บท 9: First dungeon run (2)
Shout out to my new patron:
Timothy Scholze
You are a legend.
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I grabbed a kobold by the arms and held them apart as he thrashed around with his jaws snapping in my face. I deadpanned and slowly pulled his arms apart in a certain way where his shoulders began bulging out. Its growls turned to whimpers and squeals as it began to feel the pain of being ripped apart.
I was not one to prolong suffering, so with a quick pull, I tore his body in half. Before the pieces hit the ground, the disappeared in a puff of smoke. I glanced behind me to see my companions unbothered by this point.
Tiona was tugging a large bag bulging with monster cores. Considering the weight of those cores, it was wonder how nonchalantly she was just dragging it, her gait unimpeded by the all the hundreds of cores we'd gathered up until this point.
Finn walked up to me after having skewered an orc with his spear. Tione reached forwards and caught the core before it fell and tossed it into the open sack.
"I still can't understand how strong you are Garth." Finn said, exhausted by having his common sense shattered. "Simply slapping and backhanding monsters like these once to kill them is no sweat for high-level adventurers. But you don't even have a blessing and yet you are able to perform as easily as us on the upper floors. What exactly were you before you came to Orario?"
"Yeah Garth. Were you a monster hunter or something?" Tiona asked me, lugging the bag over to where we were.
"Nope. I was a normal civilian before I came to this city."
They all quirked eyebrows at me.
"What?" I asked.
"You really expect us to believe that a 'normal citizen' is able to push his way through to the 14th floor, killing everything with one physical attack alone, with no blessing or prior blessing, and not show any signs of fatigue or tiring!" Tione asked exasperatedly.
The mist swirled around us as the silence continued.
"Yes...?"
They all collectively slapped their faces, except Ais who shook her head slightly from side to side.
"Listen Garth. You don't seem to be able to understand things from our viewpoint." Finn said to me while holding his hand up at me.
"Why do you say that?"
"Do you understand how the Falna works?"
"Sort of. Is there something I might be missing?"
"Well, what do you know about it?"
"I just know that it is a blessing, and if a mortal receives it, they are able to accumulate power in the form of magic and pure physical strength based on their experiences in the dungeon. And that's about it."
Finn shook his head and sighed.
"Looks like you really do know just the basics. Listen, it doesn't matter how much you train before hand, there is a limit to how much one person can grow in power. No matter what you do, you cannot grow beyond a certain point. That is the mortal limit set up on us.
That limit can only be removed with a blessing. Only with a blessing can one gain supernatural strength and magic.
YOU possess supernatural strength that exceeds many high level adventurers I've seen in my lifetime. And let us not begin on your magic. "
Poor guy had no idea that I already knew all of this. But for the sake of the dramatics, I decided to continue playing dumb.
"What's wrong with my magic?"
"What's NOT wrong with it!" Tione shouted, seemingly frustrated. "Riveria just wouldn't shut up about your display of magic in the Hostess when we went home last night! Talking about how a human is able to use healing magic of all things before ever receiving a Falna in his life before. And not only that but a higher form of healing magic with foreign magic circles that seemed more powerful than her own."
"Is it uncommon for people to have magic before they join a Familia?"
Finn sighed and grasped his nose.
"Look Garth. Humans, in fact NO race apart from elves are meant to be able to use magic before joining a Familia. Elves are able to do so because they were created with an innate talent for magic. The case of a dwarf, or a beastman, least of all a human having the same qualities is extremely rare..."
"So it's happened before?" I asked.
"In stories." Ais spoke quietly. "There have been humans in the past who were able to cast magic without the need of a Falna. Though such a case has not been seen in over a thousand years to my knowledge..."
'Wow, that's the most I've heard out of her at once.'
I scratched the back of my head, the noise catching their attention as they turned to me and saw the expression on my face.
"So...is it unusual to be able to use attack magic as well."
They stared at me before thinking.
"Well, no not really. It's not uncommon to have attack spells on your belt. If you do happen to have one, it's not really that strong." Tiona said with a finger on her chin.
"You talk like there is a limit to how many spells one can use."
"Well it's not that there is a limit. It's that one usually develops a magical ability once they've levelled up. It depends on the amount of magic slots you have. Each slot will contain one spell. And you can gain more slots as you level up further." Finn narrowed his eyes at me. "Do you have attack spells as well?"
"Yes...I have a few..."
"How many?"
"...hundreds."
"...-_-..."
"..."
They stood still, eyes twitching. Tione eventually let out a large sigh.
"That's it. You're a certified freak."
"Is that so wrong?"
"YES!" They all shouted at me. While I kind of expected a reaction like that, it was still slightly jarring.
"Oh...okay."
The ground suddenly rumbled near us as we heard a roar coming from nearby. Looking in that direction we saw a large lizard like creature rushing towards us. It was bigger than an elephant, with bright yellow scales and a pale underbelly. It's eyes glowed with a rabid rage as it howled with echoing guttural roars.
"What is that?" I asked.
"That's an infant dragon." Ais said. I noticed that her brow was slightly lowered than usual. I could see all the speculations were true. She really didn't like dragons.
"So Garth. Do you have any spells that can take down a dragon like that?" Tiona asked, not caring whatsoever as the ground rumbled with how close the beast was getting.
"As a matter of fact, I do. What kind of spell would you like to see?"
"What do you mean 'what kind of spell'?" She asked with an eyebrow raised.
"I mean of what element do you want me to use?"
She put her finger on her chin again.
"Assuming you are able to use multiple elements...I've always wanted to see a powerful Lightning spell. Do you have one?"
"Yeah. Stand back." I said to them. They stepped back a little as I raised a finger and pointed it right at the dragon's head.
"[DRAGON LIGHTNING]" A large burst of electricity shout out of my finger and raced towards the beast in multiple large arcs. It collided with its face, right between the eyes, and I heard its shrill shriek as it felt it's brain being fried in its skull as it tumbled forwards.
The momentum of its running dragged it's body across the dirt towards us, digging a deep ditch, sending dirt and rocks outwards everywhere. It slowed down to a stop right at our feet.
We all stared at it silently for a few moments before it disappeared in the usual puff of smoke.
"Pathetic. And that was a weak spell as well." I said, offhandedly.
"THAT was a weak spell?" Tione asked me. "If that is what you consider a weak spell as a beginner, then Riveria is going to pull her hair out."
"You don't look very shocked with those words." I said to her.
"We're used to it at this point." Ais said. The rest tiredly nodded their heads.
"So how many is that now Tiona? You have been keeping count like I asked right?"
She nodded at me.
"230 goblins, 127 kobolds, 41 orcs, 62 Frog shooters, 74 War Shadows, 58 dungeon lizards, and one Infant Dragon now."
"Wow. You're really good. I would never have had the patience to keep count for that long." I said with a smile as I rubbed her head again. She pouted in annoyance again. But I felt her press her head into my palm subtly, asking for more. I indulged her for a second longer. As I pulled my hand away, i hear her mutter.
"...anything for you..."
I decided not to comment on that. All in good time.
"And took think that most of that was you. I don't know if I should congratulate or feel sorry for whatever Familia you end up in. You'll put the rest of the newbies off dungeon runs." Tione shook her head for the umpteenth time.
"Its not really that bad is it?"
"It is, it really is." Finn said with his back towards me, his head thrown up in the air.
It was as that point that that Ais came forward and pulled my sleeve. One look at her face told me what this was all about.
From every depiction I'd ever seen about Ais Wallenstein, she chased power more than anything else. Not because it was her main focus, but because she wanted to accumulate enough power so she could one day killed the One Eyed Black Dragon and rescue her mother or something like that.
And she would do anything to try and improve herself, including challenging anybody she saw as powerful. Everything I'd done so far in the dungeon wasn't all that impressive next to what a level five could accomplish, but the reason why I had done everything I did so far was to further drive home to her that I was not a normal person.
And bit by bit, with each monster I killed, I captured her intrigue more and more. I'd been wondering when she would finally call me out on our agreement last night. But at last, the time had come.
"What is it Ais?" I asked her, fully expecting the answer I got.
"You promised me a spar. Can you fight me now?" she said.
The new subject suddenly had everybody's undivided attention. Finn turned around again to look at the both of us and the sisters stood straight at attention, excited all of a sudden. Completely different to the worn out behaviour they expressed earlier.
"Are you sure. On this floor?"
Instead of answering, she nodded her head. I looked to Finn.
"You okay with it as captain?"
"Yeah. I don't see what's wrong with it. Besides, I guess this is the best way to properly gauge your strength."
"Well, if everyone's okay with it, I guess I am as well." I looked back to Ais who was still grabbing my sleeve with a hopeful glint in her eyes. "Let's go."
---
Ais and I stood about twenty feet away from each other in a clearing we'd found. The heavy mist of the fourteenth floor swirled around us, creating a large circle. It was a perfect ring for us to fight in.
Ais stood straight with one foot in front of the other, her hand on the hilt of her sword. Her eyes were focused, set upon my form. The slight breeze that blew about in here moved her long hair in wave like moments. She truly looked like a battle maiden.
I was standing with my arms folded. I'd taken my cape off and folded it. As I was looking for a place to put it down somewhere, Tiona offered to hold on to it for me. I'd happily given it over, thankful for the favour.
Though I was having second thoughts about it because she was grasping tightly to her chest and rubbing her face in the folds. I mean, everybody loved sniffing fur coats and capes, but do it to your own stuff!
"I have to say before we fight Ais, I'm mainly a hand to hand combatant. I can fight with a sword, but I though to let you know that it is not my main way of fighting. So I may use martial arts while fighting as well."
Ais nodded. But Finn piped up confused.
"Aren't you going to fight like that anyway? You've been doing that the whole time we've been down here. And I don't see a weapon on you." He and the sisters were like thirty feet away to the side.
"I have a weapon Captain Finn. In fact I have many and I always carry them with me."
Ais tilted her head confused as did Finn and the twins.
"Where?" They all said. I gave them an evil smirk.
"Right here!"
I lifted my arm and opened my inventory. Their eyes widened at seeing the small purple-black portal open in the air behind me, and gawped as I pulled out a large black greatsword.
The greatsword in particular was one of Momon's when he ventured out of Nazarick to become an adventurer in E-Rantel.
The shape of the sword itself always seemed to remind me of the Spider Sword. If you know, you know...
It was as long as Ais herself, and as wide as my bicep. I swung it around in the air, giving it a few twirls and spins in my hand as it span around at impossible speeds for something that heavy. Ais stood stock still, eyeing the blade with amazement, her mouth slightly opened as she marveled at it.
I mean she should. Apart from its pleasing aesthetics especially at its hilt, the sword shone with a gleam which was unnatural for a metal so dark. The blade was also made out of pure adamantite. Which actually made it extremely expensive on top of that. I'd wager it cost over tens of millions of valis because of the amount of dense adamantite it was made from.
"Was that storage magic?!" Tiona shouted at me. My smirk was all the answer she needed. Once again she found herself shaking her head again. "I'm not even surprised at this point. Damn, why did Bete mouth off to the one person he shouldn't have?"
"Are you ready Ais?" I shouted over to Ais.
"Yes." Was her simple reply.
"And you remember our agreement?"
"Yes. Finn signals and I attack first."
I nodded, pleased that she took note. Finn raised an arm in the air. He held it there for a bit before he made a downwards chopping motion.
"BEGIN!"
Ais launched towards me with her sword drawn mid air. Her speed was impressive as she closed the twenty foot gap in an instant. I was happy to realize that it was speed one wouldn't use against a level one. Her arm made a motion to swing the blade upwards.
As much as fencing lessons gave me an insight into sword play, I knew that in terms of skill with the sword, I was severely overwhelmed by Ais's experience. But what if somebody could move with so much speed and command so much physical strength that they could nullify any skill a person might have.
Saitama demonstrated that time and time again. His perception was so refined, and his strength was too much that even the most skilled swordsman there were in the world stood no chance against against him.
Nor could a martial artist outpace him in a battle of fists because he always saw an attack coming, and he was able to counter with strength that outstripped the effectiveness of any attack his opponent used.
As someone who possessed those same qualities, plus with a basic insight into both martial arts and swordplay, I was even more dangerous.
Hence why, despite her impressive speed, Ais's propagation looked like it was happening in slow motion. And that was why I could see, that the swing like motion was a feint. Because mid-swing, the twirled the blade and brought the hilt into her chest and thrust forward, the blade aim at my own chest in a sharp thrust.
I spun the Greatsword around in my hand and pointed downwards, exposing the flat of the blade to the incoming sword. Her Sword Ale slammed poin-tward into my own, creating a resounding clang that resonated in the surrounding. A shockwave was created that dug up the ground around us.
Ais eyes widened, as she hadn't even seen me move my sword. But she did not stop as she immediately pulled Ale back and swung again this time in upwards diagonal motion to the side of my body that Greatsword was furthest from. I retaliated by swinging my own upwards, spinning it in my hand to achieve so. With quick movement, I parried Ale to make it swing over my head and expose Ais's midsection.
I brought my greatsword around from my left and slashed towards her torso, as if I were intending to cleave her in half. The pressure of me swinging the blade one-hand created a gust of wind that kicked up dirt towards the other three. I didn't focus on that as true to her experience, Ais had been expecting me to strike there, and she jumped up and flipped in the air, sticking out her left leg to bring an axe kick down on my head.
I span out of the way, and her foot collided with the ground, which dislodged great mounds of rock and dirt as the ground shook around us. With the momentum of my previous spin, I crouched and span again, sticking my leg out and catching hers. She tumbled as her leg was swept out from underneath her.
But to my disappointment, instead of falling, she proved to be an adept at gymnastics as she landed on a hand and flexed her arm. It pushed her body upright so she was standing that hand. On that hand she spun around and thrust her sword again towards my face.
I had my greatsword clasped tightly to my chest and brought it up in time again to parry Ale again as it this time swept past my ear. I did this with a backhand motion which left my left hand free. I contemplated socking her in the stomach, but decided that in a tense situation like this where I wasn't thinking properly and instead trying to focus on her, a punch might rob her of the ability to have children in the future. So instead I palmed her stomach 'gently' which sent her body flying through the air away from me. A shockwave carried her, as I somehow was able to push the air around us itself to another area, creating a great gust of wind.
She immediately regained her bearings after realizing what happened and expertly flipped and tuned in the air to land on her feet. She wasn't able to nullify the forces acting upon her immediately by her landing though as she was pushed backwards still, her feet skidding across the ground as she ground to a halt. The ground she'd skidded over was smoking, and I saw small winces on her face. I cringed internally, as I didn't really like attacking women in the stomach since I'd heard of some serious accidents happening in my old life because of that.
"You really have a penchant for creating gales of wind don't you Garth?!" Tiona shouted at me.
I acknowledged her before pausing.
"Gale, huh?" I glanced at the sword in my hand as I stood upright. Giving it a few shakes before tossing it in the air and catching it by its handle, I pointed it towards Ais.
"It's a good name for a sword like this, don't you think?" I asked her. the only response I got was an upwards turn of her lips. "Gale it is then."
I span my sword around and held it in a reverse-grip.
"Shall we continue, Ais?"
This time she smiled. I saw her tighten her stance, and her eyes steeled. We all got the same message and shared the same sentiment.
It was time to get serious.
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