The fight is just about to start

My impression of Shalia since the first time I saw her was that she was just a delicate and kind girl. She is very beautiful and always happy, making one think that she has led an easy life. All that disappeared for a moment because the person in front of me seems like a completely different person. Her words and her cold gaze gave me chills.

"Sorry, I didn't want to bother you with my problems." Returning to her normal look, Shalia apologized, or at least she tried to get back to normal because she clearly looked sad.

"You don't need to apologize. I'm sorry I questioned you just now. I'm the one who should be apologizing. I didn't know you had been through all that." I reply.

"You are the first person I tell about this. Even though this was not my intention, in a way, I feel better now that I told you. I wanted to encourage you but ended up doing the opposite."

"And what are you planning to do? With him...?" I asked.

"...I don't know yet. What I'm sure of is that I need to be in one of the three great guilds, and I need to be a lot stronger." Shalia responded, sitting down once more. "He is a noble with a lot of power and connections. In addition to that, high-ranking adventurers always protect him. Approaching him is practically impossible."

Every time Shalia mentions that nobleman, her eyes fill with hatred. **** seems to be the motivation for which she lives now, after having lost everything. If I were in her place, maybe I would have done the same thing. Even so, I would not like to see Shalia do more harm to herself.

"I know we haven't known each other for a long time, but you can count on me. If there is something I can do for you, I will gladly help you." I said to Shalia, looking into her eyes.

"Thank you, Darx. I knew I was not wrong with you. But for that, you need to stand up again and not give up. In the same way, I will help you with whatever you need."

"It's not that easy. I will only delay all of you. One E-Rank could never be on par with three A-Ranks. There is no way I can be on the same team with you 3."

"Do you remember what we told Leona!? Now we are a team, and she can count on us. The same applies to you. We will not leave you out, no matter if you are an E-Rank or whatever. You are also very weird. I'm sure there are still more that we don't know about you, so don't give up! The four of us together can kick anyone's butt!"

Was that a compliment? She just called me weird... Even though she is not very good with words, I'm glad to know that someone cares about me. Also, the confident expression that she is doing now is hilarious.

"HAHA HAHA!"

"W-What are you laughing at?" Shalia said with her face completely red.

"Sorry! I feel better already, thanks to you."

"If you feel better, then I forgive you for laughing at me," Shalia replied, still blushing. "Let's go back to the castle. It's freezing outside."

"Ok. By the way, do you know what happened to my card?" I asked.

"Syvis kept it. She took it with her when she left."

I think I should go get my card and also apologize to Syvis for leaving training in that way. I wonder if she is in the greenhouse.

"Can you go ahead to the castle? I'll go pick up my card before returning."

I said goodbye to Shalia, who went to the castle while I went to the greenhouse. Once in front of the greenhouse, I began to doubt if I should enter. It's already night, and maybe I should wait until tomorrow. After hesitating for a moment, I decided to go inside. The greenhouse door was open, so I came in, announcing my presence, but no one answered. I walked to the back, which is where Syvis lives. After knocking at the door, I heard Syvis footsteps approaching.

Syvis open the door and looks at me with her sharp eyes. "So you didn't run away."

She was only wearing a white nightgown that barely covered anything. It was difficult for me not to stare at her thighs that were uncovered.

"Sorry... I-If it's a bad time, I can leave."

"You came here just to say that? You want your card, right!? Come inside. There is something I want to talk to you about." Syvis opened the door more, allowing me to pass.

"O-Okay..."

Syvis walked ahead, approaching a shelf where she had various things, including a kettle. "Have a seat. Do you want some tea?"

"Yes, please."

I sit in front of a small table. The room is just as I remember it. A little messy with many alchemy things everywhere. While Syvis was preparing the tea, the only thing I could do was contemplate her figure from behind. I wonder if she doesn't feel embarrassed that I see her when she's only wearing a nightgown. Every time she lifts her hands, the nightgown lifts a little, almost letting me see her underwear. I had to focus my attention on something else because I was starting to get hard.

Syvis sat across from me, handing me a cup, and asked, "Did you feel any change after what happened this afternoon?"

"Not really... I'm not quite sure. I think I'm a low-ranked adventurer after all."

"Don't jump to conclusions. Your case is quite rare, so there is no way to be sure of anything." Syvis took a drink from the cup and continued. "Do you remember what I said to Leona? I told her that adventurers capable of using physical skills and magic are called Spellsword, and it is a category that only appears in adventurers from C-Rank onwards. The fact that you learned a physical skill like [Double Slash] and that you can also use water magic puts you in the Spellsword category, which doesn't make sense since you're an E-Rank for what your card shows."

Syvis continued with a tone of disbelief and scratching her head. "I don't understand anything about your situation, which is a pain in the ass."

"Sorry..."

"I didn't say it trying to make you feel bad. In fact, I find it quite interesting. Although that doesn't change the fact that it is a pain in the ass." Syvis stretched out her hand, giving me my card.

When I see my card, it still hurts to see the Rank E on it, even though I learned a new skill.

"I would like you to finish your training at the castle before you make up your mind about what you want to do. I have a feeling that there is still more to unravel about you." Syvis said as she took a sip from her tea.

I guess I don't lose anything if I keet trying, and I can also count on my team's support.

Syvis and I continued chatting for quite some time without realizing how late it was getting. When I left the greenhouse, it was already past midnight. It's interesting to see how Syvis lets her guard down when we talk alone.

I went back to my room, but before sleeping, I decided to write to my mother. I wrote to her about everything that has happened to me since I arrived in the city.

I enjoyed my ordinary life while learning from my mother in the village. She, who tought me so much about how to live as an adult, my gratitude would never be enough. Once I start making money as an adventurer, I will go visit her. Maybe I can convince her to come to the capital with me.

The days went on, and the training continued. I, like my teammates, did our best. With each day, I could see my skills improving while we followed Syvis’s teachings, and at the end of the week, it became noticeable. And it wasn't just me. The improvement was evident in each one of us despite the short time.

At the end of the training, Syvis called us to the center of the training field.

"Now that the week in which this team was in my care is almost over, we will do a final test. You will accompany me to eliminate a monster that was seen in a cave near the city." Syvis said with her arms crossed, making her breasts look more prominent.

"Excellent! It will be our first quest!" Ryul said cheerfully.

Syvis turned to see Ryul and replied, "I wouldn't be so happy if I were you. It is a pretty strong monster. You four will have to do it alone, and if I'm **** to interfere, I will consider the test as failed."

"It won't be necessary. We're more than ready. Right, Darx!?" Ryul, still excited, said, turning to see me.

"I guess..." I wonder what kind of monster it will be.

"We are leaving early in the morning, so get a good rest tonight and make sure you bring all your gear."

The next morning we met Syvis outside the castle, where a carriage was waiting for us. It was a cold morning, and as usual, Ryul and I were the last to arrive.

"Before we go, there is something I want to give you," Syvis said, giving each of us a bag similar to the one Syvis always carries with her. It is a bag with a single strap that reaches the waist. "It is a magic bag which, despite how small it is, can fit almost ten times more than its size. They are expensive so take care of them."

At first glance, it looks like any other bag. I had heard of magic bags like these, but this is the first time I have seen one. We all thanked Syvis for the gift, and even Leona, who usually does not show expressions, looked quite happy. A magic bag will be handy when traveling.

We got into the carriage, which took us to the exit of the city. It was quite interesting to see the city traveling by carriage. Ryul especially looked quite animated, pointing out everything that caught his attention. Shalia laughed at Ryul's actions and, likewise looking through the carriage window. Leona, on her side, was with crossed arms and eyes closed, seemed to be resting. And Syvis, who was sitting next to me, was just reading a book.

After leaving the city, we traveled for a few hours, which gave us the opportunity to see the city's outskirts. After entering the forest after a while in the middle of the road, the carriage stopped.

"Come out. We have arrived. From here on, we will continue on foot." Sivis said, getting off the carriage.

We walked for half an hour, being guided by Syvis until we reached a cave entrance. The entrance was large and near the entrance were bones as well as the remains of a carriage. Besides that, we can hear noises from inside the cave that are clearly not human-like.

"From now on, act as if I was not present. I will give you some tips along the way but do not expect to have my help in the fights or in the decisions you make from here on." Syvis warned us, moving behind us.

"Let's go," Leona said, advancing ahead.

We advance in the following way. Leona being the tank, was in front, being the focus of the enemy attacks, then Ryul, who uses close combat and needs to be as close as possible to the front. Behind him was I, since I can help both in physical and magical attack and finally Shalia, at the back who is the magician and we must prevent the enemies from reaching her so that she can give us support from behind.

Near the entrance, there don't seem to be any enemies, so we continue entering the cave looking around.

Not far from the entrance, right in the middle of the path, we came across a white rabbit with a small horn on its forehead, eating something. He looks too cute to be in a place like this.

"My goodness! What are you doing here, little one?" Shaila said, approaching the rabbit.

Shalia passed Leona and kneel in front of the rabbit, who at first didn't react. But when he saw that Shalia extended her hand to caress him, he opened his mouth exaggeratedly, showing his large and sharp fangs full of blood, causing Shalia to lose her balance falling on her butt. Now I can see that what the rabbit was eating, was part of another monster. The rabbit rushed against Shalia, but Leona kicked the rabbit and then stabbed him with her sword, making a loud scream that made us cover our ears before he died.

"Great, now all the monsters in the cave know we're here," Syvis said anyone.

"Sorry..." Shalia replied, apologetic.

"Absurd situations like this are why the kingdom was **** to implement this training before letting adventurers join guilds. It's stupid to lower your guard in the middle of a cave full of monsters." Syvis continued, quite annoyed. "From now on, it will be more complicated, so concentrate and don't underestimate the monsters regardless of their appearance."

"I'm sorry. It will not happen again." Shalia apologized once more. "And thanks for helping me, Leona..., Mm... Leona!?"

Noises similar to those that the rabbit make began to get closer. I was the first to notice, followed by Leona, who raised her shield trying to locate where the noise was coming from, but it was from everywhere. They were coming from between the cracks in the walls, as well as in front and behind us, more rabbits appeared, showing their sharp fangs.

"From where did so many come from?" Ryul asked, looking in all directions.

Once surrounded by the rabbits, they started attacking from all sides. Leona used [Blind Thrust], attracting all the rabbits who began attacking her nonstop, and then she uses [Iron Will], which strengthens her body, increasing physical strength and defense.

These rabbits are not very strong physically. But they are very fast, and their bites are dangerous, capable of breaking stones. Taking advantage that the attention of the rabbits was on Leona. Ryul took the opportunity to approach and attack but not all of his attacks connected. On the other hand, Shalia and I summoned the water balls, but we were having problems hitting our attacks in the same way. They are too fast and small. Also, our lack of coordination was evident. Shalia accidentally threw a ball of water trying to hit a rabbit but instead missed and almost hit Ryul, who managed to dodge at the last minute thanks to his skill [sixth sense].

Seeing that I could not connect my attacks with magic, I decided to focus on my sword and practice my new skill [Double Slash]. It was a chaotic fight, but in the end, we managed to kill all the rabbits.

After checking the surroundings, trying to see if we were not missing more, we were finally able to give ourselves a break by confirming that there was no longer any danger. Or at least that's what I thought because Syvis didn't let us rest even for a minute.

Syvis approached and said, "What are you doing? Soon more monsters will come attracted by the smell of blood. Don't waste time and gather the rabbits. The teeth are used to create weapons and armor, and the meat is sold at a good price in the market and restaurants."

As Syvis said, we collected the rabbits that we could in the bag she gave us, and we removed the fangs from the rest, keeping them in the same way.

"One of the most common quests that you will receive will be the collection of materials. You must take advantage of the trip and collect what you find on your way since it will always be of some use to you, and sometimes you can do several quests at the same time if the materials needed are in the same area." Syvis explain to us.

"Understood!" We replied.

After hearing Syvis's words, we continue our way into the dungeon. Leona would stop for a moment at the corners, and after checking that there were no enemies, she moved forward while we follow behind. We managed to surprise several monsters advancing in that way, killing them without giving them the chance to fight back.

On the way, we met more monsters, including several that I had never seen before, such as two-headed wolves and goblins, and after defeating them, Syvis would tell us which were the materials that we should keep.

After about four hours of exploring the dungeon, we see a larger space in the distance. There we saw the creature for which we came to this place. His back was to us, eating what appear to be wolves.

Quickly we hid behind some rocks, taking advantage of the fact that he didn't notice our presence.

"What that fuck is that?" Ryul asked, concerned.

It's a tall and muscular creature with only one eye. His mouth was large enough to swallow a child whole without chewing. Around him, there are corpses of other monsters which he is eating.

"That's a cyclops, right!? "Shalia asked, seeming a little scared. " What should we do?"

Intuitively, we turned to Syvis looking for answers, but she ignored us.

"What else? Let's do what we came to do." Leona said, coming out from behind the stone.

Leona is right. There is no reason to hesitate. Shalia, Ryul, and I also came out from behind the rock, following Leona, who started the attack. She took advantage of the fact that the creature was entertaining himself, dismembering the wolves without realizing our presence.

Leona attacked with her sword at the back of the Cyclops, who roared in pain, but without causing great damage.

"His skin is quite tough. "Leona said in the middle of the attack.

Leona continued activating her passive skills:

[Blind Thrust] - Provoke enemies to direct their attacks towards her.

[Iron Will] - Strengthens the body, increasing physical strength and defense.

Ryul also activated his passive skills:

[Mantra] - Increase physical strength and speed for a certain time.

[Sixth Sense] - Increase reflexes and grant the ability to intuit.

The cyclops focused his fury on Leona, thanks to her skill. At the same time, Ryul began his attack using [Deadly Rush]. A skill that he had practiced a lot with which he reached to where the cyclops was at an inhuman speed and taking advantage of the momentum by hitting the side of the cyclops with his elbow, making him recoil in pain.

Then Shalia started using one of the three skills that she possesses on Ryul:

[Sunlight Charge] - Increases the strength and speed of the person receiving the effect.

Thanks to Shalia's buff and Ryul's passive skill, Ryul's attacks were so strong that they could be heard loudly throughout the cave. Shalia and I later summoned the water balls, which we've been practicing, and are now almost as effective as the ones Syvis can use.

We try to focus our water balls attacks on the eye of the cyclops, which seems to be its weakest point.

Although the cyclops held our attacks well, little by little, we were able to damage it enough. Everything seemed to be going well, and it seems that he realized that he couldn't win, so he tried to run, or at least that's what we thought. At the back of the cave, two large shadows began to emerge. They made a loud roar, and two more cyclopes appeared. The cyclops we were fighting joined them furiously, roaring, almost making it look like he was accusing us with the other two cyclops.

"Shit," Ryul said.

I was thinking the same as him. With three cyclopes, things will get much more difficult.

The fight is just about to start.