The Strongest Spellblade

“Plate,” the guard on duty asked. I handed over my copper adventurer plate. “You go down here?”

“Yes, about three months ago. Also found these plates from lost equipment,” I said and handed over other plates.

“Found, you Justin, solo copper. Thank you for bringing back plates. You are free to go,” the guard said after checking the log book. There was no reward for turning in plates, it was just a considerate thing to do. Higher ranked adventurers were deemed to be trustworthy and wouldn’t incite trouble in the dungeon so they could enter and exit without having to sign in and out. I took my plate back and made my way out of the fortress that housed the passage into the dungeon inside the city.

Monsters could break out of a passage. It didn’t happen often but it could happen. That was how my mother’s family had been killed when a new passage had emerged near her home, and no one had found it.

Unfortunately, there was no good way to detect such things. Or at least nothing convenient for the general public to use. I had no doubt there were high tier sensory skills, but even then that would be a lot of territory to cover. Normally such entrances were found by accident or when monsters emerged from the dungeon.

My first stop was the Adventurer’s Guild. I was going to cash in all my red monster cores. I ended up only earning 40 silver and 13 copper. It was a small amount, compared to the effort I had put in. But that was why people went into the dungeon. If they could come back with monster cores they could make money.

There were people who only stayed at the top layers, trying to play it safe and accumulate wealth. The temptation of taking out someone like that was quite strong. Even if there was a team, greed was endless.

Many would spend the money on various services. The Adventurer’s Guild offered private rooms, a spa of its own, and other services to tempt low ranked adventurers. There were private inns nearby that catered to the wealthier adventurers.

But for everyone who came back rich and spent lavishly, there were countless corpses left behind in the dungeon. Some would upgrade their gear and hire tutors to get stronger, pursuing greater wealth and levels. Eventually they would either die, become a legend, or retire to become a tutor or some other profession.

I wasn’t able to afford a top tier inn like when I had been with Squire Jessica. I was still going to treat myself. Since my mother hadn’t showed up, then she wouldn’t show up until my time was up. I booked a room at a second class inn and a spa treatment. I also ordered chocolates. They cost a silver a piece and I ordered 20 pieces, savoring each bite as a team of attendants massaged my hands and feet.

It was utter bliss. I could see why people would waste away their lives like this. “Having fun, my son?” I opened one eye to see my mother standing in front of me while I was relaxing. I was a bit afraid, but I was ready for this confrontation. I had put in the work, now I was going to relax. She was dressed in a simple tunic with her spatial pouch at her side.

“Yes,” I replied and picked up another piece of chocolate and put it in my mouth. She was frowning slightly.

“All of this?” she asked while gesturing with her hand. The attendants briefly paused working on my hands and feet but kept going.

“To refresh my mind. So, I can focus more easily on whatever you have planned for the next three months. I went to the 3rd layer and then returned,” I replied and put another piece of chocolate in my mouth while the attendants kept working on my hands and feet. My mother wasn’t afraid of public embarrassment. If she wanted to talk to me, then she would talk to me.

“Really? And where did you learn of such things?” my mother asked.

“Squire Jessica showed me the benefits of relaxing after going into the dungeon,” I replied, pushing the blame for my behavior onto her. My mother clearly knew this and just stared at me. “Also, I don’t mind pushing myself, but I need time to relax and decompress.”

“That was nothing. Yet you are acting like you braved the journey to the Last Bastion,” my mother said.

“So, I should stay down there longer and keep fighting?” I asked.

“Yes,” she replied. “Using every moment to push further.”

“I don’t have the mental fortitude to do that. I don’t mind going into the dungeon, but enjoying life is not a crime,” I replied.

“Hmm,” she said as she looked over the spa area. “Very well. Attend me,” she declared and sat in the seat next to me. She flicked a gold coin in the air. An attendant caught it and more came out to massage her as well. My mother even stole chocolate from the tray between us and enjoyed them with a smile.

“What?” I was in a bit of shock. I hadn’t expected her to join me.

“I can relax if I want to. I have just chosen to harden my mind, body, and soul into a weapon. Also, it takes a considerable amount of effort to lower my skills and stats enough for these people to do anything, which could be considered practice on its own,” she said.

“Sorry, valued client, but our stats are not high enough,” the lead attendant said with a bowed head.

“It is fine, just do your best,” my mother replied. “In time, you will lose access to these services. Some say it is like losing your humanity.”

Stolen story; please report.

“But…those are my chocolates,” I protested as she ate another. The attendants removed her boots and socks as they began over her hands and feet.

“I can do what I want, even more than you. You seem to think you can do what you want and just take a few days for relaxation. You claim it is to rest your mind. Then I will test this to see if there are benefits to resting one’s mind and enjoying a spa day,” she declared. I didn’t know what to say. I had thought she would yell at me or something or just not show up and pretend like it never happened.

“I am not afraid of anything. Even relaxation. You say you want to surpass me, then you need to work harder than me. Fighting in the dungeon should be relaxation. Training to improve your skills once you return should be a wholesome vacation. Instead, you focus on shoring up your weak mentality and softness,” she said. Everyone else was dead silent as we had our conversation.

“Is it so wrong?” I asked.

“No, it isn’t. But to reach the heights I have, your brushes with death are nothing. You think that it is something unique or special about what you have accomplished?”

“No,” I said quietly. The spa and chocolates didn’t seem so great anymore.

“You did very well, but you lack the drive necessary for greatness. But perhaps the soft approach is better. I am not afraid of being wrong or being shown a better way. Weakness of one’s understanding of the world is something everyone should strive to correct,” she declared.

“Then what should I have done?” I asked.

“Stayed down there to keep fighting. Finding food wherever you can and purchasing it off other adventurers. You should have looked for a Champion you could have defeated and then gone down another layer. The fights would be grueling on the 4th layer but you would improve quicker,” she said.

“The risk would have been too high,” I countered.

“Perhaps. But that is the only way you will reach my heights. By constantly pushing yourself and taking risks. Otherwise, you won’t improve quickly enough. But you seem willing to go against my expectations by indulging in this spa day. Why not go against my expectations and push yourself?” my mother asked.

“I made my own judgement as to the danger and my abilities. I didn’t want to become trapped by killing easier monsters and then having no easy way back up,” I said.

“A weak excuse when your mindset is weak. Greatness is seized my son. It is not handed over. My expectations are the lowest possible requirement for success.” I turned my head to look at her like she was speaking nonsense. “Only the expectations you set for yourself are worthwhile, but they are clearly lacking.”

“And how strong were you when you were my age?” I asked.

“I was weaker. My foundation was less developed, but I stayed in the dungeon fighting, even when it seemed impossible. Becoming stronger faster. Trading monster cores for food and supplies. I purged everything from my life that didn’t help me become stronger. This spa, these chocolates, they are a mental trap for the weak willed.”

“It is civilization. I won’t discard the opportunities you have given me, but I am not you. I don’t have that life or death mindset of fighting in the dungeon like that. I don’t mind fighting and enjoy it, but it isn’t my entire life.”

“At least you have a backbone to speak up to me. It seems the time down there did you some good after all. It is your life, I will not micro manage it unless you ask. But now is when things are easiest. When you can afford to fail. When you can gain skill levels and stats the most quickly. Years, decades from now, you will look back and ask yourself why you didn’t push yourself more,” my mother said.

“Then I will have that regret when I am older. But two days of rest to almost three months in the dungeon is not the end of the world,” I countered.

“That is a fair point. But it speaks to larger concerns regarding your mentality. I would give you a 78 out of a score of 100 for your first solo descent. All of you leave us for five minutes,” my mother ordered. The attendants didn’t hesitate to quickly leave the room.

“Do you know why I had you, my son when the difficulty was immense?” she asked.

“You wanted a family?” I asked hesitantly.

“That is one reason, but also to purge myself of the weakness of family. I realized that my mindset was holding me back. I carried burdens, heavy burdens. There was no way I could set them down. Having you, as my son, allows me to set down those burdens one step at a time.”

I swallowed nervously. “You will reach level 100 and become a legend. That is not in doubt. But to go beyond that means you need to constantly push yourself. Over and over. Do you know how many supreme legends there have been in the last millennia?”

“Um, I would say ten,” I nervously answered.

“Six. There is me. Then Bastian who disappeared into the dungeon and has never been heard from again. The Eternal Emperor who perished from age, almost a millennia ago. The Librarian, guardian of the Last Bastion. The Mathemancer, the founder of the College of Advancement. Finally, Blood Gore the Butcher,” she stated.

“Six, just six. Despite the best efforts of people like the Mathemancer, no one else has ascended to such heights. He believes that with the perfect environment and training it should be possible. Like a flower grown in a garden. But I ascribe to another school of thought, that the mentality of the person matters.” My mother picked up a piece of chocolate and held it up.

“It isn’t just the two days. I can understanding being cautious. Up until your descent to the 3rd layer I would have given you a near perfect score. But once you were down there, you stopped pushing yourself,” she said.

“It was dangerous,” I countered.

“And to become a supreme legend requires risk taking far more than that my son. It is not a bad thing to want civilization and comforts, but know they come at a cost. Weakening your long term mental state. Instead of pushing just a bit further, you will turn back, to rest and recover,” she explained.

“But there is risk,” I countered.

“The experience requirements increase exponentially to increase your overall level. I know you understand math. So, you realize how brutal it is to climb up to my level. That is another reason for the bracelet you wear. To endure that hardship now and toughen you up. And don’t bother,” she said.

“What?” I was about to get up and leave.

“We will enjoy the time here at this place. I find temptations like this are great for improving my will. You mentioned Squire Jessica taking you to such a place, that is one of her many failings. She was trained harshly as a child and craves experiences like this. She will never become a legend,” my mother said.

“What? Really? Can’t people just keep fighting to get stronger down in the dungeon?” I asked.

“For years? For decades? Each level becomes harder and harder. Each Champion monster becomes harder and harder. These mental weaknesses don’t often show up on your status page. But they are insidious, slowing you down. Friends, relationships, and even memories of long dead family members,” my mother stated.

“But…you have spoken fondly of your family,” I said.

“I do and I am. But they are long dead. Raising you is helping me come to terms with that. I love you, and that love is replacing the love that consumed me for so long. In time you will grow up and become your own person. My love won’t lessen but I can temper it.” I looked at my mother in a new light. Like a curtain had been pulled away, letting me see a glimpse of Elena, the woman who had become a Supreme Legend, letting nothing stand in her way.