The weather was fine, but it was now past midday . Daniela and I chewed on some food we had bought on the way, as we walked to our destination .

The scenery that greeted you once you were out of the eastern gate was, well, the plains . There was a path for travelers to walk through, but the gra.s.s that was on both sides was tall enough to reach your knees . You could see them blow in the wind like ocean waves . It was a scene that reminded me of the times I visited my grandmother in the countryside . Though, those were fields of rice .

One step out of this great city and you might as well be in the countryside . There were no houses, and certainly no convenient stores out here . Still, it was all very beautiful .

Once we were out of the plains, a small grove spread out before us . There was a small trodden path that split it right down the middle . It brought back memories of being chased by forest wolves . I walked through with a little trepidation, but the only thing you could hear was the chirping of birds and the rustling of leaves . It was peace itself . There was something that Presence Detection was picking up, but Daniela said it was only a few goblins playing nearby . I almost wanted to go and see, but we were in a hurry, and so we moved on .

It took about an hour after leaving Spiris for us to arrive at the crags . There was no gra.s.s or trees here, only rocks . Apparently, there had been a mine here a long time ago, but it did not go very deep, as its resources were thin . It was abandoned quickly . And now what was left of it had become the home of kobolds and all sorts of monsters . In other words, we were going in .

I wouldn’t mind having a helmet now . Those ones with the lights .

“Here we go, Asagi . We should be fine in there if we use this lantern . ”

“Finally . But I do wonder…”

“What is it?”

This is a mine . Narrow, with walls on both sides and a low ceiling .

“Is this really the best way to check the capabilities of my armor?”

“You could test the mobility and defensive ability at least?”

“Well, I guess so…”

I would have much preferred to go to an open area, and freely beat monsters into a pulp at lightning speed… But it was a bit late for that . It was also important to experience combat against kobolds . I would just have to bear going into this dark, dark hole .

“It’s dark even with the lantern…I can barely see ahead of me . ”

“It cannot be helped . This place was abandoned long ago . ”

There was no point in complaining . I knew that very well, and yet, it was so dark and cramped . There were sudden corners and those seemed to take you to even dark areas . And who knew what would spring out?

“If you care so much, why do you not use Presence Detection?”

“Oh, right . ”

I frantically activated it . Woah, there was quite a lot . Ah…but they weren’t that close either . We had to go a little further .

“You see? There are no monsters near us, so you can move away now . It is quite difficult to walk . ”

“Oh, sorry…”

I had hardly been conscious of the fact that I was leaning against her and clutching her sleeve . I was the scared girlfriend in a haunted mansion for a moment there .

“Though, you can do it all you want while we are walking through the city . ”

“Yeah, I’m not sure about that . ”

I had not realized how bad this could be without a map until now . And I had no mapping skills . We walked through the winding tunnels for over an hour . Sometimes Presence Detection would show that a kobold was so close that we might encounter it at any moment, and then it would suddenly become far away . It was no longer reliable . The tunnels here were too complex .

“Asagi, it looks like we made it . They are up ahead . ”

“Huh?”

Daniela hid the light of the lantern under her coat . And then the corner lit up ahead of us . It should have been completely dark, but there was light leaking from somewhere further ahead . Someone else was here with a light . And Presence Detection told me it was a monster .

Daniela and I slowly approached the corner . Judging by the brightness, the light shouldn’t be too close yet . Perhaps at least ten meters . And so I took a look . Ahead of us, there were four monsters who were about as tall as children, and their heads were those of dogs . They were eating something on the ground . So, those must be the kobolds . They at least aligned with my mostly useless knowledge from games .

“What do you think? They are a little far…”

“What do you think? They are a little far…”

“We should rely on your speed then . Make a mad dash and kill them instantly . I will deal with any who might manage to escape you . ”

Master Daniela decided that I would charge into them . But she also promised to clean up any mess I might make of it, so I wasn’t about to complain . I unsheath my sword . Today I would be using a familiar weapon, my original iron sword . The steel one had broken, and the ancient elven sword was too advance for me . I did stop by a weapons shops, but they were out of stock at the moment . It would take a whole week for the materials to arrive, and then another to craft the sword . In other words, I would have to wait two weeks to get another steel sword . So I didn’t order one . Surely kobolds didn’t require anything better, and I could always just buy a new one if it breaks… In any case, I would be fighting with this iron sword for a while . However, if this sword broke on me now, I would be forced to become a cheat swordsman, so I had to be careful .

“Are you ready then?”

“Yeah, whenever you are . ”

“Good…go get them!”

I felt the slap on my b.u.t.t as I dug my heels into the dirt and rushed forward as fast as I could . The enchantments on my armor all activated, and I ran at a speed that far surpa.s.sed what I had been capable of in the leather armor set . Within a blink, I had closed in on them . I clutched the pommel in a reverse grip and swung backward while taking off a kobolds head .

“Call it the Asagi Stras.h.!.+”

This was a special move that was popular when I was a kid . I had been waiting for a moment to unleash it for years . And now was the time . However, there was no time to bask in the glory of the moment . Another kobold looks up in surprise, just in time for me to change my grip and hack it down . Now the others know of the ambush . One screams and picks up its club to strike me with, but I take a quick backstep and avoid the hit . In the next instant, a soundless arrow glides through the air . It enters the left side of the other kobolds head and comes out the other side . Impressive, Daniela .

The last kobold comes at me as it waves its club . I block it several times with my sword, checking my own movements . The armor was made mostly of ice dragon leather, but it also had scales and darksteel . It was the first time I was fighting in armor that included metal . And I wanted to see how the extra weight affected me . The kobold’s club seemed to have been made of carved stone . I block each blow carefully, and occasionally try catching it with my gauntlets . There is a deep vibration from the impact, but no pain . And no injury at all . I could really feel now, that I had made a good purchase .

I would test the durability of the leg guards next . I swung high to push the club over the kobold’s head, as it stood staggered for a second, I quickly slammed my s.h.i.+n into its dog head . Judging by the results, I had no issues with the leg guards . The kobold might have had an issue though, as he went flying backward . I was almost repulsed by how effective it was .

“My, my . Those really are something…”

“My, my . Those really are something…”

Daniela says as she approaches me . She had her bow leaning on her shoulder and she immediately offered her fist for our ritual b.u.mping .

“Good work, Daniela . ”

“You too . Now then, we should take the proof of our efforts . ”

Daniela pulled out her short sword and hacked off a kobold’s left hand . I see . This rather distinct four-fingered hand was the proof . And so I started to cut off another hand and we stuffed them in a leather bag .

“Eh…guess that’s it then . ”

“They were not much, were they?”

“To be honest, they were nothing . Though, perhaps part of that was due to this armor . I need to fight in this a little more . ”

“Hehe . Were you always so studious, Asagi?”

“I’m immune to flattery . ”

We talked lightheartedly as we prepared to leave again . Presence Detection was informing me that there were more kobolds a little ways ahead . Daniela walked in front, as she was holding the lantern, and I followed her . I gazed absentmindedly at Daniela’s b.u.t.t as it swayed in the backlight . We were now walking even deeper into the tunnels .