Ultimate Level 1

Chapter 297

[ Skill Description - Stone Mastery ]

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Stone Mastery - Rare Skill: The user has the ability to control a variety of stones. Use may change its structure or keep its original form. There is no limit to the size or shape of what one may design. As long as stone is available and the user has mana, they can construct walls and even buildings. Weapons may also be created and controlled.

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The description was so similar to the Sand Mastery one.

“And it was only rare… What other skill could have modified it so much?”

He had replayed that fight over and over, and Max could only conclude that either Kaurma had not expected him to be a real threat and had not used her full power, or something else modified the skill.

Before him sat a pouch of small stones that he had asked for after the fight.

Kauakan had laughed but made certain to retrieve a stone dagger and the small pouch before him.

Another pouch sat next to it, this one filled with the brown sand he had almost gone crazy running across.

With a room to himself, he could finally practice in secret.

Like his Sonar, which was always there, Max had to turn off the Sand and Stone Mastery skills, or he was constantly bombarded with the knowledge of every ounce and speck of sand within twenty yards. The same was for the stone that he carried and the buildings he moved past.

It had been interesting to turn it off and on occasionally, noticing that someone moved through the city daily, removing sand that was brought in via wagon or by those who had been in it.

In this ring of the city, none had been present when he came inside.

Drawing upon the magic, he made the fist-size collection of sand float into the air, watching as he made it dance. Shapes and patterns were easy to create, and an idea popped into his head.

Slowly he started to draw Tanila’s face, only to realize immediately he would need a lot more sand to make it work.

Fighting the desire to sigh, Max instead tested how fast he could send the sand in its current form, and used it to attempt to ensnare his fingers, finding that he was either physically too strong to bind his fist in the ball he created or that somehow his own spell wouldn’t truly restrict him like that.

After a solid hour of playing with the sand in its tiny form, Max made the next jump.

In his mind he could see what he wanted. A small dagger made of glass.

The process was like a combination between crafting and just willing it to take shape.

He considered the dagger that Kaurma had on her, the black glass, and wondered if there was a reason for why it looked that way.

Summoning a ball of fire, Max started to let his mind run with it, letting his crafting skill take a part in it as well.

Time passed as the glass heated up, a bright red, orange, and white ball of floating sand. Part of him felt like he was doing it wrong, the Sand Mastery skill having said he could just fuse the pieces together, force them to change, yet this felt right by his Weapon Crafting skill.

When it seemed right, Max took the melted sand and shaped it into a small dagger.

The blade was only about four inches, and the handle would barely fit in his hand, but it wasn’t crude like the other blades Kaurma used.

Forcing the sand now turned glass upon itself, Max started to struggle with holding the shape, realizing that what he now had was losing its original state. Each moment it became less sand and was becoming more glass.

Quickly, he drew out the stones, forcing them to bind together and make a mold of what he wanted, surprised at how fast they fused together, creating the exact shape in his head.

Before the molten glass fell to the floor, a stone cast was made, and Max let the glass fill it, shaking and pressing the stone together, removing air bubbles, and when the mold was filled, he forced the stone to close the spot, pushing out the remaining melted glass.

It began to spill on the floor, and, unable to do anything about it, Max watched as it struck the black glass floor, beading up and bouncing a little bit.

“Well, at least I know it won't join or stick to the floor.”

Reaching out, Max grabbed the stone that he had floating in the air, feeling the heat that came from the item inside.

As he prepared to set the stone on the floor, he let out a curse.

“Elf tits.”

Then the thought of a certain pair of elf tits appeared in his head, and Max smiled.

He created a ball of fire and set the stone mold near it, trying to gauge the heat.

“I’m going to have to watch this for hours…”

Knowing that if the glass cooled too fast it would crack and shatter, Max leaned against the wall and began to play with the stone dagger.

“At least I can practice with this for a bit.”

***

About seven hours later, Max felt he could finally let the fireball fade, gently touching the stone mold and sensing the heat of it. He had turned it repeatedly over all this time, trying to make sure the temperature was even. Now he felt he could let it just cool on its own and closed his eyes, smiling as he dreamed about elf tits once more.

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***

“Three hundred and fifty steps. How deep are we?”

Aimee didn’t reply, her eyes focused on the spectacle before them.

Max was more interested in this arena, built under the city ring. Giant light gems cast their glow, and a packed crowd of at least two thousand roared and cheered as four fighters fought to be the last one standing.

Even though the people gathered here were supposed to be stronger, richer, and a better class of beings, they shouted and cried out just like those at the last arena.

Studying the box sections, Max saw that eight of the nine had people in them.

The arena floor was fifty yards in diameter, a much larger section than last time, and right now the fight taking place was using every inch of it.

All four had weapons, or two of the four had weapons—the other two were weapons.

One was an insect like Kauakan, and for a moment two of the fighters had ganged up on it, forced to stop that attempt when the fourth, a mantis fighter, attempted to attack one of the pair from behind.

Soon the chaos of one against one would change to two against one if the pair got too close.

When things got bad, the smarter one on the losing side would lure their opponent close to the other pair, changing the dynamic of the fight, as no one thought twice about taking a swipe at a potentially open opponent.

He could sense Aimee was shaking with excitement as her hands clenched the glass bars of their small window, watching the battle before her.

She and Romandis had both bet everything they had on his fight that was only two matches away.

At least you know who your opponent will be. Of course it makes more sense, giving people more time to bet and allowing the bookies to adjust the percentages based on how they think the fight will go.

His companion had not been happy to hear that his first match was only 2:1 odds.

Had he not been a smooth skin , then the odds would have been in their favor she had informed him multiple times.

“You should be watching this,” Aimee said again. “You could learn something.”

Moving to the built-in seat of the glass wall, Max ignored her attempt.

“I can tell you who is going to win unless the three of them change their tactics soon,” Max stated. “If they don’t gang up on the mantis warrior, it will take apart the last two.”

She glanced at him, and Max smiled.

“You’re certain?”

Nodding, he closed his eyes.

“Watch the speed of the attacks and parries. When a real strike comes that should connect, the mantis moves just fast enough to make the attack almost hit him. There is a speed and strength difference, but the others haven’t appeared to notice yet.

“The creature like Kauakan is the weakest link, which is why the mantis saved him. Right now the others do not realize that the mantis is learning their patterns and moves. If I’m right, in about thirty seconds, maybe a minute, it will make its move, and the fight will end pretty quickly after that.”

Aimee turned back to watch the fight, and a roar came from the crowd when the mantis did exactly what Max had just predicted.

It parried a strike from the tigerkin that used a sword and shield, its arm blade forcing the weapon and the creature down, its other bladed arm moving faster than its opponent had anticipated.

Bouncing across the sandy floor, the yellow furry head landed on its side, blood seeping from the wound as the body fell.

When the crowd cheered, the other two had taken a step back, seeing what had just happened and gave a slight head nod to each other.

A chittering noise was drowned out by the crowd as the pair moved to engage the mantis, but neither were prepared for what came next.

Gasping, Aimee watched as the other insect died in seconds, both arms severed in a combo attack before its head was also freed from its body.

When the bearkin attempted to get close, its charge left it open, and the large axe it wielded was too heavy to move in time.

A full-length gash appeared along its left side, cut from shoulder to thigh.

It stumbled, dropping its weapon before a pair of bladed arms pierced its back, extending out its chest and the leather armor it wore.

With a quick movement of its arms, blood was sent flying, and the crowd roared with approval as the mantis waved its weapons in the air.

“And we have a winner! Ompahaea has sliced her way to the top!”

“It's a girl… how does one ever know that?”

“By their size and color. Are you a complete idiot?”

Max ignored Aimee’s taunt and closed his eyes, preparing inside for what he knew was about to come.

***

“Today is a special day!”

Max ignored the announcer as he stood on the field, watching the three who all were glaring at him with malice.

“We have another four-way battle, but today you will be the first to see Ifrit fight in our city ring!”

Cheers, boos, and just general chaos came from the crowd as the announcer continued their call for noise.

Standing in a square, Max saw the other three he would face and felt like someone must be really trying to test him.

Across from him, another mantis warrior was present, this one taller and apparently a woman, from what Aimee had said. She had a history of eating the heads of her vanquished opponents.

To his right was an armored beast of some kind. It was short, maybe five feet if it was lucky, but its back, arms, and legs were covered in spikes that dripped some sort of liquid. Beady red eyes glared at him, and yet Max almost chuckled as the tiny mouth with two buck teeth showing twitched slightly.

On his left was the mystery opponent. They were clad in chain armor, carried a spear that was eleven feet long, and had a few other weapons attached to their back and sides. Small pieces of fur poked through the armor and clawed hands held the shaft of its weapon.

Aimee said none knew whether it was a man or woman, but the report was Carhena was the most dangerous one out here. They never took off their armor and had obviously never lost.

“Who is ready to see someone die?!”

Thunderous roars shook the very foundation as each person watching seemed caught up in a frenzy, hungry for death.

“Well then! Let’s get the killing started!”

I thought he would never ask.

Max couldn’t help but laugh when his skill spoke, earning himself some questioning looks from his opponents.

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