Chapter 430 – Ebony (1)

“A lantern… isn’t necessary. Magic should suffice.”

Stowing three days’ worth of provisions and magical implements into her backpack, Ebony finished her preparations for the dungeon exploration. To resolve a faction’s financial difficulties, delving into dungeons was the most common method. Establishments comparable to large corporations had long since arranged for their respective guilds to source materials from dungeons.

For individual hunters, dungeons represented a perilous opportunity to strike it rich.

Of course, no venture was without its drawbacks, but none seemed applicable to Ebony.

‘The Inferno was certainly an anomaly,’ she mused.

The day even her mentor nearly couldn’t escape death. Had she not shattered the status window, both her mentor and she would have already departed this world.

However, not all dungeons were so treacherous. Most dungeons yielded valuable resources simply through monster subjugation.

In recent times, with the proliferation of uncharted dungeons, the worth of the Hunter profession had soared. It was, indeed, the era of the Hunter.

“Ah, I should also pack this.”

Recently, she had taken to eating firm peaches.

Of late, she felt an inexplicable need to chew on something. On an expedition that only she, capable of dungeon exploration in a matter of days, could undertake. Dried fruits were typically preferred for dungeon expeditions that lasted as long as a month.

“…?”

Was the rustling too loud? The dark-skinned child, having opened his eyes, slowly rose and rubbed them.

Although he still didn’t speak much, their communication was significantly smoother than before. He ate and drank well, even reacting slightly to her jests.

“Awake already?”

At her inquiry, the child gave a small nod.

“Let’s get to work.”

The project to train the dark-skinned child. To gauge the potential of the young one who wields dark magic, she planned for him to accompany her on this dungeon expedition.

* * * * * * * * * * *

The dungeon bore the appearance of a compact gate.

While the recently discovered seven towers were said to loom high from the ground, most dungeons exhibited spatial fractures such as this.

“Take a good look. Monsters seep from the cracks in this gate, and this is the entrance leading to the start of the dungeon.”

The child shivered, casting an anxious glance at her. Suddenly dragged along, he must be feeling bewildered.

However, this boy needed a clear purpose or motivation in life.

“That village. You remember.”

His eyes grew wide at her words.

“It appeared to have succumbed to the Eye of the World Tree and was destroyed. Am I correct?”

The child remained silent. But the way he clenched his fists, and the dark expression on his face, suggested that her speculation was spot on.

“You lost a friend there.”

He fell silent once more.

Before stepping into the depths of the dungeon, I propped up the dark-skinned lad and told him my thoughts. Every exertion I had undertaken thus far was spurred by a desperate motivation.

Arbitrarily accepting him as my apprentice and taking him in wouldn’t instill in him the same motivation. That’s why it was necessary we converse before venturing into the dungeon—a discussion that was the culmination of a month spent in close quarters.

“There’s a chance he is still alive.”
“…”
“Even if circumstances have gone awry, there’s always room for vengeance.”
“…”

His hands trembled.

“Yearning for a meaningless death is far worse than seeking revenge.”

I stiffened my words, looking at him seriously, urging him to see reason. I offered to teach him the strategies I had learned.

Just as my master bestowed upon me without any reason, I had sought out a suitable candidate who required power.

-Swish-

From my arms, I handed over a dagger, its scabbard included. This blade, a challenging acquisition, was held tight in my robust hand, and it bore my respect, irrespective of its monetary worth.

“I apologize for bringing you along on a whim.”

I unsheathed the blade, grasping its edge and extending it towards him.

Only weeks prior, this dark-skinned lad was incapable of rational thought. He had been severely malnourished and had forgotten all those who could have been considered friends or family.

“Would you like to give it a shot?”

The lad, who had been disregarding me all this while, was visibly restraining his emotions.

“You don’t have to do it.”

I had a personal aspiration. I required a successor, and it couldn’t be my daughters.

“To put it plainly, I need a disciple.”

I explained my situation.

“I don’t know when I will die. Thus, the power of the Heavenly Demon, the benevolence of the king… I need someone to pass these on to.”
“…”

In exchange for transferring my power to you, I will give you the driving force to seek revenge. Would you consider joining hands with me once?

This was not some stale tale of salvation. It was a relationship of necessity, encouraging one to betray a distant individual for the sake of someone closer.

The lad was conflicted. It was evident from his demeanor.

He stepped back and then took a step closer. He stared at my face and lowered his head as if frightened.

“…”

A hand no bigger than a pebble reached out to grasp my blade. I waited patiently, allowing him the space to make his own decision.

I did not view this lad as a slave. I had no petty sentiments for him.

After a long wait, it was time for a serious discussion.

“…how did you know?”

The lad spoke to me, his voice a rare whisper.

“About my friend…”
“You mentioned it.”
“Can I… take revenge?”

Was he stimulated by the idea of revenge?

“Yes.”

It might not be the noblest of motivations, but there’s no motivation more definite.

“Then…”

– Thud.

The dark-skinned man’s cautious hand intertwined with the sword I held.

“Would you… become… my apprentice?”

With one seamless blade, the icy chill of the iron thrillingly radiates through my hand.

“Alright.”

It hasn’t yet connected with my heart.
But it has connected as a sword.

“From today, I am your master.”

Our encounter was too brief.
Due to my frail mental and physical state, my intentions may not have been properly conveyed.

However, until you can think properly on your own, I will guide you.

“Let’s go inside.”

* * * * * * * *

“The basics are simple. We’ll start by learning how to hold a shield and a sword.”

There’s a saying about the path of the warrior.
Whether it’s a sword or martial arts, everything eventually converges into one.

In the first fight, it’s beneficial to have a weapon. I took the dark-skinned man’s hand and began to instruct him little by little.

“Relax your grip, good. This is how you thrust.”

It was fair to say the dark-skinned man was almost a blank slate.
With no skills, at the entrance of the dungeon. As we walked through the cave, I taught him stances and postures.

“Spread your feet, space between your legs should be about this much.”

After touching and adjusting his thighs and knees, I taught him exactly as I was taught.
The dark-skinned man, who was extremely hesitant about physical contact, began to heed my words.

– Grumble.

The cries of cave goblins echoed from the distance.
Drawing my dagger and shield, I spoke to the dark-skinned man.

“I’ll show you an example.”

– Grr?

A goblin, having spotted me, charged at full tilt.
I had expected one, but there were three.

Assuming the stance I had shown the dark-skinned man, I held the shield slightly higher than my chest and readied my sword.

“Grrrik?!”

A goblin, screaming in distaste, rushed forward. The rusty sword it wielded aimed directly at me.

– Bang!

I lunged forward, pushing the goblin away with my shield.

“Goblins lack the strength to pierce shields. Most C-tier hunters are on par with goblins.”

I aligned the angle of my shield with the incoming sword.

The reason I insisted on the shield was simple.
While it’s easy to deflect blows and adds to one’s safety, a shield greatly stabilizes the user’s suppressed psyche.

This allows you to subdue your opponent more aggressively.

– Thump!

I repelled the goblin with my shield and deflected the next goblin’s attack.
Without killing them, I continued to defend until the goblins began to pant with exhaustion.

I kicked a goblin away and turned to the dark-skinned man.

“Your turn.”
“……”

I wondered if he had ever faced a monster before.

I have wielded my sword against others before. The experience of having taken a life is, I believe, a fortunate one.

The woman, to my surprise, calmly retrieved her shield, taking on the stance I had demonstrated.

‘She mimics me instantly.’

As a mentor, it’s a gratifying sight, albeit slightly disappointing.

She methodically marks each goblin, one by one. The posture I taught her, gripping the shield at the perfect angle, is, undeniably, incorrect.

-Keeeeeek!

Facing the charging goblin, she lifted her shield. As she blocked one side, the other side overwhelmed her.

“…Ugh!”

Caught between both angles, the woman had no choice but to retreat, sweat beading on her brow. Her response to the attack is delayed. No, her stance necessitates this delay.

The advantage of the shield, as I’ve said, comes with the disadvantage of greatly obscuring the user’s field of vision. It would be effective against an archer, but in a wide-angled battle against many, it inevitably results in being pushed back.

If she could push them back with brute force…

“Kyaaaaaaah!”
“Ugh….”

Finally allowing an attack, the woman, her shoulder now wounded, started to crumble.

“Haa, huh….”

Dark magic seeped across her skin like a flowing shadow. She intended to push through with sheer force.

-Flash!

Her shield, thrust forward, struck the goblin in the chest. Realizing her impaired vision, she shifted to an aggressive stance. She handled the angled shield quite proficiently.

-Swoosh!

After severing the first goblin’s neck, she raised her shield to block the second goblin’s attack. Taking them down one by one proved not to be difficult.

Her adaptation of the initial stance I showed her isn’t perfect, but it’s impressive.

-Thunk!

With the last goblin’s neck falling, she dropped to her knees.

“…Huff, huff.”

She was trembling, gasping for breath. She shouldn’t exhaust herself here; there’s still much to do and many corrections to make.

“Well done.”

I approached her, sweeping my healing touch across her wounded shoulder.

“Ah!”

Roughly pulling away from my touch, the pain too much for her, she froze at the sight of her shoulder, new flesh sprouting. She looked at me, her face a mask of confusion.

“You’ll do well to grow accustomed to the pain.”

Just as I did.

I stroked her stiffened hair. Running my fingers through her lustrous locks, I tied them up with a hair tie I had brought.

“It will make it easier to move. Let’s go.”

After giving her back a reassuring pat, I led the way deeper into the dungeon.

Unanticipated events are likely to occur in an unexplored dungeon. Remaining as vigilant as possible, I entrusted her with as much combat as she could handle.

Her movements, awkward at first, improved gradually, and now she could easily take down a goblin.

‘Indeed…’

She is a fast learner.

The feeling of the weapon becoming gradually more familiar was now visibly evident. He grasped the basics in mere minutes, a process that would ordinarily take others at least several months, gradually mastering the essentials.

Reflecting on the fact that the foundational skills are of utmost importance in most weapon techniques, the progress was intimidating.

‘Could this be how my master felt, watching me when I was in the throes of learning?’

Though slightly less impressive than his academy days, when he was the unrivaled champion of untapped potential, it was still remarkable. Considering that even these strides were made possible with the aid of the status window, the black man’s potential might just be the pinnacle on an individual level.

-Whack!

The black man, having dispatched a goblin of a rank equivalent to a sergeant in the military, approached laboriously. I ran my fingers through his hair in a comforting gesture and inspected the fissure visible at the end of the cave.

‘It’s multi-leveled.’

I had assumed it was just a single layer. The dungeon seemed to be of medium size. Of course, it brought the risk of potentially falling into an immediate trap.

“Let’s head in.”
“…”

Since we’ve ventured this far, it would be prudent to further assess the black man’s potential. As I reached out towards the fissure, I felt a suction-like sensation, and my body transitioned. Hand in hand with the black man, we moved to the next level.

-Thud!

A frigid gust of air seeped into the small of my back.

“Phew…”

Fortunately, there were no monsters. A long corridor, built with bricks, lay before me. After surveying the surroundings, I chuckled under my breath while checking the grip of my weapon. Out of all possible traps, we had fallen into the worst.

“… We need to move swiftly.”

I had handed over the food bag and some of the magical tools to the black man, but I was still anxious. The black man had vanished.