[95] Its Showtime!

Aiden leaped lightly, his body shooting upward like a cannonball, effortlessly catching up to the kobold he had kicked into the air.

The kobold flailed its claws and fangs, struggling in mid-air.

"Don't worry, I'll be gentle. You won't feel any pain. Tempest." Aiden said softly, a slight smile playing on his lips.

As soon as the words left his mouth, the short sword in his hand pierced forward, its blade flashing like a silver comet, enveloping the unfortunate kobold.

Squelch~

After all, this wasn't a game where not touching the ground meant staying alive. To avoid a fatal blow, Aiden deliberately avoided the vital points with each strike. In the brief moment they ascended to the highest point, Aiden had already delivered several swift slashes. In the dazzling display of silver sword light, countless blood sprays appeared, and the kobold was evenly divided into five parts, scattering downwards.

A gentle breeze swirled around, shielding Aiden from the splattering blood. After sending the five parts of the unfortunate kobold back to the dungeon's motherly embrace, a magic circle reappeared at Aiden's feet. Using the magic circle as a foothold, he executed a graceful mid-air spin before landing elegantly beside Bell. "How was that? Did you learn it?"

Since they were only on the first and second levels today, Aiden indulged himself by freely using this magic circle without worrying about his mana.

Witnessing Aiden's display, Bell was utterly bewildered. The words "I can't learn that" were on the tip of his tongue, but he swallowed them back, feeling a bit embarrassed. "S-Sorry, Senpai. Could you demonstrate it once more?"

If you could learn that, it would be abnormal, and your expression already gives you away, Aiden thought to himself, but he didn't voice it.

Flicking off the nonexistent blood from his sword, Aiden smiled and said, "Then make sure to watch closely~"

"Senpai!" Bell's eyes widened in alarm as he pointed behind Aiden, shouting excitedly.

*AOOOOOU*

The kobolds on the ground didn't care about how gracefully Aiden landed. In the brief seconds of conversation between Aiden and Bell, the leading kobold had already charged towards Aiden from behind, leaping at him.

"Calm down." Aiden said, sensing the approaching kobold. A slight smile curled his lips as he lightly stepped to the left, dodging the attack, and raised his short sword.

"Didn't your mother ever teach you not to let your body leave the ground unless you're absolutely sure?"

The kobold, having missed its target, was unable to change direction in mid-air, and it met Aiden's upright short sword in a fatal embrace.

As if seeking its own demise, the kobold's soft underbelly slid directly across the sword's point, leaving a straight line of blood.

"Sorry, I forgot, you don't have a mom."

The kobold's howl was cut short as it performed its own impromptu autopsy.

With a dull thud, the self-doomed kobold disintegrated into ash, leaving behind only a small magic stone.

The kobolds following behind showed no fear, rushing forward in succession.

This time, it wasn't just one... it was a whole pack.

"Next, I'll use my tree-trunk-like leg to crush your skulls!" Aiden tossed the short sword into the air, planted his left foot firmly on the ground, and swung his muscular leg in an arc, whipping it towards a kobold's head.

BAM!

Aiden's boot made a solid connection with the kobold's head, sending it flying. The powerful kick launched the kobold into the pack behind it, knocking them over like dominoes before it disintegrated into ash mid-air, scattering with the wind.

After a magnificent roundhouse kick, Aiden extended his hand, catching the falling short sword with ease.

"Yes, this is the feeling! The thrill of performing in front of an audience!" Completing such a high-difficulty maneuver for the first time, Aiden couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement.

"Sorry, Bell. I'll lure another batch of monsters for you in a bit, don't worry." Seeing the kobolds he had knocked down starting to rise and prepare for another attack, Aiden turned to Bell with a slight smile.

"No need to apologize, Senpai... I really don't want so many monsters!" Bell's voice, tinged with helplessness, reached Aiden's ears, causing him to shake his head.

Aiden leaned forward, his body shooting out like an arrow from a bow, entering the kobolds' attack range.

"Let's dance~"

Amidst the kobolds' attacks, Aiden's dark figure moved with the grace of a black butterfly, dodging their claw strikes and bites with ease.

At the same time, his short sword didn't rest. Each strike targeted vital points... the neck, chest, head. The silver blade, accompanied by the dancing black figure, created a flurry of blood with each precise movement.

...

By noon, the impeccably dressed Aiden was walking back to Orario with a dirt-covered and bedraggled Bell.

Bell's clothes had transformed into a ragged outfit, smeared with mud and blood, and marred by numerous claw marks, making him look like he had been through a fierce battle. His grimy face was etched with exhaustion. The reason for Bell's sorry state was, of course, Aiden's doing... he had lured two packs of kobolds for Bell to fight.

Faced with the first group of kobolds, Bell, after his initial panic, quickly regained his composure and began to fight. He even attempted to mimic Aiden's roundhouse kick, making the battle quite intense.

Just as Bell was about to finish off the first group, Aiden brought in another pack, causing Bell to panic once more.

Though Bell ultimately defeated the kobolds with Aiden's guidance, he ended up in his current disheveled state.

"Ah! Finally, we're out!" Bell exclaimed as they exited the dungeon. He collapsed onto the plaza like a beached fish, his tattered clothes making him look even more pitiful.

"Bell, your stamina is really lacking." Aiden remarked, unable to suppress a smile at Bell's exhausted appearance.

"But that's no reason for you to bring another horde of kobolds after me!" Bell complained, rolling his eyes as he lay sprawled on the ground.

"One pack of kobolds is far from your limit. I remember your dream well. With your current strength, you can only roam the first floor. How are you supposed to encounter beautiful girls like that? Besides, your panic wasn't justified." Aiden said, pulling Bell to his feet.

Despite Bell's final, panicked demeanor, his performance today had been remarkable. Just yesterday, he had been a complete novice, yet today he was already swinging his sword with some competence. His learning speed was extraordinary.

However, his main drawback was his poor equipment and lack of experience, both of which could be remedied.

"Such incredible learning speed... Should I say, it's befitting of a main character?" Aiden thought. He decided that aside from providing Bell with better equipment and teaching him not to be overly kind-hearted, he would let Bell grow on his own from today onwards.

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