Chapter 5: Level 2 Part 1

Raven was born in Rolfgar; an oasis village located in the deserts of Kasata. He had worked as a mercenary at a young age to support his single mother, going from hunting monsters around the village’s vicinity to escorting merchants who had traveled all the way from the mainland to procure goods in the labyrinth city.

His mother was a retired adventurer. Night after night when he was still a child would she tell him of her adventures in the labyrinth. She had described it as a frightening place, yet the smile she displayed whenever she talked about his father — who met his unfortunate end in a labyrinth — was one of a kind. Eventually, that smile became his driving force.

Raven had lived his entire nineteen years of life in simplicity, but he had always dreamed of making it big one day. He would frequent the bar where his mother worked at and listen to drunk men bragged their stories for the world to hear. Little by little he saved up enough money to travel north — to Rosetta.

* * *

After finishing the letter he had been writing for the past hour, Raven put his feather pen back on its ink holder. Then he folded his letter and hid it underneath his wooden desk. His mother would surely be delighted to hear about his first labyrinth adventure. Before that, however, he would need to finish the current assignment their demon teacher instructed them to do.

Raven donned a plain shirt and pants for his morning routine, as he planned to circle the freshman’s dormitory before daybreak could shine in. Silent as it appeared, the hallways were devoid of life as he got out of his room. He knew that most were probably still in bed after the aftershock of that labyrinth exploration yesterday, but not him.

Freezing wind whipped past his face as he began to sprint on his first lap. The freshman’s dormitory, along with the rest of the school, was a building that exhibited the finest agricultural designs he had ever seen in his life. He didn’t know much to begin with, but he knew what to call fancy when he sees one. The layout was exquisite, the halls riddled with expensive chandeliers. Even his room was fully furnished with everything he might need. Rosetta was truly gifted to be called the most prestigious adventurer’s academy in all of Scaldus.

But even though it seemed like an establishment for rich nobles to go, Rosetta offered a variety of scholarship programs. Raven qualified due to his inborn gift as a Lynx and presumably his previous experience as a mercenary.

“Hmm?” As Raven proceeded to circle the freshman’s dormitory, he heard a strange noise — like something sharp severing through the air itself — that sparked his curiosity. He leaned his back against the wall and peek his head out, wondering to himself what could it be this early in the day.

Up and down. A student continuously swung his sword up and down. Sweat poured and steam exuded out of his bare skin, yet he repeated that monotonous action again and again, as if lost in his own world.

Raven didn’t know how much time had passed, but he began to respect this person’s training method. He had seen his fellow mercenaries swing their swords, but not one was as refined as this student before him. It wouldn’t be a mistake to describe it as a polished art.

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“It’d be a little awkward if you keep spying on me, you know? So would you mind introducing yourself?” His polite words may have phrased a question, but his tone left no room for negotiation.

Raven revealed himself and stepped closer, recognizing who that person was at the same time. That brown hair highlighting glints of auburn belonged to his partner — Christopher Noire.

“To think you’d be up this early even after we navigated the entire first floor for the third time last night, you’re quite tough.”

“I could say the same thing to you,” Chris said, slashing his wooden sword left and right.

“I didn’t know you could swing a sword like that. Why’d you assumed the role of a mage?”

Chris shrugged. “Personal reasons.”

“Oh yeah?” Raven stretched his arms up high. “Since I’m already here, how about a quick spar between the two of us?”

Raven wasn’t the type of guy to pry into other people’s business, but he couldn’t just leave after seeing that. As someone who grew up guarding merchant goods, he was trained to be alert all the time, which made him noticed the little things other people wouldn’t pay attention to.

His gait, his poise, and now this display of skill — he knew something was up with his controlled movements. With this perfect specimen in front of him, it was tempting to try where he stood; whether he was beneath or above him.

“I wouldn’t mind, but are you sure? It’d be hard for me to hold back against someone of your caliber.” Chris replied with a snicker.

“Is that your own way of chickening out? That’s fine with me. I’m not forcing you after all.”

The smile on his friend’s face disappeared the instant he said that. For a brief second, Raven felt as though he was a different person entirely, something akin to a more sinister individual.

“Yeah, I’m a chicken.” Then he smiled again, though with hints of bitterness, and all that dark emotions he felt emanating from him vanished.

Was it his imagination? The morning breeze playing tricks on his mind?

Raven couldn’t tell what it was, but his instincts told him not to mess with this man.

… … …

Rave lurched backwards before he fell on the solid dirt. “Dammit!”

That last exchange got him good on the gut. What the hell was that? Even though it was the streets who taught him how to fight, he was confident at his skills. Chris wasn’t even half as quick as him, yet he deflected his attacks with ease.

“You have good reflexes, but you need to work on skill and precision. Your fighting style as of now could work against mindless monsters, without a doubt, but you’d fail horribly against experienced practitioners.” Chris sighed when he kept his mouth shut. “It’s merely an advice, my friend. Take it with a pinch of salt.”

Take it with a pinch of salt indeed. Raven couldn't help but hide his face in shame.