Chapter 57: An Adventure for Two 1
I woke earlier than usual.
After doing the laundry, I returned to my room, hung it up to dry, and picked up my wooden sword.
“…[Swordsmanship] will reach Level 2 soon.”
I checked the panel displayed at the edge of my vision.
◇
[Swordsmanship] training completed.
1 EXP acquired.
EXP until next level: 98/100.
◇
I’d wanted to finish raising it yesterday, but I ran out of time and gave up.
However, I felt that today’s training would be enough.
“Phew. I’ll concentrate even harder than usual.”
I gripped the wooden sword and began my usual training.
About fifteen minutes later, I checked the panel.
◇
[Swordsmanship] training completed.
1 EXP acquired.
EXP until next level: 99/100.
◇
◇
[Swordsmanship] training completed.
1 EXP acquired.
EXP until next level: 100/100.
◇
◇
Level increased.
EXP until next level: 0/100.
◇
When I saw the panel, I stopped training and checked my Status.
✤
Name: Erik
Age: 10
Level: 2
Strength: 11
Magic: 11
Stamina: 11
Agility: 11
Dexterity: 11
Skills
[Swordsmanship: 2] [Body Enhancement: 1] [Cleaning: 4]
Special Skill
[Fixed EXP]
Blessings
——
✤
[Swordsmanship] had finally reached Level 2.
[Cleaning] had already risen to Level 4 as well.
As a result of continually accepting cleaning requests, it had grown this far before I even realized it.
“For now, I’ll test the effect of [Swordsmanship: 2].”
I’d already experienced the increased effects of a skill level several times with [Cleaning].
I gripped the sword and swung it down from above.
The movement was smoother than it had been with [Swordsmanship: 1].
It felt less unnatural, and I somehow understood how to apply my strength.
“This is incredible… Increasing it by only one level changed this much.”
I stared at the wooden sword as I spoke.
The level had increased by only one.
However, the sword’s path was clearly better than when the skill had been Level 1.
Until now, I’d forced my body to maintain that path.
With my present movement, I didn’t need to strain myself nearly as much.
I still needed to remain conscious of it, but even so, I could feel that I’d grown considerably.
“Ha ha! This is becoming fun!”
I’d continued swinging the wooden sword in training, but the activity itself had rarely felt enjoyable.
Now, for the first time, I could feel my body truly learning how to handle the sword. From the bottom of my heart, I wanted to train more.
“All right, I still have thirty minutes until Amanda wakes up. I’ll concentrate and keep going!”
I continued swinging the wooden sword until Amanda arrived.
It was more enjoyable than usual, and I lost myself in the training.
“My, you’re even more energetic than usual today.”
“Ah, good morning, Amanda.”
Before I knew it, the thirty minutes had flown by and Amanda had arrived.
I leaned the wooden sword against the wall and helped with the laundry.
“You always train with a sword, Erik, but don’t you practice anything else?”
“You mean unarmed combat or archery?”
“Yes. Young people tend to focus on swords, but many only discover later that they had a talent for the bow. If you’re going to train, I think you should try a wide variety of things.”
Amanda’s opinion was indeed correct.
Many adventurers only discovered their talents later.
“Still, your swordsmanship already looks quite good, Erik. I suppose the sword must suit you.”
After saying that, Amanda resumed the laundry.
Once I’d eaten breakfast, I prepared, left the inn, and went to the Adventurers’ Guild.
Compared to the previous day, a fair number of adventurers had returned.
Exploration of the new dungeon seemed to have settled down somewhat, and they were exchanging information about it.
“Good morning, Erik.”
“Good morning, Reina. Many of the adventurers have returned.”
“That’s right. They’ve gathered a reasonable amount of information about the dungeon and appear to be sharing it. Would you like to hear the details too, just in case?”
“Ah, yes. Please tell me.”
I listened as Reina explained the dungeon.
Dungeons were classified according to their depth.
Some were shallow-type dungeons that ended after ten floors, while deep-type dungeons could extend to one hundred.
Explorers had already gone beyond the hundredth floor in this dungeon.
It was therefore even deeper than a deep-type dungeon.
They’d classified it as an ultra-deep-type dungeon.
“Furthermore, the ranks of the monsters that appear differ by floor range. This is a dungeon that everyone, from beginners to advanced adventurers, can challenge.”
“…Is that an unusual type?”
“Yes, extremely. An ultra-deep-type dungeon is already exceptionally rare, but the monsters are also separated by rank across its floors. That’s why many adventurers are using the dungeon for training.”
After hearing that, I became slightly interested in the dungeon.
For the time being, however, I began the day with requests in the city again.
When Reina showed them to me, I found the name of someone I recognized.
Thinking that approximately the expected number of days had passed, I accepted that request.