Tearis awoke sore and irritable, his skin felt off, and he felt heavy as he got to his feet. The feeling faded as he got ready for the day and left his room, followed by a groggy Mr.Cuddles.
Tearis sighed as he looked about at a relatively clean tavern.
The reason it wasn’t clean had to do with all the people lying on the tavern floor. Not an uncommon situation, but quite surprising. Tearis approached the wine bottle left on the table and examined its label.
The label had purple grapes resting in clouds connected by silver vines. Swinging the bottle confirmed that it was empty.
“Ah the Morpheus Vineyard. Dangerous.” Tearis sighed as he recalled that the Morpheus Vineyards grapes had a side effect that caused the recipients to sleep peacefully when the buzz wore off and wake up without a hangover.
Tearis didn’t see the guild master, which probably meant she managed to either make it home or two a room. Not wanting to leave many sleeping drunks alone in his tavern Tearis began to play his flute and get that practice done.
A few woke up within the hour, and a lot more after the hour mark. Tearis began to brew some coffee using locally roasted beans for the rest. If this didn’t wake them up, he’d need to fetch the guard.
As the smell of coffee wafted through the tavern, Tearis watched as the remaining people slowly and steadily got up and looked around. Only two ordered cups of coffee, the rest energized from the wine’s magic just left.
With everyone gone, Tearis did some cleaning, and in ten minutes, the guild was now open for business.
The guild master arrived with Febrona and a new recruit a few minutes later. “Tearis, you, Febrona, and Michael will be heading out on a bounty. You need to collect 5 pairs of rabbit feet, 3 slime cores, and two left goblin ears.”
Michael was a taller young man, around six feet tall, with short gray hair and brown eyes. He wore armor paired with a shield and shortsword.
“Just two goblins?” Febrona looked to the guild master.
“Goblins are semi-sentient, dungeon bred monsters. The targets are in the Sprout dungeon’s 1st stratum. Your goal will be getting these two to class level three.” The guild master stated.
“Why two then?” Tearis asked.
“I doubt you can beat more than two goblins without overusing resources.”
“Where can I buy mana potions?” Tearis asked.
Febrona sighed. “You really wanna spend money huh.”
“I have little mana and a skill that uses all of it.” Tearis deadpanned as he looked over Michale, who was protected by a cheap shield and suit of armor.
“Can I see your sword?” Tearis asked.
“...Why?”
“I just want to check something.”
Michale handed over his shortsword.
“Practical grip. But it’s worn and chipped.” Tearis imagined equipping the weapon and felt a link.
“Self Analysis: Sword.”
Weapon: Tin Shortsword,
Scales with, Strength F, Dexterity D.
Description: This weapon was cheaply made and from common metals for mass production. Will break quite easily.
Base damage 3-6.
Self Analysis: Has reached rank 2 as the item analysis function has been discovered.
“Structural integrity.” Tearis watched as red lines appeared all over the sword, marking where it could easily be broken.
Tearis scowled, “How trained are you with a weapon?”
“I can use any one handed sword with ease. My job is Squire.” Michael returned the scowl.
“Who do you serve?”
“House Balam, they tasked me with getting stronger in hopes of becoming a retainer.”
“Nobles everywhere. Did they not buy your gear?”
“The house’s business is none of my concern.”
“I see… Are nobles just broke these days?”
Febrona looked at Tearis. “You’d be surprised. Most barons in small villages are relatively poor. They may be rich in their villages but in the city where things cost quite a bit. Especially for decent gear.”
“Squires also don’t get paid much. Our gear isn’t issued to us either as we are expected to train.”
“Give me a minute and be ready, because we hit the shop for potions next. We may need them.”
Tearis equipped his training set and grabbed a sheathed shortsword from his closet. Backster had made it, but Tearis never cared to use it. He couldn’t play tunes to buff whatever group he was in and swing a sword simultaneously.
“Item Analysis: Sword.”
Weapon: Ornate Shortsword,
Scales with, Strength C, Charisma F.
Description: This sword was crafted by Backster in hopes of getting his thin friend to build up some muscle.
Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
Sword Skill: Strength training is 2% more effective.
Enchantment: Durability: This sword degrades slower than most and self repairs when in its sheath.
Base damage 9-12.
“I now feel kind of bad about not using this… It’s a work of art.” Making his way to the first floor, Tearis handed the sword to Michael.
Michael looked at the sword and then at Tearis. “I can’t accept this.”
“You can use it until you get something better. Then return it. The better you can fight the more likely we will get out alive.”
“I see.” Michael looked down and replaced the blade at his hip.
Tearis had a budget of ten gold to spend, and with that, he brought 6 healing potions for 4 gold and 6 mana potions for 6 gold.
「 Master!」
“Call me Tearis.” Tearis muttered.
「 Tearis, are we hunting?」
“Yes. We’re headed to a dungeon now, stay quiet.” Tearis whispered.
Febrona turned around. “Who are you talking to?”
“My familiar.” Tearis pointed to Mr.Cuddles.
“Right. Right. Some mages have familiars.” Febrona led the trio out of the city to a doorway in a cliff.
“Party up.” Febrona said as a blue thread of mana connected them.
“What’s this?”
“Set your combat experience and rank up notifications to post combat. That way you are notified of level ups and rank ups when it’s safe.”
Tearis scowled. The first time he’d heard anything like that. “Combat notifications set to after combat. Rank up and stat gain notifications set to after combat.”
Notifications Set.
Tearis scowled. There were still functions he hadn’t known about, and he didn’t like that.
“Is this a hidden function or a new one?”
“One of your newly unlocked ones. You should hear about those functions in school sooner rather than later.”
“Ah. So it’s not something I would have known.”
“Correct. If possible, spend as much time in the academy as possible. There are quite a few tricks that aren’t taught in the first year of training. For example, it’s easier to level your Job when it’s within three levels of your Class. Three levels behind and leveling your Job levels normal, three levels ahead and your Job levels exponentially slower.”
Tearis sighed. “Is that why our Jobs seem to cap around five or six before the Trail?”
“Yes.” Febrona stated.
“That makes sense, I guess.” Michael nodded.
“Now, if that’s all, it’s time to check your gear.” Febrona pulled out a clipboard.
The trio did inventory, and between the three of them, they had 200 feet of rope, 3 waterskins, 12 pitons, two hammers, one bag of ball bearings, a map with a fountain pen, a bag of sand, and rations.
Tearis put Mr.Cuddles in his bag and sighed. Hopefully, they could make this quick.
“Now to be stealthy, start by getting closer to the ground.” Febrona crouched.
Michael followed his cheap armor creaking as parts rubbed against each other.
Tearis also got low to the ground suspecting that this wasn’t necessary.
“Next, get to a nearby wall and use it for cover. As you walk there, move slowly and try to erase the sound of your footsteps.”
Michael’s armor creaked as he stepped his armor giving away his position.
Tearis moved quietly and carefully.
Febrona stood up and pointed to a figure sitting at a table outside the dungeon.
“Now we do the same there.” Febrona eyed the gatekeeper and approved him.
“Three for the First Stratum, from the Guild Acorn.”
“Acorn. Right, go on in.”
“Tear, Mike, let’s go.” Febrona led them into the dungeon.
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The group had gone from a somewhat paved cobblestone path to a dirt and grass area within the dungeon. Despite being underground, the place was lit by a false sun and cloudy sky.
"Let's start by going right." Febrona started the conversation.
"Why?" Michael asked.
Febrona pulled out a hand crossbow. "Some people have already gone left which means the right path is more likely to have our targets."
Febrona kept close to a wall scanning the area for signs of monsters and traps.
Raising her left hand, Febrona motioned for Tearis and Michael to sneak forward.
The two looked at each other and tried their best to sneak forward.
Ahead two rabbits stood over what should be a carrot, eating. Only a large amount of red liquid flowed from said carrot. Moments later, a carrot-shaped creature crawled across the floor, and the two rabbits hopped on top of the second carrot and began brutalizing the vegetable-shaped creature. Blood flowed from it and coated the pink rabbit's fur, making it appear a deeper pink.
"What the hell is that!" Michael muttered in shock.
"Michael. Too loud." Tearis whispered and screamed.
"Attack now! Before they can start hopping." Febrona ordered.
Michael stood straight up and moved ahead with his shield.
Both rabbits eyed the armored figure, then looked past them and at Tearis.
Tearis felt a cold shiver go down his spine. "Oh no."
The first rabbit hopped straight toward Tearis' neck while the second aimed for his midsection.
Michael intercepted the first with a shield bash sending it skittering across the ground. While using his body to block the second. The second rabbit began scratching and biting at his chest.
"Mana bullet!" Tearis shot a blast into the skittering rabbit's mind, stunning it.
"Mind Thief."
"No!" Febrona yelled at Tearis and attempted to stop the skill. Sadly she was far too late.
Skill Stolen Successfully: Hop.
A bolt passed through the rabbit's head, killing the critter.
"Get it off!" Michael was bashing the rabbit with his pommel, which did damage but wasn't enough to kill.
Tearis slams his bag at the rabbit, trying to pry it loose.
All that accomplished was angering the rabbit and Annoying Mr.Cuddles, who, on the third hit, latched onto the rabbit's neck with its maw, yanking the rabbit off the squire and ripping its head off soon after. Blood and sinew covered the area as the monster's organs went everywhere.
Combat has ended, Experience gained 40/3. (215/400)
Tearis sighed. "We won!"
「 Thank you for grub 」
Mr.Cuddles began consuming the rabbits.
"Leave the feet please."
「 …」Mr.Cuddles gave Tearis puppy dog eyes.
"Feet alone."
「 Fine. Weirdo」
Febrona approached Tearis and slapped him across the face. “Don’t use that skill in the middle of a combat. Had I or the dog not have been there you both could have died. Without mana, can you deal damage yet? A better use of your mana would have been stunning the rabbit on your teammate.”
“Huh?” Tearis looked up, surprised.
“Don’t use that skill here again, unless I give you permission. You’re squishy, a dungeon rabbit near your jugular is near fatal.”
Tearis nodded instantly. He had gotten hasty and didn’t consider using the spell to help his teammate.
“Understood.” Tearis replied, mad at himself, when he realized it would take a while to return the little mana he wasted.
“Did you at least get something good?” Febrona asked.
“Skill description, Hop.”
(MT)Hop(Rank 1): Quickly move up to 5 feet in any direction bypassing hazards. Cost: 6 Stamina.
“My first stamina skill. Hop!” Tearis looked at an area five feet ahead, but nothing happened.
“Maybe you should, you know, try jumping. But what do I know.?”
Tearis bent his legs storing energy, and felt the power build up in his legs. Then, pushing his legs to his full strength, Tearis yelled. “Hop!”
The blond-haired young man jumped ten feet forward and into a wall crashing into it head-on.
Hop has jumped to Rank 3 due to innate knowledge of the skill.
“You tried a bit too hard it seems.” Febrona walked over to the face-up and twitched Tearis.
“Nobody told me that would happen.”
“Skill rank ups jump when it’s shown that your knowledge of how to use it has surpassed its rank. Try not to experiment with skills in a dungeon.” Febrona added.
“Status.”
Health: 48/53
Mana: 2/8
Stamina: 36/45 (+2)
“Huh, stamina refills fast.” Tearis got to his feet and sighed.
“It does, so long as you’re not wearing armor or using passive stamina effects.”
“Right.” Tearis hopped, using little energy, and focused on an area close to him.
In a moment, he was in that new position and scowled.” Ah. So I can use more stamina to increase its distance by focusing. During a fight I can also use this to quickly get away from my enemies.”
“I see. If it keeps you from dying then it was worth the trouble but, if I catch you wasting your mana on skill stealing you don’t want to find out what I have planned.”
Read between the lines has activated: You really shouldn’t test this person as they will go through with what they have planned, and your position in your guild could be dropped due to being considered a hazard. But please, ignore me, as I very much want to find out after you mess around.
Tearis gulped and nodded. The group crouched again and moved deeper into the dungeon, where they encountered a pack of four rabbits.
Michale went to take the vanguard position when Febrona stopped him, pointed to a tripwire, and then up to a cage holding spears between the rabbits and the group.