Over the next few months, Caution truly felt every second of each day. Time wasn't necessarily dragging on but it wasn't flying by either. He was in the moment, and he had no choice but to be in the moment.
In other words, life was a grind.
Mentally, he was more or less the same. Still, he was empty and, still, he mourned the loss of his family and past life. The only difference now was the self-awareness of his brooding nature, leading him to smile more than he usually did.
Eventually, he stopped going to specialist and advanced magic lessons, preferring to study the subjects independently, and most of his free time was spent sparring with Lara. Due to the newly acquired Sparring Partner skill, he was able to gain experience points by training with her though most of his growth came from monster hunter classes where he was able to practice taking down various monsters.
Having levelled up five times, he was now level 8...
Status
Name: Caution Hunt (level 8)
Titles: Ultimate Challenger
Class: The Champ
Health points (HP): 15
Mana consumption: 0/20 (MC)
Stats
Strength: 47 Agility: 32
Stamina: 43 Vitality: 3
Perception: 5 Magic: 10
Healing: 1 Free points: 0
Special items: Crimson energy store. (Creator gift)
Though tempted to add a few points on vitality to increase his HP, Caution allocated all 25 of his free points on Strength, boosting it to 47 and making it his highest stat. The decision was partially influenced by his fight with Senni, but he was already fully aware of how important physical strength was. It was a critical element of his play style and how the champ had stayed at the top.
Stamina was close behind Strength with 43 points. He had been able to increase the stat three times solely through putting methodical and continuous strain on the body. His early mornings were spent running five miles and the late evenings were spent doing sprints, burpees and press-ups.
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At the Lissos city square, Caution counted, tapping his feet with each new number. The crimson cube slowly flew circles around him as if it were bored.
"Fifty-six... fifty-seven... fifty-eight..."
Astel's arms shook as he froze in the plank position. His eyes bulged.
"Don't stop," Caution said. "You're almost there. Fifty-nine... Sixty. Good job." He raised a palm in the air.
Astel sprung to his feet and jabbed twice with his left.
PAP, PAP
Caution nodded. He raised his second palm and Astel immediately threw a fluid one-two combination. The form was nearly perfect, his arms only a little too tense.
Being left-handed, Astel took a southpaw stance, meaning his right hand and right foot were positioned forwards. He continuously jabbed and hooked for one minute until Caution rested his hand horizontally in the air, signalling for an uppercut.
PAP
Caution showed no emotion. He noticed Astel's inquisitive stare. "It's a lot better, technique-wise, but I'm not feeling the impact."
Astel collapsed to the ground from exhaustion. "No way you didn't feel that. Did you hear what I just heard?"
"I heard," Caution said flatly. "But the impact is still lacking.
Astel looked up at the starry night sky. "I've been meaning to ask. Why haven't you asked for my stats? I can tell you if you want."
Caution shrugged. "It doesn't make a difference. Knowing won't help me nor will it change my plan of action. Besides, I already have a rough idea of your capabilities. I don't care."
"What about my past life and how I died?" Astel asked. "You're not curious about that?"
"I was curious at first," Caution said. "But now I don't see the point in knowing. It doesn't benefit me in any shape or form.
"It's easier to kill someone you don't know. That's what you're thinking, right?"
Caution didn't respond.
Astel smirked, shaking his head. "Why do you want to return to your other life so badly anyways?"
"Family and friends," Caution said quickly. Immediately, he wanted to change the subject. "Are you ready for the Adventurer Dungeon tomorrow?"
The Adventurer Dungeon was exactly what it sounded like. It was primarily used for adventurer students and consisted of two floors. It was the first artificial dungeon, meaning every monster that resided there had been placed there via high-level teleportation magic.
Caution had counted down the days for Team Victor's first-floor dungeon expedition like it was Christmas and he assumed Lara did as well. During their sparring sessions, it was all she ever talked about.
"I'm ready," Astel said. "Are you ready?"
Caution grabbed the crimson cube. It glowed, illuminating his grin.
"Of course."
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Hurry up already.
Like a drug fiend craving his next dose, Caution scratched his neck and forehead repeatedly. He fidgeted and wiggled in his chair and the crimson cube emulated the erratic behaviour, sharply darting from side to side. Yolga and Lilly sat on either side of him, already used to his weird movements. They leaned forward, hanging onto the lecturer's every word. Lara sat two chairs to the right with wide eyes, staring into the lecturer's soul. She said no words but her glare screamed impatience.
"This goes without saying but apply everything you've learnt so far, not just from monster hunting but from advanced magic, close combat and specialist training. The objective of this exam is for all of you to pass the first floor and eliminate the monsters in the area. Use your wits, use your magic, use your weapons, and most of all, work as a team. Under no circumstances should anyone go below the first floor of the dungeon. Before we begin the test, just as a formality, I need all of you to each state your role."
"Rogue," Lara said quickly.
"Warrior," Reuben said.
"Archer," Astel said.
"Mage!" Lilly said cheerfully.
"Rogue," Caution said.
"Healer," Yolga said.
"Who said that?" the lecturer asked.
Yolga sighed. "Me." Reluctantly, he had taken up the task of healer in the group since he was the only one who could cast a basic healing spell on another person.
"Perfect," the lecturer said, nodding. "The test shall begin." Momentarily, he closed his eyes before uttering a long incantation. Caution immediately recognized the beginning of the spell but, as it dragged on, it became too foreign and complex to assimilate.
The only reason Caution had not sneaked into the Adventurer Dungeon himself was due to a lack of magic ability. Even if he was able to memorise the spell and perfectly enunciate the incantation, he couldn't consume enough mana to cast it without dying from asphyxia.
Gradually, a glowing purple portal materialised in front of the lecturer. "You may begin. Good luck."
The six students stood up and went through the portal one by one.
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"Why are we in a cave?" Lilly asked. A ball of fire floated above her palm, illuminating the narrow passageway. "I thought dungeons were meant to be deep underground."
"Adventurers use the term dungeon liberally," Reuben replied. "It just means areas where monsters are around. Plus, caves often extend underground. It's all the same."
"So a forest would be called a dungeon if there were monsters in it?" Yolga asked.
"Yeah," Reuben answered.
Astel raised a hand in the air to signal silence. "They're close by."
Caution cracked his knuckles hidden under leather gloves. Slightly, he increased his pace. "Great. Basic formation. Lara, Reuben and I will take the lead."
Squeaking bats roosted up high where water dripped from cracks in the ceiling. The bright sunlight from the cave's entrance had now fully diminished, forcing them to rely on Lilly's fire spell. The wind whistled through breaches in the bumpy stone wall, and the air was pungent with the smell of decaying animals and rotting vegetation.
For several minutes, they travelled in silence through the narrow passageway until it branched out into a much wider area filled with a horde of at least 50 monsters.
Caution's right hand encompassed the short sword as he raised both rune gauntlets, shifting into a fighting stance. Green oval-shaped slimes hopped about the rocky surface, and red-eyed monster spiders crawled on the ceiling. He was conflicted. The lack of diversity was disappointing but there was at least a large amount of them.
"Perfect," Lara whispered.
"If you say so," Reuben whispered back. "So how should we approach-"
Before he could even finish, Lara and Caution had already sneaked up on two slimes nearby. They attacked at the same time, annihilating the monsters within seconds.
Lara turned around. She smiled warmly. "We attack."
The rapid carnage which followed was almost comical. Within seconds, the monsters went from not knowing their existence to becoming their number one enemy. Small bits of gooey slime and spider legs sprinkled in the air as Caution and Lara plunged deep into the sea of monsters. Three screeching monster spiders leapt off the ceiling at Reuben only to be impaled by a bundle of Astel's arrows and Lilly's fireballs.
A slime spat a large wad of steaming acid. Yolga swung his sword, batting the projectile away. "I've got your back!" he boomed, guarding Lilly and Astel. "Continue the heavy fire!"
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Caution quickly surveyed the battlefield. The fight was almost coming to a close. Reuben was close by swinging at a slime while Lara was dealing with the last clump of monsters with Astel and Lilly supporting.
He smiled slyly.
It was time for the experiment.
Caution unsheathed a small pocket knife and gently prodded himself in the finger. He winced while hovering his hand over the crimson cube. Blood dripped onto the energy store and the response was immediate. It brightened and shook violently, repeatedly signalling a single message.
Ready for activation, ready for activation, ready for activation...
The words bounced around Caution's skull but disappeared as soon as he transferred mana from his palm into the cube. He gritted his teeth, as mana flooded his body.
Come on... A little more.
Suddenly, when his mana consumption reached about sixty per cent, a single dark red bubble popped out of the crimson cube.
Reuben swung down at a green slime. It hopped between his legs and dived straight into the red bubble, consuming the dark energy instantaneously. It glowed crimson for a brief moment before expanding twice its original size.
The slime spat green, acidic projectiles. Caution deflected with the short sword while delivering a hook so powerful that the slime catapulted against the wall. He followed up with three quick jabs and then lunged with the short sword, tearing the slime in half.
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As the slime pieces attempted to reattach, a right rune gauntlet sent it flying against the wall yet again. Caution juggled the slime in the air with two right uppercuts before swinging the short sword horizontally.
Congratulations. You have levelled up!
Congratulations. You have levelled up!
Congratulations. You have levelled up!
"What just happened?" Reuben asked.
Caution grinned wide. "Don't worry about it."
The experiment had worked... The dark energy had made the slime stronger and then he'd killed the slime, therefore gaining more experience points.
Pop! Pop! Pop!
Three more balls of dark energy floated in the air. Caution grabbed the crimson cube and forced mana into it.
Pop! Pop! Pop!
A vein bulged from his neck as he forced more mana into the cube. He struggled to keep his balance.
Caution stopped smiling. The energy store wasn't closing.