The Slime Hunter
There’s a dungeon near my home that people call a beginner’s dungeon. People who hear of how I spend my days inside, will make fun of me for “wasting” my time in a place only beginners visit. I get called things like, Slime Hunter or Bane of Slimes. Or sometimes, they’ll call me a Slime Lover when they are really feeling brave. I never actually cared about the names they call me though.
What I did actually start fights over, was bullying. People who tried to cause trouble in my town quickly learned that I was strong enough to subdue anyone. Though none would believe my claim that it was from fighting slimes, and all assumed I was not as strong as I seemed, and that my foes were just weak; after all, only beginners come here.
The truth though, is that one can gain levels from fighting monsters, and training skills doesn’t require a dangerous foe. I can always work to be faster, and more accurate, no matter how absurd the power gap. The only true limit on my ability to gain power from fighting slimes, is how many I can find in a day.
I tried to explain it once... everyone just laughed though. Using a simple twig as a weapon, and trying not to break it… the amount of time, practice, and effort it took to become capable of mass killing slimes with a single small twig is enormous! The rewards are quite apparent to me though.
Cutting foes from afar with a sword? I can do that. A technique spoken of as a skill of legend, is one I’ve gained fighting with slimes in this “beginner” dungeon. Truly, it is a waste that none will believe me when I say this dungeon is the best dungeon to train in. Instead they call me a fool, and say that I’ve given up on adventuring. I haven’t given up…
Once again, I enter the room. The best room to train. A room no one visits. A room, with no rewards, just a very large space, and more slimes than the rest of the dungeon combined. The slimes respawn quickly enough that it’s considered a dangerous room for beginners, and all are advised to avoid it. I enjoy it.
A near endless supply of slimes is a near endless supply of experience and practice. I can train my skills here. Train my endurance. Train my focus… This is the perfect training ground. In time, I shall be the strongest in the world.
Lol Is this the more aggressive start to that light novel "While Killing Slimes for 300 Years, I Became the MAX Level Unknowingly"?
I bet the dungeon loves him for it though. He might not die but he does spend ages and ages hanging out in there
I did come up with this idea while reading the beginning of that story.
Aw. Poor slimes.
That evil man. His hands are stained with the goo of slimes. Perhaps one day, when the resentment of the slimes reach a critical level, he'll be cursed to become a slime.
Oh and this is the perfect example of the master transcending the weapon. Instead of seeking an ever more powerful weapon made of ever increasingly rare materials, a true master can exhibit his full power with just a branch.
... they'd be stronger without the branch than they are with it. Their body can handle ki/mana/whatever better than that twig can.
Now, give them a proper mythril sword, and they'd probably be able to cleave mountains. ;)
@Kldran That's the problem, isn't it? People talk about true skill not being limited by their weapons, but they can still do more damage with a proper weapon then with a branch. So in the end, skill doesn't triumph over equipment.
@Xyll-246 Usually the skill triumphs over equipment thing is just being so overpowered that one doesn't need good equipment. Actually having good equipment usually makes one stronger, unless a special technique is involved that requires less gear. Though there are settings in which one reaches a skill level where equipment that is useful doesn't exist (because the necessary materials don't exist, or are too difficult to obtain).
Though once one reaches the point of winning in one move, being even stronger with a weapon, is kinda meaningless. That's probably where the master transcending the weapon idea comes from.