AN: EDITED.
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Disclaimer: I don't own any source material.
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Chapter 2: Getting Settled In
Being woken up from a bucket of ice water and finding an irate Riveria standing over your nude form would usually inspire terror in most men.
But not me.
No.
I just groaned and raised a brow at her without a care for my nudity since she was the one who entered the room; I had nothing to be ashamed of.
My issue was more in line with the fact that Loki was not happy with being woken up that way, and I got a knee to my boys while she thrashed around from the cold.
I oofed, dropped, and rolled while holding my jewels while in the background; a halfhearted apology from Loki came in while Riveria ignored me and went on to scold Loki for trashing her room.
I kind of zoned out what they were saying to focus on grabbing my nuts because every man knows that grabbing them will somehow make it feel better.
It's instinctual.
I did grab a pillow to cover up though, when I caught on the topic of them talking about me having a great ass.
Compliments aside, talking about my ass makes me uncomfortable for some reason.
The two of them shot me amused looks as I held a far too small pillow in front of my privates and excused myself with a cough.
Loki managed to sneak in a kiss before I could go, and Riveria told me I had an hour to clean up and meet her in one of the manor rooms for the start of my dungeon education.
It was a busy morning all in all, and it didn't help that I had forgotten my clothes in Loki's room and only remembered down the hall.
My pride wouldn't let me return though, so I enacted whatever stealth ability I could perform from my time as a Dy Lee agent to sneak my way through the manor.
It helped that I could feel vibrations in the ground, but that didn't mean much when I was in a mansion filled with adventures who could take steps much faster than I could.
It was a severe test of my ability and luck to make it back unseen, and that's with me ignoring the awkward moment in which Gareth, a fucking hundreds of pounds dwarf, passed me without a single vibration warning me, and did nothing more than say good morning while inclining his head.
He knew. The bastard even sent me a look of sympathy.
I had to buy him a drink to keep his silence.
It's not the sleeping with Loki part I wanted to keep silent. It's the moving around naked part. Those are the kind of things people hold over you for a long time once they hear about it.
Thankfully for my almost nonexistent reputation, I made it back safely and jumped in the shower.
It felt good to wash off after last night. 'I think that's the first time I had sex with a woman for that long in all three of my lives. That woman is insatiable.'
That thought aside; it wouldn't stop me from going back for more. Our bodies practically sang to each other. Even just thinking about her body was making my boy stand up again.
I shot him a disgruntled look. 'At ease soldier. You've done enough for now, and I doubt Riveria would be amused.'
Rather than amused, I'm more likely to get frozen in a block of ice if I showed up popping a stiff one.
I got cleaned up quickly and threw on a new pair of basic quality clothes I was given when I moved in here and booked it to the cafeteria to try and grab a fruit or something before I would have to sit through a long class.
A long night of sex makes a man hungry.
Thankfully, adventurers had big appetites, so I was able to make it in time to grab a bundle of bananas without anyone giving me a weird look for walking away with it.
They were mine; my stomach demanded them.
'Ape man is pleased.' I chuckled at my own joke and made my way to the area of the manor Riveria told me the class was at.
And when I say the area, I mean a massive hall with dozens of doors. The castle was fit to hold over a thousand people easily.
Luckily Raul was passing by, and at my question, he just chuckled and pointed at the right door while wishing me luck. 'He's a nice kid; I should help him out with confessing to Aki before they become too old and awkwardly dance around each other until some asshole sleeps with her first because Raul couldn't man up.'
I internally nodded my head at my plan and stored it on my mental checklist while I ate a banana and walked into the room. It was a basic classroom set up with tables rather than desks and no one was inside so I shrugged and found a seat.
Gave me a chance to eat in peace for a moment. 'This is giving me college vibes. I never even went to college and I'm getting those vibes.'
I enjoyed the moment as a breeze entered through an open window, and the pulse of the earth echoed beneath my feet. A soft smile grew on my face as it soothed and relaxed me before; a minute later, the door opened as Riveria walked in.
"Oh? Your early."
I gave her a cheesy thumbs-up. "You know what they say, to be early is on time, to be on time is late, and to be late is unacceptable."
She scoffed in good nature with a small smile. "On the contrary, I have not heard that saying before. But I like it and will likely steal it."
"I'm glad to spread the wisdom then."
"Indeed, I shall hopefully have the same comfort within the next few hours."
I sagged a bit and finished my last banana before standing up to throw out the peels.
Riveria shot me an amused look at the amount but didn't say anything about it.
"Sorry, didn't have a lot of time for breakfast."
She waved it off. "It's no matter… and understandable knowing Loki's abnormal stamina for such things."
I chuckled at her pensive expression and sat back in my seat as she coughed into her hand and went into her pure business – no-nonsense type face. "Now, I have much to go over with you, but it's all essential knowledge for a newbie adventurer. If you can grasp it quickly, we can get through it all in two days. If you are slow, a week will be needed.
It's my job to prepare you for everything a level 1 should be facing during your time as one. We used to go into the level 2 topics for examples at some point, but morons with big heads kept getting injured or dying as a result as they thought they were ready, so we had to change it up.
You are here to learn about Level 1 monsters and should not be going deeper than that. Understood?" Her frozen layers of hell gaze demanded the message be received.
I raised a hand like a good student twice the teacher's size.
"Yes?"
"What if you reached the end of the Level 1 floors and do not feel any pressure or challenge?"
"A perfectly normal question. In most cases, I would say that the individual in question is delusional. The dungeon ramps up the number of monsters, the quality of monsters, and/or the environment as the floors go deeper.
The final line for a level 1 is floor 12, and between the quality, quantity, and environment one is to face, a level 1 would be challenged even with S grade stats in every category.
Which is a best-case scenario as well since almost no one has the time and energy to focus on every stat equally. Almost every adventurer who makes it to level 3 or higher has focused their effort on two or three specific stats. It's the 'build' they go for.
In average cases:
Mages focus more on Magic and Dex.
Tanks focus more on Endurance and Strength.
Damage dealers focus more on Agility and Strength.
Archers focus on Dex and Endurance.
Rouges focus on Dex and Agility.
And so on and so on. Of course, various builds are customed to the person in question and can focus on areas unique to them.
Such as a swordsman who also uses magic. Or anyone with unique Skills on their Falna. Everyone is different, but it's very rare for anyone to focus on more than two or three stats. Are you still with me?"
I nodded and raised my hand again.
She rolled her eyes at me. "Az, you're a grown man, you don't have to raise your hand."
I chuckled awkwardly and put my hand down. "Sorry, your giving me teacher flashbacks with your professionalism."
Her chest puffed out in pride and I went on.
"Even if someone focuses on two or three stats and maxes them out, can they still remain on a certain level to work on their lower stats before leveling up?"
She smiled and nodded.
"Good question. That is the real difference between the elite and the average. Everyone is eager to level up. To reach the fabled level 10 and claim immortality, even when no one has ever reached it.
The average adventurer, for a variety of reasons, is usually quick to jump on a level-up as soon as it becomes applicable, which is understandable since they don't usually have the courage to take the necessary risk to qualify for a level-up.
But to qualify at the bare minimum, you need to have stats over D and have done an impressive deed to earn the right."
I couldn't help but interrupt here.
"But why would they level up if they could have gotten more benefits from increasing their stats while their level was lower? And what determines if an action qualifies?"
She smirked at me. "More good questions.
There are a few reasons why they do it. Mainly to brag and gain some small-time fame for the first time in their lives, although there are actual benefits to it as well.
To level up is to fundamentally evolve the body, mind, and soul. We are raising ourselves up notches from standard mortal bodies to the level of the very divines that give their essence to allow us the chance. So even though they become a glass cannon, their bodies are enhanced by the level-up. They become healthier, increase their lifespan, heal from various aches and pains, cure illnesses, and more.
Not to mention developmental skills, magic, or other Skills they might gain. They trade their future potential for immediate gains even if they will never level up a second time in their lives.
As to what qualifies? That has been a question asked for a long time without a solid answer. They say you need to risk your life. Be a hero. Push your limits and face a significant challenge. Make an extraordinary achievement.
It's all the same really and sounds over-glorified. Just face something big and strong, or numerous and strong, and come out on top. They call it 'having an adventure' to romanticize it, but it really boils down to risking your life and winning. Any more questions on these two topics?"
I shook my head.
"Not for the moment, you answered them in an easy to understand way. So, you were speaking of average and elite adventurers?"
She smiled and pointed at the chalkboard as she drew diagrams.
"Right. You can probably guess it, but whereas the average person will want to level up quickly, the elites are in it for the long game. They are the ones who reach level 3 at the very least, if they live that long.
Elites will stick to their preferred fighting style at first until they can at least get close to maxing out their main stats at S900 - 999, and then they will try to take time to work on their weaker stats.
Some only spend a little time getting them to C, while others take the most time and get their weaker areas to B or A. But those are the rare few who have the patience for it. It takes tremendous willpower to be able to hold yourself back for the sake of your future growth."
Az tapped his desk with a hum. "But why would the elite not push for the best they can and settle for C to A. Wouldn't it have the greatest benefit if they aimed for S in all their stats?"
She paused and blinked at me before answering. "Well, you're not wrong, but I think you're forgetting something.
The dungeon is not a game. You must risk your life at all times, and many have to fight and struggle to reach S rank in any stat, even their main ones. A level 6 adventurer without Abnormal Resistance, potions, or allies, can die of a much weaker poison even if they can kill the monster the poison came from.
To work on their weaker parts is to directly expose yourself to danger against the strengths you had built up. And for most, they rely on their dungeon time to make a living and support themselves and/or others. Very few have the will, time, freedom, and desire to aim to max out their growth.
Between our everyday lives, training, equipment, healing, various supplies, Familia responsibilities, and especially travel time, adventurers only have a finite amount of time as it is in the dungeon.
At the higher levels, we often go days with only getting in a couple of hours of actual fighting done for monsters of our levels. It gets harder and harder as you level up. I can personally attest to that. I can't even reach my preferred area to raise my stats without an elite party or an expedition.
And considering the amount of time we would try to spend down that far, an expedition is our best bet. Unfortunately, this slows our progress tremendously, but at least we have better chances of living another day."
I considered that and found I didn't have a reply to give. 'Perhaps the reason they can't risk going down that far by themselves is that they specialized in only a few stats.
Without agility, you wouldn't be fast enough to escape. Without Endurance, you would exhaust yourself and be in danger of receiving attacks. Without magic, you wouldn't have an area of effect attacks for crowds. Strength and Dex have their own parts to play. But if you trained them all, you wouldn't need to wait for others to help you.'
My mind flashed as the thought took root in me. The desire to be able to rely on myself to survive. There was no harm in relying on others, I saw no shame in that, but that's not what I desired. My core values were blossoming and firming my Earth-bending Will ever stronger.
To be free and grow unrestrained. I wouldn't stand to be restrained, not even if it was me restraining myself.
I didn't let my thoughts out as I could see I had no ground to stand on for my opinion. Riveria was a level 6; she had been around a while and seen and experienced a lot to reach her current heights.
But she felt…restrained. Finn and Gareth had the same feel to them. It was like their spirits were dulled slowly over time, and their passion to risk their lives and grow had weakened. They were focusing on their responsibilities to their Familia and expanding, which I saw no shame in; it was an honorable path. But it came at the cost of their own spirits.
'I'll show them then. I'll reach their heights and push them up, break their molds.'
I found the idea amusing and found that the idea appealed to me. 'I'll share the thought with Loki later, see what she says.'
I pushed away my thoughts and focused back on Riveria's lecture as she dove into the topics of monsters, crystals, signs, interacting with other non-Familia adventurers, and a bunch of other basic but informative topics.
It was a bit of a headache with the massive info drop, but credit where it's due; she was an excellent teacher who went over each topic and clarified points that confused me. By the time lunch rolled around, about four hours since we began, she ended the class for the day and told me she would quiz me tomorrow.
I groaned and nodded, but that only seemed to make her smile wider. 'That elf is a major sadist. I know she is.'
That thought brought up the mental image of Riveria in a teacher's cosplay with a ruler calling me in for detention, and I rapidly shook my head. 'You can exist in my mind, but never make that a reality please.'
I shuddered and walked off to grab some lunch. By the time the late afternoon came around, I had wandered off to a secluded corner of the manor grounds by the northern wall of the city.
It was a grass clearing with trees and small animals. I found a nice place to sit and finally delved into meditation to take a look at my new changes after receiving a Falna. Something I didn't get a chance to really do since I woke up.
'Breath in, breath out. Breath in the vitality of life, breathe out the toxins and decay. Let life fill you. The energy is all around us, we have simply forgotten how to see.'
I steadied my mind and breathed rhythmically as I connected deeper with my connection to the earth and entered a deeper state of meditation. A state in which one can see their inner energy and spirit without truly seeing with any eyes.
It was a spiritual state, an astral state.
One most dedicated benders over the age of twenty will come to learn as they calm their spirits and refine themselves. The young had no patience for such things, and you needed true confidence and belief in the connection you held.
You had to give in to your element and become one with it.
If you had doubts, you would never reach such a state. At the same time, the foolish and undisciplined would never achieve such a state of being. You must be calm, controlled, confident, and for an Earth Bender, be willing to let the earth guide you rather than force it to your bidding.
It allows you to nourish your inner energy with the pure vitality of the earth. To bathe in its waters. It was one of the few methods to steadily increase your pool of Chi over time by small increments. At the same time, it allowed you to tune into the aura of the earth and deepen your connection.
In such a state, I could feel it all.
A rock, no bigger than a beachball, rotating gently in the void of my soul, hovering over an endless earthen plain without a single thing in sight. The earthen plain vibrated rhythmically in tune with the pulse of the world.
This was my soul, or more accurately, my inner world where my soul resided. A concept typical to wuxia novels, but it was, in fact, something the Avatar world considered an advanced and natural art form for a bender. Something that, while not rare, was not commonly spoken of, for one had to mature and delve deep enough to find it on their own.
The rotating boulder was the representation of my soul, the core of my being.
I mused to myself at its size. 'I truly have regressed.'
In my first life, after three decades of diligent practice, my soul was the size of an eight-foot-tall boulder. Its size, density, and material represented the strength of the soul.
But at that time, I already had decades under my belt. At the moment, with my current body, I was without much energy to speak of. 'My soul must have also weakened after two lives without a connection to the Earth. No matter, I don't believe I should have an issue recovering. One steady step at a time.'
The beachball-sized rock had a sapling growing at its apex. Thin roots spread through the rock-like veins, pulsing with nourishing energy, albeit in a fragile state.
It was the Falna system, the one I felt take root in my soul when Loki's blood made contact with whatever runic formation she drew on me. Her divine essence gave birth to this sapling of a tree. The sapling passively absorbed energy from around my body and purified it before pumping its pure energy through my soul.
Growing, nourishing, and elevating me.
'I don't know if many of the divine without knowledge of souls are even aware of what they are doing exactly. Whoever created the runic formula to allow for such a system to be born must have been on another level.'
When I was a bender, a bender was limited by their physicality. The growth of our soul and Chi was a very slow process unless you made contact with the spirit world and the ancient beings within. There had been cases of rapid growth in such cases, but they were scarce.
For the most part, even if I had lived a full life, I would be lucky to reach a fifteen-foot boulder before I began to decay in my old age.
Only the truly talented and determined could surpass the average limits of standard benders, such as king Bumi and Toph. But here? Such limitations were removed while a road was paved. 'These tree's planted in our souls elevate us from the ground up. Raising our existence by funneling our soul's with pure energy. As our souls grow, our physical body adapts to match it.'
But even then, the energy needed would be immense for a mortal to gain even for a single level up. That's where the dungeon came into play. 'An endless source of energy constructs to fight and absorb through conquest. The creator of the Falna system must be intricately connected to the dungeon in some way.'
Through simple deduction and using meta-knowledge plus what I had learned from Riveria, I came to such a conclusion. 'Fascinating, but not truly important for me. Still, it's nice to know the 'how' for this system.'
I took a closer look at my soul, the rotating beachball-sized rock, and noticed a part I had missed before. At the base of the sapling was a puddle of brown liquid. Clear and glowing brown liquid without taint.
I hummed at the sight. 'So this is what has become of my Chi. This is my inner energy now.'
Chi was different. It existed in a spiritual space inside the stomach and was pure with vitality and life.
The liquid before me was not full of life like Chi, but the dense feeling of the Earth. It was earth essence, my inner energy pool. 'Perhaps as this world has mana, and yet I am a half earth spirit who can use Earth Bending, I do not contain mana but earth essence, interesting.'
The puddle was small; a comparison could be made to an early-stage earth bender. But it was no matter. Energy could be gained with time. What was more important was that my energy was naturally in tune with the Earth now, deepening my bond with the earth element further.
Not only that, but my soul was steadfast and condensed, giving off a sheen from its durability. Despite having once been a seven-foot-tall boulder, it had lacked the durability of the one I currently had. My soul had been weak because my convictions were weak. My core beliefs, values, and desires were filled with things that were not true to me.
It weakened my soul and, therefore, my bending, leaving me mediocre. But now it was incredibly firm, showing how true and straight I was thinking now. My beliefs and values were my own, no one else's.
I decided my fate; I was the captain of my soul, no one else. My soul represented that belief. But there was one main benefit to my experience.
My gaze trailed down to the endless earth below. It pulsed with calming rhythmic vibrations. My years of experience delving into my connection with the earth remained and was stronger than ever before.
The earth was with me at all times. Calming, revitalizing, steadying, and embracing me. It was as if my astral body was sitting on the edges of a vast ocean of vitality. Sitting calmly atop it and tuning into the vibrations traveling through the earth like a heartbeat.
A great example came from an anime I had once seen called Mushishi. A beautiful showing of the other side of life invisible to the naked eye. My memories of anime were a great boon to my mind, for they were full of thoughts, theories, ideas, and imagination on how to mentally visualize various things.
Things I was constrained on during my time as a Dy Lee agent. What planet earth lacked in reality, humans made up for in imagination and creativity. Something scarce in less developed worlds. Mental visualization was a critical concept for bending the elements.
Each of the elements had a different movement style associated with it, and its purpose was not to force the world to obey. The movement worked as a crutch, a way to help put thought into action. You can think of it like a wand in Harry Potter.
Theoretically, a bender could channel their element without moving, but it would be incredibly difficult. On the level of borderline impossible. We move our bodies to visualize our thoughts taking action.
Two earth benders can move their arms in the exact same way and have two very different effects because of their thoughts and intentions. One of the signs of advanced mastery in bending was when a bender made fewer movements to achieve what they desired.
Creating a spire of rock two dozen feet away through a simple stomp. Jerking your chin to summon surrounding stones for various effects. There are numerous examples of it.
For beginner benders, heavy emphasis on movement technique is placed so they can begin to get in touch with their element.
To feel what it means to bend. It starts simple, becomes complex, and returns to simplicity. With my memories, I was already a low-level advanced earth bender. As long as I retained a deeper connection, I did not need to dance to lift a rock.
But I was still limited by energy costs.
Lifting a hand, I jerked my wrist upward, and a stone, a third of the size of my hand, was pulled from the ground to levitate above my palm. It was brittle, but it was moving.
Looking within myself, I 'saw' the pool of my inner energy decrease by a tenth. It cost a fiftieth of my energy to keep it floating, but the cost was higher to lift it.
The deeper my connection with the earth and the higher my imagination, the lower the cost of energy, but a price will always exist.
Flicking my wrist, the stone shot like a slightly slow bullet to hit a tree trunk with a thud. The bark splintered slightly but was otherwise unmarked.
I shook my head ruefully at the sight. 'Looks like I have my work cut out for me.'
A sound of a snapped branch tickled my ears and broke me from my trance. When I turned my head, I came to see a surprised-looking Finn.
I waved a hand. "Yo, were you looking for me?"
He blinked and waved back. "Hey Az, and no, I didn't think anyone was back here. I'll find another spot."
I chuckled and waved him over. "Don't worry man, more than enough space for others, especially if this is your spot or something."
He smiled and shook his head while walking over and taking a seat on a log.
"Nah it's not reserved or anything. I just like to come out here every now and then to clear my head. The noise of the city and our Familia doesn't reach all this way."
I nodded and looked around the clearing. "Yeah, it's quite a nice spot to meditate."
He raised a brow at me. "Is that what you were doing?"
I hummed in agreement. "Meditation is a wonderful way to stay in tune with yourself. To clear the mind and ponder, study, or simply enjoy empty silence. I find it's vital to a warrior so we stay true to ourselves and don't lose our way in the messiness of life."
He looked at me for a moment before chuckling. "Loki told us about your Falna status and I can see it now. You speak of wisdom I wouldn't expect from a youth."
I shrugged with a smile. "Yes, yes, I'm an old man already. Just keep it to yourself."
He nodded without hesitation. "I am the captain of this Familia; I would never harm one of our members without great reason. Your secrets are yours to tell, no one else's. It's only for the safety of the Familia that we make sure you are not a threat to the others and to see where your strengths lay for strategic planning and growth."
His eyes held his conviction, and my respect for him rose. "Thank you. I appreciate the seriousness with which you take it, but for now, just relax. I can imagine your responsibilities weigh heavily on you."
He sighed and sagged at my words. "You're telling me. I don't know how Noir dealt with things for so long even as a level 4."
I eyed the man, or pallum, and saw how tired he looked when he let his guard down. I decided to speak honestly. "Perhaps he just took things one step at a time."
He raised a brow at me. "What do you mean?"
I shrugged. "I have never been a leader myself mind you, but if I think about it from a leader's point of view, they must always take dozens of variables into consideration. But oftentimes in life, when we let our thoughts get overwhelmed by what if's and possibilities, we lose track of how to get from point A to point B.
If I were in your shoes, I would take a journal, write down all the things that I have to consider or worry about, everything that you must stress over, and then read it over. Eliminate the useless things and focus on the important core ones you wish to focus your time and energy on, and then make short-term plans to accomplish them.
Long-term goals are wonderful, they give us direction, but they matter not if you can't live in the moment and work toward short-term goals that will accumulate to reach the long one. A hero is not born overnight, but through the accumulation of dozens, if not hundreds, of battles.
And if you ever feel overwhelmed by the short time goals, you have family, friends, and allies willing to assist and make things better for everyone involved. At least, these are my thoughts as an outsider."
He didn't answer for a minute, and I didn't rush him. He took on a pondering look and was digesting my words.
Eventually, he smiled slightly and answered. "You truly do sound like an old man now."
I coughed and shot him a dry look while he laughed. "I'm just joking, or maybe I'm not, who knows. Your words have merit, Az. Maybe I had been becoming overwhelmed. It's just so easy to get lost in it all as things stack up and every day has something more I need to focus on. But maybe your right. I think I'll try out your method with a journal and see if it works out. Can't hurt to try, right?"
I nodded sagely and rubbed a nonexistent beard. "The only true way to fail is to never try at all."
He deadpanned at me. "It's not too late to change your image and become the wise old elder for the Familia."
"Ha, you should give the title to Riveria before me."
His eyes grew wide before he burst out laughing. "Pft, never say that within a hundred meters of her if you don't want to be stripped, frozen, and thrown up as a display statue for the red light district for a day or two. She can be quite ruthless when someone ticks her off."
"Most women can be, but I'll take your words to heart. If anything I'll send an SOS."
"Please don't, I have enough shit on my desk as it is."
I laughed at his pleading look, and he joined me a second later. We descended into silence for a few minutes after that, just enjoying the ambiance of nature.
Finn chose to follow my example and try and meditate to ease his mind. According to him, it wasn't a practice he often did anymore, but he had often done it in his earlier years of adventuring to focus his mind. He was a spearman, after all, and when you reach high levels of physical abilities, you need great concentration to use a spear with skill in combat.
Anyone can just jab or slash, but that's beginner stuff. Most weapons are like that, in fact. In my time as a Dy Lee, we only learned how to wield weapons directly useful to us.
Throwing knives and thin wires were the main course for assassination or capture. The only other ones I spent a decent amount of time using were hammers. Not big and bulky ones but single-hand short ones.
They were used to augment the power of Earth-Bending attacks as your mind registers the hardness of the metal affecting the earth to enhance your attacks. It's purely mental in effect.
That thought made me pause. 'Hammers huh… would be useful here considering I can't be fully relying on my earth bending with my low reserves until I grow some more. I wouldn't say I was a master, but I was at least decent with single hand hammers.'
"Hey Finn."
He cracked an eye open.
"Yeah?"
"Does the Familia have an armory for basic weaponry?"
He grunted in confirmation. "Yeah, we keep basic gear for new level 1 and 2's. Just ask someone to guide you there and sign out whatever you're taking in the binder by the door. It's not that expensive or anything, but it's a trust system. If you lose it outside of a life and death situation, it's your responsibility to replace or pay for it."
I hummed in acknowledgment. "I see. Thanks, I'll check it out later."
"I don't recall you saying you used weapons on your application."
I shrugged. "It wasn't necessary outside of the dungeon but I was trained in a few styles. Mainly hammers and throwing weapons. I figure it's best to cover my bases while heading into the dungeon. Better to have it and not need it then need it and not have it."
"Heh, I like that. Hammers huh, that's an uncommon style but it's your choice. It's good to prepare as best you can, things can go from bad to worse in a heartbeat down there. I doubt we would have some in the armory but give it a look, who knows."
I took his words to heart. "Thank you."
He nodded. "It's my pleasure. It's actually quite nice to speak freely like this. Most new adventurers are youths with dreams of fame and fortune. Which is fine I should add, but only if you have the brains to go along with it. Too many die by charging head long into the fire without a plan. I always have to be extra careful with new members due to that. Hell, even older members make basic mistakes now and then."
"It's in our nature. No one is perfect but we try our best and that's all that matters."
"Well said Az, well said. Hm.. you know what, you said you were a martial artist right?"
I titled my head and nodded. "To a degree, yes." Not every bender is a martial artist, but every Dy Lee agent is one. We rely mainly on Earth Bending, but we use it in combination with agile and deadly grace. We were not soldiers, after all, but assassins.
Finn stood up with a smirk and rolled his shoulders. "How about a spar then?"
I raised a brow at him. "You realize you could sneeze and splatter me, right?"
He snorted in amusement. "I've been around a while man; I can control my strength just fine even against a civilian. At least, outside of combat I can."
"And in it?"
He grimaced. "Let's just hope I don't have to make that choice."
I nodded and stood up. "Fair enough, but if I die, put the words 'I slept with a goddess' on my tombstone. I'll carry those words with honor."
He laughed loudly at that while I chuckled and moved across from him to stretch out.
"Heh, Az, you're a riot. Come at me when you're ready, I'll evaluate your technique and will only strike back if I see a blind spot."
I nodded again and bowed my head slightly. "Thank you for your instruction. Fair warning, I haven't exactly moved much since being injured. "
He just smiled and made a come hither motion. I took a breath and focused my mind while getting into the proper stance. My mind recalled it thousands of times, and yet my body was still adjusting. I lacked muscle memory but retained the mental programming. So I gave into what I knew and let go of the rest.
It was time to shake off some rust. I crouched low and moved forward in a zig-zag pattern to keep his eyes moving before coming in with a punch to the face that was easily parried.
It would have been a lethal body shot on an average person, but Finn's height made that problematic.
Using my momentum, I turned and back kicked as he backed up while watching with a casual smile. "Good entry and response; now show me your technique."
I responded with my fists and came in close. The main style of Earth-Bending martial arts has a close relation with Chinese kung fu. The style is different but along the same wavelength.
As a Dy Lee agent, the style was developed toward lethality. It took me a minute to adjust to Finn's size, but soon every strike I made was aimed at a vital spot. Every strike was not only an attack, but an extension to move into the next movement.
We went on like that for over five minutes of me moving at my fastest speed, and the more it went on, the more I adjusted to my current body and cut out wasted movements.
All the while, Finn made minimal movements to parry or dodge as he smiled and threw out tips. He also added in light 'taps,' which were not light no matter how he might see it, to show where I had blind spots.
But no matter how quickly I improved to match my memories, my body was not the same. It had limits, even if I had a very healthy and fit physique. By the ten-minute mark, I broke off without getting in a single hit, but I didn't mind.
It felt good to move like that again. My heart was beating wildly, and I was out of breath, and yet I was smiling.
Finn nodded at me. "Impressive form. I don't recognize the style, and you were right about being rusty from not moving. I could see the rapid improvements you made as you went along. You will be a force to be reckoned with in the future. But for now, is that all you have to show me?"
I narrowed my eyes at him. "I have a few more tricks, bear with me."
He nodded, and I jumped back before taking a stance and raising my right arm.
'Feel the energy flow through you, feel your connection with the earth as it guides you, visualize your desire, and act without hesitation!'
My arm trembled from an invisible strain before I gave a small shout and slapped my palm against the earth. From the point of my palm came a cone-shaped dust cloud that engulfed Finn's position.
Within the exact second I released it, I twisted my heels, and earth rose from the ground to wrap around my feet before I moved toward his position.
I could feel from the vibrations that he hadn't moved. I couldn't see like Toph, but if he moved, there would have been a vibration I would have felt even if I would only know the general direction.
With my earthen shoes, I didn't so much as run as I glided over the earth like skating on ice, silencing my movements and increasing my speed.
I came in from the side and spun a diagonal kick covered in stone down at his head, only for him to duck and redirect my kick with a palm.
But I knew that would happen. The second my foot touched the ground, I cemented both feet in the earth to hold me and unleashed a fury of attacks aimed at his vitals without a worry for balance.
His arms moved faster than I could perceive to catch them, but just then, I pulled out my final trick for the spar and twisted my heel as I commanded the earth to move.
The earth directly beneath his left foot slid to the side and threw him off balance. His face had a look of surprise, and for the first time in the spar, I landed a solid hit on his shoulder.
We froze there with a smug smile on my face and a surprised look on his for a moment before our expressions were exchanged as the pain registered.
Very slowly pulling my rapidly bruising fist back, I withheld the desire to scream. 'Motherfu… I felt like I just punched a ten foot block of steel!'
As I was registering the pain in my fist, Finn laughed as the dust settled. "Man, we really did strike gold with recruiting you. You actually managed to surprise me and get in a hit, albeit at your own expense which is why I was dodging or parrying the whole time, but still."
My brow twitched at his words. "Thank you. The Falna system is broken as fuck."
He nodded without hesitation. "Damn straight it is. I'm over half way to divinity at level 6. Compared to a normal civilian, I'm practically a half-god at this point, even if I never consider myself that."
I grumbled a bit but ultimately nodded and lowered my hand. 'Should have wrapped my hand in earth.'
With the fight over, I plopped down against a tree and felt myself sag. 'Just using those three minor moves drained me, sheesh this is really rock bottom. Ha, rock bottom.'
Finn sat nearby. "So that was your Earth Bending huh? Interesting stuff. Can you do more with it?"
I saw no reason to hide it, but it's not like I had anything to brag about at the moment. "Yes. Earth Bending is a literal definition. I bend the earth to my wishes with only energy, stamina, and imagination as my limits. I also can't create earth, only manipulate."
He whistled at that. "Yeah, you're going to be a monster, I can tell haha. With what you just showed me, you should breeze through level 1 in a short time, you're not an ignorant youth as all your blows outside the last one were aimed at vital areas but remember to maximize your stat growth at the low levels. Level 1 is the easiest to grow stats in all area's but by level 2, you will need to start specializing if you don't want to slow your growth speed."
I grunted in reply and sank my bruised hand into the earth. "Thanks for the advice, I'll take it into consideration."
He nodded back with a smile, and we took a few minutes to rest. Well, more me than him. The guy wasn't even winded. After ten minutes, I was surprised by his opening words. "So, ready for round two?"
I shot him a confused look. "I thought you just wanted to see where I stood?"
"I do, and I'm sure you have more interesting tricks to show me. Now come on, I'm not getting younger here." It was when I saw the free smile on his face that I realized two things.
One, Finn doesn't get a chance to spar freely like this very much. And two, when he suggests something, he suggests it from his point of view as a level 6, not yours.
'Is every level 6 here a sadist? Gareth, come through and be a bro will you.'
We must have spent the next three hours with me getting the shit kicked out of me by my own attacks, but when it was said and done, my body had adapted much further to my memories of fighting.
Laying defeated against a tree with two swollen and bruised hands, Finn waved with a devil's smile and not a trace of dirt on him. "Good job Az, rest up. We should do this more often; it's incredibly stress relieving."
"You're talking about the philosophical discussions, right?"
The bastard just waved over his shoulder and walked away.
Sweating, drained, and in pain, I just sat there as the sun dipped into its descent. 'First, I learn more about Riveria through our classes, and now I'm getting to know Finn more. These guys aren't fictional characters from a story with cardboard personalities but real people. Friendly and hardworking, but still, they are real in more ways than an animated series could show.'
I closed my eyes with a smile. 'It's been a long time… since I could hope to have some friends.'
00000
The next few days passed in a blur.
I learned from and asked Riveria anything I needed to know about the dungeon and Falna system that she could answer. For questions outside her confirmed answers, we would discuss them for hours on end.
Due to our tangents, the lessons ended up being almost a whole week, even if the actual knowledge she had to teach me had only taken three days.
Riveria came off as cold and uncaring to outsiders, but she let her hair down, so to speak, in the Familia's home. And when she does something, she does it all the way; she didn't half-ass my teaching.
Not to mention, she enjoyed discussing hypothetical topics quite a bit and was very interested in my form of earth manipulation. She was calling me a cheat existence for my ability to manipulate the earth so freely outside the established magic system but considering it came at the cost of not being able to learn any other magic, she accepted it as a fair trade-off.
She could be funny and witty at times as well, and I think I could definitely call her a friend by the time she cleared me on needed knowledge.
Finn didn't beat the shi…. ask me to spar again. He got absorbed in his work, and outside of a few conversations in passing, we only met briefly to meditate in the quiet areas of the castle's grounds in silence.
Gareth invited me for drinks one night, and I foolishly accepted, only to end up blacking out and waking up in a bed with my head in Loki's embrace and myself impaled inside her.
She was quite pleased when she woke up and made sure to tell me all about my actions.
Apparently, I blacked out drunk, started two bar fights, ended one fight with a subtle movement of earth to make my male opponent fall into a split and pass out foaming at the mouth, and lost the second one with a nice shiner on my unused eye.
Then I got up, offered the two guys a beer, and ended up introducing the whole bar to the song 'Hakuna Matata' from the Lion King.
Gareth found the whole damn thing hilarious.
It was also when I was shirtless on a table kicking my legs out in a classical Russian dance with two people I had never met before and was singing that Loki walked in, took one look at the chaos I caused, and promptly jumped right in and got sloshed.
This eventually led to me carrying her, and Gareth carrying me, back to the manor, where Gareth dumped us outside her room, and Loki regained her energy enough to jump me.
Insatiable was her middle name. And she could light a fire in my loins like no one else. Thank god her room has noise-dampening insulation and that goddesses can't get pregnant from mortals. Loki was one hell of a leg-locker when she climaxed.
Waking up hungover was never fun but waking up to her face was something I could get used to. It felt weird having a lover who I wanted to please just as much as I received instead of it being a one-night thing and moving on.
But it was a pleasant weird, and it was growing on me. We were lovers for sure, girlfriend and boyfriend I wasn't sure about, but we didn't really feel the need to declare what we were just yet.
It was still the testing phase, and we were going along for the ride, letting things play out without stressing about it. It didn't feel like anything was going to change about that anytime soon, but you never know, so we just enjoyed the moment and shut up.
Or I did, anyway.
You see, one of the benefits of multiple lives in other worlds is that some worlds have things others don't, like how planet earth has modern knowledge and how the Avatar world had knowledge taught to humans by spirits.
And one such thing was an herbal remedy I was taught as a Dy Lee agent. It's a recipe for clearing toxins from the body in case you are poisoned, but it can also work just fine for a hangover.
So when I handed Loki a smoothie of green liquid while we were hungover, which she only drank because I purposefully flavored it with strawberries and told her to trust me, and her hangover vanished in around ten minutes, she practically proposed to me right then and there.
I didn't know what to say when she rubbed a hand on my chest in circles and whispered "My Precious" like I was her One Ring.
Anyway, we were having a blast, and I fitted into the Familia nicely. Even though I took a few hours every afternoon to meditate and practice my bending in the private area near the wall, I still spent some time each day just helping people with day-to-day chores and such.
The manor was practically a small castle, and while the Familia did hire civilians for cleaning and maintenance, a lot of stuff relied on us to do.
We didn't have a dedicated cook, but many members knew how to cook and happily made breakfast and occasionally lunch for everyone.
For anything else, people could make their own food or go eat in the city, which is what most did. It's not like the Hostess of Fertility was the only restaurant in the city; it was just a focal point for the anime.
In fact, the place isn't even in the same northern zone as the Loki Familia. I heard from Loki that they only went there to celebrate special occasions.
So while moving around, I was happy to help with stuff. I'm no master cook or handyman, but I'm decent enough to help out. I was full of life, never having felt so free before, and the constant thrumming of the earth every day grounded me like nothing else.
I was at peace. But things still moved along. On the fifth day, I ran into Raul and asked him where the armory was.
It didn't take long for me to look through their gear. Most of it was second-hand goods and hand-me-downs, but they were still in decent shape.
I got myself a pair of shin guards, a leather breastplate, and a couple of small throwing knives. Sadly, as Finn had guessed, there weren't any single-handed hammers, so I grabbed a simple iron Warhammer.
It wasn't too heavy, but it was longer than I was comfortable with. Still, better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.
I strapped it to my back and didn't have much issue with movement. I chose not to have boots as my feet were wrapped in hardened earth I could use at a moment's notice.
It might seem uncomfortable, but it's actually quite lovely. Like wearing socks of earth with the softness of soil on the inside and hardened rock on the outside. And with the added benefits of making no sound as I walked, feeling a direct connection with the earth, and being able to move faster and cling to surfaces, it was much better than boots.
Dy Lee agents actually learn how to refine their earth bending to create specific shapes, such as refined shoes and hands.
One of our most iconic moves was to shoot earthen hands to grasp and contain someone. I also added bands of earth to my forearms for quick actions.
The benefit of having them formed in advance was that they didn't require energy to summon in combat. Something I sorely need to save on at the moment.
So on the morning of the eighth day since I got my Falna, I was ready to head out. I met Gareth by the entrance as the sun was rising, and he guided me toward the guild.
While we walked through the early morning streets we made small talk. "So you're a hammer user, eh?"
He pointed his chin at the iron Warhammer on my back, and I shrugged. "Kinda. I'm familiar with a few weapons but dual short hammers would have been my ideal choice. This should work for now, but frankly, it's more of my backup weapon, just in case."
He hummed and ran a hand threw his beard. "Dual hammers huh? Can't say I've seen many of those in my time. I myself use dual axes."
He pointed a thumb at the axes strapped to his back.
As big and deadly looking as him.
"Do you really need to arm yourself for the first few floors? Your level 6 right?"
He chuckled and nodded. "Aye, but it's a force of habit you will come to understand in time. Spend enough hours in there and ya will never walk in without a good weapon on ya."
I nodded sagely. "Ah, yes, paranoia and PTSD, a staple for the regular adventurer."
I got slapped on the back good-naturedly and sent stumbling a few feet forward. "Aye! Hahaha not sure what that PD stuff is, but paranoia keeps one alive and whole in there. Look ahead, Az, we're here."
I unsuccessfully managed to reach the spot on my back that was hit with my hands and could only stand up and sigh while stretching out and taking a good look ahead of us.
"…..Impressive."
The guild building was only two blocks over from the center of the city where Babel tower stood. It was five stories up and gave off an impressive official feeling with its size and style. "I assume this isn't the laundromat."
I got another, albeit lighter, back slap and shot a glare at the grinning Gareth. "Close enough my friend, but I hope your judgement is more spot on with monsters than buildings, now come on before the morning rush gets in there."
Gareth pulled me inside, and I just chuckled at his enthusiasm.
The inside was clean and fancy to match the external look. Marble flooring, wooden walls, and stone staircases. Smooth, hard wooden desks with carvings and signs above them to indicate where people should go.
"Not too shabby."
"Haha right? Welcome to the Guild HQ Az. They got a few more branches around the tower in other parts of the city, but this here is the main branch."
"Ah, I guess that makes sense. Can't exactly service the whole city's adventurer pop with just a single building."
"Aye. Come on, I'll take you to my guy and we can be out quick."
With a wave of his hand, I followed him to one of the side booths with a sign above it that read {Familia Services}. An older bald guy with some scars on his face was smoking a pipe with closed eyes on the other side.
Gareth tapped the desk. "Oi, Baldur, wake up ya lazy bastard."
An eye cracked open. "Damn it Gareth, it's too early to hear your booming voice. Go bother someone else."
"Oh? Ok, I'll just take our Familia business somewhere else then."
Baldur grunted and opened both eyes with an annoyed look. "What do you want man?"
Gareth grinned and pointed a thumb at me. "Got some new blood. Give him an ID card and register him will you?"
"What? Go to the damn registration booth damn it. What do I look like to you?"
"A guy who will get a free drink for cutting out the bullshit wait time for a simple process and won't shout out any sensitive information for the whole guild to hear."
Baldur grunted and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Why the guild hires young civilians with pretty faces and big mouths I will never know."
Gareth chuckled at him. "It's cuz a pretty lass is nicer to look at then your ugly mug."
Baldur shot him a halfhearted glare before shrugging and silently admitting the point.
He blew out some smoke and looked at me.
I smiled politely when his eyes landed on my own facial scars, and we shared a look of camaraderie. He waved his hands. "Fine, fine. Let's get this over with. You owe me a drink Gareth."
I spoke up here. "Make it two who owe you a drink."
He smirked at me. "Heh, I'll hold you to that. Let's see how you hold your liquor kid."
I smirked back at the challenge, and Gareth laughed and slapped my back again, much to my pain. "Gahaha, he ain't bad, man. Guy's a real riot, I tell ya. His songs are a real hit."
Baldur grabbed some papers from beneath his desk with some writing tools. "Oh? Is it related to that new tune going around?"
"Aye, Hakuna Matata. What fun."
Baldur raised a fist at that, and I got the message and bumped it. "Good job man; I saw some hilarious sights thanks to that song. It's really spreading in all the taverns."
I chuckled at that. "I was barely lucid when I started singing it, but don't worry, I got some more to come in the future."
"I'm looking forward to it. Alright, fill this out. Wait, you can write, right?"
I nodded and took the page. Thankfully, the written language here was something I was familiar with. Weird it may be; I won't look a gift horse in the mouth.
I filled out the sheet, and with Gareth's confirmation, no questions were asked. Baldur did raise a brow at the mention of my Skill, but he just shrugged and filed it before pulling out a metallic card and a small needle. "Drip two drops of blood on the card and push your thumb into it."
I gave him a questioning look but went along with it. The blank card glowed white for a few seconds before my blood was absorbed, and words appeared over it.
[ID: Azad
#: 879863
Registered Location: Orario Adventurer Guild HQ
Funds: 0V
Transfer: 000]
I looked over it for a moment before Baldur spoke up. "You new to the city?"
I nodded at him, and he grunted. "Alright, I'll skip all the mumbo jumbo and get to the point. That there's your ID card. It's your proof of identity if you want to take quests, jobs, or anything through the guild.
It can also be used to prove who you are in other cases where it's needed. Here in Orario, it's also used as a bank card. No one who makes more than ten thousand valis a month walks around with sacks of coins jangling everywhere. It drives people up the wall.
The card can be used in almost any shop in the city to purchase goods. Any funds you store at any guild branch will be automatically updated on your card by whoever is running the booth. You can use the transfer amount to choose how much to transfer to others; just touch your card to theirs and mentally confirm it.
If you die or someone else gets their hands on your card, it won't be accessible. It requires your fingers and mana to be touching it to show anything; otherwise, it will remain blank outside the basic info such as name, issue location, and ID number. If your dead or your hand is removed, it got no mana.
Finally, if you lose it without being able to prove it wasn't your fault, such as being mugged or in a life-and-death situation, it costs fifteen big ones for a replacement, and it doubles with every new card. It's supposed to help discourage others from losing them. The card can also be used to track debt and punishments for certain crimes, so try not to go into the red. You got it?"
I rolled the new info over in my head a bit and took a few seconds to answer. "Yeah, an ID and debit card, interesting little thing. That explains why I didn't see many walking around with coins."
The other two raised a brow at the phrase 'debit card' but ignored it with all the care of a usual guy. "Yeah, coins are a pain to carry over a certain amount."
"Aye, bless the lady who made these."
"How long have they been around?"
Baldur hummed and scratched his chin. "Hundred years? Maybe two. I'm not really sure. They have just been around and integral long before I was born. The woman who made them was an adventurer with the Mystery Developmental Ability. She explained the process to others before she passed away in the dungeon. Not much else is really known about her."
I was a bit curious about the creator but let it go. "I see. Well, anyway, thanks for the barebone explanation. Full stars for the introduction."
He flipped me off and turned to Gareth. "Anything else you need?
Gareth shook his head. "Nah, thanks for the help as always Baldur."
He grunted and waved a hand. "It's fine. Usual place tonight?"
"Aye."
He nodded and looked at me while blowing out some smoke. "Good, don't forget that drink man. If you die before I get it I'll come in there myself to smack your corpse upside the head."
I chuckled at the image and nodded. "Appreciate the concern man. Thanks for the help."
He grunted and returned to his nap while Gareth waved his hand to follow him out.
"Well he was nice."
"Aye, he does most of the paperwork for our Familia. He's been around a while in the guild and knows what he's doing. Fresh blood tends to get a bit overzealous on the rules and authority and such nonsense."
I chuckled at that while thinking of a certain half-elf. "I can see it. Surprised by his show of concern at the end there, though."
Gareth gave a grunt at that. "Mn. It's never easy in this line of work Az. The faces you see today could be gone tomorrow. The ones you laughed with, met casually, or shared a drink and tune with the night before could be gone in a blink of an eye. The memories of our time with them being the only proof they ever truly existed. Firm your mind and steady your heart. The dungeon life is a test of mind, body, and will in more ways than one."
He spoke with a slightly weary voice but with a touch of steel, and I nodded and patted his shoulder. "Understood."
He nodded and smacked my back again while I winced.
"Would you stop that!"
"Gahaha don't get so tense man, come on, the dungeon waits for no man!"
I shot the damn dwarf a look before I ended up laughing and following behind him. I didn't need to be told much of what was said, but I still took it to heart. The curse of having a lot of life experience is thinking you know it all.
But we never do. The sign of wisdom comes from understanding that we know nothing. Life loves throwing curveballs. You just have to learn how to push on, taking things one step at a time.
The rest of the walk to the dungeon was filled with random topics but mostly centered on booze and women, ironically enough. Don't let the older dwarf fool you; he's got his own admirers and lovers here and there and has plenty of tales to tell.
Babel tower was a massive construct, not the biggest I've seen, but quite beautiful in a way. I could tell from my senses that its materials were not simply hardened earth, and the connection I had with the ground beneath my feet stopped on its walls.
In fact, I couldn't even tell what it was made from. The second I stepped inside, it felt like my earthen senses were dulled slightly.
It was harder to sense the vibrations of others and the pulse of the world, but not impossible. It also felt like the earth beneath my feet was.…not natural.… was one way to put it.
But the connection was still there. The pulse of mother earth was still there. Even in such a strange construct, the vibration could not be stopped. What was one construct of the gods when compared to the planet itself?
Our steps went unheard over the various voices echoing around the first floor of the building. Elevators and stairs stood to one side, while in the center of the floor was a large hole.
A pit leading into the depths of the dungeon. Like the mouth of a hungry beast. We walked up to the edge, and Gareth gave me a moment to take it all in.
And take it in, I did.
Looking down into the dark pit with its swirling staircase leading down below, being walked by dozens of people going to and from, a particular song came to the front of my mind.
With a smirk, I opened my mouth and began walking behind Gareth. My second song was about to make its debut.
"And waayy doooowwwwnnnn we go~."
(AN: KALEO - Way Down We Go)
Chapter end.
AN: Hey everybody. This was technically as far as I got so far. I really only meant this to be a one-shot, but well…. you see how well that worked for me, lol.
When the big bro comes around, he sets a lot of people straight and smacks some sense into those who need it.
No mortal is born evil; we are shaped by the events of our lives.
And how many lives could be altered for the better, if a gentle and firm hand reached out to us?
Sometimes people just need a big brother or sister to set them straight.
