focused on their control and understanding of weapons in their specific field. However, the stories also mentioned how they treated their weapons as a close companion or a lover.

It wasn’t unexpected for the connection between an expert and his weapon to be glossed over. It took time to form a connection with a weapon and most experts would frequently change weapons before reaching the third tier. Therefore, focusing on the will of a weapon would be seen as a foolish decision. All of this was explained to Zane by Teacher Isabelle. However, Zane still pursued learning the Expert Weapon Mastery skill with the willpower stat because Teacher Isabelle told him to do so.

Teacher Isabelle encouraged Zane to pursue his own path regardless of the potential negative outcomes. By pursuing his own path Zane could end up learning a weaker Expert Weapon Mastery skill or learning the Basic Weapon Mastery skill. However, he could also succeed and learn an Expert Weapon Mastery skill that was as powerful or more powerful than usual. No matter the outcome, Zane planned to pursue his path. The only other option was to walk the safe and stable path created by others. It was an option that Teacher Isabelle would disapprove of and an option that Zane would do his best to avoid whenever possible.

Opening his eyes, Zane stood up and began taking out his weapons. The first thing he did was tie his whip diagonally across his chest. Next, he placed his axe on his back and his shield on top of it. He had a quiver of arrows tied to the right side of his waist and a sword on his left. Two knives were strapped to Zane’s left and right leg. His war hammer, mace and spear were all placed in his ring. Finally, his bow was held in his left hand.

Normally Zane wouldn’t move around or fight with so many weapons. The only time he did so was when he was preforming in the Stadium. It was how he gained the nickname Weapon Fanatic. Shaking his head, Zane pushed away any stray thoughts about his past and regained his focus.

Learning the Expert Weapon Mastery skill required Zane to show understanding and put on a performance. Although there were other ways for Zane to perform the Expert Weapon Mastery skill, he preferred to use the current method. Zane’s final act of preparation was to spend 100,000 village points to change the room to an open grassy plain.

Mana surged through Zane’s body as he notched an arrow and pulled back on the string of his bow. A humanoid figure made of mana took form a few meters in front of him with a sword and shield. Zane released his arrow once the figure was solid and he saw the figure raise its shield to block his arrow. The figure’s shield shattered into blue shards and Zane’s arrow pierced it shoulder. The arrow remained in the mana figure’s shoulder for less than a second before falling through its body and on to the ground.

Defense was the weakest ability of the opponents Zane created through mana. The second greatest ability was its strength and its strongest ability was its speed. Zane moved around the grass field as he avoided the opponent he created and attacked it with multiple arrows.

Once Zane had only a single arrow left, he removed his quiver from his waist and slowly approached the mana figure. His opponent slashed at him as soon as he entered close range. Zane raised his bow and used Block. Next, he used Pierce on his final arrow and threw it toward the mana figure’s head. The figure’s shield shattered after it raised it to defend itself. Zane then sent the figure flying back after he used Smash with his bow.

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After the mana figure was pushed back, Zane took his whip from his shoulder. He launched multiple attacks and used a few skills before dropping his whip. Zane pulled his shield and axe off his back before continuing to attack the mana figure. After he finished attacking with his axe, he attacked with his sword, then he attacked with his spear and then his mace.

Mana constantly broke off from Zane’s opponent as he hit it. Also, Zane felt his mana constantly decreasing and his mental pain increasing. However, his attacks didn’t cease. Instead, his attacks became fiercer over time. As Zane’s stamina and mana decrease, he focused on expressing the will of his weapons. He didn’t use his weapons long enough to understand their individual wills, but he did understand the type of will each weapon should.

Heavy swords and flexible sword were both sword and shared a similar will. Rigid spears and flexible spears were both spears and had a similar will. Zane planned to use his knowledge of the similar wills for each weapon to prove that he deserved the Expert Weapon Mastery skill.

Zane continued to fight using his war hammer, knives and finally his body. By the time Zane started using his body to attack, his head was pounding and each movement was a struggle. However, Zane didn’t stop attacking the mana figure. Punch after punch and kick after kick. Zane poured all of his will and remaining energy into his attack until he had nothing left.

Eventually, Zane used up all of his energy and fell onto the ground face first. For half a minute, Zane laid on the ground with a throbbing pain resounding through his head and an unresponsive body. After a minute Zane finally felt he had regained sufficient energy and rolled over to lie down on his back.

Thinking about his current exhausted state, Zane started to laugh, but he quickly stopped once he felt the pain in his head increase. Zane laughed because he realized that the most pain and exhaustion, he felt during the past ten days was caused by himself today. As Zane allowed his energy to slowly recover, he let his mind drift.

Zane was stalling. Although he was exhausted and in pain, Zane was able to easily bring up his system messages. The only reason he didn’t was because he was worried about the result. The chance of failure wasn’t low, and he hadn’t truly mentally prepared himself to face failure. So, he stared at the fake sky and waited for his energy to recover.

While Zane waited a message appeared in front of his eyes asking him to pay to continue using the room. Zane easily did it with a simple mental command and noticed that his headache had lessened considerably. Mustering his courage Zane opened his system messages and checked the result of his fusion attempt.

Congratulations! You have created the new skill Expert Martial Weapon Mastery.

Congratulations! You have been awarded the Skill Creator Ⅱ title.

Congratulations! You have been awarded the Skill Genius Ⅰ title.

Congratulations! You have been awarded the Weapon Master title.

“HAHAHA”

As Zane laid on the ground he broke into laughter and didn’t stop even when it increased the pain his head. Zane had no idea what effect the skill he created had and he only had a faint idea about what benefits his three titles would grant him. However, he knew that he succeeded in completing the first steps on his path. Looking at the four messages gave him the same feeling of pride and joy that his meditation art did. With an excited smile on his face Zane brought up the information for skill.

Skill: Expert Martial Weapon Mastery

Level: 1, 0%

Tier: 1

Effect: Allows the users Will to connect with everything they consider a weapon. Creates the Martial Weapon Will sub skill. Increases the users physical damage while wielding a weapon. Damage 4 + Will

Cost: None

Sub skill: Martial Weapon Will

Level: 1, 0%

Tier: 1

Effect: Increases a weapons ability to deal damage depending on the users will. If the weapon does not have an innate damage, then this skill will create one based on the users will. Damage 1+ Will/20.

Cost: 5 stamina per second

Reading the effect of his skill brought Zane immense pleasure. His skill had one more point of damage than the Expert Weapon Mastery skill. The difference wasn’t enough to make Zane invincible, but it was enough to let him feel proud. Zane was eager to test out the effects of his skill and sub skill.

Zane reached into his bag and took out a rope. Focusing his will, Zane started to view the rope the same way he would a whip. Immediately he felt his skill and sub skill activate. Zane didn’t hesitate to swing his rope and was shocked by the result. The rope was able to unleash a lot of power, but the rope received a lot of damage during the process. Zane was sure that the rope would be completely destroyed after a few more swings. Satisfied with the short test of his skill, Zane put his rope away and looked at his three titles

Skill Creator Ⅱ

You have created a new tier one skill that other people will be able to use to grow and develop.

Increases class points by 25%, decreases the cost of skills by 25%

Skill Genius Ⅰ

You have gone beyond your level and learnt a tier one skill while being at tier zero

Increase the speed at which all skill at tier one and below level up. 10% increase in the effect of all skills at tier one and below. 5% increase to all stats

Weapon Master

This title is proof of your understanding and skill with weapons.

10% increase in the effect of all weapon related skills.

The benefits from the three titles weren’t that different from what Zane guessed. Zane laid back on the ground and closed his eyes. He achieved the goal he set for himself and now he felt like relaxing while he enjoyed his success. Unfortunately, the system had other plans.