Chapter 158

Chapter 158

I stare blankly at Fisher.

This advanced mana control technique he's talking about makes sense. The only thing that bugs me, is the fact that this ability is pretty well-known in the Association... I had no idea it existed before I learned it.

I reply.

"So you're saying, by the end of the week you'll be able to teach me how to create a defensive technique like your own?"

The swordsman smirks then lets out a laugh.

"Yeah, right! I said we'd work on some techniques to help you break through one of these shields, learning how to form one yourself is on a whole different skill level. Plus, we have one task this week. There's no point in focusing on anything else right? Efficiency is key."

I grin, as he nods to me.

"Right. Kill the Behemoth."

After a long pause, the old man's voice rings out from the back room.

"Food is ready, eat up and get out!"

The Innkeeper brings over 3 steaming hot plates of food on a silver platter along with 3 drinks in his other hand.

Once served, I eat up like this is my first meal in days. Trust me, I know what that feels like.... Expending massive amounts of mana puts my body into shock like it's back in the Titan's Domain. After hard training like this, I always try to eat as much as I can and use self regeneration to its limits. Even so, it still takes days to recover fully.

The 3 of us pig out for a few minutes, enjoying the feast in front of us and ignoring everything in the surrounding area.

About 5 minutes in, once food isn't the only thing on our minds, Rylan speaks up.

"So, what will you two do for training today?"

He looks over to Fisher as he gulps down his drink and waves at Mr. Conway to grab him another.

The redhead continues.

"Jay has an element-imbued weapon just like you, are you going to start him off with mountain training? Or is there not enough time for something like that?"

I raise an eyebrow, confused at the sound of this so-call "mountain training". Fisher replies while wiping his mouth with his sleeve.

"Usually, new Elite recruits can't manage to complete that training method in months if they tried. The Director says you're a special case, just like me.

He smirks, downing a fork full of food and turning to me.

"I finished mine in under a week. You can handle it, right?"

I shrug, shoveling another bite of food into my mouth too. After swallowing hard, I reply.

"Whatever it is, if it'll make me stronger, I'm in."

I take another bite and zone out as the two of them laugh and start a new conversation about the Association and a few previous missions they were both on recently.N0v3lTr0ve served as the original host for this chapter's release on N0v3l--B1n.

"What does it have to do with my training anyways?"

Grinning, the swordsman turns his body to point an open palm up at the mountain above us.

"It relates to your training a lot actually. I'm surprised you've never heard about Dungeon Regeneration Rates."

"... No, I haven't. Explain."

"Dungeons and the monsters within them are made of pure mana. The only exception is when specific dropped items convert energy to actual worldly mass."

I nod slowly as he continues.

"Dungeons are created to look, act, and perform in a certain way. Dungeons and labyrinths grow stronger as we bring we, the hunters, bring more mana into them. If reckless idiots come in and rampage the place to leave it a mess, who would want to come back for more? How will the dungeons and labyrinths get stronger?"

I start to open my mouth as gears begin to turn in my head. Fisher continues.

"Every isolated Dungeon has a specific regeneration rate. Some that have stronger mana tend to regenerate faster, and others with weaker mana levels tend to heal a bit slower. Size, location, age, mob levels, if the dungeon is in a labyrinth or not, there are a lot of factors that play into this."

I finally get a word in, now understanding how the floor magically returned to normal overnight.

"So.. how long is the rate on this one?"

The Elite grins.

"Just under 8 hours."

I start scratching my chin and thinking to myself about this concept.

It seems like Fisher knows a bit more than I thought, but I have more insight on this new discovery than most hunters would ever get in a lifetime. I am after all bonded with a Labyrinth Guardian... A literal Dragon.

Ember has enlightened me on a few things. The first being, monsters only care about you for your mana. Mindless beasts are always programmed to kill an outsider on sight, even Intelligent monsters have an unwavering urge to defeat those that trespass into their domain.

There must be some reasoning behind this, but so far, I haven't found that out.

The one's profiting off the dungeons, most likely a Demon and Dragon pairing, want to keep them tidy for guests when they arrive.

With excess mana stores available, dungeons can be healed back to their original form.

A grin starts to grow across my face. New information is always so satisfying when I can put more pieces of a puzzle together.

"So... what do the regeneration rates of this dungeon have to do with my training?"

Fisher lets out a sigh, still pointing his palm high up into the air at the rocky mountain high in the sky. He brings his hand down and points at me, then to a rock wall about 100m away from us.

The words then come out of his mouth next leave me in a simultaneous state of shock, awe, and amusement.

Fisher speaks.

"You have 8 hours to make a cut all the way through this mountain with nothing but your mana, magic skills, and a sword."