Is it wrong to try to meet someone in a dungeon?

I climbed out of bed, shirtless, and stared at the paper being updated, while God leaned against me and peered in from the side.

I share the same view as God.

Besides the overwhelming sense of omnipotence, this is also one of the elements of "becoming a first-class adventurer".

Compared to Lv.4's 'capacity', Lv.5's 'capacity' feels like it's a step up, whether in terms of horizontal, vertical, or depth.

The required experience points have increased dramatically. From now on, improving any attribute will probably become quite difficult. Although she has achieved the unprecedented feat of continuous advancement... now Miss Ryu should be able to empathize with this feeling of being a 'first-level adventurer newbie,' and perhaps they can even exchange opinions.

Other first-level adventurers, like Miss Ais and the others, must have also walked this path.

"After training with Miss Warren, how much more can I improve?"

Just as I was lost in thought, the God's murmur reached my ears.

"...I'd also like to ask Mr. Welf for a favor."

She ended by saying this last thing.

Why bring up Welf at this moment? I looked at Goddess with great confusion, but she just waved her hand with a wry smile and said, "It's nothing."

"Bell-kun, aren't we sleeping together tonight?"

"Why are you suddenly bringing this up?!"

"I want to do something for you too~, I can't lose to Miss Warren."

"This is such a weird point of contention!? No, no, this won't do!"

When I saw the exhausted God Gudako sticking to me like a slime, I panicked.

What exactly does Professor Leon mean by "adventure"? I'm increasingly confused.

The sharp clang of metal against metal echoed in the early morning light.

I used my own training dagger to deflect Miss Ais's sword sheath, sweating profusely. Despite it being winter, I was exhaling steaming hot air.

"It seems a bit monotonous."

“Woo-gu!”

"I think the 'bait' on my right arm, which is used to lure fierce predators, is pretty great... but its effectiveness will weaken if you use it too often."

The second day of secret training with Miss Ais.

In today's simulated battle, I deliberately incorporated a preparatory movement of raising my right arm, just to signal to the opponent, "Look here," so I could set a trap. But Miss Ais easily saw through this little trick; she snatched my escape route with her sword sheath and then struck me hard.

I managed to block the blow with my left arm, but I was still thrown backward and forced to distance myself from Miss Ais, who hadn't broken a sweat.

"Keeping it unused, saving it... might turn it into an even more powerful 'trump card'?"

"...Thank you so much! Please do it again, I beg you!"

I expressed my gratitude for the valuable advice from the first-level adventurer, wiped the sweat from my cheeks with my arm, and once again clashed with Miss Ais.

From the second day onwards, I was no longer able to gain any "advantage" in my battles with Miss Ais.

She no longer uses "Gale," yet she still completely shuts down all my attacks.

Relying solely on pure 'skills and tactics'.

Like an adventurer's model, Miss Ais turned the 'unknown' into the 'known,' and the fighting style of the grown-up Bell Crane was thoroughly figured out.

On the other hand, I haven't even mastered Miss Ais's fighting style yet!

(Although I was much weaker six months ago... it is precisely because I have grown a little that I am more aware of my shortcomings!)

Compared to Miss Ais and the other first-level adventurers, I am overwhelmingly lacking.

That is 'the qualifications of an adventurer'.

Whether it's experience or the number of battles fought, for example, the tactical insight that Miss Ais and the others cultivated over five years is something I, who have been in Orario for less than a year, simply don't possess.

If ability values ​​are the 'vessel', then I am currently in a situation where I lack the 'core'.

Even compared to other adventurers, the imbalance between my 'vessel' and 'core' is appalling.

Although it's a bit awkward for me to say this, it's one of the downsides of being hailed as the world's fastest rabbit.

"Unless you're pushed to the brink, you can only manage a textbook performance at best."

There's no need to intentionally become a bad person, but it's okay to indulge yourself occasionally.

In individual combat, you have to catch your opponent off guard!

Back when I was still with the Freya Familia, Mr. Van said something to me—and Mr. Hegny said something similar. Incidentally, when I asked, "Um, what exactly does it feel like to be a bad person?" he immediately replied, "Lord Allen." Quite simple and easy to understand.

"The style of an adventurer."

Perhaps in the future, I will also need to possess that kind of thing.

A style that not only fills a gap in qualifications but also truly possesses substance.

"My 'vision' has broadened."

"Gurgle!?"

"You are at your strongest when you're on offense...that's why, once you switch to defense...you become like this."

"it hurts!?"

"It's not that your defense is bad... well, it's just that it's completely different from when you're on the offensive... Once the enemy launches a counterattack, the pressure will decrease dramatically. So it's not that scary anymore."

It was at this very moment that Miss Ais pointed out my extreme imbalance between offense and defense—one side was exceptionally strong, while the other was below average—a "tasteless" performance. Then she struck my foot hard with the scabbard. Although I didn't fall down in an embarrassing way, I retreated as if fleeing, and re-established my stance.

My master had also vaguely mentioned this inconsistency in me, and not only that, Miss Liu had also pointed this out to me.

Incidentally, my master's guiding principle was to offer no explanations—he simply didn't mention my weaknesses at all—until he beat me to a pulp until I figured it out myself.

Ms. Liu, on the other hand, would point out the areas that needed improvement in advance, and then beat me up just as badly, forcing me to understand through my body.

To be honest, Miss Ais's guidelines are actually closer to Miss Ryu's.

"..."

"...? What's wrong, Miss Ais?"

Just then, suddenly...

I realized that the battle had stopped at some point, so I pulled my consciousness back from the sea of ​​thoughts.

Miss Ais, on the other hand, was staring straight at me.

Just as I was thinking that, I saw her pout slightly, looking a little dissatisfied.

"In Bell's fighting style... besides me... he can also see 'others'."

"ha?"

Have you learned how to fight from others?

Since I was thinking about my master and the others, I started to blurt out the answers one after another.

At that moment, I didn't notice Miss Ais's reaction at all.

"Ah, lately, Master... Mr. Hedin and Miss Ryu have been accompanying me for morning training. I'm learning combat techniques from them, that must be what they mean."

The main purpose is to protect Miss Haruhime and Miss Seele, so not only the master, but also some members of the Freya Familia are currently living in empty rooms in the "House of Fire" and are responsible for security work day and night.

So after discussing it with my master, we decided to do morning exercises in the courtyard of the base every day.

Calling it a mini version of Battle Wilderness might be a bit of an exaggeration.

And then, ever since she was a tavern employee, Ms. Ryu had invited me to "train with me in the morning when you have time," and I agreed. After that, we often had mock battles in the backyard of "The Abundant Mistress." As for now, since we are now in the same "familia," she seems to take it for granted that she plans to train with me every morning.

So, so, one day the three of us met in the courtyard, and then something big happened!

I don't understand why Master and Miss Liu don't intend to work together at all, but instead revolve around me. The Undying Thunder Soldiers have begun an eternal war, and the Wind of Light is also preparing to contain the brilliance of the stars. The situation can be described as being on the verge of exploding!

"I'll train this stupid rabbit."

"Bale's morning workout opponent should be me!"

At that time, neither of them was willing to give in, and I was leisurely thinking to myself, "Oh dear, this is really bad, hahahaha."

(Huh!?)

to the ground.

"That guy is someone I raised... I'm sure everyone would say that."

Grandpa's memorable motto suddenly echoed in my mind.

The masters' love was ardent, strict, and heavy.

Ever since the day I crawled out of the hellish, no, the morning exercise session where my master and Miss Ryu were doing a doubles match, I should have truly understood this principle.

Although it was too late, realizing that I seemed to have revealed some terrible information, I hurriedly covered my mouth with my hand... and looked at Miss Ais with trepidation.

Miss Ais's face had transcended despair, turning deathly pale.

"Training with anyone other than me...? I'm useless now...?"

"No!? No, no, it's not like that!?"

"Bell...two-timing? Three-timing? Bell, you're cheating...?"

"That's not how it is! Miss Ais, please listen to me!!"

Seeing Miss Ais pointing at me with a trembling finger, all I could do was shamelessly shout my defense!

Just as I was trembling as I tried to approach her... Miss Ais, who had been hanging her head, raised it and showed a childlike, sulky expression.

"Bell, you...you really are a bad kid."

(Translator's note: The original text here still uses "bad".)

"I'm neither Mr. Allen nor Mr. Bert!?"

"No, they need to be punished."

I completely lost my composure, and started spouting incoherent rebuttals, but the will in those golden eyes remained unwavering.

Miss Ais raised her sword sheath and made this announcement.

"Is that Belle's teacher?"

Upon hearing those words, my heart stirred, but only for a fleeting moment.

Miss Ais's unprecedented onslaught left me utterly exhausted, my consciousness fading into darkness until I didn't even have a chance to apologize. It wasn't until after I gave her my lap pillow for the fourth time that she finally forgave me.

"Speaking of which..."

Just as the sun was fully rising over the other side of the eastern mountains.

Finally able to rest, I rubbed my battered body and congratulated Miss Ais sitting next to me.

"Mr. Finn, Miss Riveria, and Mr. Grace... Congratulations on their [level up]."

"Um... thank you. I'll pass it on to Finn and the others."

Some time has passed since the "factional war" came to an end and the "school district" made a grand return to Hong Kong.

An official announcement from the guild caused a sensation throughout Orario.

That means that Mr. Finn and the others, namely the three leaders of the Loki Familia, have all successfully reached Lv.7.

Prior to this, there was only Mr. Ota at Lv.7.

And now even Mr. Finn and his group are among them, and all three of them have been upgraded at once!

Although they lost the match, the Freya Familia's outstanding performance in the "Factional War" was so remarkable that the public began to think that the Freya Familia was still the strongest in the city. Just as this trend was about to sweep the entire city, the guild suddenly dropped this bombshell.

"The Loki Familia is not to be outdone; in fact, they've already left Ota and the others far behind!" Lately, whenever I walk down the street late at night, I'm sure to hear this kind of talk coming from taverns.

Even Lily and I, who were overjoyed at the news of Miss Ryu's faction's conversion, were completely stunned upon hearing it. We realized once again that the faction at the pinnacle is indeed incredibly powerful in every sense.

Upon hearing my congratulations, Miss Ais, who is usually expressionless, took it as if it were her own business and gently curved the corners of her mouth into a smile.

(Miss Ais...do you know Professor Leon?)

Perhaps because he had just scanned the "strongmen of the city" in his mind, the "strongmen of the school district" also came to mind.

When I first met Professor Leon, I had a feeling that he was very strong.

Although it's unlikely that I could see through his strength at a glance, his presence was no less noticeable than that of Mr. Ota.

Let's go on an "adventure" together. Since we've already made that promise, I want to learn more about him...