The first light of dawn was just beginning to break as Kazu approached the modest kitchen of his home. He greeted Rosalia with a cheerful smile.
"Good morning, Rosalia."
Rosalia looked up from her morning preparations, her eyes softening at the sight of Kazu. "Oh, good morning, dear. You're up early today… The sun hasn't even risen yet. Let me guess… Are you going for your morning jog again?"
Kazu chuckled. "Yes, Rosalia. You really know me well!"
Rosalia's smile widened. "Well, you do make it a point to jog every morning. You cover half the city, don't you?"
Kazu nodded enthusiastically. "That's right, Rosalia. And today, I'm also heading to the Desk for a new Quest."
Rosalia's expression turned thoughtful. "You've accumulated quite a few rewards from your Quests. What are you planning to do with them?"
Kazu's face brightened with gratitude. "I want to donate them to the orphanage and to you as well. It's my way of thanking you for taking me in and giving me a new family. I'm really grateful, Rosalia."
Rosalia's eyes glistened with warmth. "Oh, my dear… You're such a kind child. Just make sure to stay safe out there."
Kazu gave a reassuring nod. "Yes! I'm heading out now."
He took a moment to review his status:
[STATUS]
Level: 65
Name: Kazu Gonomiya
Age: 12
Job Class: God
Passive Skills
Divine Knowledge
Infinite Mana
Maximized Self-Healing
Active Skills
Blink
Explosive Blink
Bloodlust
Magic Spells
Fire Pierce
Fire Spirit Flare
Exploration Level: 79
Assassin Level: 75
Cooking Level: 8
Jogged the entire morning until the sun came up
Inside the bustling Adventurer's Guild, Kazu approached the reception desk where Missy was working.
"Ahh… Good morning, Missy! I'd like to take a Quest."
Missy looked up from her paperwork with a smile. "Good morning, Kazu. I assume you're interested in an S-rank Quest? Perfect timing, we have a special Quest for S-rank adventurers today. Would you like to see it?"
Kazu read the parchment carefully. "Hmm… 'Find the Sacred Magic Scroll on DUNGEON Floor 35. It was left there by my child, an A-rank Adventurer, in a corner of that place. This item is very important to us, so a substantial reward will be given to anyone who completes this Quest.' Missy… What exactly is a dungeon?"
Missy's eyes twinkled as she explained. "A dungeon is a place filled with various creatures. You can find rare items there, like this necklace I'm wearing. It holds a powerful magic presence that activates only when I'm near death. It was a gift from my father…"
Kazu's curiosity grew. "Oh… Is it dangerous in a dungeon?"
Missy hesitated for a moment. "Some say it's dangerous, while others don't. It might depend on your luck…"
Kazu's resolve strengthened. "I'll take the Quest, Missy!"
Missy's expression softened as she blushed slightly. "Alright, Kazu… Good luck with your Quest. Be careful out there…"
On his way out, Kazu bumped into Kazike, who was just arriving.
"Hey!!! KAZU!! Got a Quest today?"
Kazu greeted him with a nod. "Yes, Kazike…"
Kazike's eyes lit up. "Want me to join you on that Quest?"
Kazu considered it for a moment. "That's fine… But we should inform Missy first."
Kazike raised an eyebrow. "Oh really? that receptionist? Okay..."
As they return to the desk where Missy is working, Kazu feel's strange about Missy.
Kazu looked thoughtful. "Why does Missy seem so youthful?". He asked Kazike.
Kazike answered. "Oh, it's because she's an elf. She looks like she's 14 years old but she's actually 400 years old…"
Kazu's eyes widened in surprise. "400 years old?! Is that really how it is for elves? Well… Okay, Kazike…"
Kazike teased him with a grin. "Do you like her? Already having feelings at such a young age! HAYYY!..."
Kazu blushed and stammered. "No, not really! I see her as an older sister…"
Kazike laughed. "Really? You're something else! taps him on the head"
Back at the Missy's desk, Kazike called out to Missy with a grin. "OY!! MISSY!!! Kazu has a crush on you!"
Missy's face turned bright red. "You, Kazike!" blushing "What are you saying… Kazu is still a child…"
Kazu felt his face flush with embarrassment. "Kazike… You're making a scene in the Guild…"
Kazike chuckled. "Oh right, by the way Missy! Kazu doesn't know you're an elf… But I've told him. Also… I'll be accompanying Kazu on his Quest. That's okay, right? It's safer for him."
Missy, still blushing, nodded. "Oh, yes… Just make sure to stamp your guild card on his Quest paper… Like this…"
Missy gave the parchment of Kazu's Quest on Kazike to Mark it with his name so they could share for the reward.
Kazike and Kazu prepared to leave. "Alright then! We're off, Missy…"
DUNGEON
Kazu stood at the entrance of the stone dungeon, his eyes locked on the glowing teleportation circle carved into the floor. The soft blue light from the circle cast eerie shadows across the walls, giving the ancient symbols an otherworldly glow.
"Kazike, is this the dungeon entrance?"
Kazike nodded. "Yes, we're at the entrance. I've reached the 16th floor before, but the enemies were too strong, so I didn't continue."
Kazu looked apprehensive. "What if I haven't tried a dungeon before… Will I start from floor 1?"
Kazike reassured him. "No problem. As long as you have this item, you can teleport to the last magic circle you've activated. It's called a Depth Teleportation Stone. You can get these from rare animals in the dungeon, like the Demon Rabbit… But you can only use it once, so make sure to carry some before you return to the surface."
Kazu's face lit up with understanding. "Oh, okay, Kazike. I'm learning so much from you!"
Kazike waved off the praise. "Ah, it's nothing, Kazu! You're stronger than me!"
Kazike continued. "Alright, to join me on the 16th floor, you'll need to share a bit of mana with me to connect us. This method works for all types of teleportation spells when you want to bring someone along."
Kazu complied, transferring some mana. "Okay, Kazike… I'm sharing some mana with you."
Kazike winced slightly. "Ouch! That's quite a lot of mana… But it's fine. Let's go! Hold on tight… Depth teleportation…"
In the depths of the dungeon, Kazu's eyes widened in amazement as he took in the breathtaking sights.
"Wow, Kazike! It's beautiful here… I thought dungeons would be terrifying."
Kazike smiled, though his eyes remained sharp. "It can be scary, Kazu. We're at the starting point of the 16th floor, so it's still relatively safe. There's a Magic Barrier here that keeps harmful creatures out."
Kazu admired the crystals that adorned the dungeon walls. "It's so beautiful. Can we collect these crystals?"
Kazike shook his head. "You can, but it requires a high Mining skill to gather them from the rocks."
Kazu nodded. "Understood. Let's head to floor 35 then."
Kazike's tone turned serious. "We need to be careful, Kazu. Prepare yourself. We're leaving the Barrier."
Kazu steeled himself. "Got it, Kazike!"
As they moved forward, a gust of wind swept over them, making Kazu's senses tingle.
NOTIFICATION
[Exploration skill reached level 80, enhance now?] (yes)
[A new skill upgraded: Dash II to Blink: can be cast at will]
[New skill learned from Blink Skill, Explosive Blink: Cooldown: 0]
[New skill upgraded from Kill Intent to Murderous Intent Detection MAX level]
Kazu felt a surge of power and newfound abilities. "So many new skills… My Exploration level reached 80 has made me stronger, and my senses are sharper. I can feel a strong murderous intent around us… It's frightening, but I'll face it head-on. I need to get stronger…"
Kazike noticed Kazu's determination. "That's the spirit, Kazu! Keep your courage up! You're different from other kids… But I'm proud of your self at such a young age. Let's continue. If you spot anything unusual, let me know."
Kazu nodded firmly. "Okay, Kazike."
Kazike's expression turned serious. "On this floor, we usually encounter vampires. They often hide in dark corners… Looks around Stay close to me."
Kazu, feeling both excited and nervous, tightened his grip on his hand. "Understood, Kazike. I'm ready."
As they delved deeper into the dungeon, the atmosphere grew heavier and the shadows seemed to close in around them. The true test of their skills was just beginning.