Chapter 1: Transference and Becoming an Adventurer – Part 03
As the sun sets, I sleep, and with the dawn, I rise to begin my day.
In this world, where the night is shrouded in insufficient light, such a lifestyle seems to be the norm.
Well, I have no issues with that since I used to go camping in my previous life.
After having breakfast first thing in the morning, I decided to head towards the so-called “Dungeon” that I had investigated yesterday.
Around the town of Tolson, there are three dungeons: two of F-Rank and one of D-Rank.
The rank of a dungeon corresponds to the rank of adventurers, and it is recommended that F-Rank adventurers enter F-Rank dungeons.
However, it is important to note that the phrase “recommended for F-Rank adventurers” essentially means “recommended for a party of F-Rank adventurers.”
A party typically consists of three to five members, so it implies, “Please enter the F-Rank dungeon with at least three F-Rank adventurers.”
Therefore, for today, I only plan to observe and have no intention of entering. After all, I lack the skills to fight monsters, and I can barely swing a mace properly.
After leaving the town and following the signposts for about an hour, I spotted a massive rock in the middle of the plain.
There was a gaping hole in that rock, which was said to be the entrance to the dungeon.
Around the entrance, several adventurer parties were already gathered, checking their equipment and preparing for their descent.
Upon closer inspection, I noticed the party of the young man I had spoken to in the cafeteria yesterday. They should be E-Rank, but I wondered what reason they had for entering an F-Rank dungeon.
I considered approaching them for a chat, but they were likely tense and focused on the upcoming battle. I decided against it.
As I watched from a distance, the entire party entered the dungeon one after another.
“Maybe I’ll just take a quick peek.”
I intended to practice swinging my mace later, but it would be beneficial to familiarize myself with the environment where I might fight.
I approached the massive rock and peered through the three-meter-wide hole.
It appeared to be a cave made of rock, sloping gently downward, leading further underground.
The faint light illuminating the depths seemed to be one of the dungeon’s mysteries. Fortunately, it meant that torches were unnecessary, which was a relief for adventurers.
“Hey, if you’re not going in, step aside!”
Oh, it seems another party has arrived. I apologized to the burly young man who called out and left the area.
Now that I had finished my reconnaissance, it was time to find a secluded spot to move my body.
As I retraced my steps from the dungeon back towards the town, I entered a forest off the beaten path.
Of course, I was there to practice swinging my mace.
I had learned during my younger days when I participated in a company baseball tournament that even beginners struggle to swing a bat properly. It’s only natural, considering even professional baseball players practice their swings. For someone like me, who hadn’t engaged in serious physical activity, it was a surprising revelation.
Thus, I thought it impossible to jump straight into combat, so I resolved to practice swinging my mace at the very least.
I set down my backpack and took hold of the mace.
It was a metal rod with several angular metal plates affixed to its end, a formidable weapon.
I swung it a few times.
Strangely, I didn’t feel much weight. My body moved far more smoothly than before.
With a whoosh, the mace swung down, and it certainly seemed to possess considerable destructive power.
I continued to swing the mace with single-minded focus. Despite my body being in a state of disrepair, I felt unusually good. Perhaps this was also a result of the “Awakening.”
After what felt like hundreds of swings, a sudden, strange sensation enveloped my body.
The mace, which I had been swinging with sheer force, suddenly felt natural in my hands.
It wasn’t a gradual acclimatization; it was as if my level had suddenly increased, and my stats had changed—an almost game-like sensation.
“I see, so this is what it means to acquire a ‘Skill.'”
However, this phenomenon was something I had already encountered. It was simply written in the adventurer’s guide from the guild.
Those who have undergone “Awakening” can gain special abilities known as “Skills” through repeated experience. This is entirely different from how ordinary people improve through practice; it is, in a sense, a “power bestowed by the gods.”
In gaming terms, I had now acquired the “Mace Lv.1” skill.
“However, this is… incredible.”
I continued to swing the mace, envisioning an opponent in my mind, attacking from various angles and targeting different parts of the body.
Although these movements were entirely new to me, my body moved as if I had been training for years.
Even more astonishing was that despite swinging the heavy mace hundreds of times, I still felt no fatigue.
My strength and stamina had never been this high in my life. I found it so enjoyable that I lost track of time and continued practicing for another hour.
Just as I was thinking it might be time to stop, I experienced a second level-up.
I decided to remember it as “Mace Lv.2.” There was a way to check the skills I had acquired, but apparently, there was none available in the town of Tolson.
“Well then, let’s try out some other skills.”
After confirming that my mace swings had become sharper, I began my next training session.
That day, I experimented with various things until the sun set, marking the end of my day.
Upon returning to the inn, I finished my meal and lay down on the bed. I was feeling quite fatigued all over.
The skills I had acquired as a result of that fatigue were as follows:
Weapon Skills
– Mace Lv.2
– Dagger Lv.1
Armor Skills
– Buckler Lv.1
Physical Abilities
– Stamina Lv.2
– Strength Lv.2
– Speed Lv.2
– Agility Lv.2
– Reflexes Lv.2
Sensory Skills
– Vision Lv.1
– Hearing Lv.1
– Smell Lv.1
– Touch Lv.1
– Dynamic Vision Lv.1
– Presence Detection Lv.2
Most of the skills were straightforward, but “Buckler” refers to a small shield. I had acquired it by imagining bracing myself against an opponent’s attack while holding the shield and channeling my strength.
“Presence Detection” is a skill that allows one to sense the presence of animals and insects. While exploring deeper into the forest, I somehow became aware of their locations, which led to my acquisition of the skill. According to the guide, it is essential for avoiding ambushes by monsters, making it a skill I desperately wanted.
In any case, I had spent the day productively, and I felt I had gained quite a bit.
Not only had I acquired actual skills, but I also learned the valuable insight that “training with the skills you wish to acquire is more efficient.”
While this may seem obvious to someone educated in modern Japan, it wasn’t mentioned in the adventurer’s guide. It could be common knowledge, or perhaps it was a Columbus’s egg-type discovery.
Well, there was no point in dwelling on such thoughts now.
After all, I was merely a rookie in this other world, on my second day. For now, I would train for one more day tomorrow and then attempt to enter the dungeon the day after.
It would be best to form a party if possible, but I felt hesitant to engage deeply with people from a culture and customs so different from my own. Having lived a social life, I understood well that the risks in human relationships were the highest.
In fact, during dinner, I had asked the young man about the dungeon, and he mentioned that the shallow areas of that dungeon weren’t too dangerous for a single person.
When I briefly discussed skills, he said that as long as I had at least one weapon-related skill, I would be fine. So, if I trained for another day, I should be alright.
However, he advised me to “make sure to bring a Potion,” so I would need to buy one. It seemed that young man was quite a decent fellow.
As I pondered these things, I gradually drifted off into unconsciousness.