Starting out as a Dragon Slave
Chapter 33: Experimenting in a dungeon

Chapter 33: Chapter 33: Experimenting in a dungeon

Isaac finally emerged from the guild armory, black katana carefully strapped to his hip, determination burning brightly in his eyes. He knew that training alone would not be enough. He needed to experience the power of this new kata under real conditions.

He made his way back to the guild’s reception desk, crossing paths again with the elderly man who slowly looked up from his newspaper, intrigued by Isaac’s new attitude.

- Finished already?" said the old man with a touch of irony.

- Yes. Now I need a dungeon," Isaac replied calmly, sure of himself. A rank E, not too dangerous but active enough. I need to test something specific.

The man raised an intrigued eyebrow and quickly leafed through a register laid out in front of him. After a few seconds, he tapped a yellowed page with his finger.

- Here, take this one. A dungeon of E-rank goblins. Nothing too complicated, but there are a lot of them. One team is already set to leave within the hour, but they’re missing a member. Go and join them at the assembly point.

Isaac simply nodded, taking the sheet containing the dungeon details with him. No sooner had he arrived at the agreed location than he spotted a familiar face smiling warmly and waving his arm:

- Isaac! Hey, man, it’s great to see you back here!" Jonah said, approaching quickly and giving him a friendly tap on the shoulder. I heard about your exploit with the black golem! How popular you’ve become!

- Good to see you too, Jonah," replied Isaac, smiling slightly, reassured to find someone he could trust. Let’s go quickly, I can’t wait.

They set off without delay, accompanied by two other hunters, a woman named Ella, expert in traps and bows, and a young warrior named Mathis, robust and equipped with a large shield.

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The goblins’ dungeon opened up like a dark, narrow cavern, damp and foul-smelling. As they moved deeper into the darkness, Isaac could feel his sharpened senses reacting immediately to the oppressive environment. Every drop of water, every tiny movement resonated clearly in his mind, precise, sharp. His perception was now incredibly sharp.

After a few minutes of cautious progress, Jonah raised his hand, alerted by murmurs and guttural growls further down the tunnel. Isaac silently drew his black katana, feeling a familiar shiver of excitement run down his spine.

- It’s time," he murmured softly. I’ll take care of the first group.

Jonah nodded, slightly puzzled but trusting his comrade.

Isaac inhaled deeply, adopting the attack position described in the Lightning Kata manual. His breath slowed, his posture stabilized and his whole body prepared to become a living bolt of lightning.

A group of five goblins suddenly appeared in front of them, shouting aggressively and brandishing their primitive weapons. Without missing a beat, Isaac dashed forward.

The first time he triggered the kata, it was as if time itself slowed down. He felt every muscle in his body respond perfectly to his mind, every fiber taut and ready to release devastating power. His right foot took a firm foothold on the ground, immediately transferring all his energy to his katana, which he brandished with lightning speed.

The black katana split the air in a perfect arc, producing a high-pitched sound akin to lightning striking through the atmosphere. Isaac literally crossed the enemy line in a fraction of a second.

An instant later, he found himself motionless behind the group of goblins, in a perfect final position, katana raised forward.

The creatures stood motionless, dazed, before suddenly collapsing heavily to the ground, cut clean in two, without even having time to comprehend what had just happened.

Ella let out a startled cry, bringing one hand up to her mouth in astonishment:

- What the hell was that?!

Jonah stood open-mouthed, staring at Isaac with obvious admiration:

- Fuck, man... since when did you learn to move like that?!

Isaac slowly released his breath, still feeling the adrenalin coursing through his body. The discreet but satisfied smile on his face was that of a warrior aware of his rapid progress.

- It’s a new technique. The Lightning Kata," he murmured calmly, his eyes still burning with concentration.

Mathis, impressed, shook his head slowly:

- Boy, this is serious stuff...

They slowly advanced deeper into the dungeon, but by now Isaac was galvanized by the phenomenal power he had just unleashed. With each encounter, he repeated the Kata, honing each movement a little more, each blow more fluid, faster, deadlier.

Goblins, though numerous, stood no chance against Isaac’s prodigious speed. With each activation of the Kata, his body shot up like an electric discharge, his katana becoming an extension of his own body, each blow cutting cleanly, swiftly, efficiently.

As the hours passed, Isaac mastered the Kata more and more, experimenting with different angles of attack and different variations. He perfected every detail, every breath, every movement, becoming ever more precise, ever more deadly.

Jonah, in admiration, finally whistled at length:

- Man, you’re getting really creepy with this stuff... but damn, it’s beautiful to see.

Isaac, covered in dark goblin blood, replied with a half-amused smile:

- It’ll come in handy, believe me...

They continued on until they reached the far end of the dungeon, where a massive goblin chief, armed with a heavy mace, was waiting for them, howling furiously. Isaac stepped forward without hesitation.

- Leave him to me," he said simply.

The goblin charged, furious and massive, his weapon raised above his head. Isaac breathed in calmly, concentrating all his energy back into the technique.

- Lightning strikes without warning", he recited to himself, as the monster came into range.

Then, with inhuman speed, Isaac literally crossed the space between them, slicing clean through the monster’s torso. The katana completed its perfect movement without resistance, as if it had simply slipped through the air. The goblin collapsed heavily behind him, completely dead.

Isaac exhaled slowly, elegantly returning his blade to its scabbard.

Ella, stunned, murmured softly:

- Shit... he didn’t even give us time to do anything...

Jonah burst out laughing as he shook his head, admiring and genuinely impressed:

- I think we’ve just found our secret weapon, guys...

Isaac smiled, calmly wiping the blood from his face, now aware that the Lightning Kata was exactly what he needed.

He glanced at his status panel and smiled.

[Status]

Name : Isaac

Race : Human

Hunter rank : E (fast progression)

Current stats:

- Strength: 75 → 84 (+9 after goblin absorption)

- Agility: 35 → 44 (+9)

Endurance: 62 → 68 (+6)

- Senses: 49 → 55 (+6)

- Dexterity: 50 → 57 (+7)

- Intelligence: 23 (unchanged)

- Mana: 20 → 25 (+5)

Skills acquired:

- [Black Stone Skin] (active): Level 2 (+60% defense; +40% attack)

- Dragon Hand] (Active): Level 1 (+80% defense; +50% attack)

- [Earthquake (Active): Level 1]

Notable new absorptions:

- Dragon scales: now 18 blue scales visible on his right arm.

After leaving the goblin dungeon, Isaac and his group returned directly to the guild to collect their reward. The mood was light, tinged with an almost palpable excitement. Jonah couldn’t stop talking, telling Ella and Mathis in exaggerated detail about Isaac’s incredible feats during the dungeon.

- I swear, guys, it was crazy! He moved so fast that the goblins didn’t even see what was happening to them!" Jonah enthused, clumsily imitating Isaac’s movements.

Ella gently shook her head with an amused smile:

- Okay, okay, we get it. Isaac’s a genius. Don’t worry, we’ve seen it all.

Isaac, slightly embarrassed by the praise, simply shrugged his shoulders with a discreet smile.

Arriving at the guild counter, the old man greeted them again, as blasé as ever, but this time with a slight puzzled smile:

- So, was the dungeon to your liking?

- Quite profitable," Isaac replied calmly, placing the evidence of their success on the counter. We’ve come to collect our reward.

The man quickly examined their harvest, nodding slowly before handing them a thick envelope containing their money.

- 15,000 euros, split it between you. You’ve done a good job," he said simply.

Jonah immediately grabbed his share, a broad smile lighting up his tired face.

- Good job, Isaac. Frankly, you were impressive.

Isaac nodded briefly, a discreet smile on his lips.

- Thanks, Isaac. I’ve still got a way to go, but I’m making good progress.

Before leaving, Isaac turned hesitantly to the man from the guild:

- By the way... the Lightning Kata manual, do you think I could borrow it to practice at home for a few days? I’d really like to learn the techniques outside the guild.

The old man squinted his eyes slightly, seeming to hesitate for a moment before sighing slightly.

- Normally, I wouldn’t accept... These kinds of manuals are precious. But hey, the way you’re progressing, I’ll make an exception, kid. Just be careful not to damage it, okay?

Isaac felt an intense relief wash over him immediately.

- I promise I’ll take care of it as if my life depended on it," he replied in all seriousness.

The old man slowly reached for the precious manual on his shelf, handing it gently to Isaac.

- Go and train seriously, hunter. I’m counting on you to bring me back this manual intact, but also with a few extra feats on the counter.

Isaac preciously took the manual in his hands, his determined gaze meeting the old man’s gratefully.

- I won’t let you down.

Then, with a final wave to his comrades, Isaac left the guild holding the Lightning Kata manual firmly in his hands.

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