Prologue: The Rabbit Rookie and Peerless Rookie

"Labyrinth City Orario..."

Words simply slide off my mouth as soon as I arrived at the gate to entered the city. Wall so massive that it seem to stretched to the cloud from where I am. I felt a chill ran down my spine as I rubbed my chin.

I alway knew that Orario is THE city that export most of Magic Stones across the world so it's natural for the city to be filthy rich but man this is something else.

As the carriage slip passed the gate my mind wandered to all the adventures that I had before finally arriving to this city...Wow, come to think of it most of them is just me voyeur-ed the dojos and training. At that moment of realization my thoughts began to ran wild inside my skull.

Okay, so I start starting at them at 5, eloped at 10, trained for 15 years, come back, beat every disciples and "father" and, wait, was it a year ago when I embarked on this journey? As I tried to remembered well, anything, from my "journey" all, and that my chin is starting to hurt, ow.

"...Shit."

I muttered to myself. As my voice was swallowed by the sound of the carriages moving. I sort of knew deep in my heart that surpassing my "father" Sword Sect was probably the biggest hurdle in my life, I didn't expected it to goes this...normally?

Then it's a sign. By then I noticed that the frown that I didn't even knew was on my face has turned into a smile. Yeah, something big is definitely going to happened soon.

As my imagination ran wild as to what could happened, I haven't noticed that the carriage has stop.

"Huh, did you smuggling in clothes?"

"The hell you're talking about? why would I smuggling in some clothes?"

Ah, right, I was hitching a ride on this carriage. Seem like it's time that I headed off.

And so I relaxed my legs and my left arm which dropped me down onto the well paved road.

Damn, I haven't even seen the city proper but the road already made this place an 8/10 compared to my homeland.

I then rolled to the left and spring up, much to the two merchants surprised.

"Sorry for sneaking in and thanks for the ride, it's a lot less eventful than other. Bye."

It's only natural that I thanked them for the ride along with a polite bow. It's the only thing that a broke ass bitch like me could give to them, and with that, I decided to turn around and take my leave.

I almost freezed on the spot as soon as I turned around. I wasn't shocked because of how many inhumanly strong people seem to littered the street, nor how many qualities goods are being sold all around me...it was the tower that reached the heaven itself. Babel, the tower of God. Then there's no doubt about it, underneath it is surely the Dungeon.

There's no doubt about it. My adventure truly start from now.

________________________________________________

I was not having a good day.

"UROOOOOOARRRRR!!!"

"AIEEEEEE?!?"

I managed to dodge another blow from the bull-head, man-beast, the Minotaur.

Something that shouldn't exist on the 5th Floor, an area for most rookie.

Where did it goes wrong? My dream to save a beautiful damsel in a Dungeon? Actually isn't my dream already ended from the start as soon as the Dungeon, the place where over hundreds of Adventurers die everyday become my target- Another stomp inconing! Roll! Roll! Roll!

'THUMP!'

The heavy stomp from the Minotaur cause slight tremor around it yet, for me, it felt like my entire body has been shaken by it's mighty stomp.

I didn't looks back. I can heard it's furious roar and the heavy steps rushing in closer by the second. I'm gonna die, I don't want to die but I'm gonna die. My measly Level 1 self couldn't hope to even outrun such a beast. But I don't stop running because if I given up now not only my dream but Kami-sama will-!

"UROOOOOOOARRRRRRR!!!"

A chill ran down my spine and I leaped forward-

'THUMP!!!!'

and tumbled onto the floor. It wasn't a perfect landing by any stretch but I'm alive.

I''m going to live. Even if my legs were now felt like it could break at any moment and my lungs completely dried out I will-

'Thud'

Ah...I didn't noticed the crack on the floor.

There's not much else I can do, I wasn't able to make a proper roll in time which mean that I can only scoot my sorry butts back.

And my back hit the wall. My heart sank as the despair in my heart fully weight my body down.

What a sick joke, I sprint down hallway after hallway just to be cornered into this wide, sqaure room.

'I'm going to die.' I can't even will myself to fight back.

The Minotaur's bloodshot eyes glare at me, it's putrid breath brush against my face as a clumsy grin spread across it's lips as if it were taunting me.

In the end I didn't met any girl down here at all, haha, even as I'm about to die I still have such a delusion in my head.

Ah, it's fist are coming for my face. I braced myself one last time, sorry Kami-sam, seem like I will be the one waiting in heaven.

And then a dark flash ran across the Minotaur's knee.

'CRASH!'

The rock-like fist of the Minotaur crashed next to me instead of crushing my face.

And thanks to the position of my arms I was able to ward off a bunch of rocks that were splintered from the powerful blow.

"Nice power. This place might not be a fodder then after all."

A deep voice of a man filled the room, his tone is like that of someone that found something interesting.

As I assesed my surrounding once again I can see that the Minotaur is still towering over me but it's right knee are collapsed onto the floor with blood gushing out like fountain.

Immediately the bull-head Monster turn around to meet it's assailant face-to-face.

However, from where I sat I can't see what's the man even looks like. All I can see is it.

A jet black blade that reflect the dim light from the room, I can see my reflection from that thing. That... is a 'katana' if I remembered correctly? Someone from Far East?

The Minotaur raised it's fist and swung wide, the blow now have it's full intent to kill unlike before.

The difference is like how one used their strenght to crushed an ant versus one that used against an opponent.

Yet the black blade lazily raised up and circled around the rock-like fist of the bull-head monster, like a rushing water encircled a boulder unperturbed by it's existence, and with that the blade guide the mighty blow onto the floor.

"What a sloppy blow. For that I'll take your eye."

And before I can even properly registered what happened a black flash flew forward and the monster horn's fall in front of me.

The Minotaur's howl in pain as it clutched onto it's slashed right eye.

I was shock, awestruck even.

This is the first time I have saw a high Level Adventurer fought in my life, but that slash alone made me understanding the difference in power.

The Minotaur raised both of it's arms, ready to swing them down like a mace toward the man that dare to took of it's prized horn.

'Click'

Amidst the raging howl the blade was sheathed and before the monster can finished it's swing.

"Seventh Sacred Sword: Lightning Rend."

'BOOM!'

And just like that, the Minotaur's neck has been cut by a black lightning.

No, it wasn't lightning. He didn't casted a spell, his blade was simply so fast that it looks like a lightning.

And with a thud the Minotaur crumpled onto the floor, blood spurting out of it's neck like a fountain.

"What a shitty desperate attack. You're far stronger than what I've come across so far, but if that was your trump card then I don't even wanted to see it."

With the Minotaur's death I can now properly see my saviour for the first time.

A tattered black cloak that reach down to his waist, a dull green tunic that have lost most of it's vibrat colouration after many used, black tights that has plenty of clothes that doesn't quite match the original material stitches to it. The man was also tall, at least several heads higher than myself. His scraggly black hair and the dull black eyes along with the trimmed beard spoke of his age. To put it simply; He looks like a hobo, if it weren't for the blade that was sheathed on his hips. It was long, longer than most longaword that I have seen. Despite it being sheathed away, I can't get the image of the black flash out of my mind.

His gaze then shifted to me and I flinched.

His annoyed expression turn a bit softer as he reached his hand out to me.

"You alright, kid? Here, let me help you get up."

"I'm, uh..."

I wasn't ready.

For some reason it felt like that if I were to take his hand something bad is gonna happened, yet I already extended my hand to him.

And with a tug he pulled me onto my feet. His hand is tough like steel, no doubt it come from years of experience.

I try to stand on my own but in the end I leanded against the wall for my legs is till shaking from the experience.

"Are you alright? Sorry, that was a weird question to asked. Of course you aren't alright. Need a hand?"

My eyes locked onto his.

At that moment it felt like time has stop.

'I want to be like him.'

Despite standing before the raging beast he did not show any sign of fear, it felt more like he was testing himself than anything, the impeccable techniques he show made quick work of such a monster in a literal flash.

Yet despite it he still retained a kindess toward other.

Yes, there's no doubt about it. I may not be able to pick up a girl in a dungeon, but I can still strive toward that sword.

________________________________________________

...

Should I tell him that he has been staring at me for over 10 seconds now?

He's probably still in shock, but from the looks of it he wouldn't die from anything else other than the Bull-Man.

Seriously that thing was vastly stronger than everything I have fought so far.

Seriously, talking about a difficulty curve.

"Well...if you're fine then I'll be off. Hope you'll get home safe and all that good stuff."

As much as I wanted to make sure he was safe, I still got plenty to do.

My internal clock told me that it's already quite a bit over passed noon and I should headed back to find an inn, I refused to missed my daily training.

And so I went to pick up the horn of the monster, it's looks valuable so might as well take it.

Maybe it will cost a fortune, or at least, enough to get a roof over my head.

it's one thing to sleep out in the wild but sleeping on the street? I'll died of shame for real.

Beside, as weak-looking as this kid is. I felt like he's gonna become a real monster soon so he wouldn't die, at least not yet.

Well, time to head back.

But not even a few steps out of the little room, I heard someone running toward me.

Fast. Very Fast.

I squinted my eyes and saw her.

A young girl with long golden hair with a rapier drawn out.

Her killing intent isn't directed toward me however and she seem to be in a hurried, upon spotting me she come to a stop a few steps away from me.

"Excuses me, did you see a Minotaur around here?"

Polite. Nice. She already better than most people that I have talked to.

Although...

"Sorry, young lass. But what's a Minotaur?"

I'm not afraid to show other about something that I didn't know.

I don't do a whole lot of planning but I'll try to learned about things that come up as much as I can.

Uwah, but it seem like I said something quite shocking with how she's looking at me.

"Well, this is the first time I've ever entered the Dungeon, so I don't know much about it."

I just give her an honest answered and a shrug.

"Minotaur...is arguably one of the more well-known Monster amongst the Adventurer."

Hey, hey. Don't said it in a tone as if you have saw an exotic animal for the first time.

Giving that sort of looks to your elder, you know?

"Well, I told you the truth. I'm very green when it come to this whole Adventurer thing."

With that she relaxed a bit from my sincere words.

As always, honest is a virtue.

"Unbelievable...Anyway, the Minotaur have a giant body with a head of a bull and a body of a man. Have you seen it?"

Oh?

"Huh, what a coincidence. If what you said is true then I killed it. Some poor sod was about to be turned into chunky tomato soup before I step in."

I point my thumb at the small room behind me. Talking about that kid, is he still alright?

It has been a minute or so since I come out and yet not even a noise.

"Impossible. Lying is bad, mister."

"Huh?"

After I finished my sentence the blonde gave me a ridiculous looks.

"A Minotaur can't be killed by a newbie, that's just not possible. So please be honest and tell me where it went."

Oh ho, well. Seem like what I did have an unintended side effect.

But this work well, really well with the goal that I have. Fufufu, yes this is definitely my first step into legend.

"Well, I did. Here, I even have a proof."

A smile crept onto my lips as I showed her the horn of the bull monster, the Minotaur.

At that instant her eyes widen.

Ah, this is what I've been waiting for.

The looks of having the world's "logic" broke before their very own eyes.

"How..."

Yessss, this is the ego boost I am looking for.

It never get old.

"I slashed at it, aim for the weak spot and used the momentum would be more than enough to handling that thing."

Well, having an Evil-Slaying sword also help but I'm not gonna told her that.

I didn't told her about the fact that I belong to any Familia either, not yet.

That fact need to be made amongst the crowds for maximum effect.

"How did you get so strong?"

"Come again?"

When I turn to meet her gaze again I felt like I am staring into a bonfire.

What a heated gaze.

A fire that consumed everything.

A hunger for power.

To crush something from the face of the world.

Revenge.

"Ah, you're like me. Sorry kid, but I start early and my training only really work for mere mortal. Someone as strong as you wouldn't work for with my method."

Shit, she visibly deflated upon hearing that.

But what I said is true.

I doubt she'll be able to get into the habit of learning people's minute details by constantly staring for hours on end.

But still...

"Hey now, don't make face like that, it ruin your pretty looks. While I can't give you my training, I think I can make something that fit you just right."

Her eyes widen once again as she seem even more shocked than before.

"What? Didn't expected me teached you that easily? I know that looks in your eyes, you wanted to be stronger no matter the cost. I've been in your shoes before so considered this a sympathy."

I told her my reason with a smile. It's indeed the truth...but I also have an agenda.

Having an Adventurer owning a debt to me sound fun.

Huh, actually, talking about debt.

"Also, I'm broke. So you'll be my wallet and my guide around the city, sound good?"

I gave her a thumbs up and she gave me a few more blinks...before she shook her head.

"I'm sorry, but I-"

"Ah, I see, you doubted my words. It's fine, it's fine. I know just the way to convinced you. Come and slash at me."

The blonde tilted her head upon hearing my words.

"Excuse me?"

"Yeah, just give this old man a swipe with your sword. Cut me down, you know what I mean? Don't hold back I'm not gonna did and your sword won't ever reached me."

I told her with confidence. I'm sure of it.

She's strong. Incredibly so, about as much if not more than my bastard of a father.

A single glance is enough for me to know that.

Our gaze locked onto each other for a moment, her golden orbs looks very charming.

I'm sure that she will have plenty of men chased after her when she grow up.

And upon seeing that I am very much serious about this, she get into a stance and-

WOOOOSH!

She's like that of a gale. Her hair fluttered as her rapier thrusted forward aiming for my stomach.

Indeed, there's no doubt about it.

She's a high Level Adventurer.

A speed that far surpassed human.

The force that no man could hope to grasp.

That is what it mean to be blessed by the God.

To be blessed is to stand above other unconditionally.

By all account she's several times faster than me.

My human body have truly reached the very limit.

Adventurer is someone who step into the Divine realm, therefore they can grow beyond that limit.

So by all account, I shouldn't be able to blocked such an attack.

However, as soon as she got into that stance, as soon as I saw how her muscles tenses and the intent in her eyes I understand where her sword would goes.

She's faster, but I move first in anticipation for her attack.

However. Merely dodging such an attack would be child play.

After all, I am the one that set the condition.

She was even kind enough to get into a stance instead of lunching an attack from the get-go.

If I wanted her to accepted that I'm her superior, then I need to show her something that she doesn't have.

I raised the hilt of my blade, the dark hilt of Akumetsu, met the tip of the rapier and blocked it.

If I was any other human, the fight should have been decided in me dying the instant I met such an attack.

The force behind it is simply too much, they'll be send flying.

But I am not most human.

I can feel the force transfered from the hilt into my hand.

My muscles move.

Everything working as one under my commands.

Years of seclusion have culminated into this control, this complete mastery over my body.

The force of her blow was send down.

From my hand to my arm, from my arm to my torso, from my torso to my legs, from my legs to my feet and from my feet down onto the floor.

C-C-CRACKKK!

The floor beneath me give out from the blow, causing the ground to sink at least an inch lower with cracks appeared all over.

"Not bad, your stance is decent but your sword felt lacking. No, it was tailored made for something, ah, Monster I see. Admirable but we need to get that habit out."

I made my comment and the girl widen her eyes with her mouth gaped open like a fish out of the water.

"Surprised? Sorry to disappointed you, dear. But this old man won't ever losed to some half-hearted blade thrust."

I wagged my finger at her as if she was a child.

"But I'd bet you now have plenty of questions, don't you? I'll be glad to answered all of them...as long as you accepted being my disciple of course."

Uwah, she's still in shock that she still haven't sheathed her rapier.

But she nodded in respond. So it seem like everything is okay.

"Well, if that's the case then let's go. We'll begin your training right away."

Good, good! While I'm a little nervous since this is the first time I have ever teached someone before, I can't help but get excited.

Upon hearing my words the blonde seem to snap out of her stupor and sheathed her rapier before she shook her head.

"I'm sorry, but we're currently under Dungeon exploring. The reason why I came up to the 5th floor was due to the straggler."

Huh, I see. No wonder the thing was a league above whatever I came across.

"I see, a shame. Well, we can always meet later...right, I didn't told you my name."

I always forgot about that part. Remembering others name isn't my strong suit either.

"I'm Mumei. A swordman from the Far East, and from today on, your Master."

Nameless. The name that I has given myself since I escaped the Sect.

There's no other reason to tied my name to my family after my mother's passed away.

Maybe I'll get more benefit if I used my father's name back then.

But fuck that.

Meanwhile the blonde is a bit taken back by what I said. Hm, perhaps her heart isn't ready yet?

If so then it can't be help.

Beside, I'm sure that we'll meet again in the future.

The ways of the blade always intersect with one another.

"Ah, Aiz Wallenstein is your disciple."

She nod her head, seemingly unsure of what she should do.

Did she perhaps affirmed me because of how I looks? I am not that hasty unlike other at my homeland.

But oh, well this only benefited me more.

"Since today you're busy then we'll meet tomorrow. When will you be free tomorrow?"

"I will be busy until night since I will be going on another Dungeon Expedition tomorrow. Loki will be hosting a party at Hostess of Fertility on that night."

"I see, so I should be waiting for you there then. Sound good...Also can I have some Valis?"

It's a bit shameful. But it's a disciple's duty to take care of their Master's right? So borrowed a bit of money should be fine.

Upon hearing that the girl, Aiz, tilted her head to the side.

"But Master, didn't you just killed a Minotaur? It's Magic Stone should be worth over a few tens of thousands of Valis."

Ah, that.

"Well, about that. It didn't seem to appeared. No matter how many Monster I cut down I can't seem to get any Magic Stone at all."

It's probably my terrible luck at work again. But it can't be help.

Hey, why did you gave me that looks, Aiz?

"Master...you didn't know that you're supposed to harvest the Magic Stone from Monster?"

...What?

"What?"

"Yes, Master. No matter how many you have killed you still need to harvest them from their body."

...

...

...

"You know, I think I forgot to turn off my lamp back home. See you tomorrow at the Hostess of Something. Bye."

"Aren't you out of money, Master? And it's Hostesss of Fertility."

And off she goes back to her Familia. As the sound of footsteps ceased from my ears and her figured disappeared from my sight.

I turn toward the small room.

"You did not see anything today, brat."

I make sure to emitted just a bit of killing intent on him.

Even if he doesn't poke his head out I can heard his footsteps during the conversation with Aiz.

And since I received no answered, I considered my threat successful.

I should goes to collected the Minotaur's Magic Stone.

But it should worked as a hush money for the boy.

Now...time to gouge out everything that I came across.

.

..

...

"56,000 Valis..."

I said as I looks at the pouch of Valis in front of me.

Currently I'm in one of the cheaper inn I found near the Babel which would be described as, okay.

The bed is a bed. The room is cleaned well. But overall there's nothing fancy.

With this much money I could stayed at a high class hotel for a while, but I didn't.

My back has grown too used to hard/semi-hard surface that sleeping in a soft bed just isn't right for me anymore.

So a middle of the road option work like a charm.

"But man, I didn't expected that I'll be making this much in a day."

The only one that came close was the tournament back at home, and even then I can get disqualified because of my heritage.

Well, that was all in the past and I managed to find an inn on time.

Well, with that it's time for me to train like always.

I reached inside a black pouch on my hips.

Inside, I took a black pallet put and crunching on it for a few seconds before swallowed it.

I stood up, took a deep breath as I felt the sensation of fire ran across my enitre body.

My hands trembles as my heart began to beats erratically.

What I ate just now was a poison made by my family.

A secret toxin made to cause heart failure.

Why did I ate such a thing knowing that it might killed me?

Fwoosh! Fwoosh! Fwoosh! Fwoosh!

For training of course.

While it pick it up to goes on this journey instead of the pouch of ration pallets.

I get an ingenious idea for training.

This way not only am I able to properly train on how to control my heartbeat, I am able to get a hang on my bloodflow as well.

Both of these are important for my Secret Techniques.

So the poison I pick up on accident is a boon more than I thought at first.

Fwoosh! Fwoosh! Fwoosh! Fwoosh!

Of course, just training my heart and bloodflow isn't enough.

I added sword swing into the mix. At the moment I am able to only performed simple swings.

But I'm sure that if I kept training I'm able to at least performed Sacred Sword Art eventually.

Truly this is a win-win-win for me.

Now...it's just 12 more hours until poison ran out. Gotta make the most out of it before hitting the hay.

I have a disciple to teached tomorrow.