Darkness... that was the first thing that crossed my mind when Loki teleported us to an unfamiliar place. As I took a deep breath, I felt the oppressive air fill my lungs. The atmosphere was slightly warm, leading me to think we were in some kind of cave.
Snap.
Someone snapped their fingers, it had to be Loki. A glowing orb of light appeared nearby, casting a faint illumination around us.
"Ah, much better," Loki remarked.
With the light offering some visibility, I took a moment to survey my surroundings. I realized we were standing in an enormous cave. The rough, slick texture of the walls met my touch as I reached out to steady myself.
"What is this place?" I asked, watching Loki as he started walking forward.
"It's your first time here?" Loki turned and offered a faint smile. "This is called a dungeon, an underground domain teeming with monsters. It's a favorite hunting ground for monster hunters."
A dungeon, huh... I'd read about them in books. A place exactly as Loki had just described, though experiencing it firsthand was an entirely different matter.
"Am I supposed to train here?" I asked, falling into step behind him.
"Yep. Today, you'll practice using your magic in real combat situations." Suddenly, Loki came to a halt. Turning to face me, he waved casually. "See you later!"
"Wait!" I reached out, trying to grab him before he left without explaining further, but it was too late. He vanished right before my hand could touch him.
"Damn it! He didn't tell me anything," I muttered in frustration, left alone in the suffocating darkness. Fortunately, my eyes had already adjusted, allowing me to see faint shapes around me.
"So... where do I even start?" I sighed, letting my shoulders droop as confusion set in.
I began walking aimlessly, unsure of my direction. Deciding to try replicating the light spell Loki used, I focused on casting a beginner-level illumination spell I had recently learned.
"O lys, gi meg litt av din kraft og vis meg den rette veien midt i mørket."
Just as I nearly completed the magic circle, it shattered abruptly before it could activate.
"What? I'm sure the incantation was correct. Why did it fail?"
Moments later, a strange sensation rippled through my head, as if something foreign had entered my mind. Then, a voice echoed inside my head. "Ehem. Can you hear me, Yatagarasu?"
"This voice... Master?" I muttered, frowning in confusion.
"Good. It seems you can hear me."
Relief washed over me as I exhaled softly. He hadn't abandoned me completely. He must be observing me from somewhere, ensuring I wouldn't face this trial alone. It was clear now that this was part of his training.
"I've blocked all your ritual magic pathways. You won't be able to cast spells by chanting incantations. The only way to activate your magic now is through suggestion."
"Got it," I replied, feeling a bit calmer after his explanation. "Can I ask you something?"
"Go ahead."
"How do I get out of here?" I asked as I resumed walking aimlessly.
"You don't need to leave. Just wander around and survive for an hour. After that, I'll teleport you out."
As he explained, a chilling sound reached my ears, faint but unmistakable. It was the eerie cackling of something not far away.
"Khikhi... khikhi..."
I drew Muramasa, preparing to transform it into my trusty spear.
"Argh!"
A sharp pain shot through my hand as something struck me, preventing the blade from transforming. Loki's voice echoed in my head again.
"A-a-a. Who said you could use your rune here? Your opponents are just a group of goblins. You can handle them with beginner magic."
His words clarified the situation. This was another of his unique training methods. Still, something felt off. How did he know about my rune? Could he have been aware of my true identity all along?
"Damn it, I get it now," I muttered, a wry grin tugging at my lips as I shook off the numbness in my hand.
"Khiiikh!"
A goblin leapt at me, its weapon ready to strike. I dodged to the side just in time.
Crash.
Its attack missed, and the creature stumbled. Squinting through the dim light, I could make out its form. It stood about 130 centimeters tall, clutching a large club in its right hand. Its glowing red eyes glared at me menacingly.
"Khiiikh!"
With a furious scream, the goblin charged at me again. This time, I countered with a swift kick, sending it flying several meters until it slammed against the dungeon wall with a satisfying thud.
"A little thing like you can't kill me with that," I said, arching an eyebrow as I watched it struggle to its feet. "I'm sure I kicked you hard enough. How are you still alive?"
"Ah, I also gave you a magical debuff, reducing your physical strength to a quarter of its usual capacity. Ha-ha-ha-ha."
"Tch. So that's why I'm having trouble seeing in the dark and sensing nearby monsters."
Loki's laughter echoed in my head, only fueling my annoyance. Weakening my already modest strength, even for training, was utterly vexing.
Whoosh.
Suddenly, my body moved on instinct, tilting my head to the left just in time to dodge an arrow that nearly grazed me.
"That was close," I muttered, breaking into a nervous smile.
I glanced upward and froze in shock. Dozens of glowing red eyes stared back at me from crevices in the dungeon ceiling, their bloodlust palpable and unrelenting.
My eyes swept across the entire area. Pairs of eyes peeked out from behind the sharp rocks of the cave. Cold sweat trickled down my temples as I realized the dire situation I was in.
"Great, I'm completely surrounded." A nervous smile tugged at my lips.
"Khi... khi... khi..." The goblins laughed at my predicament.
They wouldn't have been much of a problem if I had my spear. But unfortunately, I wasn't allowed to use it. Loki clearly wanted to push me to my limits.
"Alright, if that's how you want it."
I closed my eyes, concentrating fully, summoning a spell strong enough to deal with multiple small monsters at once. "Ah, right, I can use that spell."
I delved into my subconscious, envisioning myself enveloped in flames, a blazing fire that was scalding but felt warm to me. I whispered the spell's name in my subconscious. "Brannrustning."
My eyes opened slowly. Now my body was wrapped in the fiery blaze I had envisioned. The goblins around me seemed slightly intimidated, but they didn't back down. All at once, they leaped toward me, weapons ready to strike.
I planted my feet wide apart, tightening my muscles into a defensive stance. As they all lunged simultaneously, I was ready to counter every attack with my martial arts techniques.
I evaded every goblin that lunged at me. With my body covered in fiery flames, every punch and kick I landed burned their skin instantly.
One goblin jumped at me from behind. I managed to block its attack by striking its chest with an open palm. The goblin was thrown backward, its chest aflame.
Oddly, the goblin collapsed on the ground, lifeless, blood spurting from its mouth, as if its internal organs had been struck by an invisible, lethal force.
"What did I just do?" I raised an eyebrow, shocked by my own actions. "Did I accidentally use inner energy?"
Inner energy is an ancient martial arts technique that utilizes momentum and breathing. By focusing energy on a single point, a person can deliver a forceful attack capable of injuring the enemy's internal organs, even with a light touch.
Suddenly, I felt a sharp pain in my head. It was as if a torrent of knowledge was being poured back into my mind.
"Ugh..."
But I didn't have the luxury of writhing in pain because the goblins wouldn't wait for me to recover. They came at me again with their half-broken weapons.
I fought desperately, deflecting and dodging their attacks while countering them, enduring the lingering headache. On top of that, I felt weaker as I realized my mana was depleting rapidly, drained by the magic I was using.
Meanwhile, the goblins didn't relent in their barrage of attacks. Their relentless combo was hard to block without full focus, forcing me to retreat toward the cave wall.
I switched to a neutral stance, bending my knees and clenching my fists by my waist. Closing my eyes, I focused my mind on my surroundings, drawing a deep breath to fill my chest and flow through my veins.
When they were close enough, I opened my eyes and unleashed all the inner energy I had gathered into the empty space between me and the goblins.
"Hyaaa!"
A powerful shockwave erupted, directed at the goblins charging toward me. To my surprise, not only did the shockwave manifest, but a sea of flames accompanied my attack.
It seemed my inner energy technique had synchronized with my magical energy, creating a new spell that attacked like a fiery tsunami. The goblin horde was instantly reduced to ashes, incinerated by the heat of the combined inner energy and fire magic.
I surveyed the area. Nothing was left, only ashes and remnants of their bodies that hadn't completely burned away.
I clenched my hand near my chest, placing my other open hand above it, then bowed in respect to my fallen enemies. "Thank you. Because of you, I've grown stronger."
While I was reflecting on the eerie silence that now filled the cave, a jubilant voice rang in my head.
"Whoa, how did you do that? Damn, you're progressing way faster than I anticipated! I think I've discovered a real monster."
I smiled faintly and replied softly, filled with humility, "I was just following what you taught me."
"Don't lie! I know you did something with that shockwave earlier!"
I gave an awkward, slightly embarrassed smile. "So you noticed, huh?"
"Of course, you fool! What do you think I am? I can tell the difference between magic and physical attacks. Your hit on that goblin wasn't either. And that last move of yours—it combined magic energy with your strange technique."
"You really do see everything," I said with a thin smile.
"Enough of that nonsense! Promise me you'll teach me that weird technique of yours tomorrow!"
"Alright, I promise," I replied.
After that, I heard him shouting with joy. Behind it all, he must have been thrilled to discover a new technique to study, especially after seeing me accidentally combine it with magic. That man was truly a knowledge fanatic.
"By the way, Master, when will you bring me back?"
"Honestly, I'd like to see you use more magic instead of just physical attacks imbued with magic, but fine. Get ready; I'll bring you back soon."
"Thank you, Master."
I could still sense the excitement in his voice, whether from pride in me or from discovering a hidden source of knowledge within me.
"First, I'll release all your seals."
A blue magic circle appeared beneath my feet, it was unmistakably Loki's. The circle scanned my entire body. I felt lighter as if Loki's seals had been lifted.
"Get ready; I'll bring you back."
I nodded. A green magic circle appeared next, likely the one meant to teleport me back.
"Gah… damn it!"
I furrowed my brow at his shout. Something seemed to have gone wrong on his end, filling me with unease.
"Is something wrong, Master?"
"Yatagarasu, prepare yourself. Something's wrong with my magic circle, and I can't stop it. Pray I don't teleport you somewhere troublesome."
My brow twitched at his words. Just as I was about to step out of the circle, Loki suddenly barked in my head.
"Don't step out! It'll be more dangerous if you do!"
My steps halted instantly. My eyes widened with panic.
Damn it, I seem to be caught in an annoying plot twist. I hope this doesn't turn into trouble or at least, I hope I get a bit of plot armor. I really don't want to die early. I scoffed inwardly.
The light from the magic circle grew blinding, signaling that it had activated and was about to teleport me somewhere completely unknown.