Throughout the night I started to get the hang of calling my mana forward. I still had to close my eyes and focus, which was obviously a bad idea in the middle of a fight. On top of that, I needed about three to four seconds to channel the mana into my blade. I could tell there was still room for improvement in those areas.

Turning the spell off was a simple matter. All I had to do was cut off the flow of mana. I estimated that at most I only had enough mana to use this spell for one minute. A thought crossed my mind. If a rank one spell used this much mana, then how much would a rank two or three spell use? I theorized that even for strong warriors in this world, lower ranked spells must be use judiciously.

I was curious what would happen when my mana reached zero. In some stories, people sometimes pass out or die. As my mana slipped into the low single digits I carefully monitored how my body felt. My heart rate didn't seem disrupted and I didn't feel faint. That was probably a good sign, right?

I stopped when my mana only had two points left just to be safe. It would be better to talk this through in the morning with someone who had more experience. No point in taking an unneeded risk. Before going to sleep one final thought entered my mind, was it now possible for me to defeat a first floor boss?

Upon waking, the first thing I did was check my status screen. I had a full mana bar. I doubt I slept for more than six hours after being up so late. That meant that it took six hours or less for my mana to fully recharge. Good to know, but I wanted a more exact figure. I tossed on some clothes and grabbed my sword. It was time to do some experimenting.

I left the inn and took a trip into the nearby forest just as dawn broke. It wasn't long until I found the perfect target. A sturdy looking solitary tree in the middle of an open field. Unsheathing my sword and taking my stance, I swung my sword with all my might into the behemoth's trunk. Upon Inspecting the cut I concluded It was just a hair over an eighth of an inch deep.

I took my stance again, closing my eyes and focusing my mana. With Burning Blade activated, I swung again with all the strength I could muster, aiming a few inches above my previous mark. I quickly canceled the spell after impacting the tree to conserve my mana. It was deeper than the first cut. A bit under a quarter of an inch.

I sheathed my sword as I considered the nature of Burning Blade. When something got hot, it usually became flimsy. That wasn't the case here. My sword retained all its sharpness and sturdiness. The heat in the blade caused my attack to cut a bit deeper, but it didn't instantly melt everything in its path like a light saber. It clearly wouldn't be able to cut through steel in a single swing. At least not at its current level.

A thought crossed to my mind. What If I kept the blade in the tree and tried to push it through? It was worth a try at least. I took my stance again and activated the spell. The cut went just as deep as my last attempt. Instead of canceling the spell, I kept pushing the blade against the tree. It was working! I made it about a quarter of the way through before the wood caught on fire.

Stupid! What did you think would happen? I quickly cut off my mana and put the fire out. Smokey the Bear, you taught me well. When I thought about it, that was a terrible name for a bear whose mission was to stop forest fires. It would be better suited for a bear that worked for the tobacco lobby. You missed your calling Smokey.

I checked how much mana I used up. It was now at 36/42. I would need to keep an eye on it and figure out how quickly it regenerated. So what did I learn about my new spell from that? It couldn't cut through objects instantly. If kept activated and pushed against an object it would eventually start to cut through it. That could be useful when fighting certain kinds of enemies.

While it didn't appear to be a massive power up, it increased my strength none the less. Maybe it would become more impressive as it leveled up? I headed back to the inn to prepare for the day ahead. I finished getting ready just in time to join Maddy and Meri at the tail end of breakfast.

We developed an unwritten rule to not talk about training or dungeons first thing in the morning. So much of our day to day life was filled with those thoughts that it was nice to wait until breakfast was over to broach the subject. I ordered and ate quickly to catch up.

Just as we were finishing our meal Malik walked through the door. He had the look of a man who was very pleased with himself. The kind of look a man only gets for one reason. I guess that meant June wasn't too upset after our conversation last night. If anything, hearing how much of the situation was true probably put her mind at ease.

Malik sat down next to us at the table. “Hello, I hope you're all having a fantastic morning. Your ol' buddy Malik is ready to do some dungeon raiding today.” His arm went around my neck. Jeez, could you be a little less obvious about it? Maybe the emperor still hasn't heard that you got laid last night.

Maddy chimed in with her usual blunt manor. “My morning has been just fine. I can tell yours has gone well, but I wonder how the morning was for June. A woman of her years and experience is likely not easily impressed.” Malik gave her a glare while she nonchalantly sipped her drink.

Malik shrugged while keeping the hint of a smile on his face. “I'm confident we both had a good morning, if you must know. ”

Maddy laughed. “Oh, I'm sure! No woman would ever lie about having a 'good morning' just to avoid an awkward conversation. I'm sure shes jumping for joy at this very moment.”

Malik stood. “Just because Bill isn't looking to make you his woman, that's no need to take your frustration out on me. I'll see you all outside when you're ready.” Malik stormed out of the Inn. Maddy tried to laugh off the comment but I saw a hint of blush on her cheeks.

I wasn't sure exactly what to make of her reaction. In a normal situation she would pile on a joke like that. Right now she tried to distance herself from it. A very un-Maddy thing to do. Was it that she actually liked me, or was she just itching for a little fun and I was the obvious choice? I never got the impression Maddy was in love with me. Unlike most guys I'm pretty sharp about those kinds of things.

I was starting to get the feeling she wouldn't be entirely opposed to something happening at the least. Could it be she was just a young woman looking to explore her knew found freedom and that I was the most convenient option, or was there more to it? In either case I didn't need the complication. Right now we needed to level up. Adding unneeded drama would just be a distraction.

We went outside to meet Malik in silence. Maddy seemed unwilling to get into a war of quips for the first time in a while. Today our goal was to clear the first floor six times. That was a number I really wanted to hit. If we could clear the first floor six times then theoretically, if we continued to move at that pace on all floors we could clear the second floor of the dungeon three times or all three floors of the dungeon twice in a single day.

Sadly, there was no way to get straight to floor two or three of the dungeon without completing the first floor. However, if we got strong enough we could potentially breeze through the first one. With all our supplies gathered everyone was ready to head back into the dungeon.

By my estimation, it took about five minutes for me to recover one mana point. That meant it would take somewhere between three to four hours to fully regenerate my entire mana bar. It would be smart to keep that in mind. I thought about telling everyone about my burning blade skill before using it, but it would be too much fun to surprise everyone.

It wasn't long after entering the dungeon that my first opponent rushed towards me. A single skeleton with a dagger and no shield. This would be a good chance to show off. It was far enough away that I had plenty of time to activate my spell. Closing my eyes and calling forth the mana inside me, I forced it into my blade and manipulated it to cause the needed friction.

Having finished, I opened my eyes to see the skeleton was a mere fifteen paces away. I quickly closed the distance, not wanting to waste too much of my mana. I swung my sword through the arm carrying the dagger and then through the rest of the skeleton's upper body. It felt a little easier than normal, but it was hard to tell against nothing but bone. Deactivating the spell, I walked over to my fallen opponent, crushing its head under my boot.

I turned to face Maddy, who couldn't hide the mix of jealousy and admiration in her eyes. She finally managed to get the words out. “When the hell did you learn that?”

I gave an amused smile as I looked her over. “Just last night. I practiced into the early morning until I got the hang of it. The spell still needs a lot of work, but it makes cutting things a little easier.” Malik didn't say anything. Overall he seemed rather unimpressed by the skill. And he was in such a good mood earlier too. At least give me some credit you dick.

At least Meri had something nice to say. “Great job Bill. I knew you'd figure it out.” I thought she might have wanted to say a bit more, but once everyone's eyes were on her she lost her nerve and went silent.

After a short pause we settled right back into the business of clearing this floor. I didn't use the spell against any of the other monsters I faced. I wanted to have a full mana bar for when I finally faced the first floor boss. Hopefully this would be the day that I could finally defeat him alone.

During one of our breaks, I pulled Malik aside and inquired about what happened when a mana bar hit zero. Without realizing it, my anxiety had been growing over this ever since I became able to use my mana. I was almost disappointed to hear that almost nothing happened. Your body would feel a little lethargic until you gained your mana back, but that was about it.

He told me that without knowing it, people constantly used a little mana all the time. It was just such a small amount that most people didn't know about it. That little bit of mana allowed the person to used the enhanced stats and skills they gained throughout their life. For instance, a person with a strength at ninety who used all their mana would temporarily have only their original strength of fifteen or so for a very short time.

Such a state wouldn't last long. It only took people a matter of seconds to gather enough mana to reestablish their connection to the mother's blessing, but those few seconds could be the difference between life and death. So long story short, try not to let your mana hit zero.

Today we cleared the dungeon quicker than we ever had before. It gave me hope that my goal to clear the first floor six times would be achieved. There was only one obstacle left. We walked down the final passage to see an eerily familiar room. As I peaked through the holes in the door I was entirely unsurprised to see a Devil Goat feasting on a plate of demon bats.

There would be no mistakes this time. We would lure it out so that I could fight in the open. I asked everyone else to stay back and let me attempt to handle this beast alone. They agreed to do so without complaint. Well, Maddy complained a little, but she agreed in the end. Once Meri gained her fox claw skill she easily defeated this beast in a matter of seconds. If I couldn't accomplish the same feat in less than sixty seconds, then what have I been doing all this time?

I checked my mana one last time just to be sure it was full. Seeing that it was and with all the torches placed down there was no point in delaying any longer. Okay Bill, you got around sixty seconds before you run out of mana. Make them count! I closed my eyes to call forth my mana. Instantly after activating the spell I kicked the old rickety door wide open.

The Devil Goat brought its eyes up to mine. The rectangular pupils filled with malice unnerved me. A feeling of despair came as memories of my last clash with this beast entered my mind. I pushed them aside. I couldn't let myself be held hostage by fear. I had grown by leaps and bounds since then.

With my emotions bubbling over, it felt as though my blade had turned even hotter. Did things like emotional state impact the magic? If the blade was getting hotter, did that mean I was burning through my mana faster?

My opponent didn't give me any time to worry about it. The Devil Goat tossed the table to the side and began its signature charge. Picking up more speed as it headed towards the open doorway. I backed up and waited for the right moment. I had seen this charge over and over in my dreams. I had broken down every aspect of it.

I didn't need to wait until the very last second to dodge. Once it was up to full speed, even at ten paces away it couldn't do much to change its direction. At least that's what I thought. It was time to see if I was correct. Once it was within ten paces I darted to the side and put my sheild at the ready. Anticipating the Devil Goat would strike as it charged pass me.

I swung at its front leg but only managed to hit air. It countered with a kick which I easily blocked. The impact knocked me back a few paces but it was weaker than I remembered. It was then that I realized I had taken too great a distance when i darted to the side. That was why my sword failed to even scratch the Devil Goat. Had my fear subconsciously made me take an extra step back? Dammit, I just let my best chance to finish this quickly slip through my fingers.

The last Devil Goat we fought was a fast learner and I doubted this one would be any different. Not to mention with every second that ticked by my mana was decreasing. I couldn't just sit back and wait for it to charge all day. I closed the distance with the larger stronger foe.

I remembered the way Maddy look when she fought this beast toe to toe. Now I knew how she felt. Nothing this big and strong had any right to be so nimble. It dodged my blade and counter attacked with what could be called its arms and legs. The force itself was incredible but the rock hard hoofs turned every strike into a potentially lethal attack.

Not good. This was a stalemate with time on the enemies side. Neither of us were able to land a single strike. I had no other choice. I left an opening for him to attack. If I knew exactly where the attack was coming from, then I could cover it with my sheild in time to counter. Probably. Seeing the opening in my defense the Devil Goat's black razor sharp teeth formed in a smile.

While this fucking Goat may learn fast, it couldn't help but stumble into a trap it had never seen before. I blocked the incoming blow, quickly moving my sheild into place only an instant before the attack landed. The force of the head-on blow knocked me on my back. I rolled with the impact and shot up to my feet.

I looked at my sword. Smoke was rising as the dark blood boiled then evaporated on the hot blade. You could hear a soft sizzle that put into mind the sound of bacon cooking in a frying pan. My eyes went to the Devil Goat's front left leg which had been my target. The heat of the blade had actually kept the wound from bleeding as much as it should have, but I was able to sink my blade in about another inch deeper than I would have otherwise.

While a sword through its chest may not be enough to kill such a monster, it still needed limbs to move. Whatever muscles or ligaments the monster used had clearly been severely damaged by the attack. An impressive feat considering how hard it had been to do the same to this monster's arms the first time I faced it. The legs were thicker and more bulky. Was it just a lucky strike or did that one extra inch the spell allowed make a difference?

There was no time to wonder about it now. I checked on my mana, seeing it was at 14/42. I ran forward looking to press my advantage. Weary of my blade its attacks came less frequent now. I was pushing it back and forcing him into a corner. It wanted to strike out at me and counter my attacks but it was forced to keep most of its weight on its right leg.

The beast went off balance and exposed its neck to me. I launched forward to land the finishing blow. About half way through the attack I couldn't help but feel something was amiss. This opening was big. Far too big. I pulled back and prepared myself for the counter. If it didn't come that would mean I just lost a golden chance to finish my opponent.

The counter came. A hoofed arm attacked exactly where my head would've been. Its left arm was now exposed. I was able to put all my weight and strength behind my next attack. I cut in a downwards motion, adding the weight of my sword to the attack for good measure. Before I had only been able to cut as deep as the bone. Those slashes had come from the side and weren't aided by my burning blade.

The arm of the Devil Goat separated at elbow and fell to the floor. In a rage the Devil Goat charged me, forgetting that its left leg was all but useless. There was no need to hesitate this time. It was in no position to counter attack, having forgotten itself in a fit of rage. I swung my blade sideways to cut half way through its neck.

The Devil Goat tried to strike me, but I had repositioned to its now useless left side. I continued to push the blade through as the heat and the metal cut through flesh. It was about five seconds after the blade went into its neck that the head finally fell to the floor.

[The first floor of the Dungeon has been cleared. Floor two is now open]

I deactivated my burning blade and checked my mana. I only had a few points left. Part of me couldn't believe that fight had really been less than a minute.

[Skill Level up: LVL 2/10 Burning Blade]

I decided not to share that bit of information. At least not until Maddy learned her own magic. While poking fun is great, to completely trample over her pride was something I wouldn't do. Plus when she caught up to me, which I knew she would sooner or later, I didn't want to have my own words thrown back in my face.

Maddy insisted on trying to beat the next first floor boss alone, but she simply didn't have the capability yet. Without the assistance of magic or a skill like fox claw such a task was barely out of reach for her. To my delight we managed to clear the first floor six times today. I only hoped that once our group graduated from the first floor we could keep up the same pace on the second.

After our day in the dungeon was done Malik parted ways to go see June. No doubt he was hoping to have a fantastic early evening. I considered that unlikely, she wouldn't be closing up shop for at least a few more hours.

The three of us were finishing up dinner when Meri excused herself to use the facilities. The instant she did, Maddy leaned forward and pulled me in. “From now on, you're going to be doing all the tutoring. I refuse to fall any further behind you. Don't think yourself all high and mighty just because you learned your spell first. In a few days I'll definitely be more than your match. Remember that!”

She let me go and sat back in her chair. Her look almost dared me to protest or refuse to do as she said. I had no intention to do either. I was a bit surprised to see this side of her, but it was welcomed. For most of our journey she was clearly the strongest of the three of us and no doubt considered herself the guardian of our little group.

Having Meri surpass her must have been hard to stomach. To have me now do the same appeared to be too much. To go from strongest to weakest couldn't feel good, whether among enemies or even friends.

While I took on all the duties of tutoring Meri, that didn't mean I stopped reading my spell book. It only meant I waited until late at night until Maddy and Meri had fallen asleep. Giving up precious hours of sleep was a pain in the ass, but I had gotten use to pushing myself. I would just need to learn to function on five hours a night. No problem.

Now that I was finally able to feel my mana and use the spell, some of the more complex concepts started to make sense to me. Not only that, I could actually practice them. There was still so much more room to improve.

It took three days before Maddy was able to make any progress with feeling her mana and another three before she could actually use her spell. There was no reason myself and Maddy shouldn't have progressed at about the same rate when it came to magic. I theorized It was only my own very intimate experience with magic that caused the difference.

I gave her whatever pointers I could to help her along. Careful to not say anything that would erase my spell book. I kept my advice solely to the feeling I had when traveling to this world. I could tell she was still skeptical about the whole thing, but she took my insights to heart.

Maddy, now with her ability to use magic, was finally able to beat a first floor boss on her own. Besides the Devil Mole Rats which we didn't count I mean. She was quick to point out that she did it in less than half the time it took me. What else could I expect? Meri went over to give Maddy a sincere congratulations.

Maddy hugged her, lost in the excitement of the moment. Meri couldn't help but looking adorably awkward during the process. Maddy quickly let go and apologized. It was the first hug anyone had ever given Meri and she didn't know exactly how to process it.

Meri nodded at Maddy's apology and spoke. “Y-you just caught me by surprise. I'm sorry for causing you to feel bad. Please don't take offense to my reaction. The hug was... nice.”

Maddy gave a wide smirk at Meri. “In that case, would you like if I hugged you more often?”

Meri blushed, rubbing her hands in front of herself. “If that's what you wish, then I have no objection. I mean, of course do as you please in either case. If it makes you uncomfortable, please don't feel pressured on this ones account. Whatever you decide, I will-.”

Maddy tightly wrapped her arms around Meri. “You don't need to be so damn indecisive. Just say what you want already.” Maddy's look darted to me and she showed a devilish grin. “For instance, how would you feel about Bill giving you a nice big hug too?” Meri quickly took a glance towards me, then blush filled her face as she cast her eyes downward.

I put my hands on my hips. “Come on Maddy. You know you shouldn't tease Meri like that.”

Maddy rolled her eyes at me. “I barely tease her, and look how much she blushes when I do. You have no idea how hard it is for me to resist sometimes. In any case, you coddle her too much. She'll need to get use to these kinds of interactions.”

For a few minutes, Maddy and I argued like an old married couple over the best way to raise our young daughter. No doubt a very weird position for Meri, who kept silent for the whole argument. Malik seemed happy to ignore us and collect the loot. We soon exited the dungeon and exchanged the loot at the outpost.

After all of our incursions into the dungeon we now had enough gold for Maddy, Meri and myself to each purchase a rank two spell. We decided to take tomorrow off from the dungeons and go into the city and buy some new magic. Malik said he would tag along. Not because he wanted to buy a spell, but because he needed to get his money.

We set off with such hope and optimism. I should have stopped to think that was usually a bad sign of things to come in the future.