Adama reached the exit of the Dungeon as the sun began to rise, the predawn rays of light trickling tentatively through the high windows of Babel’s lobby. He didn’t need to turn in his quests until noon, so he walked crisply through the lobby and over to the Guild exchange. The well-dressed employee operating the station was a bleary eyed pink haired girl, blinking slowly as she took her seat for the early morning shift. She had just stretched out in a big yawn when Adama strode into the room. His footfalls were heavy from the weight of his overstuffed pack, and the girl was startled as those thudding footsteps made their way straight towards her. She was forced to abort her yawn awkwardly and sit up straight at the realization that she had a customer. Throwing on a polite smile, she greeted the young adventurer brightly:
“Good morning, sir! How may I help you?”
“Exchange.”
The adventurer grunted out a one-word response and let his pack fall to the floor with a small crash. He rifled through the tough leather over the course of the next few minutes, taking out fistfuls of magic stones and items before letting them clatter onto the Exchange tray. The poor girl’s eyes widened slightly as the pile he was making turned into a small mountain, then a large one. The monster drops wouldn’t stop pouring out of the never-ending sack and she found herself holding her breath as the glittering pile of work climbed higher and higher. Her mesmerized reverie was cut through by a few more words barked out in a clipped, no-nonsense tone:
“We going to stand here all day, or are you going to start counting?”
That jolted her out of distraction, and she hurriedly began examining the pile carefully. Internally, however, she was beginning to grumble a little:
“This could take more than an hour! Why did this maniac decide to bring in a months’ worth of work to the exchange at 6 in the morning?”
Finally, after counting for a few minutes, she felt she had to say something:
“The Exchange is open nearly every day, sir. It would be more convenient and easier for you if you brought your earnings in daily.”
Adama had been patiently standing there and watching her count with his arms folded casually. He raised one eyebrow at the Guild girl's comment, saying:
“Usually, that’s exactly what I do. Forced by circumstance to wait a few days this time. That a problem?”
“A few days?"
The Guild girl puzzled internally at these cryptic comments, not knowing what the adventurer was getting at. Had he earned this much by gambling his winnings with fellow adventurers over the past few days? Externally, she was all smiles as she responded:
“I see. No problem at all, sir. Just give me some time to get this sorted for you.”
Adama nodded as she went back to work painstakingly examining everything he had brought to her, sighing internally at her monumental task. As she did, Adama gave an exaggerated yawn, before sinking down into a meditative position.
…
Timaias Adama,
Level 2
Swordsman: H, Spirit Healing: H, Strong Body: H, Hunter: H
Strength: B-734 -> S-922
Defense: C-602 -> B-790
Dexterity: B-707 -> A-894
Agility: C-600 -> B-794
Magic: B-748 -> S-941
Spells:
Rippling Sword
* Swift Strike Magic
Endless Sword
* Mid-Grade Magic
* Chant: “Endless Sword”
The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
Skills:
Predator
* Increased Growth
* Killing Monsters provides increased Growth.
* Killing more Monsters in a short period of time results in an even greater bonus
Mind of a Swordsman
* Automatic Reception of the Swordsman and Spirit Healing Abilities. These Abilities are automatically raised to grade H upon reception.
* All Grade I Abilities the user possesses at the time this skill is obtained are also promoted to grade H.
* Swordsman and Spirit Healing increase in potency as danger increases, so long as the user can maintain composure.
The stat gains that Adama had acquired were better than all the gold in the world, and he beamed at his recently updated status sheet before tossing it in the hearth. Wouldn’t want an enemy to get their hands on that, now would he? Hestia watched him from her rocking chair, a small smile on her face as her child gloried in his most recent successes. She had worried for him. Of course she had, that was a part of her job. But he had come home safe, and that was all she could ask from him.
Business finished, Adama met Hestia’s eyes and gave her a lopsided smile. He sat down on the floor beside the fire and began cleaning his blade and examining his Minotaur cloak and Dragon’s coat. It was a stupid decision, he now realized, to sell off the excess material. Repairs would be costlier without it. Hestia, meanwhile, pursed her lips as she watched him sit. She had bought him a nice leather chair, but it sat in the corner unused. Adama preferred the floor, the harder wood keeping him more alert and focused. Meanwhile, Lilli dozed shamelessly on a soft leather couch at the center of the room, giggling softly as she rolled around in her sleep.
They sat like that as the hours ticked by. Adama had run most of his errands in the morning, and he could always go to the tailor tomorrow. For now, he spent the rest of the day at home with the others. Hestia had allowed him to practice his Mixing in the house, though only with concoctions that didn’t give off any strange smells and only after putting a heavy blanket down first. That meant that he was relegated to the most basic of healing potions. But Adama took the opportunity to hone his basics all afternoon in the, mostly quiet yet very warm, company of the two people he loved the most in this world.
Eventually, they broke for dinner. Adama poked Lilli in the side insistently until she woke up as Hestia warmed up the food that she had prepared that morning. It was tasty and thoroughly spiced, and everyone ate heartily as they told one another about the past few days. Hestia had apparently found an interesting novel recently that had gotten her totally hooked, while Lilli proudly blabbed to Adama about some secret training the Take Familia had enlisted her help with. Apparently, she had filled all the time that she wasn’t supporting Take Familia with sleeping, eating, and restocking/managing their supplies and accounts. Tim had left all their Familia’s accounts in Hestia’s hands, but according to Lilli, their books could use some serious improvement. Hestia just shrugged:
“Accounting is for businesses, not homes. I’ve been making sure we don’t spend more than we earn.”
“Yes, lady Hestia, and you’ve done that well. But if you record these expenses differently, our Familia could get better tax breaks from the local government! I’ve been reading up on the laws that govern Familia’s, and…”
She went on enthusiastically about some of the money that they could be saving or the legal loopholes that they could be taking advantage of. It sounded like a lot of weaselly foolishness to Adama. But if she could make him pay less in taxes, without running afoul of the authorities, he would be happy. After dinner they spent some more time beside the fire, Adama continuing his Mixing as Hestia taught Lilli how to knit.
They stayed like that for a few precious hours before Lilli started to get sleepy again. Adama’s own eyelids were getting heavy, so they all said their goodnights and retired for the evening.
…
Within the tunnels of the 17th floor walked a forbidding presence. Its powerful footfalls echoed menacingly through the dim gray passageways, scaring away the floor’s normal denizens. The looming figure’s rust-colored eyes gleamed as they slowly surveyed their surroundings, searching for a suitable candidate. Ottar was in no hurry as he strolled through the labyrinthine earth, his task one that required patience and sober analysis.
The Goliath’s muted yet livid roars were the only noises that joined his footfalls, that creature the only beast above the 18th floor not cowed by his presence. He toyed with the notion of choosing the Floor Boss but dismissed that option as too high profile. This plan required something a little more subtle than that. After several hours of walking, however, he was considering trying another floor altogether. Until he found it.
By happenstance, he wandered into a medium sized room that was a dead end. On the other side of the room huddled a trio of Ligerfangs, the pack of feline creatures staring at the indomitable fiend that had marched into their territory. Ottar glared at the cowardly weaklings for a few moments, silently challenging them. He was a breath away from shaking his head in disgust and turning around, until the smallest member of the pack broke off from its compatriots. It slunk forward toward the adventurer, glaring defiantly at the tyrannical warrior. Ottar turned his gaze against this outlier, spearpoint eyes boring holes in the bold specimen. The fierce tiger paused in its advance, but it met his gaze without hesitation, a rumble building in the back of its throat.
They stared at one another like that for several key moments, and when neither monster backed down, Ottar gave a single nod and started forward. The Ligerfang apparently didn’t get the message, however, and it snarled as it leaped towards the towering adventurer. Ottar’s facial expression didn’t change as his hands flashed out, snatching the flying feline like he was catching a stray cat. The snarl was turned into a yelp as the creature was plucked out of the air like a ripe fruit and choke slammed into the dirt. Its eyes were wide with fear, but its claws still scratched furiously at the fighter that was holding it fast. Ottar brought one hand back towards the pouch on his back and withdrew the precious item his mistress had given him.
A small flask of deep amethyst liquid swirled hypnotically as Ottar drew it out and lifted it steadily over his head. Wary of spilling a single drop, he drew close to the pinned monster and gently squeezed the creature’s throat. Its maw opened wide in response, eager to draw more oxygen into its constricted airways, and Ottar slowly started pouring the purple water into the tiger’s mouth. The liquid glowed with latent energy as it arced gracefully onto the feline’s bright pink tongue. It reflexively lapped up the mighty elixir, sensing a power it naturally hungered for. When the last of the liquid had been poured out, Ottar released the monster and stepped away to watch the results. He wasn’t disappointed.
Dreamsyrum was an ancient creation that produced strange effects when consumed by monsters. In this case, the tiger lay twitching on the ground as its physiology and appearance altered in seconds. First it grew larger, muscles growing and hardening at a rapid pace, before all that explosive power was then condensed into leaner, more agile musculature. Its fur shifted from a dark blue to a robin’s egg, then finally a sheer white, even as the black stripes on its back turned an even deeper shade of midnight. Its large mane contracted a little and became sleeker, more slicked back, turning the same pale white as the rest of its fur. When the beast got up and turned to look at him, Ottar noticed the most significant change. Its eyes had gone from a wrathful crimson to a shocking violet, and it stared at the adventure with exceeding calm and clear intelligence. The beast seemed almost curious as it looked back at the Warlord, and he didn’t keep it waiting:
“Can you understand me?”
The reborn Ligerfang studied him further and gave him a tiny nod that mirrored the one he had given it when he had first granted his approval. Satisfied that his plan had worked, the adventurer continued:
“Good, then you must know that you owe me and my goddess.”
Another nod.
“Then here is what we want you to do…”
After relaying the plan and getting confirmation that the monster understood, Ottar walked back down the tunnel and towards the floor’s exit. He left the Ligerfangs behind him, and they stared in unison at the adventurer as he walked away. Dronelike in their attentions, the two blue furred creatures sat rigidly on either side of their relaxed leader, their eyes glowing a more subdued shade of purple. Lazily, the reborn Ligerfang began trotting forward, and the duo relaxed in perfect symmetry and began following him.
There was work to be done.