Martial Arts Encyclopedia - Chapter 7

Goals for the future (3)

As the days passed, we settled into a comfortable routine, with the mornings taken up by training. For some reason, my Martial Arts Talent also came with a special jargon that divides the martial arts development into several levels, which allows me to track my development with the purchases I made.

The first level is Novice, someone that is aware of the technique but can’t perform it correctly yet; the second level is Disciple, someone that can perform the technique correctly but can’t do it consistently; the third level is Expertise, as someone can perform the technique consistently during stressful situations; the fourth level is also the first degree of mastery, called Minor Accomplishment, and the user starts to make the technique their own; the fifth level is called Major Accomplishment, as the user starts to evolve and improve the technique; and finally the Perfection level where the technique reached the peak of its intended capabilities.

My Xiaoli started at Disciple level due to its nature as a technique, and my Martial Arts Talent pushes the proficiency further towards the level of expertise which allows me to accelerate my recovery cycle. While my Touki started at Novice level, I quickly reached Disciple level once again thanks to my talent. The Niko style overall level is at Novice, but my experience with Xiaoli and talent puts the Water and Adamantine Kata at a Disciple level.

Finally, the Hercules Method is still at the Novice level, and that includes the boost I received from martial arts talent, though I suspect Cultivation Talent would have given me a faster growth with it.

After the daily training I spend some time familiarizing myself with the monsters of the first floor. The goblins had a stereotypical appearance being short green menaces but with a comparatively big head, and their magic stone was located behind their heart. The kobolds were dogmen taller than a gobbling but smaller than a man, and their magic stone was located above their stomach. The jack bird looks like a golden rooster with golden plumage, and it is incredibly fast for a creature of the first floor, which the Dungeon makes sure not to spawn near high class adventurers.

From the second floor the Dungeon starts to spawn non-humanoid monsters, such as the dungeon lizard. Beyond that, the Guild is unwilling to sell me the information at the time. After the theoretical portion it is time for the practical application, and I leave for the Dungeon to earn my keep.

Much like the first day, the monsters have no sense of self-preservation, but this time that plays in my favor as their behavior starts to look predictable to me as they always target vital spots. By carefully shifting how I manifest my Touki, I can bait the goblins into attacking when I want and how I want. Another thing I discovered is that the first floor of the Dungeon is full of adventurers, and they guard “their” spots jealousy. Typically, they’re dead-end rooms the group can fortify and harvest the monsters, and I heard enough cries of anguish from the adventurers that the Dungeon doesn’t mind this kind of strategy.

Afterwards I return to the guild, exchange my earnings for the day, buy some essential supplies on the way back to the temple, finish some more chores, squeeze some more training before dinner, feed my goddess, clean myself up and then collapse on the bed for the next day. No wonder people equated this to a nine-to-five job.

…

A lone goblin comes charging at me from a distance, and with practiced ease I chop at the monster’s neck with enough strength to hear it crack, then I stab through its spine to collect the magic stone. I managed to travel through all corners of the first floor by using the map sold at the Guild, and none of the monsters gave me any trouble anymore so it should be safe to descend to the second floor to scout it ahead.

As if the devil itself heard my thoughts, I heard rushing steps coming my way, and a Jack Bird flew past me just out of reach. I’m still not strong enough to chase after it, but that’s not the event that broke my daily routine: the pair of adventurers running towards me were. I took a defensive stance, but they both ran past me from a wide distance. I didn’t need the silent smirk on the two’s faces to know they set me up!

The first enemy came rushing from the darkness beyond the mysterious illumination of the dungeon, the Kobold jumping after my throat with foam on its jaws. I nailed it with an uppercut before stabbing at its chest, but a goblin was already reaching out for my leg. I avoid the creature and land a spinning kick to another monster trying to flank me, but I have to drop on the ground when a giant limb comes flying towards me. I roll away from the follow up spear like stabs coming after me before I sweep its legs as I gain more distance.

With my enhanced perception in a split second, I can see the group of monsters coming after me: several goblins trailing behind with half their number in Kobolds, two frog shooters at the back, a War Shadow rushing after me, and a fluttering blue monster near the ceiling.

My heartbeat is steady, and I push my Touki to its limits to heighten my combat abilities, initiating my counterattack by targeting the healer first by throwing my sword at the Blue Papillon flying around. As I do so the War Shadow is already stabbing towards me, but I grab him using the Seagrass Hold, holding the offending limb under my armpit, before I sweep its feet to set up a Screw Cutter Jizo, violently breaking the monster arm at the shoulder and elbow. The other monsters don’t remain idle, however, as I raise my fist to block a frog shooter's tongue and let it pull me towards it in an arc above the other monsters.

I thank the monster's effort by piercing its eye and destroying its brain with an Iron Finger, cutting myself from the creature with my backup dagger. The nearby frog shooter faces a similar fate as I blind it with both an Iron Finger and my dagger, as I tear off the creature’s magical crystal to kill it. The remaining goblins are easier to deal with, as they fall either from the Adamantine Kata’s Ironbreaker, or I snap their necks with the many techniques of the Water Kata.

Despite having no facial expressions, the War Shadow comes after me with immense hate, stabbing at my face directly. I let out a soft breath, and suddenly the monster is violently slamming into the wall before I smash its head.

“Good thing that worked.”

I had just recently gotten the hang of the Redirection Kata’s Weeping Willow, however looking at my cut arm I can tell it’s still far from combat ready.

“Whoa, that was amazing!”

I hear a pair of footsteps coming from where the two Adventures had run away, one of them is casually walking with a hand on his sword, while the other is clapping in amusement.

“It’s really incredible, isn’t it, brother?”

“Poetry in motion, brother. He should be an actor!”

They don’t look particularly distinct from the masses of Adventurers that dive into the dungeon daily. The one clapping has a red bandana on his forehead and has sunken eyes hidden in the dimly lit environment of the first floor, while the one at his side has a square jaw and bald head. Both of them look indistinguishable from the mass of bodies that enter the Dungeon during the early rush.

“It would be a shame if his career were to end so early, isn’t that right, brother?” Bandana man said to his partner in crime.

“Indeed. That’s why we are willing to accept payment for escorting you back to the Dungeon Entrance.” He pauses for dramatic effect. “You can thank us now.”

I let out my breath and relaxed my body, but still kept my Touki sharp and focused on those two, ready to unleash an explosion of violence at them. They both tense at my attitude, and I smirk at their reaction.

“To think I would be forced this far,” I say with a casual tone, “I made a promise to my goddess, but it looks like you’re forcing my hand to reveal my ultimate technique!”

Their bodies tense and the two of them draw their weapons. “Shit, he has a skill?”

“If you think you can scare us, you are wrong, rookie!”

My chuckle turns into a maniac grin as I further expand the reach and intensity of my Touki.

“Secret technique!”

“!” Both of them tensed for inevitable fight.

“NIGERUNDAYO~”

I abruptly cut off my Touki to zero and ran away, digging my toes on the ground and leaving with the Raging Fire sprint.

“… did he just?”

“I think so brother.”

“…”

“…”

““GET HIM!””

…

My goddess tense over my back as I recall the events of today’s Dungeon dive.

“You didn’t tell the Guild about this?”

“I mentioned the pass parade and that two guys were responsible for it, but I wasn’t kidding when I said they looked incredibly generic. As soon as I left the Dungeon, I saw three Bandana guys and five Bald men.”

“You were lucky you survived today.” She pokes my back and starts updating my Falna.

I want to argue with her, but I know she’s right. The monsters from the parade dealt more damage than I expected and riding the frog shooter tongue had dislocated my shoulder. Unfortunately, there wasn’t much I could do, as that kind of occupational hazard is common inside the Dungeon. Just to show you that even on the first floor you can’t be too complacent, both against the dungeon and your fellow Adventurers. Trolls gonna troll and all that.

““Artoria/Andrew.””

We both speak at the same time, and she concedes for me to go first.

“Artoria, can you help me with my training? I know that even if you’re restrained by the rules of Ouranos, you are still incredibly strong, and are still a skilled warrior in your own right. I think I can learn a lot from you.”

“I was thinking the same thing,” she admits, “I would feel more reassured about your Dungeon excursions if I had a hand in your training. We can start tomorrow.”

“Great!”

“You should also be aware that I can still use my mana burst skill since it is part of my nature. I am forbidden from unleashing my Noble Phantasms as they count as my ‘Arcanum’ in this world.”

“… please be gentle with me.”

Her pleased laugh only made it worse.