Chapter 18 – Taking the first step

Adam did not spend very long at Blue Lane street.

Following his mother's advice, he first purchased a training light armour outfit. Training gear was a very common outfit as most adventurers would start training early.

Parents would get their kids initiated at the ages of 8-10. This was mostly because though adventurers lived a life of danger, they also received compensation that was equivalent to the danger.

It was the dream of every child to become a great hero adventurer who could roam the lands freely.

Of course, there was also those from rich families or families that dealt in certain professions who only wanted their kids to train superficially just to strengthen themselves.

As such training gear had become a popular commodity. It was usually made from low-level monster hide so it was inexpensive but also durable. It was perfect for beginner adventurers who would have to go through countless sets of armour at the start.

The armour that Adam purchased was very simple. It was a leather long sleeved shirt and full pants.

The hide used was thicker on the chest, lower back and groin areas. It protected his vulnerable spots and did not debilitate his movement's.

The armour was grey in colour and did not stand out too much. It looked just like an ordinary crew necked shirt and pants but its feel and weight were rough and slightly heavier.

He then picked out 6 mass produced curved daggers made from ordinary plain steel with wooden hilt's. They were shaped like an elongated and inverted 'S'. the top of the 'S' shaped blade was stretched while the handle had more of a curve.

He wanted to get more but unlike armour, no one would make smaller weapon's just for kids. These curved daggers were like swords in his small hands. It was already his limit carrying 6 blades on his body. Of course, he purchased belts that went around his thighs, waist and arm's to holster these weapons.

Two daggers were placed on the outer side of his thighs, two on the outer side of his upper arm and the final two on his waist.

His final purchase for that afternoon was training gloves made from ordinary monster hide like his armour. The leather was thicker around the knuckles providing a bit of protection.

Done with his purchases Adam decided to wear his gear on the way back. He found this armour a lot more comfortable than his loose robes.

"This gear is heavy! I'm going to have to train, just to get used to the weight of it." His body had never been trained and he had received the blessing of the monk and ranger bodies just yesterday. They would only show their prowess as he grew or trained his body.

He did not do much the rest of the day after going back to the lodge. His body was still being depleted of its energy by the fusion of elements so he did not want to exert himself physically.

He spent most of the evening going through the recordings of the monk and ranger in the painting. He was compiling a list of basic movements and attack patterns.

This would be an almost impossible task for anyone else without them spending years analysing and practising the moves but with his matchless comprehension, one move after another was being recorded in his mind to form complete movesets.

'These movements I have comprehended are very linear. I will still have to first train in these linear movements and then practice with them to adapt to variation's in actual combat.' He made a very accurate analysis of his current situation.

At dinner, he showed his recent purchases to Yuki.

"Good you followed my advice. These should be good enough to train in." Yuki was currently looking at the daggers placed on the table before her. They had already finished eating.

Giving a once over to the armour he was wearing she said. "You could have gotten higher grade training gear. I'm sure I gave Fen enough coins to afford it." Though Yuki had stressed on being frugal on his purchases she would not stinge at all in giving him funds to spend.

Though her logic told her his gear now was perfect for his situation but her heart still wouldn't mind him spending more to get better protection.

"It should be okay, mother. This is good enough for me. Thank you for everything." Adam could guess what she was thinking.

Just as she would not stinge on him, he also would not be careless with anything she gave him. Adam's mindfulness perfectly balanced out Yuki's over excessiveness.

"Fine. I shall not say any more." She said and then pouted a little.

"Mother I plan on making a trip to the dungeon the day after." He had already decided on his plan of action. His body was going to undergo the fusion of the elements until the morning of the next day. His body was malnourished from the depletion of energy and so he decided to rest for a day and then make his trip.

He was not a foolhardy person. What was the point of going to train with his body in a state of malnourishment?

He had mentally prepared himself for a confrontation with Yuki on this matter.

Unexpectedly she replied after a short contemplation.

"Fine. You may go but you must promise me one thing… Promise me that you will not push yourself. Your life is the most important thing. Promise me you will back out if you cannot handle a situation and be careful at all times and I will not stop you."

He was speechless for a moment. Her understanding and the caring response had left him completely stunned.

Recollecting himself he said excitedly "I promise mother."

"Good. Let us not talk about this anymore lest I change my mind." There was a conviction in her words but there was also a vague feeling that she would actually change her mind.

Immediately Adam changed the topic and they conversed for a while before he went to bed.

…

The next day Adam spent most of the day going through the recording's further analysing the moves of the two in the painting. They fought with no end so there was always new recordings for Adam to go through. Every moment that went by meant that he had another moment of recordings.

The sentient mind that let him record, play and replay certain recordings was a massive boon to him.

Yuki had also given him a few more pointers on dungeons during breakfast and dinner that they shared that day.

Apparently, dungeon floor's came in many different variations like a maze, caverns, plains and so on. Monsters would spawn in specific areas and they wouldn't stray too far from their spawn points. This was an almost inviolable rule of all dungeons.

These spawn points were called 'Rooms'. Yuki had suggested Adam find such a room with one to two level 1 monster's to train in.

Yuki had also warned him that there were mutated monsters that could bypass this rule and travel between rooms.

The chance of a mutated monster spawning was minuscule but when one trained in a spot long enough it would increase the chances of the dungeon spawning a mutated monster so she told him about this just to be safe.

While eating Adam realized that he had grown a habit of eating huge amounts of food. He did not know if this was a side effect from the depletion that the elemental fusion had caused or the growth of his body that was causing this but he ate as much as two grown men already.

…..

The next morning came quickly.

An excited Adam was standing at the gates of the Lodge

Fully geared with 6 daggers holstered in their respected belts around his body. He looked valiant in the light of the morning sun.

Waving goodbye to Yuki and Fen who stood at the entrance he did not say anything but turned around and walked away.

"Mistress, will the young master really be okay? Is it really safe for him to go alone? Shouldn't I have gone with him?" Fen voiced her concerns.

"Silly girl. Dungeons are relatively safer than training outside. That does not mean that there is no danger but this is all I can do for him. If we coddle him forever he will turn frivolous. Is that what you want?"

"Most definitely not Mistress!"

"Then it is settled. He has to face hurdles to grow. We have to believe in him. That's all we can do." She said with a resolute face but a hint of worry still flashed in her eyes.

"Let's go back in. we still have work to do." Saying as much, Yuki turned around and walked back into the lodge.

"Stay safe young master, I pray that you have nothing but good fortune," Fen whispered. She gave one last look in the direction that Adam had disappeared at. Then turned around and followed Yuki.

At this time Adam was making his way through the city towards its east exit.

The dungeon was 2 kilometres east of the city of Two Fang.

Adam started a brisk jog and arrived at his destination in just over 20 minutes.

Panting from having to jog with the weight of his gear, he straightened his back and took a look around. He had received directions from Yuki multiple times so he shouldn't have strayed and gotten lost on the path.

Taking a look around him there was ….nothing. Just endless plains with a few mounds created from loose mud and sands scattered around.

"Are you Adam?" A deep voice of a man came from right in front of Adam.

He was startled and shifted three feet back swiftly. Then looked at the seemingly empty spot where the voice had originated from.

His eyes jolted in pain and it felt like electricity was building up within them. Something was awakening in them but that bit of electricity that was generated was like a spark in a vast ocean.

It fell far too short and the feeling vanished as quickly as it appeared.

"Haha, don't be afraid I am a guard of the Guild." Saying this a man appeared in front of the position Adam was a second ago. It looked as though an invisibility veil of liquid slowly trickled down him. It gave off a very creepy feeling when he appeared.

The man had a scruffy appearance and was armoured from head to toe in black steel armour. There was a pendant around his neck that he was pinching with one of his gauntlets covered hands.

"This is an invisibility pendant. You saw its effects already so I won't explain it."

"So are you Adam or no?" He grew a little forceful.

"I am sir. Here." Adam produced the token he was given by the guild master and tried handing it to the man for inspection.

"The aura is there. Fine. I am told to let you pass and enter the dungeon. Come follow me." He did not mix his words and got straight to the point. He then took hold of Adam's hand that was offering the token and pulled him forward with him.

Adam did not even realize when the man took his arm. He was so quick.

'My eyes couldn't keep up.' A chill crept up his spine. How strong was this man before him?

Before he could even try to pull his hand back, he felt a ripple around him and then a huge mound appeared in front of the two. It was definitely more than 12 feet tall. Its diameter was massive too but Adam was in no position to go walk around it and calculate. There was a huge dark hole on the side facing them.

"The token will let you pass through that layer of illusion formation. The next time you come just walk straight through it. Any questions?" The armoured man did not seem to like speaking.

"Is that the entrance to the dungeon?" Adam pointed at the hole on the mound.

"Yes. Just step through it and you should be sent to the first floor of the dungeon."

"Okay, thank you, sir. I shall be going in now."

The man just nodded in response.

Adam did not pay too much heed to the rude responses of the man as he did not sense any hostility from him. That was just his personality.

Looking towards the entrance of the dungeon he did not falter and stepped forward. He was ready.

Taking a few steps forward he vanished into the darkness of the entrance.