Kira grinned as she looked over the golden notification sparkling in front of her.

-----

【 LEVEL-UP 】

Level: 3 ► 4

HP: 60/60 ► 80/80

MP: 90/90 ► 120/120

STR: 13 ► 17 (+4 BI)

INT: 16 ► 20 (+4 BI)

AGI: 12 ► 18 (+4 BI, +2 VTB*)

DEX: 14 ► 20 (+4 BI, +2 VTB*)

*Vigorous Training Bonus: You have expended great effort to increase these values. Effort is rewarded!

-----

'All it took was soloing an entire Dungeon Floor myself to get another level, huh? Well, that Variant group and Boss did give me tons of EXP. If I weren't a human Geomancer, I probably would have leveled several times by now. Ugh, what a pain this is gonna be...'

She dismissed the window, then cautiously opened the Boss treasure chest. Her first reward was an enchanted toy, her second was a set of gloves that helped with spellcasting, surely the reward for soloing a Dungeon at 3F would be good too?

-----

【 Ear Cuff of Concentration 】

Gold Quality

Using gold for enhanced enchantment conductivity and a charged amazonite pendant, this cuff increases concentration and mental focus of the wearer. It's very efficient and highly valuable among scholars, and those who are easily distracted by their own thoughts.

Can only be removed by the wearer themselves.

-----

'It's a neat item, and really pretty, but that effect... I don't know if the Dungeon God likes me, or is just making fun of me...' Kira thought to herself, torn between laughing and letting out a sigh. The reward for soloing an entire floor was meant to help her focus, and she couldn't even argue against the intention since she was distracted for the entire endeavor.

The cuff itself was half the length of her ear, with a shape that reminded her of several stacked crystal clusters. Hanging from a tiny golden chain at the bottom of the cuff was a small bluish-green stone carved into an elongated dipyramid. Kira clipped it onto her right ear, since the left had the translation cuff, and the new one shrunk just a bit to mold comfortably against the outer curve of her ear.

She didn't feel very different, but she didn't think it'd be an obvious effect anyway. Kira used the System's camera function and an extra display screen like a mirror, tucking a lock of her hair back to see how the cuff looked once she was wearing it.

〖 Ailsa: Looks good on you! 〗

〖 Kira: OH you're uh, still watching huh 〗Kira responded, resisting the urge to hide her face as she blushed.

〖 Ailsa: Yup, hahaha. Don't worry, everyone likes checking out their new gear! What kind of enchant does it have? 〗

〖 Kira: Concentration. Increases my mental focus. 〗

〖 Ailsa: Well, that's a little on the nose, isn't it? 〗

〖 Kira: little bit 〗

〖 Ailsa: Training Dungeons have a chance to apply enchantments of Concentration, Consolation, Resistance or Growth on their rewards, since the whole Dungeon itself is meant to aid with learning. Consolation is what your slime toy's got, where it helps soothe emotions and generate calm. Resistance is pretty self-explanatory, it helps with resisting different kinds of attacks or status effects. And then Growth is meant to help increase certain stats more quickly, but that one's more rare to receive and is usually awarded to Beings of a race that doesn't have strong natural stat growth. 〗

〖 Kira: Like Ribbon? When she leveled before she got a bunch of extra stats due to training bonuses, but it still wasn't a lot. 〗

〖 Ailsa: Yes, that's true. Kobolds have low stat growth compared to many other Beings. 〗

Kira sighed, rubbing the back of her neck. 〖 Kira: That seems so unfair. I wish I could share some of my stats with her. 〗

〖 Ailsa: Oh? 〗

〖 Kira: I mean, she's my friend. And I want to stay in a Team with her because it's fun. But my stat growth is obnoxious, and I don't want to end up making her feel bad if she starts comparing herself to me. I don't ever want her to think something dumb like she has to leave cuz she can't keep up, you know? I'm starting to realize how unfair of a benchmark I really am... 〗

〖 Ailsa: It hasn't even happened and you're already worried about something like that? 〗

〖 Kira: ...yeah I guess... I know it's stupid, especially with my slow leveling rate to balance out my stupid stat growth, but... 〗

〖 Ailsa: Seen a lot of shows where that kind of thing happened to the characters, have you? 〗

〖 Kira: ??? How'd you know?! 〗

〖 Ailsa: Hahahaha! It's a common enough concern among talented children. There's ways to compensate for differences in stat growth, especially if you start early! I'm your mentor, and they're your precious Teammates, so naturally I'll make sure to help them out too. Let me worry about things like stat growth and training, okay? You just focus on getting stronger and having fun with your friends. 〗

A warm, fuzzy feeling bloomed in Kira's chest, and she couldn't fight back the slow smile that spread across her face.〖 Kira: Okay... Thank you. 〗

〖Ailsa: Leave it to me! You can go ahead and use the Boss circle there to reach the next floor, now. 〗

〖 Kira: Huh? What about you guys? 〗

〖 Ailsa: It's an instanced Dungeon so if one person activates the transfer circle, everyone in the Team gets credit so long as they're in the same Dungeon Floor. We'll be able to transfer up from here, since you went and cleared everything for us. 〗

〖 Kira: Oh, neat. That's convenient. 〗

〖 Ailsa: Right? Sometimes its better to split up to clear a floor efficiently, people are caught in a trap, a few folks are ineffective against the Boss-type due to Class mismatches, someone has to stay in the Sanctuary because they're too injured, or any number of other situations could cause a Team or Party to be scattered. It'd be a pain if you always had to wait for your full group to reconvene, especially in the bigger dungeons... 〗

〖 Kira: Oh... I thought it'd usually be a bad idea to split the party? 〗

〖 Ailsa: Depends on the situation, and the folks you're partying with, of course! With reliable folks at your side, it might be faster to all split up and clear a Floor as fast as possible for a chance at better rewards. But that's only in Dungeons where you know what to expect, or have Soul Gems to cover for mistakes! Don't try that sort of tactic in a wild Gate or unexplored Dungeon, those things are damned unpredictable! 〗

〖 Kira: Ok I'll remember that. Transferring up now 〗

Kira dismissed the message window, then did a few stretches before stepping into the glowing circle occupying the center of the room. Since she had a Floor token, she tapped the button for heading to the next Floor once the confirmation window popped up, and waited patiently as the world dissolved into white light around her.

"That was AMAZING!" Ribbon squealed as soon as she materialized in the Sanctuary, bouncing over to grasp Kira's hand. Kira, who'd made a stone couch to sit on while she waited, couldn't help but share the Kobold's enthusiastic grin.

"Thanks."

"You were all BOOM! And POW! And WHAM! Those goblins didn't even stand a chance!" Ribbon hopped up onto the stone couch, her tail wagging furiously. Then she mimicked Kira's punching motions, jabbing at the air with her little paws. "I was so busy last time I didn't get to see your fighting, it's really something else!"

"...Just good stats," Kira mumbled, her face and ears turning red from embarrassment.

Chuckling, Ailsa brought a chair out of her inventory for both Brigit and herself, then glanced over at the Sanctuary exit that Kira already blocked off with an earthen wall. "Good job securin' the safe zone, kiddo. And 'grats fer yer high score clear time! That new trinket of yers be gold quality, aye?"

"Yeah."

"Gold quality be damned fine fer a Trainin' Dungeon reward, well done. Fer the second Floor, however, things are gonna be gettin' a bit harder. The first Floor of a Dungeon always be the easiest, ta get yer foot in the door. There be a difficulty curve, like. Less floors means less challengin' overall, but a steep curve between Floors. More Floors means higher overall difficulty, but a gentle curve.

"Each Floor be havin' somethin' called brackets, which be the level range of monsters found in 'em. The difference between Floor brackets, known as the Floor gap, be the same as the level difference within the first Floor bracket."

Brigit and Kira both nodded solemnly, while Ribbon's eyes seemed to be spinning. Ailsa grinned and gestured for Brigit to explain further. The Drakke paused, considering her words, before turning to Ribbon. "This Training Dungeon has the first Floor bracket at 5F to 10F. There's a five level difference between the lowest and highest possible monster levels, so the Floor gap of the Dungeon is 5 levels. The lowest level on subsequent floors will be 5 levels higher than the highest level of the floor before it."

"Monsters on this floor are 15F to 20F," Kira chimed in, and Ribbon's eyes widened in a combination of shock and terror.

"F... F...Fifteen?!" Ribbon squeaked, her little body trembling. The excitement of seeing Kira trash an entire Floor solo was nothing compared to the level difference staring them all in the face.

Brigit, 7F.

Ribbon, 6F.

Kira, 4F. She could cheat a little with her raw stats and natural fighting talent, but only on the first Floor.

"On the second Floor, monsters be startin' ta use abilities and spells fer real," Ailsa spoke softly, jerking her thumb toward the covered exit. "First Floor monsters never have aggressive skills or spells. Second Floor ones do. And since this Trainin' Dungeon only has five Floors, and thus a steep curve... Their numbers be growin', too. No more little groups of gobbos, like. That Variant group ye told me about? That be the standard type in the second Floor. A moglin with at least three goblin minions, but higher levels fer the whole lot, and fightin' skills between em. I ain't gonna sugar-coat this fer ya, kiddos. Yer prolly gonna die.

"Dyin' ain't pleasant, but better ta do it here with Soul Gems and learn yer limits, ta be prepared fer next time. Fear of death be a cripplin', natural fear, but ironically can be yer downfall if ye ain't able to mentally cope. Freezin' in the wrong situation can get yerself and yer allies killed, so it's good ta get experience with dangerous situations and the use of Soul Gems like this."

"You want us... To practice dying?" Kira whispered, and Ailsa flinched at the girl's hollow tone.

Ribbon reached over to gently pat the girl's knee. "D-don't worry! We have f-free Soul Gems. If we d-die, we'll r-revive! Then w-we just have to w-wait for the cooldown until w-we can enter a D-Dungeon again."

The Kobold was stammering pretty hard again, a sure sign she was way more nervous than she let on, but Ribbon was putting on a brave face to try and comfort Kira. Kira nodded, her face pale, but it was obvious she'd noticed the stammering as well. Ailsa pondered her next words carefully, then opened her mouth-

"Yes, we must practice dying." Everyone looked up in surprise when it was Brigit who answered in a matter-of-fact tone, hands folded on her lap. She glanced at Ailsa, a pained expression in her beautiful golden eyes, before seeking and maintaining eye contact with a confused Kira. "That fear, that dread you're feeling right now is exactly why it needs to be done. It's not bad to fear death, it's bad to let that fear consume you. It's important to learn how to keep your head even in the face of imminent demise, in order to search for a way to survive even in the worst situations. Giving in to despair is what makes situations hopeless. Only for those who are calm and patient, will there be a way."

"Oh..."

Ailsa sighed. It was a harsh lesson, but Brigit was absolutely correct. Most young folks had second-hand experiences with death, losing friends or loved ones rather than feeling the cold jaws around their own neck. Learning to face the instinctual fear of death while directly in danger of it was very different from seeing it happen to others from a distance, and understanding that difference was important for anyone who wanted to do more than simply survive.

It was even more important for talented children like Kira. Overconfidence in one's abilities led to mistakes, and Kira had yet to face a real challenge or threat. The kid did a good job of admonishing herself when her actions got too bold, listening to Ailsa's advice about strengthening her foundation and being mindful of positioning against opponents. But without pressure even the most experienced adventurers slipped into eventual complacency, and Kira was still an inexperienced teenage student.

"I'll give ye lot as much advice as possible today," Ailsa said softly. "We'll be goin' slow, one room at a time. Ain't no traps until the third Floor so on the second one we'll be focusin' on combat tactics and teamwork rather than environmental awareness. Kira, yer stats be enough right now ta cover a difference of about 10 levels, but the beasties here be more'n 12 levels higher than yerself. So ye can use magic if'n ye feel it needs ta be done, but I'd prefer if'n ye focus on yer melee combat fer a bit, until it feels more natural-like."

"Yes ma'am." Kira's voice was oddly soft and subdued, her eyes cast to the floor. Ailsa exchanged glances with the other two girls, then cleared her throat and leaned over to tap the human on the shoulder.

"Look, I'm gonna teach ye a neat new trick, aye? How's yer 【 Earthshape 】 doin'? What mastery level?"

"...Six."

"Alright, ye should be able ta do this just fine, like." Ailsa grinned, ruffling Kira's hair, before reaching down and dipping her hands into the solid stone as though it were soft sand. When the Dwarf woman lifted her hands out, they were covered in a layer of lumpy stone that went to her elbows. As Kira stared, open-mouthed, Ailsa used her own 【 Earthshape 】 ability to mold the stone into sleek and powerful gauntlets. "Don't be worryin' about makin' 'em pretty, like. That'll come with practice, and it'll be easier once ye reach mastery ten. Fer now, practice makin' and usin' gauntlets like this! It'll protect yer hands, while increasin' the damage yer inflictin' on yer enemies. Weapon and armor all in one!"

"Okay."

Ailsa glanced at Kira, whose voice lacked the usual enthusiasm it held when acknowledging lessons. The kid had a habit of being monosyllabic unless she had something specific to say, but the tone of her voice was very expressive.

And so was her face, for that matter.

Ailsa stared at Kira for a good few moments before reaching to pat her shoulder. "Kiddo. I know this be rough fer ye. Yer doin' a great job adjustin' ta this world, and how different it be from the one ye knew. Ye said ye wanted ta be strong, so I'm fixin' ta help ye achieve that goal. Facin' death early, when ye be havin' a safety net ta catch ye fallin', be the best way ta overcome that hesitation ye be feelin'.

"But if'n ye don't wanna be goin' through with it yet, tell me now. I promise on me honor, I won't be angry or disappointed, like."

Kira focused her gaze on the rough earthen wall blocking off the tunnel, and everyone present could almost see gears turning away in her brain as she struggled to find her words. It was a few long, silent moments before she finally opened her mouth, twisting her fingers in a nervous gesture. "I... don't want to. Not... Not yet. I know you're... helping me, but... I've been feeling... the danger sense? It's like... the ground is humming. And it's really intense, way worse than the Variant group. It's rattling in my teeth! I... If we go in there... We'll die for sure. I don't... I don't think... I'm not ready to see that yet... I'm sorry..."

"Alright." Ailsa nodded, glancing over at Ribbon and Brigit. The Drakke seemed a little disappointed at losing the chance to test herself, but she wiped the expression off her face in record time. The Kobold, meanwhile, couldn't hide her relief even if she wore a mask - her puffy little tail was wagging a mile a minute. "In that case... We be runnin' the first Floor a couple times instead. We ain't killed anythin' on the second Floor yet, so our Floor Token will remain valid. We'll be comin' back after ye lot get a few more levels under yer belt."

"Thanks," Kira whispered, and Ailsa ruffled her hair until the kid swatted her hand away.

"Like I be sayin' before, it be good ta know yer strengths as well as yer limits. Ye'll hafta confront yer fear eventually, but it ain't gotta be today. Sorry if'n I be makin' ye feel rushed afore yer ready, like. We be tryin' again once Brigit and Ribbon both be at least 10F, how's that?"

Kira nodded. As she and the other two kids accessed the System menu to teleport out and reenter the Dungeon's first Floor, Ailsa let out a heavy sigh of relief that turned into a chuckle, muttering to herself as she did the same. "About damn time she started sayin' when she didn't wanna be doin' stuff. Fer a second there I really thought she'd be lettin' those kids go runnin' right into the second Floor with her rather than speak up! Well, that woulda been their choice all the same, but... If she's openin' up a bit more, I'd be glad."