Dungeons Are Bad Business

Yensin saw the strike coming, but his legs were too tired for him to duck in time. He winced as the wooden training sword rapped him on the head, and the match was called in his opponent’s favor.

It took all of Yensin’s self-control to keep from throwing his blade down on the ground in frustration. He hated to lose, especially when he was facing Jeimok.

The salamander sneered, his green scales glittering with sweat. Stepping back, he gave Yensin a mocking bow and spat on the ground. “Guess you just got lucky last time, eh?”

Yensin shrugged, telling himself that it wasn’t worth rising to the salamander’s bait.

Jeimok pressed the issue. “I bet you really thought you were going to win, right? That little taste of victory was just so sweet, wasn’t it? I told you, I had a cold last time, so I had a hard time breathing. That was the only reason you won.”

“That’s not true,” Yensin said quietly, feeling the familiar tide of rage building in his chest. Keenly aware of the [Training Master]’s eyes on his back, Yensin held his breath for a moment before going on. “I beat you last time because I’m better than you are. You’re the one who got lucky… facing me after I got a draw against Paige.”

The salamander straightened up, raising his chin imperiously and rolling his shoulders. “Is that so? You want to try and prove that with another match?”

Yensin did, but before he could raise his weapon and say so, the bell governing the sparring matches rang out and it was time for him to move to the next station. As he walked away, he heard Jeimok call him a coward, and his training sword creaked as he squeezed the handle with all his Might.

Not today, he reminded himself. He could settle up with Jeimok later, but today he needed to focus on making a good impression on the [Training Master].

As he walked to the next arena, he couldn’t help but look over at the man. The [Training Master] was old, with dark skin and wiry muscles made all the more prominent by the way he folded his arms across his chest. He sat on a rickety stool in the center of the training hall, and his face was set in a deep scowl. Yensin didn’t know much about him, for he was elusive under the best of circumstances and his legendary disdain for most members meant that he almost never came down to watch the matches or instruct classes. Instead, the rumor went, he spent almost all his time in his office, frantically tinkering with workout programs and training regimens.

What had prompted him to come down today to supervise directly? Yensin had no idea, and he suspected that was true of everyone else sparring that day. Nor was it a question that he could afford to spend time or energy pondering just then, his next opponent was Eli, the burly kitrekin who was arguably the strongest person in the entire gymnasium.

Bracing himself for a rough bout, Yensin took a deep breath and readied his weapon, bowing to Eli as was customary before the bell rang.

Wincing, Yensin took Eli’s offered hand and staggered to his feet. His guard had given out after a few [Sweeping Strikes] and that’d been it for the match; Eli was simply too skilled not to take advantage of his openings.

Rage burned inside Yensin’s heart, but it was a different type of anger than what he’d felt after fighting Jeimok. Instead of burning fury, his anger was a small, cold thing that settled itself in the pit of his stomach and set his thoughts aflame.

I need to be stronger.

I can’t afford to stop now or be content with what I have.

I want more.

I’m going to work even harder.

I’m going to be the best.

[Nothing tastes sweeter than a victory rightfully earned.]

[You can now earn points in Hunger For Victory!]

[Hunger For Victory +1]

All around the room, the trainees were flagging. Yensin was far from the only one injured, and several were in such bad shape that the elkin doubted they’d be able to even walk to the locker room, let alone fight another bout.

Despite his newfound stat, Yensin himself wasn’t sure that he could keep going either. His legs trembled, his arms felt like they were made out of stone, and his ribs ached like crazy.

Using his training sword as a makeshift cane, he sagged forward and tried to rest. Slow, steady breaths did little to help him feel better, and he felt no small sense of satisfaction when he saw that Jeimok also looked to be struggling. Even Paige, prodigy that she was, looked pale and unsteady.

Thankfully, it seemed that today wasn’t the day in which everyone in the arena got to discover firsthand how capable they were of surpassing their physical limits; the [Training Master] stood up and clapped his hands together.

“I think that’s enough for today, everyone. Go ahead and call it for now, eh?”

Relief fell like rain in the middle of summer, and the trainees separated. Stumbling and holding onto one another for support, they dispersed slowly, returning their training weapons to the racks as they headed back to the locker room.

Yensin stayed where he was for a moment. The [Training Master] had walked over and stopped in front of Jeimok. It wasn’t proper to try and eavesdrop, but Yensin didn’t care. Alas, he couldn’t hear what the man said, but took some solace from the fact that Jeimok’s shoulders slumped when he finished it.

Negotiating every step with his exhausted legs, Yensin shuffled toward the locker room, but was stopped by the [Training Master]. The old man was smiling.

“You got it after that last fight, didn’t you?”

The elkin bowed his head, fumbling with his antler. “I’m not sure what you mean, sir.”

“Hunger For Victory. I can see it in your eyes. You want more than just this, right?”

He gestured around the room, and Yensin nodded.

“Excellent. That’s the first step that most everyone who comes through here fails to take. They think there’s something magic in this place, that just by being here they’ll absorb something to make them more than normal, and when that fails to happen they leave. Now, you’re pretty talentless, but with some time and training I think I could make a half-decent adventurer out of you.”

Yensin couldn’t believe his ears, and hurried to bow his head in appreciation. “I’d be honored for your instruction, sir.”

The [Training Master] laughed. “I’m sure you would be, but I’m still not certain that you’re worth my time. Here, take this.”

He produced a slip of paper and handed it over. Yensin took it and gave it a quick read.

Come test your mettle!

The ‘Dungeons of the Future’ development committee is hosting its inaugural challenge.

Fight in FIVE separate dungeons! Earn prizes, experience, and opportunities for standing out. ADS [Agents] will be attending to spectate!

There were other details on the paper too, but Yensin didn’t pay much attention to them. He looked back at the [Training Master].

“You want me to enter this?”

The man nodded. “Indeed. Paige and Jeimok will be entering too, and I’ll make you the same offer I made them: defeat three out of those five dungeons and I’ll make you my [Handpicked Protege]. I’ll give you the fleurs for travel and accommodations, so you don’t have to worry about that. You’ve got almost two months until it starts up, so I suggest you take this time and figure out how to make some improvements in your fighting.”

Yensin swallowed hard. “Er…how exactly would you recommend I do that?”

The [Training Master]’s eyes glittered. “Start by picking a different weapon. You have no aptitude for the sword.”

And with that little nugget of wisdom, the [Training Master] turned around and vanished, leaving Yensin with a ton of questions and more than a little bit of frustration.

Yensin sprinted toward the bush that marked the finish line of his recurring [Road Work] quest and reveled in a moment of near-perfect satisfaction as he slowed to a stop. His breath came in short, rapid bursts, and his legs felt hot, but even if he hadn’t got the little notification that told him he’d earned another point of Endurance he would have believed the run to be worth it.

He walked into the gymnasium and settled into his stretches. Since it was so early in the morning, there was hardly anyone else to be seen – only Paige, who was diligently practicing her sword forms – and Yensin sprawled out to get comfortable.

When he was done, he rolled over and started his calisthenics routine. The [Training Master] had given it to him, and to say that it was grueling was a gross understatement. There were half a dozen different types of pushups, lunges, and stances that looked like they should be easy and relaxing but were secretly agony given physical form.

Gritting his teeth, Yensin pushed himself from one exercise to the next. Two months wasn’t exactly a lot of time to attain serious changes to his physique, but he knew for a fact that he’d gotten stronger.

And it’s only the beginning, he told himself. With every few days of training, his Hunger For Victory continued to increase. I just have to beat three of those dungeons and the old man will train me for real.

As far as motivational goals went, it wasn’t exactly the greatest one Yensin had ever heard of. It was small in the grand scheme of life – while the [Training Master] was exceptionally skilled, there were others out there who could do similar, if lesser, things – but Yensin didn’t care. He wanted to carve his name into the tallest mountain of dungeon sport accomplishment. That was still a long way off, but Yensin repeated it to himself over and over again as he struggled with the so-called [Archer] pushups that pushed his balance beyond its natural limit.

Half an hour later, Jeimok sauntered in, drawing his ornately decorated saber and sending a stream of fiery projectiles at the gymnasium’s skill-absorbtion crystals. Yensin watched him sourly; the salamander had become a proper [Spellblade Joybringer] in the past few weeks and while his progress wasn’t quite as fast as Paige’s, Jeimok was certainly outpacing Yensin himself. .

Jeimok spun around and sent out a trio of violet streamers that exploded when they hit the crystal, then sheathed his sword with an unnecessary flourish. Noticing Yensin’s stare, the salamander preened and walked over.

“Wish you actually had a proper class, antlers? Or maybe you fancy a spar. The old man isn’t going to be here for another hour yet, so there’s nothing stopping us from getting a few rounds in.”

Yensin shook his head. “[Training Master] forbade it.”

Jeimok sneered, and Yensin felt that old familiar rage burning inside his chest once more. “Look at you, hiding away like you always do,” he said, his voice dripping with venom. “I can’t wait to watch you fail every dungeon you challenge.”

He walked off without another word, and Yensin clenched his fingers so hard he drew blood from his palms.

There was a thump from somewhere above him, and the elkin looked up to see the [Training Master] grinning down at him. When Yensin tried to resume his calisthenics workout, there was another thump.

The [Training Master] pantomimed a spear thrust, using his pen as a makeshift prop. He did it several more times, each one more aggressively than the last.

His meaning was clear: Put your anger to work.

Yensin still didn’t get it, but who was he to argue? Getting to his feet, he walked over to the training rack and grabbed his practice spear. The wooden weapon was smooth and comfortable in his hands…far more than any sword had ever been.

Centering himself, Yensin practiced his [Quick Thrust]. It was a core skill for most {Spear} classes, and the elkin let his temper fuel his movements. Anger made his hands move faster, and from time to time he could hear the air itself snap with his blows.

He lost track of time, focusing only on filling his every strike with all his anger. His rhythm faltered as fatigue set in, but after what felt like the thousandth strike of the day, a notification popped up in front of Yensin’s eyes.

[You have unlocked the Incandescent Spearman class. Would you like to take it?]

Yensin smiled and hit yes.

[Congratulations, you are now an Incandescent Spearman Level 1!]

[You can now use the Furious Thrusts skill!]

[You can now use the Raging Sweep skill!]

[You can now use the Unceasing Advance skill!]

[Might +2]

[You can now earn points in Aggression!]

[Aggression +3]

Yensin's Character Sheet:

Primary Class: Training Apprentice (Moonrose Gym and Adventuring Training Center), Level 10

Secondary Class: Incandescent Spearman (Self), Level 1

Might: 17

Wit: 11

Faith: 10

Ambition: 9

Endurance: 13 (+1)

Focus: 8

Persistence: 9

Temper Control: 5

Hunger For Victory: 4

Charisma: 2

Aggression: 3 (+3)