[Buddy] was given the relevant information about ‘milestones’, but we agreed on it not being the time to talk about them right now.

There was a [Sorcerer] that wanted to kick my ass prowling nearby.

Was I sure of how he would go about it? No.

Did I have a plan to escape his clutches? Well… I did, but it required [Kenny], so that plan already got shafted.

“Any suggestions?”

Ready up both [Annul] and the various elemental Barriers?

“Sure.”

I wasn’t going to tell my [Tutorial] that I had already started doing so, to not undermine its contribution, but the fact that its improvised plan mirrored my own did make me more hopeful that it would help.

The fog fall that had been closing off the room had dissipated almost immediately upon the defeat of the [Mini-Boss], even faster than it was taking for its corpse to dematerialize.

I started looking more closely at the indent I had left in the wall, noting that it wasn’t all that hard to ‘impact’ the walls of this [Dungeon], denominating it as one of the few ‘destructible’ ones.

“I could work with that”, I thought, and a quick [Annul] showed that while appearing as normal rock, it still was just made by the [Dungeon], so it was little more than solidified [Mana], and crumbled under the effect of my [Ability].

I turned back to the [Mini-Boss], and found that it was practically gone at this point, so I started heading back; but first, I pulled out my [Guide to the Hearth].

This innocuous-looking thing would be indispensable in guiding me out of this place, given that my [Stats]-enhanced mind wasn’t still good enough to cover for my terrible sense of direction.

I scanned the way out of the room I was in with both my [Precognitive Aura], and my [Unavoidable Detection]: Eddd wasn’t there.

That was not possible, he should have been there at least to save me if I had failed against the [Mini-Boss]; and yet I couldn’t find him…

“Oh, shit, I can’t find him!

He had successfully lulled me into a false sense of security by showing me that I could still see him, only so that he could succeed in striking the poor and defenseless me-

Oh, there he is.”

I had kept on heading back, keeping an eye open for any signs of the old bastard, when I spotted his silhouette in one of the side passages.

He definitely was harder to see, visible only through the faint wisps of magic that his [Spell] gave off, and even my [Aura] failed in telling where exactly he was.

“So, he did all of the previous things I was thinking he did, but I can still ‘see’ him… I can work with that too.”

I walked right past him, trying as hard as I could to not look directly at him, while maintaining my strides as even as possible, so that he wouldn’t suspect a thing.

But when I saw him take a step in my direction, I booked it.

“Wha- you can still see me!? Hod the fu-“ his flabbergasted expression would have been a delight to experience, but instead of turning around and doing just that, I opted to mine the passage with [Orbs] and holes (provided by [Annul]).

I had no idea of what he was doing, or how easily he was avoiding my traps, but after the next bend on the path, while still being guided by the compass, I started leaving [Turrets] behind me, at irregular intervals.

I felt kind of ashamed for running like this, but cowards were usually those that lasted longer, and I didn’t need to win this fight, I just needed to elude him.

Those feelings didn’t last long, interrupted when a strong gust of wind almost buffeted me off my feet.

I suddenly felt almost all of my [Turrets] getting smashed, in the form of part of the [Mana] invested in them coming back to me.

“So, that’s how you want to play this? Fine, run like the little mouse you are!”

I stopped dead in my tracks-

Do not let it get to you.

-turned around-

You were doing so well!

-and summoned one, single, [Turret].

Wait, what?

I proceeded to fill with as much [Mana] as I could, to the point where the migraine that I usually got from overtaxing my [Core] became almost unbearable, stopping only when I saw my vision darkening at the edges.

Holding my head upright with one of my hands, I shouted in the direction of ‘DouchEddd’: “let’s see who’s the rat now, you mousy bastard!”

I briefly noted that the [Turret] almost seemed to shine a bright purple, with a golden hue, but I had no more time to waste: the last [Turret] before this one had just been destroyed.

I summoned a [Totem] to protect my last creation, almost as an afterthought, and I almost missed a step from the resulting jolt of pain, but I still got back to running, ignoring the rebuke from the old bastard, and concentrated only on taking the right path.

I do not know what that will accomplish, but you might not have enough Mana to defeat any respawned Monsters.

Just to prove [Buddy] wrong I took the closest path that I remembered being connected to the correct one back, which just so happened to have an enemy in it.

A quick [Repair] took some of the edges out of the pain, and I got blasting, needing only three [Mana Bolts] to kill the [Miner].

Never mind.

It was that at that moment that I felt as if the air itself had been cut: not too far behind me I could perceive a dichotomy, momentarily coming to be, at the same level that my [Turret] would normally shoot at.

It had ‘delivered its pizza’, and I had no idea what that had caused.

Until:

“Argh! You LITTLE FUCKER!!! THIS just got PERSONAL!!!” Eddd sounded in pain, shock, and anger, all at the same time.

“Now it got personal? That lying fu-“

Another cut, and this time a rumbling explosion followed. My [Turret] had tried shooting again and got annihilated for it.

I redouble my efforts in my running, but once I got within sight of the steps to the fourth floor I was already running on fumes.

I was certain that I was done, that it was over, and that there were no chances of success left. I was just too tired, and my [Core] was almost empty.

So you can imagine my surprise when the compass I was letting guide me told me to take a sharp left in front of the stairs.

“Wha-?”

But there was no time for doubts, since the sound from the explosion that the [Sorcerer] was causing, probably to clean his path from other traps or similar, was getting dangerously close.

I decided to trust the parting gift from Undine and ran straight into the wall.

Only, I went through it instead. As soon as I was inside I noticed the glowing circle on the ground, and a small inscription surrounding it.

If it was anybody else, they probably wouldn’t know what it said. My [Omnigloth] instead made me read that it was a [Teleporting Array], one that could teleport people in front of the entrance, as long as you said the inscribed password.

While wondering just why I hadn’t seen it before, with it being the first occasion where [Demiurgic Sight] had failed me, I jumped on [Array], and whispered “primum area”.

I didn’t have time to question why it was in Latin, I just used it. And I found myself feeling like I was being moved, almost pulled, through the entire dungeon; the moment didn’t last long, and I quickly found myself staring at the stairs that led out of the place, only slightly disoriented.

Since I wasn’t stupid enough to assume, for even a single second, that the [Teachers] didn’t know about the [Teleport] in the [Dungeon] in their backyard, I redoubled my efforts once more, skipping along the stairs.

You are now exiting the [Dungeon]

I was out, the moonlight shone on my face, and I threw my hand in the hair, balled into tight fists.

“I did it!” I shouted, and made every head in the vicinity turn my way.

“Dulcet? You’re already done? And where’s Kaell?” The [Guild Master] was the first to approach me, spitting questions in rapid-fire.

“Can I get something for both [Mana] and [Fatigue] first?” I managed to get out between breaths, dropping to the ground butt-first, overwhelmed by the exhaustion that had finally caught up with me.

“Here it is, it’s for both; drink it, and don’t choke on it”, said Merga, handing me a yellow potion.

It was already cork-less, so I brought it to my lips and chugged it in a single gulp; and I was glad I did, because it tasted like ass.

I checked my status:

HP

89%

MP

76%

FP

33%

Compared to what I had arrived with, I was doing much better; only my health remained unchanged, but it is what I had asked for.

One deep breath later, and I was ready to spill the beans.

“I defeated the [Mini-Boss], which I don’t think was supposed to be [Aberrant] by the way, and gave Eddd the ‘slip’, maybe even injured him”, I related.

“Yes. Yes, you did” said a sullen voice from behind me.

I had dropped with my back to the [Dungeon], and now I was looking at the emerging form of Eddd, with a bloody arm clasped in the other.

“Oh, my- Eddd, are you alright?” Exclaimed Merga, immediately fussing over him, and handing him a red potion.

He took it with his good hand, and splashed it onto the injured arm, “I’m fine: The brat just managed to catch me by surprise”.

“Heck yeah, I did!” I couldn’t avoid being ecstatic at the notion of being able to successfully harm someone so much stronger than myself.

“Well,” interceded Abaan, calming down the [Sorcerer] that was trying to [Smite] me with looks alone, “seems that we may actually have [True Adventurer] material right here”.

“A what?” I intelligently asked.

“A [True Adventurer], one that prevails in the face of impossibilities; just like you did”, replied Merga, bending down to pat me on the head (which I let her do).

“Have you truly faced an [Aberrant Mini-Boss] in there?” Asked good old Grog.

“Uh, yeah? I don’t see the point in lying about it now that it’s done.”

Grog then sent a meaningful look to Abaan, who sighted and then nodded.

“Then it might be time for a complete [Delve], to clean it up a bit”, said the [Guild Master].

“What are you talking about?” I don’t know if it was the exhaustion, the rapid change in tone, or the fact that it was the dead of night, but I currently wasn’t understanding shit.

“Never you mind that; just know that I declare your [Quest] completed, with also the hidden requirement fulfilled!” He exclaimed, and the expected swirls of [Aether] appeared.

You have completed a [Quest], and its hidden Task

You have successfully earned the [Job]: [True Adventurer].

You have been awarded +10 to every [Stats]

Through your actions, you had been awarded +2 [Strength], +3 [Dexterity], +4 [Energy], and +5 [Will]

“Sweet!

…

Can I go to sleep now?”

A deep laugh interrupted any response I may have gotten, coming from a shambling Skortch.

“I knew thad yah had it in yah!” He slurred, with a thickened accent.

“Are you drunk?” Asked a disappointed-sounding Merga.

“Me? Nah! Yah shouldav’ seen t’others!” The ‘arsonist’ replied, laughing at his own word.

“It seems that our colleague has brought it upon himself to make merry with the rest of the [Students]”, concluded a healed Eddd.

“They’re all awake?” I asked.

“Nat al’, som’ migh’ beh sleepin’”, was the reply that I got from the drunk.

“Then I might just join this last group: I’m done for today.”

“You and me both”, said Eddd, with all of the usual snarkiness gone from his voice.

I looked back at him, squinting in suspicion.

“…Did you hit your head, or something?” I had to ask.

“No, I’m just done with that farce; it isn’t needed from me anymore to play the part of the old, and grouchy, bastard. You’ll find me much more amicable; especially if you were to pay me!”

For a moment, all our past interactions flashed in front of my eyes, and I couldn’t have been caught more flat-footed.

“What? It was all a farce? Why!?” I ended up being the one showing a most pleasing face to the old Elf.

* * *

{Guild Staff’s POV}

“The kid actually made me sweat there”, said the [Elemental Sorcerer], once he was done with his retelling of Darwin’s [Delve].

The second [Task] of the [Quest] merely required to survive the floor against a [Teacher]. Yet Dulcet had defied every expectation by wounding the [Moon Elf], while finding, and operating, the [Teleporter], and managing to escape the [Dungeon] only winded.

All the [Teachers], plus the [Guild Master], were holding one last conference, before they had to send the newbies on their way.

“That is outstanding. How do you think he managed that, so early in his [Class]?” Asked an awed Orc.

“We may hav’ a [Genius] on our hands…” proposed Skortch.

Only to be shut down by Eddd: “He’s no [Genius], believe me. That bout of prowess was definitely random. He’s more like an [Hero], randomly getting power from who knows where.”

“You might not be too far from the truth”, suggested Merga.

“So… does anything change for our plans?” Asked Abaan.

“I would propose to send him further into the [Wild], where those with similar futures, and qualities to him, seem to gather”, said Grog.

“Wow, yah think he’s up fo’ dat!?” Asked the perplexed red Nymph.

“Maybe not, or maybe he will be quickly propelled to the required level when thrown in the right fight”, responded the Orc.

“I think that’s an excellent idea!” Exclaimed the [Witch], “and I just received notice of someone that would make a good pairing with him”.

When Merga failed to elaborate Eddd grumbled a bit about it, but the memory of that last attack made him finally relent, while Skortch just shrugged, easily accepting it as the correct course of action.

“So, to reiterate: the dozen [Human Adventurers] get sent to the beginner's area, still within this [Island]; while we send the [True] one to the fringes of the [Wild], with a secret companion that Merga refuses to divulge information about?” Asked for, hopefully, the final time the [Guild Master].

After the assent of all those present and the continuation from the Syren of being tight-lipped, the meeting was adjourned.

And they all went out to the tavern for drinks, like old times.