The Test Of Sustainability

Calida fell asleep after thanking me. Aiden refused to fight me as I saved his sister from death. It turns out the middle aged man was their Academy's director. They said they are from the Vintora Academy, in the Vintora City. The man gave me an Invitation insignia, which meant to ask me to join their academy as an student.

Well, I did considered his request, but first I need some experience and learn everything I can about this world before I join in anywhere. People with Power controls this world, so, to raise and to not become a tool, I should become strong.

The Party gave their stuff and the Flame Lion to us according to the request and left the place after thanking and asked forgiveness at least a hundred times.

Now I have a sword to clear a dungeon, so I can stop worrying.

After that, we started walking towards the dungeon that Blue Grim mentioned.

Clearing the dungeon meant that the area had to be explored. It was different from conquering the dungeon, where the mana beasts inside had been defeated and the treasures looted.

But, I don't think that this time is a regular adventuring.

"We are here!"

Blue grim said as we stood outside the dungeon.

It was big, but it looks more like a tunnel than a dungeon. Well, let..ah

Just when I wasn't looking, Blue Grim pushed me and closed the entrance with his Earth magic. Huh, it really is what I expected from that man.

"Hey Kid, can you hear me?" He yelled from the outside.

"Yes! Why did you do that? Heyyy!" I acted as if I'm afraid.

"Listen, this dungeon you are in now. It was a unique place, even amongst the mysterious dungeons. The mana beasts that made their homes here had been described in the records as Insects" he yelled.

Insects?

"You should stay on your guard. The mana beasts here aren't strong, but there'll be a lot of them. Don't waste your time trying to collect the mana cores from the beasts…try to save the time" he said.

"Okay! What should I do here?" I asked him from the inside.

"Kid, Forgive me, but this is your first trail to enter the Council of assassins. The Trail of Sustainability! You should clear the dungeon, that's your test!" He said.

Clearing the dungeon meant that the area had to be explored. It was different from conquering the dungeon, where the mana beasts inside had been defeated and the treasures looted.

Now that we don't need any treasure or Blue Grim says that, I should just go in and do the work to clear the dungeon and explore it.

Whether he says the treasures aren't needed, I will take them, because the mana cores from the Mana beasts can be exchanged for money in the adventurer guilds. What can I say, I may also find some other treasures that I can use myself.

"Good Luck Kid! I wish you luck!" He yelled out from outside.

Well, its exactly what I needed. Good Work Mr.Blue Grim.

"Its Okay! I will do my best! You just wait outside!" I shouted as I turned towards the path.

Stepping into the dungeon, I felt the temperature suddenly drop as we descended down a gradual slope.

Given that I'm alone, I suppose I can use my powers to the extent.

But am I going to make it out alive? Is this something I'm prepared for? Is it really possible for me to pull it off? Well, I guess there's no point in thinking about it. This would be my first real Dungeon-exploring.

Yeah! Come on man! This is something I can handle! I've witnessed significantly worse circumstances in my previous life! I can never give up on something like this, I will be successful!

Thinking thus, I drew the Sword I got from that party, from my waist immediately.

I walked in gently, centering my mana towards my eyes. I held my breath and surveyed my surroundings, but I couldn't sense anything particular.

However, I once read that "underestimating the risks of a dungeon was strictly forbidden."

There were quite a few low-ranking mana beasts who were quite good at masking and hiding their presence. No, perhaps because they were so lowly ranked that they had no choice but to conceal and wait for their prey to ambush them.

I went deeper, past the shattered and drought-ed trees, and came to another gloomy spot inside.

Trees and vines were burned down and in shambles, resembling more of a disaster than anything else. Something felt ominously weird and frightening about seeing the human-less ruined shells of the stores faintly lighted by the flickering overhead lamps.

Because it was so dark inside, I employed my lightning magic to induce the wind mana and created  a lighting effect. However, when I lit them up, after a while they gradually became lighter than before.

Still, it would be better if I had fire attribute as well.

I gently walked on the overgrown weeds poking out from between the cracked ground and proceeded on my way, but I had a general sense of dread and surveyed my surroundings with my mama-infused eyes.

Everything was so calm and peaceful, although I did catch a glimpse of something's gaze.

And suddenly there was this odor. Something was emitting a terribly terrible odour of a beast carcass with flies crawling about it. This was a pretty familiar stench for me, who had seen far more than this in my prior life as an assassin as well as a warrior.

The majority of humans decompose with this fragrance, although animals have a minor difference in their odor. As a result, I can tell that this smell is from a beast.

However, I was still unable to track it down. Just as a predator would stalk its prey. With that, I can only conclude that the magical beast wanted to remain concealed and await its opportunity, Haha! Even for a monster or beast, this is a great strategy!

So, in that case...

I purposefully turned around and displayed my backside. And carefully retrace the steps I'd taken up to this point. As soon as the prey's back was revealed, a wild animal in my past life's world would try to attack on it. A Mana Beast would be no different... or so I hope!

So, as I took my fourth step back, that's exactly what happened.

\*Smash!!\*

Something leaped out as the tree behind me smashed into pieces. And this something leaped towards my exposed neck as soon as it dropped on the ground.

"Roar!"

Haha! I had been getting ready for a sneak attack like this one for this long you dimwit of a beast.

I immediately swung the short sword, imbuing it with my wind attribute mana, in the direction of the presence and sound I felt and heard behind me.

It was an instinctual reply that was flawlessly executed!

"Slash"

The blade's keen edge split open the creature's jaws. The Magical beast screamed in agony as it flew away from me and landed in a heap on the ground.

However, I suddenly felt heat from my slash. Could it be? Fire mana awakening?

Using Wing Blades all these days, I wasn't able to feel the heat of the force, and if had felt that, I would have already awakened my Fire Magic.

Now that I use a sword, the blade's slashes is kindling my mana reinforcement, thus making me feel the heat from my mana.

Well, I can awaken it completely later, first I should walk inside.

Looking down, it was a massive Tiger with a black fur coat.

The Tiger beast, its jaws slashed away, wiggled around and threw a seizure-like fit, as if in extreme anguish. When I examined it more closely, I discovered that it was a "Black Tiger"

Now that that's out of the way, there's no time to waste! While the Black Tiger was unable to move due to its wound, this was the ideal chance.

As I rushed, I threw the Black Tiger's body up and sliced down its throat with my short-sword, separating the Black Tiger's head from its body.

"Rawa..ar..a..rr!"

Black Tiger let forth a final yell and then ceased breathing.

"Good!" I was able to take a deep breath, as there was only a weak mana beast inside...or so I thought. But fate had other plans for me that I couldn't have predicted.

And one of them was...Two more Black Tigers jumped out from behind the inner dungeon's darkness.

***CHAPTER 19***