There are eight elements that make up our world. We can see their energy with our eyes and feel it on our skin. Those who truly know their own weapons often have revelations about these elements. Those who dedicate themselves to the use of a single weapon and wield it as if it were a part of their own body discover new techniques. These mysterious techniques are called "weapon skills." Those who grasp these techniques have sharpened their reflexes to a point where they can bring concentrated energy forth from their weapons. The energy released by weapon skills is best thought of as being culled from the surrounding air, which carries a weak energy field. Of course it is hard to believe that something in such low concentration can be made to flare up in such a fashion, but even weak energy fields can hold strong destructive power when focused. And that's exactly what a weapon skill is. However, it is not entirely understood why such effects exist. What is certain is that the key component to weapon skills is actual combat experience with the weapon. Most adventurers have been making good use of weapon skills as of late. Just as magic users rely on magic, other adventurers rely on their weapon skills.