Chapter 4: To a New Town – 04
About an hour’s walk from the castle gate of Euron lay the F-Class Dungeon.
Similar to the Great Rock Dungeon in Tolson, this dungeon featured a massive boulder with a gaping hole in the plains, serving as its entrance.
Numerous parties were gathered outside, with at least five currently waiting. Considering the time, there were likely even more inside.
However, as an E-Rank adventurer, I had no reason to hold back. I stepped inside and made my way directly to the boss room.
The monsters were the usual fare: Goblins, Rock Lizards, and Boar Wolves. Even if they appeared in groups, they were no match for me and fell in an instant.
In front of the boss room, a party of young boys and girls was waiting in line.
As I joined the queue, they stared at me with wide eyes. It was only natural; a middle-aged man like me showing up solo would pique their curiosity. Even the party I encountered earlier had reacted to my presence in various ways.
“Are you really going to fight the boss all by yourself, mister?” asked one of the girls from the party, her curiosity getting the better of her.
“Yeah, that’s right. I’ve fought the boss here multiple times, so I should be fine,” I replied.
“Can you really take it down alone? I heard it’s tough without a party,” she pressed on.
“It might be tough for most, but I’m E-Rank,” I said with a hint of pride.
“Oh, I see. You must have been an adventurer for a while then,” she remarked.
“Actually, I’ve only been one for a month,” I admitted.
At that, the entire party exchanged bewildered glances.
Just then, the door to the boss room swung open, and the party that had been challenging the boss emerged. They were a group of boys and girls, and they looked ecstatic, high-fiving each other, which meant they had likely succeeded.
“Well, I’m off then,” the girl said, waving to her friends as she entered the boss room.
After a short while, the door opened again, and the same party came out. They were all intact, but the girl who had spoken to me earlier was being carried by her companions, her leg severely injured.
It seemed they were planning to leave just like that, but…
“Hey, do you guys have any potions?” I asked, unable to hold back my concern. After all, they were just kids, and I couldn’t help but worry.
“We used our last one just now,” replied the boy who seemed to be the leader, his face showing signs of fatigue and anxiety.
“If you want, I can sell you one. It’s a grade five potion for 15,000 Rom,” I offered.
“Is that okay?” he asked, surprised.
“Yeah,” I confirmed.
After exchanging the potion for the currency, the boy quickly used it to heal the girl’s injury. I could feel a wave of relief wash over the party.
“Thank you so much! We owe you one,” he said gratefully.
“It was a fair trade. But I won’t deny that it feels good to be thanked. Just be careful on your way back,” I replied.
The group expressed their gratitude once more before heading off.
“Alright, time for me to go,” I said to myself as I stepped into the boss room.
As expected, this time I faced a standard Bear Wolf.
Using my bare hands instead of my mace would ensure a quick victory, but I quickly realized that my fists had already become fearsome weapons in their own right.
The skill I gained from the fight was “Poison Resistance.” My survivability was steadily improving, and I was grateful for it.
After returning to the guild and completing my transactions, I headed to the training grounds.
Several adventurers were there, each practicing with their weapons. They all appeared to be of a high rank, and I couldn’t help but nod in understanding that high-ranking adventurers naturally engaged in rigorous training.
As I utilized my Dark Metal Rod for strength training, a young man in his mid-twenties approached me. He looked like a swordsman who had just been swinging a longsword.
“Excuse me, have we met somewhere before?” he asked.
“I’m not sure. I’m Soushi. I just arrived in Euron yesterday, but I was in Tolson before that,” I replied.
“I’m Zeal. I remember now! You were at the Goblin Great Hunt recently, right? You fought the King and got scolded by Anatoria,” he recalled with a chuckle.
“Ah, yes, that was quite embarrassing,” I admitted, feeling a bit sheepish.
“Haha, you were E-Rank, right? Going toe-to-toe with the King? There’s nothing to be embarrassed about!” he said, laughing heartily.
“Well, I did end up taking work away from others because of it… Oh, were you part of that C-Rank party from back then?” I asked, recalling his face.
He had a handsome yet approachable demeanor, and I felt like I had seen him before.
“We’re called ‘Fortuner.’ I’m the leader, by the way. So, you’ve come to Euron, huh? By the way, I noticed you’re training with that rod. What is it?” he inquired, pointing at my Dark Metal Rod.
“This is a Dark Metal Rod. It’s perfect for adding weight during training, so I got it from a weapon shop,” I explained.
“Interesting… Can I give it a try?” he asked, his curiosity piqued.
“Sure, but be careful; it’s heavier than it looks,” I warned.
As he took the rod, he wobbled slightly but quickly regained his balance and lifted it with ease.
From the way he held it, I could tell he possessed the “Stability” skill. Being C-Rank, he likely had a plethora of skills I wasn’t even aware of.
“This is quite fascinating. Swinging this around would definitely make for good training. No wonder you could take down the King,” Zeal remarked, beginning to practice sword swings with the Dark Metal Rod. His movements were fluid and efficient, showcasing the prowess of a high-ranking adventurer.
“Wow, this is really nice! I think I’ll head to the weapon shop and get one for myself. Thanks, man!” Zeal said, returning the rod to me before moving off to continue his training.
With the endorsement of a C-Rank adventurer, I felt reassured. My spirits lifted, and I threw myself into my training with renewed vigor.