Chapter 8
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 8
Chapter Title: Beginner Training (1)
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After three years, the interior of the Labyrinth Guild was still as chaotic as ever.
Adventurers quarreling over petty arguments, adventurers recruiting party members, adventurers taking on requests... and to top it off, each one was from a different race and dressed in wildly varied outfits. There were even those baring their torsos, clerics in priestly robes, mages in robes, and some adventurer in nothing but a pair of panties... Ah, fuck. Blinded my eyes.
Thankfully, the reception counters were neatly divided based on the type of visitor. Since I'd already registered as an adventurer three years ago, I headed straight to the beginner adventurer counter to apply for training. Fortunately, my adventurer qualification hadn't been revoked despite the three-year gap. What a relief. I was half-afpecting to shell out another ten silver coins to re-register.
"Here's the list of qualified instructors. Pick the one you'd like to train under, and we'll arrange it for you."
The list I received at the counter had about twenty adventurers' names along with brief descriptions of their specialties. Since they were all affiliated with the Labyrinth Guild, their skills were a given—no need to worry there...
For now, I'll skip mages and clerics. I plan to use a sword myself right away, so it'd be best to train under a frontline class, right?
The [Stealth] skill pulls me toward rogue-types... but let's hold off for now. This one... a martial artist? I already have a sword, so ideally a swordsman among the frontline classes... Hmm?
[Alensia. Advanced Adventurer. Max Floor Reached: 35. Main Weapon: Sword. Position: Frontline. Instructor Experience: 8 Years]
...Advanced Adventurer?
All the other adventurers on the list were intermediate adventurers who'd reached around the 20th floor, except for this one lone advanced adventurer mixed in.
She's frontline and wields a sword, to boot. The name sounds feminine, too. Prices are all the same anyway, so obviously an advanced adventurer beats an intermediate one. I asked the counter staff right away.
"Alensia? She is an advanced adventurer, but she's been steadily handling adventurer training since her intermediate days. Her skills are top-notch, of course."
"So I can train under her, right?"
"Well, yes, but..."
When I said I wanted to train under this adventurer named Alensia, the counter staff hesitated oddly.
"Sh-she's famous among instructors for her training being... unusual... no, rather intense."
"Unusual how? She doesn't give wrong or weird lessons, does she?"
"No way. We wouldn't grant instructor qualifications to someone who teaches incorrectly."
So what's so weird about it?
I pressed further, but I didn't get a straight answer. It seemed tough, but the training was solid at least.
"That's fine then. Doesn't that mean she teaches properly?"
Three years ago, I'd charged into the Labyrinth with an empty head and gotten wrecked. If it was grueling but proper training, I'd welcome it. Her skills were reliable, from what I'd heard.
"Once training starts, no refunds."
......This'll be fine, right? They say to suspect anything with a no-refund policy a hundred times over.
"Pleased to meet you. I'm Alensia, your instructor. You're Ian, the one who applied for training?"
Surprisingly, the elf woman named Alensia arrived just ten minutes after I applied. Does she hang around the Guild?
Her long, pointed ears announced her elven heritage, along with her pale green hair. She wore high-end armor and sword that rivaled the gear at Gram's shop. Her expression was stoic, perfectly matching the metallic armor.
"Yes. Nice to meet you, Alensia."
"Call me Instructor during training."
Her tone alone confirmed the training would be brutal.
Wow, Instructor! Never thought I'd hear that word in another world. It dredged up memories of my military days back on Earth.
"Yes, Instructor!"
"Good response. Any plans set for the rest of your day?"
"I haven't booked lodging yet, so I was going to find an inn."
Without my job, I couldn't crash at the clinic like before, so securing lodging was priority one. There were plenty of inns near the Labyrinth Guild popular with adventurers.
Alensia nodded at my words and made me an offer.
"Here's a proposal. If you follow every lesson I teach without question during the training period, I'll cover your lodging and basic supplies."
"You're serious?"
I was stunned, of course. Lodging and supplies? I'd heard the training was tough and was prepared for it anyway. But just for following along, she'd handle lodging and basics?
It sounded too good, so suspicion kicked in first.
What kind of training is this?
"It's natural to be skeptical. But I'm an advanced adventurer with the Labyrinth Guild. My identity is Guild-verified, and I swear on the World Tree I have no ulterior motives."
An elf swearing on the Mother Tree—the World Tree? Hard to take at face value, but for elves, that's like crossing your heart and hoping to die.
And she's Guild-affiliated to boot...
The offer was too good to refuse, so I accepted.
No way the Guild would introduce me to a criminal.
"Sounds good. No reason to say no."
"Excellent. Then straight to the Labyrinth."
"?"
Right now?
I'd expected this elf's training to be intense, but it started off disorienting.
From what I'd heard, Labyrinth Guild training involved some theory lessons before entering the dungeon. But no such thing—she dragged me straight in.
When I asked about theory, she said we'd learn it in real combat inside the Labyrinth.
I suspected she was one of those "just fight" muscle-heads, but surprisingly, the solid instruction began the moment we entered.
"Among supplies for the Labyrinth, torches are top priority. Magic light tools are fine, but they fail sometimes, so always carry at least one."
"You weren't wearing a helmet—helmets are recommended. Many dislike the obstructed view, but the terrain is rough, so head bumps are common. Plus, monsters with ranged attacks mean sudden head injuries happen. It prevents that."
"Me? Elves like me have sensitive ears, so we rarely wear helmets. The echoing inside stresses us out. I used one as a beginner, but from intermediate onward, I saved up for a headpiece enchanted with protection."
"When you meet other adventurers in the Labyrinth, keep your distance—basic rule. Looting spoils or outright killing happens all too often. Check the wanted posters on the Guild's first floor and memorize the bounties."
"The goblins on Labyrinth Floor 1 are failures from the survival-of-the-fittest on Floors 2-3 that fled up. Small and scrawny, but they scavenge gear from dead beginner adventurers on lower floors, so don't get cocky."
Every bit was valuable, blood-and-bone knowledge. She answered my questions curtly but thoroughly.
Midway, we ran into goblins, and she grabbed one to explain its features in detail. Where's the "intense" part they hyped up? So far, it was straightforward, informative training—no hardships. My worries were for nothing.
As I mulled over the lessons, Alensia handed me a clump of weeds.
"Time's about right. Eat this."
"What's this herb?"
Despite three years at the clinic, it was new to me. Well, I don't know every herb...
"Not a herb. Poison weed."
"Pardon?"
"Causes blisters on the skin and intense itching."
"...You want me to eat this?"
I thought maybe she was assassinating me, but her face was dead serious.
"Why eat this?"
"Didn't you promise to follow all lessons unquestioned?"
"Not refusing, but... can I know why first?"
Who eats poison without explanation?
She nodded at my question and elaborated.
"You know skills level up faster in the Labyrinth, right?"
"Yes. The mana influences skill EXP growth."
Reasons unknown, though.
"All creatures and plants born in the Labyrinth absorb its mana. Especially if they carry poison—the mana fuses with it for deadlier effects."
I knew that much. That's why Labyrinth poison victims need high priests or Labyrinth-made antidotes.
Wait, don't tell me?
"Eating this gives skill EXP or something?"
"Exactly."
"!!"
Directly ingesting Labyrinth mana for skill EXP! Wait, I thought only passive absorption worked? If this is possible...!
"For [Poison Resistance] skill EXP, that is."
...[Poison Resistance]?
"...You mean directly ingesting Labyrinth mana boosts skill EXP?"
"...? No, that's impossible. Labyrinth mana only works passively. You eat poison fused with it and wait for your body to overcome it. Succeed, and you rack up massive [Poison Resistance] EXP from the feat."
This elf casually spouts madness. Get poisoned and wait it out for skill EXP? Theoretically sound, but...
"...Did you come up with this method, Instructor?"
"No, some otherworlder devised it. I was impressed by its efficiency. He called it 'Resistance Training'."
Damn otherworlder spreading crazy ideas.
"...Any other resistances like this?"
"Sadly, no. Tried punching people repeatedly for physical resistance and healing... just piled on pain. Turns out, only [Poison Resistance] works this way."
What the hell did you try?
Anyway, the theory held water. Eat poison, body overcomes it, gain [Poison Resistance]—in the Labyrinth, even better odds.
"Any other symptoms besides itching?"
"None. No threat to life, just itch. Verified multiple times—trust it."
Hmm... just itching, huh?
Fine then.
Especially since it grants a skill, and...
"~Nom nom~"
"!! Among all my trainees, you're the first to eat poison without hesitation."
Her face stayed blank, but her voice rose slightly in surprise. Yeah, who'd eat offered poison on the spot?
No sooner had I chewed and swallowed than blisters erupted on my skin. Whoa, Labyrinth-grown poison acts fast!
As blisters formed, itching crept over my whole body—like mosquitoes biting everywhere. Ignoring the urge to scratch, I cast on myself.
[Sensory Block]
Now at Level 3, [Sensory Block] covered a wider area—my whole body. It blocked stronger sensations too; a mere itch vanished with a mental 'click.' [Sensory Release] stayed off, naturally.
Seeing my calm, Alensia asked in evident confusion.
"...Not itchy?"
"It is. Feels like mosquitoes devouring my body. But tolerable."
Well, thanks to the skill. No need to reveal it. At the clinic, I'd advertised my skills for utility, but not anymore.
"...Impressive. In theory, you just endure the itch till your body detoxes. But most can't hack it—give out and take antidotes."
"...? Other trainees too?"
"All failed the itch immediately and took antidotes."
"...Why not tell us antidotes exist?"
"To push their limits. But you're unmoved. Astonishing willpower. Finally, someone to gain [Poison Resistance]!"
"...? Isn't that how it works?"
Finally? What?
"That method only works for frail newbies. For the toughened and mana-adapted, you need poisons too strong for natural recovery. Even this newbie-survivable, naturally-healing 'Thousand Mosquitoes' weed—no one endured it. It's torture-grade."
Torture-grade?... You fed me that?
"Just to check—no one's gotten [Poison Resistance] this way before?"
"Only the otherworlder who invented it."
Hey, you son of a—