Chapter 12: 12 – Is it wrong to pick up a chick in the dungeon?

"Morning, Eina! Are you busy today?"

Eina paused in the middle of reading a book and looked up at me, confused. "Pardon?"

"...Oh yeah. I keep forgetting. It's Bell by the way."

"Bell... Bell? BELL?!" Eina jumped to her feet, completely forgetting about her book.

At the same time, people in the Guild hall turned to look at us.

Eina blushed and then grabbed her book. After tucking it under her arm, she grabbed my hand and marched me to her office.

After seating me down and sitting down at her desk, Eina let out a sigh and said, "I knew it. You're just a real handful, aren't you, Mister Kranel?"

I coughed. "It's not my fault. I had a growth spurt."

"A growth spurt that involves you growing six inches and putting on a over dozen pounds of muscle?!"

"...It was a calculated growth spurt."

Eina groaned and said, "What did you even do? Is this your skill? Your magic? No, did you go back into the Dungeon? You did, didn't you?"

"Hey now, what do you think I am? Stupid?" I shook my head and then pulled out a book from my bag. Or rather, pretended to pull a book from my bag while I really took it from my inventory. "Here. This is my training log of what I did in these past few days."

Eina took the book and flipped through. And then she paused and flipped through again. On the third time, her eyes went wide and she looked up at me. "This... Are you telling the truth, Bell?"

"Of course I am. Come on, Eina. I thought we were friends?"

"...My apologies. But you just continue to pull out surprises, don't you...?" She sighed and shook her head. "To create a training regime using carefully measured potions and pushing yourself to the limits... Theoretically, it should work."

"Experimentally, it does."

"For you." Eina frowned. "But you seem to be a bit of an outlier here, Bell... While I'm sure that this training works, I don't think it was the only reason why you grew so much."

"...True. I probably have good genetics too."

"Genetics?"

"Ah, I mean it probably runs in the blood."

Eina nodded. "Possibly... It would explain why your status is so strange." She paused and looked at me. "Are you sure you don't know why that might be the case? Maybe your parents were adventurers?"

"Mm..." I paused to think about it. "It's possible. Grandpa never mentioned anything like that, but I never really asked either. And since he died..."

At that, a faint regret passed through me. Not my emotion, but one that was mine now regardless.

"...I'm sorry."

I smiled. "It's fine. Just another thing to add to the list of regrets."

Eina gave me a wry smile. Afterwards though, she looked at my book and said, "Do you mind if I make a copy of this? I'll redact the private information, of course, but-"

"Feel free. If it helps more people stay alive, then I'm all for it."

Eina's smile turned genuine and she said, "You're too nice, Bell."

"Only for you."

"E-Eh?" Eina blushed.

I laughed. 

Eina was really too fun to tease.

Eina huffed and said, "You shameless flirt... Just because you look older now doesn't mean you should lose your morals, Kid."

I paused. "Oh. Right."

Half-elves lived a long time, didn't they?

I bowed my head and said, "Sorry, Miss Tulle. I'll be more respectful of my elders."

"T-That's going a bit too far! I'm only 17 you know?!"

"Eh?" I blinked and looked up. "Really?"

Eina huffed. "Really!"

"...But you seem so mature?"

"...Hah. You're lucky you're so damned cute."

I blinked. 

...Alright. Maybe teasing was backfiring. Note to self, reign that back.

"Nothing!" Eina stood up and said, "I'm going to copy this. Anything else you need in the meantime? I might as well grab it."

"Oh yeah... Could you get me a few books on fighting styles?"

"Fighting styles... Alright. I'll be back soon."

xxx

I stepped onto the first floor of the Dungeon, mentally reviewing my new information.

After Eina came back with the books, she grilled me on the exact details of my training for a while.

I obviously elaborated in the excruciating detail expected of me... though it caused her to have a weird expression and make a lot of notes.

After that though, we just went over fighting styles, combat techniques, tactics, etc.

Eina had a lot of theoretical knowledge in that regard, but she confessed that she didn't have any firsthand knowledge.

Of course, that knowledge translated directly to application for me, so that was a non-issue.

I spun my knife around in my right hand and then looked around.

As always, I could sense that malicious presence staring at me from the moment I arrived. This time though, I also felt something else. A few presences from up ahead that weren't malicious. However, they were fairly powerful... Maybe adventurers heading deeper down into the Dungeon?

I wasn't about to bother them though. While there were some unspoken rules in the Dungeon, those were mostly formalities. And 'accidents' were all too easy to fake.

I was fairly confident in my ability to survive considering I made a few more 'trump cards' just in case, but when I thought about how ridiculous some skills other adventurers have might be, I figured it wasn't worth the effort to antagonize anyone.

Which was why I went out of my way to head towards a more deserted part of the first floor.

It was still morning. Despite that, I didn't sense many other adventurers around. It seemed like the common practice was to rush it down to the deeper floors for better loot.

Made sense. Technically, you could charge up to the seventh floor with stats below H.

I wasn't about to risk that though.

The first floor was fairly low in encounter rates, so it should be good to practice on. Other than me being jumped the other day.

But I was prepared this time and even looking forward to that.

This time around, I wasn't going to get beat up so easily.

...But it seemed like the Dungeon had been expecting that since no monsters popped up. Even when looking around, I didn't see any of those shadowy presences that indicated a monster.

"Huh." I stopped at a room with with an intersection.

It was odd. I'd been walking around for more than a few minutes now and there weren't any monsters at all. For something like that to happen-

"CHEEEP!"

A sudden bird cry echoed, followed by a golden blur rushing towards me.

"Eh?"

There shouldn't be any birds in the Dungeon, so what the heck-?

A chorus of roars. Kobolds. Immediately following them, there was the manic laughing of goblins.

I blinked and then saw that there was a horde of monsters rushing after the golden blur rushing towards me.

I frowned and drew my knife. "I don't know what's going on... but I guess this is a good test?"

The golden blur came to a stop in front of me. When it did, it looked up, letting me get a good glimpse at it.

A tiny golden bird with beautiful emerald feathers, only about the size of my palm. Its eyes were a sparkling rainbow color and it was trembling in fear. It glanced back at the monster horde and then started trembling even more, ducking behind my leg.

"Cheep!"

I could sense it now. The bird wasn't actually a bird... At least, I had never heard of a bird that had magical powers here in Orario. Was it a monster then?

But then why was a monster being chased by other monsters? And why did it try to get me to help?

...Meh, whatever.

"Hey, Birdie."

"Cheep?" The bird looked up at me.

It seemed like it understood. That helped out.

"Not sure what's going on... But you should step back. I might accidentally hit you in the fight."

"...Cheep." The bird nodded and then stepped back. But it kept looking at me, hesitant.

Was it because it thought I was weak?

I laughed and said, "Don't worry. I can handle this. After that, we'll sort out just what the heck you are and get you back to your owner."

With that, I shifted my focus to the approaching horde.

One, two... it was a crowd of twelve goblins and four kobolds. A bit more than the other day.

Even though I had been training a lot, it would still be dangerous to fight them in an open area... Especially if I wanted to keep that cute bird safe.

Fortunately, I didn't have to fight them in an open area.

Since the bird had been running away from the horde, those monsters were charging in a cramped passageway. Wide enough only for about three at a time.

I made some mental calculations and then decided. In a pinch, I'd pull my trump cards out... But this should be doable. So...

I kicked off the ground and ran towards the first goblin.

It shifted its focus to me and screamed, lunging at my head. With that first act, I noticed the other monsters shifting their attention to me as well, probably because I was a bigger threat.

Smart, but also not smart at the same time. You see, these monsters were more vicious than intelligent, and the moment that they focused on me, the organized charge became a chaotic moshpit.

Except for that goblin that had lunged away first.

"SCREEE!"

It slashed out its clawed hands, trying to grab my head. But...

"Again, jumping isn't very smart."

...It committed to an attack it couldn't change.

The moment it entered my range, I dipped my body to the side, dodging its attack. At the same time, I grabbed its leg with my left hand and then stomped, using the force to send the goblin back at the horde.

It screamed and knocked over a kobold before getting lost in the mess near the back.

But I wasn't out of danger. Despite the chaotic mess, the monsters were getting back on their feet faster than anticipated.

Was it because the Dungeon really wanted me gone? Or was the bird special?

I didn't know, but just as the goblin got mixed back in, a pair of kobolds charged at me. Like before, they had stone clubs. Unlike before, they showed a bit of coordination.

One lunged at me, jumping into the air with a heavy overhead smash.

The other charged, swinging the club in a heavy sideways smash to bowl me over... Or rather, to break my ribs.

I 'could' end everything by blasting them with my trump cards, but this trip was for training.

So...

I charged as well. Carefully judging the attack trajectories, I interrupted the kobold on the ground with a tackle, sending him staggering back. Because of that, the timing was off and the kobold in the air crashed into the other kobold, sending both into a sprawling mess.

I quickly stepped forward and cut into both of their chests. And as I did-

*squelch*

A disgusting fleshy noise, like a suction cup.

From the gap I made in their chests, the magic stones instantly flew into my inventory, causing the monsters to dissolve away. Unlike before, they didn't leave behind any tails though.

That was interesting though... I had assumed my inventory was just a passive place. But it seemed like it could be used as a pseudo appendage in a way as well?

If I didn't put something completely into my inventory, then could I-

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"CHEEP CHEEP!"

The bird's twitter echoed, frantic.

I blinked and then realized that knives were being thrown at me.

Wait, knives?

I looked up to see a group of three leering goblins, smirks on their face.

It seemed like they were confident. And if I was any other adventurer, that would have been justified.

Unfortunately for them, projectiles didn't work on me.

I instantly grabbed the projectiles with my inventory, storing them away.

When the goblins saw the knives vanish, they froze.

That time, I smirked and then opened my inventory, sending the knives back. But not at first. Instead, I looped them at a slight downward angle, building up velocity with gravity as acceleration. And when it reached terminal velocity, I released them.

Silver blurs cut through the dark dungeon walls and pierced into the goblins.

Immediately, they slumped over. But it seemed that everyone was on a projectile streak today.

The two remaining kobolds picked up some goblins and spun, throwing them at me.

The goblins screamed, but quickly oriented themselves in the air to attack.

In that case...

I got my trump cards ready out of caution, but I wanted to try something.

When the goblins got in arm's reach, I pulled them into my inventory.

There was immediate resistance. Like trying to stuff a box that was already full, no, more like trying to put two magnets together of opposite polarities.

The goblins went halfway into my inventory, freezing for a bit in the air, but no more.

Then again, I was expecting that.

Before they could do anything else, I quickly ejected them, sending them back the way they came.

Since I couldn't perfectly store them, some of their momentum was lost, but they still flew back pretty fast.

The goblins rolled on the ground, screaming.

Seeing that, the kobolds stared at me, cautious.

"Cheep?" The bird tweeted behind me.

I ignored it and slowly walked forward. "...Yeah. It should be fine like this."

I was certain now. Killing them would be easy. My new 'skill' was versatile enough for me to do so in countless ways.

But that wasn't the point of me coming down here.

I rolled my shoulder and then held out my left hand, taunting them. "Come on! Let's get this show on the road, guys!"

They didn't understand me. But they understood the provocation.

The goblins screamed and charged. In unison, the remaining kobolds roared and charged as well.

Seeing that advance, I smirked, tightening my grip on my knife.

A gray limb, aimed at my head. I dodged it and swung my knife at the joint, cleanly severing it from the body. At the same time, I kicked out behind me, stopping the kobold trying a back attack.

Dodge, block, intercept, counter, stab, slash, punch...

It was weird. Like a musician playing scales, I had been going over the information in my head and trained my body to prepare for the big rehearsal. And now, it was flowing together.

Energy manipulation showed me the faint ripples just before the monsters would attack and mapped out attack trajectories both before my eyes, and as an overall intuitive sixth sense.

It was a deluge of information that would have made any other person stagger. But Compilation neatly took that information and assimilated it into direct application, letting me react without hesitation by turning it into instinct.

...Was this the effect of Liar's Phrase?

I knew it was possible. I believed it to be possible. And because of that belief, I was doing it.

A baseless confidence that was being supported by a unique skill that gave it a foundation. No, a foundation that required such baseless confidence.

In short...

"Fake it til you make it!"

I pivoted on my right heel, dodging a kobold's heavy overhead swing. While it was overextended, I quickly stepped back, tackling it.

The kobold staggered, loosening its grip on the club.

I kicked the club, sending it loose and then grabbed it with my inventory before swapping it to my left hand. Letting my knife go, I switched grips and then swung the club like a baseball bat at the monsters.

A clean *thwack*. A few goblins immediately flew through the air, blood and teeth scattering. The remaining kobold charged at me with his own swing.

Did it think I was overextended?

Unfortunately, I didn't need such heavy swings to use my pilfered weapon.

While it swung, I propped up the stone club to intercept, angling it to deflect the blow.

The kobold's swing struck my club, causing a strong feedback and making my hands a bit numb. It also caused my club to shatter, breaking into pieces.

As a result, the kobold overextended, caught off guard.

I immediately stepped forward and pierced its chest with my knife before sweeping its legs.

The kobold slumped to the ground. But it wasn't dead yet.

To make sure of it, I rammed the shattered hilt of my club into its nose and then stomped on its neck.

A loud 'crack'.

After that, I looked up at the remaining monsters.

There were... three goblins left.

They were also giving me a leery look, twitching in fear.

It was almost pitiful. Almost.

Except that I remembered what they liked to do to adventurers... especially female adventurers before they killed them.

So before they had a chance to run away, I played my ace in the hole.

Three white lines shot through the air, perfectly aimed at the goblins' chests.

A soft 'crack' echoed as their magic stones shattered, and then they turned into dust.

And I was alone. Well, alone with a bunch of monster corpses.

Speaking of which...

I knelt down to the kobold and tried to put it into my inventory... and I failed.

Like before, there was a weird repulsive effect... No. This time it wasn't that I couldn't push it in, but rather something was pulling it back. The Dungeon.

And as I attempted that, I felt 'something' glare at me. A tremendous malicious intent.

I immediately stopped trying. When I did, that glare faded. Still there, but less 'I will kill you the moment you try that again' and more 'One slip up and it's over.'

But it did confirm that I probably could store corpses in there... just, you know, not when there's an abstract malevolent will already claiming said corpses.

At least, I could take the drops and magic stones though.

I walked over to each corpse and made a quick incision, just enough to where I could reach in to grab the magic stone. After that, I swept everything into my inventory.

The result?

Ten goblin magic stones, four kobold magic stones... and no drop items. Not this time, it seemed.

Though I did pick up some of those goblin daggers and the kobold clubs, so maybe those counted? I didn't intend on selling them though. Much more useful to keep as trump cards.

After all, who would expect a random knife to fly at them or a giant stone club out of nowhere in the middle of a fight?

I examined my inventory one more time, analyzed the surroundings to make sure that I was safe... and since the only source of energy I could sense nearby was that bird, it seemed like I was.

Speaking of that bird...

I turned back to look at it. "You still here, bud?"

"Cheep!" The bird hopped around a few times, cheeping happily, and then dashed towards my leg. After that, it nuzzled its head against me, as if thanking me.

I laughed and knelt down to pat its head. "No problem, little guy. Though... what are you?"

I could sense mana from it. Not just that, but I could 'see' that it had a magic stone too. But it was different from the monsters. First of all, it wasn't hostile. Second of all... the 'color' was a bit different.

If I had to describe the monsters' mana, it was a malevolent reddish purple, almost like blood. But the little bird's mana was a royal violet, like pure amethyst. Not only that, but I could see faint wisps of emerald and gold too.

"Cheep?" The bird tilted its head to look at me.

I chuckled and scratched its head. "Well, I guess it doesn't really matter. You really shouldn't be in a place like this though, little guy."

Despite the mana it had, the bird was weak. Like, super weak. So weak that I was pretty sure if I poked it wrong, it would fall over and die.

But it was sure good at running away, considering how fast it had been.

"Cheep!" The bird nodded as if it agreed with me. Then, it quickly jumped, flying through the air onto my shoulder. "Cheep cheep!"

I blinked and then laughed. "What, you want to come with me?"

"Cheep!" The bird nodded its head.

I smiled and scratched its head again with my finger, but then I frowned. "That'll be a problem though... I'm not sure how the Guild treats monsters..."

The little guy was harmless, but I had a feeling the Guild wouldn't think so. That... and I also had a feeling that such a rare monster would immediately get hunted down by other adventurers to see what it dropped. No, to get a hand on its magic stone.

And considering how odd it looked to me, I was sure it was probably worth a lot too.

"Cheep cheep..." The bird lowered its head dejectedly.

"Hm... I feel bad about leaving you down here though."

It was fast, but not fast enough to where I couldn't have caught it. And since I wasn't much better than the average adventurer yet, let alone the higher level ones, I was sure that it would be caught if I left it alone. That, or it'd get hunted down by other monsters.

"Cheep?" The bird looked up at me, excited. "Cheep cheep?!"

"...Man, I wish I had a translation skill right now." It'd be nice to hear what my new friend was saying. But...

"Hm..." I looked at the bird and said, "Hey... This might be dangerous, but do you want to try something?"

"Cheep?"

"You see, I've got this ability-"

*crack*

A sudden surge of shadows. Before I could finish my sentence, the walls, ceilings, and floors opened up with cracks.

"Ch-cheep...?"

The little bird started to tremble.

"...Guess this place doesn't want you to leave with me." I narrowed my eyes.

This time, all I could see were kobolds.

But that was fine by me.

"Well... Stick tight, little guy." I pulled out my knife again and got ready. "We'll sort you out as soon as I deal with these annoying guys. Ah, but for now..."

I tried putting the bird into my inventory. As expected, it didn't stick, immediately pulled out by the Dungeon... or whatever that malevolent will was.

But did the bird realize my intent? The little guy resisted that pull and forcibly shoved itself into my inventory.

'Cheep cheep!'

The moment it did, the bird's cheeps changed. Instead of being off to the side, it sounded kind of like it came from headphones. Somewhere in the middle of my head. 

But I didn't have the time to think about how or why that was. For now...

"Let's go!"

...I had to fight!

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