Quest 3

The next day Cirrus got up early and packed his bag with food, his gear all clean and maintained.

Walking down the stairs of the Dungeon he could feel the gazes of many adventures on him. He kept moving down.

'It's a good thing I grew out my hair to help cover my face a bit. This much hair does suck, though. How does anyone deal with long bangs? '

He reached the first floor just as many other adventures went on their way further down.

Gulp!

'Guess it's my time to see if I have the mettle. '

He put his hand on the hilt of his sword, combed back his hair with his fingers, and began his first exploration of the dungeon.

After walking for a while, he finally came across a goblin, a green-plump humanoid monster with 3 small horns armed with a stick.

"Haaa…" Cirrus takes a deep breath as he draws his short sword and readies himself.

"Gi!! Giiii!!!!!!!!!" the goblin came in and swung its wooden stick aimlessly at Cirrus.

Cirrus moved accordingly, building up his confidence.

"Giiii!!! Giiiiii!!!!!"

The Goblin attacked with even more ferocity. Cirrus moved out of the way to the side as it struck a rock with its stick, breaking it.

"G-gi!!!"

'This is my chance!!'

With a resolute conviction, he carefully slashed horizontally at the monster's neck, cutting halfway in before stopping.

"Shit, I hesitated!"

He drew the blade back out as the goblin fell to the ground.

Looking down at the Goblin's body, Cirrus takes a deep breath and aims his sword, and plunges it into the Goblin's magic stone.

Poof!!

He looks at the magic stone for a bit before picking it up and leaning against a wall to look at it.

"Haa..."I can't hesitate again. " He clutches it and places it in his pocket.

He kept walking through the dungeon's first floor, memorizing the paths and even stairways to the 2nd floor. He ignored it for now and focused more on the first floor.

He encountered more Goblins and even a Kobold, and with each new encounter, he faced, his confidence in his abilities strengthened. Each goblin was cut down quicker than the last, and each kobold was put down faster and faster.

"Haa! haa! haa!"

Cirrus finds a place where other fellow novice adventurers have stayed to rest. He combed back his hair to obscure his face.

'Seems everyone is doing well… some scrapes here and there. '

Cirrus watched as many new adventures came and went from this "safe zone". When he spotted some adventures in some far eastern clothes, they stood out like a sore thumb, but no one bothered them seeing as they had a captain.

A woman in yellow and red oriental attire with black hair tied up and held by a comb. She had an aura that seemed welcoming, but when they saw her, they saw her spear covered in blood, and the rest of her Familia was also covered in it, warding off anyone coming near her.

"This is a good place to rest, everyone take five. We will resume again," she commanded.

"Yes, Lady Kushida!" They all said at the same time.

They simply came and rested when one of their members came in right behind them, carrying all of their stuff.

A young girl around Cirrus's age came in.

She had white hair covered in dirt and blood, with fox ears and a tail. Her clothes were, by contrast, compared to the others, really, really poor. The best thing she had was her shoes and supporters bag.

'Poor kid… she must be their supporter, but goddam, is she their attendant or something? '

"Shirakusa, are you doing well?" the captain asked.

"Y-yes Lady Kushida." The Renard said, bowing before giving her some water from her bag.

"Thank you." She then took out a cloth and cleaned the girl named Shirakusa. "Take a rest. If you are to be a samurai, you need to know when to rest."

"Y-yes!!"

The Renard sat by her Familia and began to rest.

'Well, it seems she's a kind noble — Hm?'

He noticed the Renard's eyes on him for a second before looking away.

"Hmm... Not like we will see each other again.'

After resting, Cirrus resumes his exploration for a few more hours before leaving.

Back at Lenoa's shop.

"I'm back!" Cirrus said.

"Welcome back," Lenoa said. "How was the dungeon?"

"It was good that I got some magic stones."

"That is good. Are you planning on giving them to the Guild tomorrow?"

"Yup, stayed too long in the dungeon."

He helps set up the table and they both start to eat and talk about the experience.

"Did you meet any other adventurers?" she asked.

"A few at a rest spot on the 1st floor. There were even some adventures from the East. There was even a Renard with them."

"A Renard, huh? hmm… you should keep an eye on that one. Renard's are known to possess rare magic, speaking of which. Have you used your magic yet? "

"No, I didn't find the need to."

"I see… well, do you mind if you use it? It would be wise to understand one's abilities. "

"Alright."

After finishing eating, he and Lenoa go out to the backyard, Cirrus goes into the middle of the yard and stands still, holding his hands out.

"(Exousía, Adorn)."

Pikapika!

Pikapika!

Pikapika!

A gilded light wrapped around Cirrus revealing the enchantment. A golden, white-hooded ram cowl that extends down to his knees covered him and the injuries he sustained from the dungeon were healed almost immediately.

"What majesty!" Lenoa said, amazed.

"This is pretty neat! Maybe I sho--"

The magic wore off immediately as it disappeared, and Cirrus flopped to the ground.

"Cirrus, are you alright?" Lenoa said, walking up to him and poking him. She knelt and examined him. "Mind Down..." she checked his body again, and he was fine except for the Mind Down. "What powerful magic! You only had it for a handful of seconds before falling to the ground… Kihihi!" she laughed as she picked him up. "You certainly will be one remembered by many, maybe even more so than the Loki and Freya Familia's."