Chapter 11
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 11
Chapter Title: Beginner Training (4)
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"Ian, trainee—rise."
"...Hup!"
What the...? I could've sworn the Labyrinth's environment would make it impossible to sleep, and the bedding was uncomfortable too.
It felt like time had been erased. I'd just lain down a moment ago, but here was Alensia already waking me. Guess the fatigue had really piled up. Ugh, looks like I drooled a bit too.
I groaned as I dragged myself up, then strapped the sword I'd left by my head back to my waist. Feeling its solid weight through my clothes chased away some of the sleepiness.
"You won't have a watch, Ian trainee, so borrow mine. Set it for four hours and wake me then. No signs of adventurers or monsters nearby."
I took the watch from Alensia—2:16 a.m. No denying it now; I'd really slept four full hours. She handed it over and ducked straight back into the tent.
I plopped down on the rock where Alensia had been sitting moments ago. As sleep faded, pain started creeping in from every muscle. Come to think of it, I'd pushed my body pretty hard practicing the sword yesterday.
'Hmm... Don't protagonists in novels usually train their swordplay during night watch shifts like this?'
I drew my sword, figuring I'd use the watch time to practice like in some story. But the muscle soreness hit hard, and I sheathed it again. Realistically, I wasn't skilled enough to swing a sword and stay vigilant.
To ease the pain, I tried casting Sensory Block on myself—but another skill popped into mind.
[Heavenly Touch lv.1]: Enhances all actions using the hands. Massage actions gain additional healing and restorative effects.
*Massage lv.M skill effect base-applied*
It was none other than Heavenly Touch. Its base effect alone rivaled the Dexterity skill—which was how I'd unlocked Swordsmanship in the first place.
Still, this was fundamentally a massage skill. I'd only ever massaged elders at the clinic or Hiss...
'Sensory Block'
I cast it on myself first, blocking pain sensation. Last time I got Heavenly Touch, blocking Hiss's pain led to that "transcendent touch" or whatever she called it.
How insanely overpowered could it be? I was curious enough to try it on myself. I'd gotten Massage lv.M as a bonus too.
Er... shoulders first? They're stiff from the armor anyway...
[Heavenly Touch lv.1] active. Hand actions enhanced. Healing effect currently applied to massage.
[Massage lv.M] effect active. Extreme enhancement to massage actions. Grip strength greatly increased. Relaxes target's tension, relieves fatigue, relaxes muscles, reduces pain. Partially corrects misaligned areas. After massage ends, greatly reduces fatigue buildup in muscles for a period; greatly increases flexibility.
"Huh? Uwoooooh..."
No sooner had the skill message appeared than I let out a groan like an old man sinking into a hot bath. No wonder—the cool relief flooding through me was unlike anything I'd felt before.
Whether from my skill effect or Massage itself, all pain vanished. Muscles that'd been rock-hard moments ago loosened fluidly, and the lingering fatigue just... evaporated.
'Crack... crick...'
My hands moved on instinct, twisting and pressing—and sounds like chiropractic adjustments from Earth videos echoed out. The kind that feel good just hearing them.
"Whoa!"
I snapped to, realizing I'd massaged everywhere my hands could reach. Arms, legs, shoulders—and I'd even kicked off my boots for a foot massage without thinking! Only my back felt stiff now, out of reach, but hey, I couldn't grow extra hands.
Healing worked great too; the blisters from sword swings had mostly healed. Not fully, but recovering without holy magic or potions was impressive enough.
I dispelled the Sensory Block just in case. No trace of soreness remained. Muscles bounced with energy; arms and waist bent flexibly. Even the leftover drowsiness fled.
I slipped my discarded armor and boots back on. Must've tossed them in a haze of pleasure. Donning the armor again, it kept clanging against the scabbard.
"........."
"......S......Zzz..."
Shit—had I woken Alensia? I glanced over, but she hadn't budged from before, sleeping soundly.
"Hm..."
Massage done, I scanned the surroundings. Nobody camped on Labyrinth Floor 1 unless training like me. Serious campers were deeper down; others left the Labyrinth entirely.
Plus, the entrance sealed at night—no human presence anywhere.
Monsters avoided the scented herbs burning too—no signs there either.
"Hmm..."
Boring. Night watch was always dull, but with all this pent-up energy, it itched especially bad.
I stared blankly at the fire, then turned to Alensia. She'd been expressionless since we met. Did her face change in sleep?
Curiosity won; I crept to the tent, quieting my steps despite her heavy sleeper rep.
Peeking in, there she was, out cold. Armor off to the side, posture unchanged from our shift change.
And her face? Shockingly unchanged.
It was like her daytime blank stare with eyes closed. Breathing flexed her face muscles a bit, but she'd done that talking too.
I'd hoped for a furrowed brow or sleepy smile... What a letdown.
Nothing else to do, I settled by the tent flap, admiring her sleeping form.
Long pale-green hair, expressionless face. She'd tied it up before bed, now loose—gave her a whole new vibe despite the neutrality.
Skin porcelain-pale like classic elves; pointed, elongated ears peeked through her hair.
'...Huh.'
Elf ears. Hit me again—this was another world. How could such sharp points look pretty? Earth's fantasy art sometimes felt off or alien up close...
Elf ears. Elf ears...
...Honestly, I wanna touch them.
Elves were fantasy icons. Plenty of differences, sure, but visually? Those ears stood out most. Fantasy stories often had characters touching them—I got it now.
That sharp taper. Just once.
'...Just a little. A quick touch.'
Temptation won; I reached out. Elves sensed "malice," right? Did ear-touching count?
I froze a handspan away, checking her. No movement.
Edging closer, watching her face—no stir.
Just in case...
'Sensory Block'
Skill application failed
Figured blocking senses would let me touch safely—but no dice. Level 3 wasn't enough for an Advanced Adventurer.
Gave up on the skill. But not the ears.
If she woke, I'd apologize honestly. If ears held special meaning... deal with that later.
Resolved, I touched. Fantasy world, elf ears—had to.
"Mm..."
Soft and squishy. Cooler body temp than expected.
Underwhelming, honestly. Even alien races had human-like skin—overhyped it maybe.
Still, baby-soft, velvety... subtly addictive up close.
No waking signs—went full two-handed. When else?
Rub rub rub rub.
"............."
Mid-rub, eyes flicked elsewhere.
From this angle, hands framing her face...
Bounce~
".......Gulp."
Breasts. Perfect angle for cleavage too. Her daytime armor hid it, but her thin sleepwear showed every curve.
Too focused on ears before, but now... a bit of lust stirred...
"Nngh..."
"!!!!"
The instant impure thoughts hit, motionless Alensia twitched.
No way—did she sense "malice" from a stray lewd thought? I'd been drawn but hadn't planned to grope!
'Wait. If she wakes on malice alone, am I screwed? Only touched ears, but sensing intent means she felt something impure.'
Panic mode—my fingers gripped her ear harder in haste.
[Heavenly Touch lv.1] activated. [Massage lv.M] applied.
Relaxes target's tension. Reduces pain. Relaxes muscles.
The grip registered as "massage"—Heavenly Touch fired on its own. Massage lv.M effects kicked in. Typical massage perks? No—these were god-tier.
Muscles relaxed. Tense buildup for waking eased.
Tension melted. Faint lust warning faded.
Her stirring stopped; eyelids drooped fully.
I yanked my hands back and bolted to my watch post.
She didn't wake until time to rouse her.
"Instructor, sleep well last night?"
I asked as she emerged from the packed tent, armored up. She'd nearly woken, was malice-sensitive—figured she'd call me out.
"Yes."
"...?"
To my relief, her blank face answered lighter than yesterday.
"Slept deeply."