"If he needs it."
"Help Xyros with some practical combat training. His starting conditions are much harder than yours. The fact that he ended his Dungeon exploration so quickly…"
"means it probably didn't go smoothly."
That was the war god Takemikazuchi's reminder to her before he left for work.
Mikoto had no problem with it. They often sparred with each other after Dungeon expeditions anyway. This time, the training target just happened to be a member of another Familia.
For Yamato Mikoto, this was normal just adventurers helping each other out.
She fetched a wooden practice sword from the storage shed and returned to the open space in front of the dorms.
Just as she was hesitating about how to start,
The surprisingly handsome, similarly aged boy took the initiative. "Hello, I'm Xyros. And you are?"
"Yamato Mikoto."
"What can I do for you?"
Even though her god had already given instructions, the girl was still a bit awkward.
"I wanted to ask Senior Yamato if you have time right now, I'd like to learn some practical combat techniques against monsters."
Xyros's attitude was sincere as he made his request.
He didn't find it hard to ask. Human relationships were simple, really. Be proactive, be humble and earnest in your learning, offer some positive feedback and you could get free help from a Level 2 advanced adventurer.
Maximum efficiency!
The girl's expression, which had relaxed, stiffened noticeably at the word "senior." She didn't feel offended, though.
'He called me senior!'
Remembering this was something Lord Takemikazuchi had specifically asked her to do, it wouldn't be right to actually injure Xyros.
The girl's brown-black eyes fixed on Xyros as she laid out the terms:
"Combat skills are honed through practice. You might get hurt. I have to make that clear upfront."
"Understood."
Getting hurt in training was way better than losing your life in the Dungeon!
Xyros took the wooden sword from the girl, eagerness in his eyes.
Seeing her doubtful look, he remained composed. "What's the point of sparring if you're worried about a few bumps and bruises?"
"If that's a concern, then there's really no need to train!"
"…"
Hearing this, a flicker of surprise crossed Mikoto's eyes.
She was impressed by this black-haired boy she'd just met. He had the right attitude, the kind of spirit worthy of Lord Takemikazuchi's personal guidance.
She gripped her own wooden practice sword.
She didn't rush to attack. Instead, she carefully observed Xyros's stance.
His posture, his grip.
It was hard to believe Xyros had just started basic swordsmanship. But the god she believed in, Takemikazuchi, wouldn't lie to her.
Yamato Mikoto steadied her breath, her gaze sharp as a hawk's. She stepped forward decisively.
"Apologies. Here I come."
A rookie adventurer who'd just started basic sword training, facing a seasoned Level 2 veteran hardened by Dungeon combat. The outcome was determined from the start.
Overwhelmed in both speed and power,
Xyros could only defend passively with his wooden sword, relying on the basic techniques now etched into his muscle memory.
The most direct result was that when faced with Mikoto's hard-to-track speed attacks, he could instinctively raise his sword to block and defend.
As for finding openings, punishing recovery frames, these commonly used techniques were useless against such a vast gap in skill.
This pressure was far greater than the elite Goblin he'd faced in the Dungeon. And this probably wasn't even Mikoto going all out.
Sparring wasn't about pulling punches.
The continuous high-intensity combat rapidly drained Xyros's stamina.
His blocks with the wooden sword slowed, unable to keep up with the girl's speed attacks. The price of tanking hits with his body was a constant onslaught of pain.
Until Mikoto's upward strike sent him tumbling to the ground.
Feeling the aches across his entire body, Xyros lay sprawled on the ground, completely giving up. "I think that's enough practical combat training for today."
The level gap was truly the harshest teacher for a new adventurer!
But it wasn't without its gains. At the very least, facing another elite Goblin, if he maintained this state and approached it cautiously,
He probably wouldn't waste his [Rebirth] charge!
"Sorry."
"Are you alright?"
The girl put away her training sword. Noticing Xyros's slightly pained expression, she realized this cross-level sparring wasn't really appropriate for her.
But recalling the fight just now,
Mikoto couldn't help but feel puzzled. Although Xyros had been on the defensive the whole time, his solid fundamentals showed how seriously he'd trained.
For a new adventurer to have this level of skill was already quite rare.
As for Lord Takemikazuchi's comment that "his Dungeon exploration probably didn't go smoothly" if it wasn't too personal, she really wanted to ask…
What exactly wasn't smooth?
On floors 1-5, she couldn't think of any monster that would threaten Xyros.
"Your fundamentals are solid."
She added, "Your reaction speed is also quick. I think as long as you don't go past the 6th floor, safety shouldn't be a concern."
"I think so too."
Which is why Xyros chose to grind on Floor 1.
He stood up, stretched his sore body, and thanked the beautiful long black-haired girl who'd helped him train. "Senior Yamato, thanks for the combat practice."
"I might have to trouble you again in the future."
"When I start making money as an adventurer, I'll definitely treat you to a meal!"
"No need…"
The girl instinctively shook her head in refusal.
But seeing the determined look in Xyros's eyes, she relented with a touch of exasperation. "Then wait until you reach Level 2 before thinking about treating anyone to a meal."
....
The central plaza was quite lively in the early morning.
Standing at the Dungeon entrance beneath Babel, Xyros passed the identity check by the Ganesha guards and headed for the spiral staircase.
The bustling crowd of adventurers gave the atmosphere an almost ironic feel.
It was almost like salarymen lining up to cram onto the subway for work. But considering most adventurers in Orario were just trying to make a living by killing monsters, the comparison was strangely apt.
Wearing the freshly repaired armor Hestia had brought back, Xyros prepared to begin another round of his very own Dungeon Exploration.
Passing through the safe zone, and realizing the importance of route selection, Xyros chose a different direction this time.
There was more than one passage to the 1st floor. A little strategic skipping seemed necessary. But after yesterday's training,
Xyros felt confident.
And so, despite the unsettling premonition brought on by the "Dungeon's Hatred," he entered the 1st floor area, the zone most adventurers rushed through without a second thought.
He hadn't even fully exited the staircase
When, by the dim light of the lantern fruits, he spotted a familiar monster.
It wore a strange, light brown coat. A necklace of teeth and bone fragments was wrapped around its forehead. In its hand, it held a sharp curved blade.
Goblin Jock.
The culprit who'd wasted his [Rebirth] charge yesterday.
Meeting it again, Xyros felt none of his earlier panic. Calmly, he drew the short sword from his belt. If he were to say some pre-fight trash talk,
it would only be this:
"A Goblin of your level has no business blocking my path in the Dungeon!"