I stare blankly at Fisher.

This advanced mana control technique he's talking about makes sense. The only thing that bugs me, is the fact that this ability is pretty well-known in the Association... I had no idea it existed before I learned it.

I reply.

"So you're saying, by the end of the week you'll be able to teach me how to create a defensive technique like your own?"

The swordsman smirks then lets out a laugh.

"Yeah, right! I said we'd work on some techniques to help you break through one of these shields, learning how to form one yourself is on a whole different skill level. Plus, we have one task this week. There's no point in focusing on anything else right? Efficiency is key."

I grin, as he nods to me.

"Right. Kill the Behemoth."

After a long pause, the old man's voice rings out from the back room.

"Food is ready, eat up and get out!"

The Innkeeper brings over 3 steaming hot plates of food on a silver platter along with 3 drinks in his other hand.

Once served, I eat up like this is my first meal in days. Trust me, I know what that feels like.... Expending massive amounts of mana puts my body into shock like it's back in the Titan's Domain. After hard training like this, I always try to eat as much as I can and use self regeneration to its limits. Even so, it still takes days to recover fully.

The 3 of us pig out for a few minutes, enjoying the feast in front of us and ignoring everything in the surrounding area.

About 5 minutes in, once food isn't the only thing on our minds, Rylan speaks up.

"So, what will you two do for training today?"

He looks over to Fisher as he gulps down his drink and waves at Mr. Conway to grab him another.

The redhead continues.

"Jay has an element-imbued weapon just like you, are you going to start him off with mountain training? Or is there not enough time for something like that?"

I raise an eyebrow, confused at the sound of this so-call "mountain training". Fisher replies while wiping his mouth with his sleeve.

"Usually, new Elite recruits can't manage to complete that training method in months if they tried. The Director says you're a special case, just like me.

He smirks, downing a fork full of food and turning to me.

"I finished mine in under a week. You can handle it, right?"

I shrug, shoveling another bite of food into my mouth too. After swallowing hard, I reply.

"Whatever it is, if it'll make me stronger, I'm in."

I take another bite and zone out as the two of them laugh and start a new conversation about the Association and a few previous missions they were both on recently.

I don't know either of these two guys very well. Rylan seems like he wouldn't harm a fly, and Fisher is one of the strongest hunters I've ever met.

After facing one of the mobs on floor 19, and having to use a Strengthening Fragment to finish it off, I can only imagine what comes after that. All of this talk about mana control is making me pretty excited. It's a new power I can harness to get stronger and stronger.

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The way Fisher explained those tiers makes it seem like I have a long way to go...

I may be strong enough to weasel in a victory aided by a mana-boosting drug, but it won't be enough to face floor 20. I can tell I'm going to have to put some trust in Fisher and let him teach me a few things this week.

Ember seems to know a thing or two about mana control as well. I'll have to pick his brain when I get a chance.

We continue our meals, and the blue-haired swordsman throws a silver coin onto the innkeeper's desk.

"Come on, let's get started. The more time you have to do training, the better."

Fisher points at the door, motioning for us all to leave. I get up from my seat with a plate licked clean. Rylan follows and speaks up as we near the door.

"You don't have to keep paying for meals here. It's all taken care of by the Association."

The front door creeks open as the Elite replies.

"I know, it's just an old habit of mine."

The 3 of us walk outside and make our way over to the backside of the Inn. The large crater from our little altercation yesterday is gone... like it never happened...

I point to the flat rock-filled grassy earth shouting out to the hunters in front of me.

"Hey! Did someone fix this? What's going on here... why is the hole I made earlier today completely gone?"

Fisher responds but doesn't even bother to turn around.

"Come on, this way. If you don't know already, that's part of your training too. I'll fill you in once we make it to our destination."

"I- fine. Where are we going anyways?"

The blue-haired swordsman points up in the sky toward the closest mountain in the dungeon. Its rocky base has to be nearly 1km wide and it towers high into the sky. It's the smallest mountain here, but still pretty impressive.

I nod and follow along.

The pair love to talk it up. While they're bragging to each other about quests completed, I'm taking out diving Griffins as they fall from the sky.

Our walk takes just under 30 minutes. As we arrive near the base of the first towering peak, I finally start asking questions again. This mid-morning stroll was nice and all, but it's time to get down to business.

"Hey, Fisher. Now are you gonna tell me why someone took the time out of their day to fill up a hole I made in a dungeon? I still don't get it."

He lets out a chuckle.

"I didn't realize you were still thinking about that."

I give him a light glare.

"What does it have to do with my training anyways?"

Grinning, the swordsman turns his body to point an open palm up at the mountain above us.

"It relates to your training a lot actually. I'm surprised you've never heard about Dungeon Regeneration Rates."

"... No, I haven't. Explain."

"Dungeons and the monsters within them are made of pure mana. The only exception is when specific dropped items convert energy to actual worldly mass."

I nod slowly as he continues.

"Dungeons are created to look, act, and perform in a certain way. Dungeons and labyrinths grow stronger as we bring we, the hunters, bring more mana into them. If reckless idiots come in and rampage the place to leave it a mess, who would want to come back for more? How will the dungeons and labyrinths get stronger?"

I start to open my mouth as gears begin to turn in my head. Fisher continues.

"Every isolated Dungeon has a specific regeneration rate. Some that have stronger mana tend to regenerate faster, and others with weaker mana levels tend to heal a bit slower. Size, location, age, mob levels, if the dungeon is in a labyrinth or not, there are a lot of factors that play into this."

I finally get a word in, now understanding how the floor magically returned to normal overnight.

"So.. how long is the rate on this one?"

The Elite grins.

"Just under 8 hours."

I start scratching my chin and thinking to myself about this concept.

It seems like Fisher knows a bit more than I thought, but I have more insight on this new discovery than most hunters would ever get in a lifetime. I am after all bonded with a Labyrinth Guardian... A literal Dragon.

Ember has enlightened me on a few things. The first being, monsters only care about you for your mana. Mindless beasts are always programmed to kill an outsider on sight, even Intelligent monsters have an unwavering urge to defeat those that trespass into their domain.

There must be some reasoning behind this, but so far, I haven't found that out.

The one's profiting off the dungeons, most likely a Demon and Dragon pairing, want to keep them tidy for guests when they arrive.

With excess mana stores available, dungeons can be healed back to their original form.

A grin starts to grow across my face. New information is always so satisfying when I can put more pieces of a puzzle together.

"So... what do the regeneration rates of this dungeon have to do with my training?"

Fisher lets out a sigh, still pointing his palm high up into the air at the rocky mountain high in the sky. He brings his hand down and points at me, then to a rock wall about 100m away from us.

The words then come out of his mouth next leave me in a simultaneous state of shock, awe, and amusement.

Fisher speaks.

"You have 8 hours to make a cut all the way through this mountain with nothing but your mana, magic skills, and a sword."