Lizarck Kingdom.
It is the oldest Human country in the world, with 3000 years of history.
This Country has seen many great waves and floods sweep over all living beings of this world.
They have seen the Crimson Moon of The Deep Raises.
They have seen the War of Angels and Devils.
They even have the record of The Eye of The Eater inside their library, along with numbers of Disaster-level Tomes and Forbidden Notes.
As the only Human country that survived the Dark Age, the Mighty Elven Forest granted them the title of The Wiseman Country.
And here, in the Royal Academy of this Wiseman Country, with its 3000 years worth of History and knowledge, was the place where all talented young ones of humanity gathered
The young Swordmasters, Sages, Martial Transcendents—Here, that much was only natural to found.
Even the untalented ones could rise to the height here, in this holy land of knowledge.
The keyword was Skill Book, the Book you could obtain if you ventured to the depths of the Dungeons and slain the Floor Boss or the Dungeon Boss.
Skill, or personalized Mana ability, was the biggest proof of the saying, 'Talent doesn't matter in this world'.
If one lacks strength, they could just create, obtain, or learn a physical enhancement skill to fill their shortage. The same goes for other aspects: If you lack this, then seek a skill that could cover that lack.
Someone with great standing in this world once stated to the world that the skill was divided into their types:
1. The first is the skill born along with you. Innate Skill. This case was very rare. The one of them who was born with skill was regarded as the real prodigy chosen by the Gods and is very strong since the innate Skill they have is akin to their ability to breathe for them.
2. The second is the skill you have gained through sheer willpower and relentless training, forming your own Skill from scratch. This type of Skill was created solely by you and existed just for you. True Skill. The user of True Skill was very powerful since they mastered their skill even before the skill was formed. The True Skill users could even stand at the same height as these Chosen Prodigies.
3. The third is the skill you could learn from the Skill Book, one of the types of items you may get after defeating the Bosses inside the Dungeons. Learned Skill. They were the weakest, but most common to be found here in this world. As the saying goes, quantity never means loss to quality.
But the question is, why were we talking about Skills so suddenly?
It was because Loryarc wanted to challenge a Dungeon after training his physique and sword for 6 days since his first day at the Academy. Setting a goal to get a Skill Book or two was only natural for him.
Marie fidgeted with her fingers and looked at her Master in worry.
"A-are you sure, Master?" She asked.
She wasn't sure that her Master's choice was the best. She feel like her Master was too rushed in this matter. His physical strength was even weaker than hers 6 days ago, so how could he become so daring to try a Dungeon after that short time of training?
Loryarc nodded at her, focused on his fingers buttoning and tying his leather armor to his body.
"Yup, very much sure. So, Marie, be a good girl and wait for me, okay?" He said with a grin.
Marie clutched her hands above her breasts. Is it really okay? She thought.
Marie's breast moved up and down when she took a deep breath to muster her courage. She looked up to Loryarc with firm eyes.
"Master... Is it okay if I am going with you?"
"Eh?" Loryarc is taken aback by her words and double-takes at her.
"No, but you are a Maid, how can you have any combat ability..."
Marie shook her head, still looked stubborn, and didn't want to back down.
"At least... I can heal you when you get wounds!" She stated.
"No, I have potions, here?" Loryarc counters her and shows her the Healing potions he bought for this exploration.
Marie hung her head after she heard Loryarc's words. She bit her lip and squeezed her maid uniform skirt.
"But... I think it's wrong, Master." She said, taking a deep breath once more before continuing. "My mind told me that It's bad for you to go. Not now, at least. Not when you're unready yet!"
Loryarc shut his mouth and looked at her eyes, looked at her firm, determined eyes.
"Sigh..." He sighed.
In the end, Loryarc allowed this maid of his to follow him.
"Make sure you wear your equipment properly, okay?" He told her with a bitter smile, reminding her not to let any carelessness happen.
The Royal Academy had ten Dungeons under their authority. It is said that a long, long time ago, the main reason why the Academy, or the foundation of the Academy was established in the first place was to monitor these Dungeons and to prevent the Dungeons from flooding.
These Dungeons varied from E-grade Dungeon to A-grade Dungeon, and the students of the Royal Academy often go to these Dungeons to train, seek more Skill Books, or just to see how much they've improved.
The one Loryarc chose was the weakest, Goblin Cave, an E-Grade Dungeon.
The two of them were wearing their own respective equipment.
Loryarc: Steel chest plate, leather shirt, leather gloves, leather boots, and a steel sword.
His style was a high-agility close combatant, so he thought it was the best piece of equipment for him now.
Marie: White robe, steel mail gloves, leather boots, and a staff with healing magic and wind magic enhancement.
Marie's style was a high-agility mage-healer. Quite strange, but Marie, contrasty from her appearance, turns out to be quite fast on her feet.
After checking their potions anransomsms had been packed in their bags, the pair of Master and Maid nodded at each other before taking their first step into the mouth of the nest of Goblins, toward the huge door of Dungeon: Goblin Cave, with a ball of light in Loryarc's hand as their light source.
The Dungeon interior is actually not so dark, but having a light source could somehow reassure their mental state for this first Dungeon Exploration of theirs.
The two didn't have explored the Dungeon interior much before they met their first foe. It had an ugly green face and short posture, with a wooden club in its long-clawed hands. A Goblin!
Loryarc raised his sword in an instant and charged toward the careless Goblin.
His sword swoops off from above toward the goblin's neck.
The Goblin realized his approach right before Loryarc's sword cut its neck.
It raised its club to counter his attack, but its club was cut like jelly, along with the fall of its neck
"Gobu?"
Letting out a confused gasp, the Goblin died.
Loryarc looked at his bloodied sword for a while before smiling.
———
[Status Menu: Level 1{Upgrade}]
[System: Kiss for more.]
[Name: Loryarc Lapizburn.]
[Race: Human.]
[Physique: Low-Mid.]
[Magic: Low-low.]
[Luck: Low-Mid.]
[System skill: Blessing of Kisses.]
[Personal passive skill: Skilled Touch(E); Pleasuring Movement(D); Zither fingers(F); Basic Cooking(F); Enhanced Stamina(D); Pro licker(E); Intensified Focus(E); Pleasure behind Hardship(D);...]
[Personal active skill: Petite Light(F); Lusting Gaze(E); Aura of Charm(D); Ignite(F); Critical Movement(C); Clone of Wind(B);...]
———
Getting rid of the blood on his sword with a swing, Loryarc gracefully sheathed his sword back.
His passive skills always enhanced his grace and effectiveness while moving, even without him commanding them to.
"J-just with a single attack..."
Even Marie seemed to be dumbfounded by her Master's progress.
Loryarc himself is inwardly excited.
I could. I could win!
***
Meanwhile.
At the Dungeon Registration area of the Royal Academy.
Among the crowd of students entering and exiting this open plaza-like area with nine huge gates leading to the mouths of the Dungeons established at the side of the plaza in a semi-circle arrangement, two men were chewing their lunches.
"Hey, isn't that pair who just entered Goblin Cave that 'guy' and that 'maid'?" One of them pointed at the bronze gate.
His friend followed the direction where his finger was aimed. His mouth is still busy chewing a mouthful of burgers. He swallowed it before replies his friend's words. "Is that so? I think that woman over there had a beautiful shirt. Burger pattern..."
But their attention seemed to be in different places.
"I think we should report it to Lord Galird."
"Lord Galird is interested in a Burger shirt?"
"..."
"...Hey, why are you suddenly being quiet?"