With the little girl with us now, Aria and I made our way to the Adventurer's Guild to collect my Adventurer ID. As we entered the guild, we found Yamane behind the counter. She greeted us warmly, "Hi Aria, Hi Tatsuya. Your Adventurer ID is ready." I approached the counter to retrieve it. The card was a simple green one, displaying my name, age, race, and a rank: F.
Curious about what ranks meant, I asked Yamane for an explanation. She patiently elaborated, "Ranks are used to indicate the strength and experience of an adventurer. F is the lowest rank, E represents more experienced individuals, D is for decently strong adventurers, C designates pretty strong ones, B includes among the strongest, and A is for the strongest adventurers according to their peers. Finally, S is a rare rank reserved for those who work closely with the King; not much is known about them, but they are immensely powerful."
I glanced at Kaori, who was shyly hiding behind me. Yamane inquired about her, and I briefly explained the situation. After a bit of laughter, we bade farewell to Yamane and left the guild. Outside, we headed back to our tavern, greeted Hoki, and ordered a meal for Kaori. As we brought the food to our room, I started asking Kaori about herself, but she remained silent throughout the questioning. She didn't respond to any questions; instead, she simply looked at me and stayed by my side.
For the entire hour, I couldn't elicit a response from her. Eventually, I had to help her take a shower. When we were about to go to bed, though, she finally spoke in a quiet, timid voice, "I-I am Kaori Umi." It was a small but significant step, and I couldn't help but exclaim, "Finally! Good job, you spoke!" I was genuinely pleased with her progress.
Seeing Kaori slowly opening up was a heartwarming experience. I went over to her, as she stood in the middle of the room. "How about you get some rest with Aria, and we can talk more tomorrow? Does that sound good, Kaori?" She shook her head and clung tightly to me. I gently insisted, "Kaori, go to bed with Aria. It's time to sleep." Kaori stared at me, her eyes moistened with tears, and softly said, "I don't want to leave your side." Overwhelmed with empathy, I relented, "Alright, you can sleep with me in my bed."
Kaori felt safe only around me, and I couldn't refuse her pleas. We climbed into bed, Aria in one and Kaori and me in the other, and as we settled down for the night, I couldn't help but feel a sense of responsibility for her well-being.
The morning sun graced the kingdom as I stirred from my slumber. With Kaori and Aria still asleep, I decided to seize the opportunity to level up and explore the world outside the kingdom. Equipping my scythe, I donned a black cloak and a mask, concealing my identity and presence.
As I ventured outside, the crisp air and gentle breeze were refreshing. The sun cast its warm glow over the landscape. I was eager to hone my skills and uncover the secrets that lay beyond the kingdom's walls. My ultimate goal was to become stronger, not only for my own sake but to protect those I cared about.
Arriving at the Adventurer Guild, I greeted Yamane enthusiastically, "Hi Yamane! I'm here to take on a quest. I'm in the mood for some action." She smiled warmly and handed me a quest. "You'll find it exciting, Tatsuya. It's a rank E mission, not too challenging. You need to defeat three ice golems and collect their gems. Each gem is worth 2 silver coins. Also, if you ever want to convert your silver coins to gold, it's 15 silver coins for 1 gold coin."
Thanking Yamane for the quest, I headed out of the tavern with the quest details in hand. According to the paper, the ice golems could be found in a cavern outside the kingdom. I followed the directions and arrived at a massive hole with a spiraling staircase leading down into the depths.
Doubts lingered in my mind. "Am I going to die down there?" I chuckled at the thought, acknowledging the thrill of the adventure. With each step down the spiral stairs, the cold air grew more frigid, and I could see ice formations jutting out from the walls.
As I reached the cavern's bottom, an icy expanse sprawled before me. I ventured deeper, and it wasn't long before I encountered my first ice golem. The golem unleashed three ice spikes at me, but I managed to dodge them gracefully. However, two more ice spikes were incoming, and I knew I had to act quickly.
With a swift spin, I drew my scythe and expertly cleaved the incoming ice spikes in half before they could reach me. Then, my attention shifted to the looming ice golem. It was colossal, about six times my height and three times wider than me. This was a formidable adversary, probably around level 75 or higher.
I sprang into action, sprinting toward the golem. It retaliated with another volley of ice spikes. I leaped onto one of the incoming spikes, using it as a platform for my next jump. In mid-air, I executed a devastating Trident Strike, landing three powerful blows on the golem. My scythe sliced off one of its arms and left a deep scratch on its chest.
The battle was fierce. The ice golem was relentless, and I could tell this would be no easy fight. Grabbing my scythe firmly, I turned to face it once more. Another ice spike hurtled toward me. I tightened my grip on my weapon, launched it toward the golem, and watched as it cut through the incoming spike and impaled the golem's chest.
I ran toward the golem, hopping onto the blade of my scythe. Another leap propelled me into the air, and I snatched my scythe as I rotated. My deadly spin culminated in the severing of the golem's head. It collapsed with a crash, defeated.
My efforts were rewarded with 300 experience points and a level-up. Two notifications appeared in front of me.
[Successfully learned the passive skill : Ice Resistance]
[Successfully learned the skill : Ice Manipulation]
My updated stats now read:
● [Title : Beast Killer] - 5% more Total HP
○ [Passive Skill : Vampirism, Predator, Cold Resistance]
● [Race : Vampire]
[Level : 53] [EXP : 170/260]
• [STR : 210] - Strength
• [HP : 650/650 (5%+)] - Health Points
• [STM : 500/600] - Stamina
• [SP : 0] - Skill Points
• [MP : 50/50] - Mana Points
° [Skills : Trident Strike, Ice Manipulation]
° [Inventory]
After defeating the first ice golem and collecting the gem it dropped, I couldn't help but notice how the biting cold of the cavern no longer affected me. With the newfound Ice Resistance passive skill, the frigid temperatures felt natural, as if I were breathing ordinary air. This development was not only intriguing but also immensely comforting.
Wielding my trusty scythe, I embarked on an epic hunt for ice golems. These formidable creatures were a rare sight, making the hunt both exhilarating and rewarding. Over the course of two hours, I successfully dispatched a total of 17 ice golems, leveling up significantly.
● [Title : Beast Killer] - 5% more Total HP
○ [Passive Skill : Vampirism, Predator, Cold Resistance]
● [Race : Vampire]
[Level : 70] [EXP : 125/345]
• [STR : 278] - Strength
• [HP : 820/820 (5%+)] - Health Points
• [STM : 770/770] - Stamina
• [SP : 0] - Skill Points
• [MP : 50/50] - Mana Points
° [Skills : Trident Strike, Ice Manipulation]
° [Inventory]
I also noticed an intriguing phenomenon as my stamina increased. The more stamina I had, the swifter I became, and I could react faster to threats. If I focused my senses, the world seemed to slow down, allowing me to anticipate and counter my opponents with incredible precision. It felt like a unique ability, one that powerful individuals might possess. It was indeed an amazing discovery, and I couldn't wait to see where this newfound mastery would take me.
As I continued my journey through the cavern, I reveled in the profound growth I had experienced. Each battle with an ice golem honed my skills and expanded my understanding of my own potential. With my newfound power and improved abilities, I was determined to become an even greater protector for those who depended on me.
As I was going out, my heart raced as I found myself facing two more ice golems in the depths of the cavern. I had already taken down 17 of them, but these two presented a new challenge. Just as I prepared to engage in combat, the world around me shattered.
The ground crumbled beneath my feet, and I plummeted into an even deeper, darker abyss. Panic surged through me, but I knew I had to act fast to survive. Instinctively, I tapped into my newly acquired skill, Ice Manipulation, creating icy protrusions on the cavern wall to form a makeshift bridge below me. With a painful thud, I landed on the frosty path, battered but intact.
As I caught my breath and collected my thoughts, a deafening roar resonated from the depths of the cavern. The sheer intensity of the sound reverberated through me, leaving my ears ringing and my vision growing hazy. It was as if the roar was echoing from the very bowels of the earth, and its sheer power threatened to rob me of consciousness.
I clutched my head, trying to regain control. The sensation was overwhelming, the world spinning around me. I was left with a gnawing sense of dread, an unshakable fear of what could be lurking beneath. What kind of monstrous entity could produce such an earth-shattering sound?
Struggling to stay conscious, I knew that whatever lay beneath had the potential to be even more formidable than the ice golems I had faced. My new abilities might be put to the ultimate test, and my courage would have to overcome the looming darkness below.