And thats that. Using magic that doesnt fit your stature will only make you run out of MP sooner. In short, you lack the ability to continue fighting, Maria-chan.
Lastiara laid out the reflection points to Maria, who was sitting in W position, out of breath. The place was on the 20th floor, right in front of the Connection magic.
Haa, haa Y-youre right This doesnt work
Maria agreed, hanging her head.
She was acutely aware of what Lastiara was saying. There was no way she could argue back.
With a smile, Maria slowly stood up, and then spoke.
I suppose it doesnt work just yet, so I should return. Ive held you back today Im sorry.
Her face was smiling. However, not only was it pallid, the smile was eerie. What kind of emotion she went through when she made that smile, I could never know
As I was trying to find the correct words to reply, Lastiara replied in my stead.
Yup, see you later. Maria-chan, Im thinking of at dishes for today. Like a folksy, tasty, hearty one, please?
Fufu. Understood. Ill cook sothing delicious and wait.
They both laughed as they decided what to have for dinner.
After that conversation, Maria went ho through Connection.
Lastiara and I were left on the 20th floor. She stretched her body lightly and threw a question.
Whew. That was pretty amusing, wasnt it?
It gave a fright.
With that sword-like fire magic, Maria-chan should be okay if even a monster from the 21st floor cos close to her, so isnt that more reassuring than before?
Her having a half-assed ans of defense is much more frightening. I felt more reassured when she couldnt do anything
Despite having access to powerful magic, Marias Status wasnt suitable for the 21st floor. Maria couldnt keep up with the furies speed, she couldnt tank their attacks, and of course, one misstep could lead to death. There was no way I could watch that with any peace of mind.
I took a breath and strode towards the stairway to the 21st floor. Lastiara followed , and she reaffird our goal from thereon.
So, are we still going to the 24th floor today?
No Id like to hunt monsters on the 21st floor the whole day.
Oh, are the monsters so strong that we need to level up?
Well, not really.
I didnt feel anything wrong with the monsters strength. Just, for so reason, I had never received a clean hit the whole ti I was in this world, so I wanted to prepare, just in case.
If you want to level, then lets do it after we go a bit deeper. Its easier to level up after we know the approximate level of our next target enemy, right?
Thats true, but There are better ways to say it, you know
Lastiara only wanted to go deeper, Id bet. I could tell she was trying to make excuses so that we would advance to the deeper floor.
Even so, I folded to her enthusiasm. There was no enemy that could endanger around there, and that was a fact.
Fine. Were going further.
Attaboy.
Lastiara and I descended to the 21st floor and proceeded deeper into the Labyrinth.
***
We t nothing unusual on our trip from the 20th floor to the 23rd floor. Since there were only a few types of monsters on these floors, we didnt encounter any new monsters, thus allowing us to proceed along the Main Road without problems.
We avoided enemies as much as possible so that we would have enough energy to explore the 23rd floor.
With plenty of extra energy, we began to explore the 23rd floor but were still unable to find the staircase leading to the 24th floor.
N-not here
Yups Aargh, this is vexing
Since that was our second exploration, I thought we would find the staircase pretty soon, but things didnt go as well as we had hoped. It had been two hours since we started walking around, but there was no sign of any staircase.
Lastiara s frustration was mounting. Impatient, she shouted.
Christ! Widen your detection magic!
Mm
That was a thod Id rather avoid if possible, so I snarled. My Dinsion magic only extended a few ters around as of then. I even cut it off in so cases. I used the wide-area detection only to check on the monsters all around at regular intervals.
Saving up on MP was part of the reason but also because being lost like that wasnt exactly a bad thing.
While I did say lost, the Map was filling up nicely, and I still could fight reasonably well. Going nowhere like that was eating up our ti, but in exchange, I gained EXP and funds, so it was nothing to complain about.
But not so with Lastiara. The heat and humidity of the 23rd floor had boiled her frustration over her head.
Were wasting ti here!!
And Im wasting my MP away. Whats wrong with walking around? Its filling up my Map, and well reach the staircase eventually.
Well, to begin with, are you really, really morizing the path we take, Christ?!
Yeah, no doubt about it.
I hadnt explained to Lastiara my Map system in detail. I had only told her that I would never forget a path Id taken once, so it seed that Lastiara had her doubts about my mapping abilities.
We had several fierce battles along the way, and yet, she might find it hard to believe if I told her I could rember exactly what happened chronologically.
While I was sure she would be convinced if I told her more about the Map system, I was not going to tell her all of my cards. Even if she didnt believe , she would be convinced of the accuracy of my mapping ability after we went through the area repeatedly over a few days.
No doubt about it? Really? Really, really?
Yeah.
Lastiara, however, was skeptical and repeatedly asked for confirmation. Her desire to quickly reach the next floor utilizing my Dinsion magic was apparent.
Will we really, really, reaally eventually reach the staircase, no doubt?
Yes, really.
I assured her. I looked straight into her doubt.
Haah If you say it that far, then Ill believe you Water, please.
Sure, sure.
I took water out of my Item List and handed it to Lastiara.
While the temperature on the 23rd floor was high, the water in my Item List was cold. Not as cold as a refrigerator by modern standards, though it was cold enough to be helpful. Thank goodness outside temperature didnt affect the temperature inside my Item List.
Then, I suddenly thought about the Item List. I had been using the system without thinking much about it, but now that I had started applying it to combat, there was a need for to understand it better.
First, the temperature inside the Item List was not affected by the temperature outside, and that indicated that it was an isolated space.
Second, there was no need for to grope around to take sothing out from that space. It naturally let grab what I imaged in my mind. It was different from trying to reach for a specific object in a large space. Every tool had its own space, and when I thought of that particular tool, I was connected to its particular space.
That showed that the Item List was not a single large room, but rather, a system of countless smaller rooms.
The laws within the Item space had also beco clearer. I thought it would ignore the laws of physics since it was a subspace, but that wasnt the case. Ti also flowed within the spacefor example, a bloodied sword would rust if left unattended. Likewise, water could spoil.
Not almighty, but convenientthat was my impression thus far. I could use it for more than just storage, depending on how it was used.
As we walked through the 23rd floor, I proceeded to check how to put things in and out from the Item List.
As I did so, I sensed a herd of monsters. Red elentals, an irregularly shaped monster that appeared on the 23rd floor, were gathering in one place in large numbers. Red elentals were basically Hang Shadows with fla attributesa monster that was resistant to physical attacks.
They were troubleso opponents for the two of us, as we had to either slice and dice them to crush their nuclei or use magic attacks.
I opted to avoid the herd, and as I observed the movents of the red elentals, I spotted a large red elental in the center of the herd.
Ah, theres a boss.
Just in case, I reported it to Lastiara. Personally, I would have preferred hunting the boss rather than going any deeper. Although the risk was higher than hunting non-boss monsters, it wasnt as risky as going deeper, and for that part, it had a definite return.
Eh, boss?! Really?
When I announced it, Lastiaras ennui was instantly lifted and her eyes lit up.
Those flickering fire monsters, red elentals, their boss is here. It seems like we entered the red elentals territory before we knew it. No wonder its getting hotter.
It seed like we had wandered into the area controlled by a boss because we were walking through the Labyrinth without any idea where to go. That kind of situation was likely to increase from that floor on since there was no Main Road.
All right. Lets take it down.
I think its going to get hotter the more we get closer, you know?
Which ans itll get cooler if its slain, right?
It seed that Lastiara prioritized fun over heat.
* * *
* * *
Once we decided to defeat the boss, we began to strategize how to fight it. The strategy, however, was a simple one. Fighting hand-in-hand wouldnt boost power for us, so we would simply spread out and attack the boss at the sa ti. Considering our enemies traits, we would be using magic attacks as our main offense.
I told Lastiara the bosss position and said, Charge in one minute. I will attack from a different direction, and went to find a different position for the assault.
After finding one, I quickly constructed my magic.
Magic, Dinsion Gladiator.
My dinsional magic was shifted into one suited for combat, and then I prepared offensive magic.
Magic, Ice, magic, Foam. Magic, Ice Flamberge.
I used the composite magic I had newly developed and applied it to my sword. The treasured sword I held was then filled with cold air and coated with ice.
It was an imitation of Marias new magic, Fla Flamberge. Creating a sword made of magic purely out of magic power was difficult, but I managed to create a similar magic by using the sword I already had.
Since the image of the magic already existed, it didnt take long for to create. With that, I could attack with cold air.
At the sa ti as I completed my Ice Flamberge, I magically sensed that Lastiara had broken into a run, and so I started running toward the boss myself.
The closer we got, the hotter it got, and the corridor transford into scorched rocks.
Both Lastiara and I charged blindingly fast. At least not a single monster on the 23rd floor could keep up with us.
The red elentals were unable to process the sudden onrush, allowing both of us to pass by.
We then confronted the boss.
The size of that one enemy was five tis the size of the red elentals, and the heat its body packed was magnitudes hotter. Its external features were the sa, only, it was much bigger.
Monster Fla Squall: Rank 26
Its na was Fla Squall.
Lastiara and I ignored its underlings and rushed to slash at the boss monster.
Our swords both caught the Fla Squall and sliced through its flickering flas, and yet, we felt no response.
We lost our balance at how little resistance we felt from it.
Both Lastiara and I had added our own magic to the swords we wielded. I had expected to feel at least a slight twitch when I slashed at it, but it seed my expectations were betrayed.
I guess it ant that a sword with that much cold air was not good enough for a boss-rated monster.
The Fla Squall didnt miss the chance to counterattack us when we fell downit ford two arms made of fla and swept away its imdiate surroundings.
We evaded a direct hit from it by taking a large leap back. However, while we werent directly hit, the residual heat scorched our clothes and burned the air. I felt a sharp pain in my throat just from breathing.
Realizing that it was in a different league than red elents, I singed my burnt throat and scread.
Lastiara! Do we retreat?!
I proposed a retreat. For both of us, our mobility was our best strength. Our greatest advantage was that we could always retreat if we wanted to.
Lastiara, however, refused to back down.
No, I have an idea! Back up!
With that said, Lastiara began to distance herself, constructing so kind of magic.
With no other choice, I held my sword up against the Fla Squall to get its attention.
Im here! Magic, Freeze!
I cast the magic to lower the ambient temperature and shouted to make my presence known. I thought it would be unpleasant for the fla monster to have the temperature lowered, so I cheaply harassed it.
Seeing that, the Fla Squall put its arms together, ford a huge hamr made of fla, and swung it down at .
I leapt to the side, dodging it. As long as I could see the flas and I had my agility, a direct hit would be out of question.
The red elentals all around also shot their fires at , but the flas of non-boss monsters didnt pose a threat.
When I thought I could just evade the flas forever, the Fla Squall drastically changed its shape.
It inhaled the air around it and expanded its body. That gave the bad feeling, and thus, I moved away. And then, thinking that a wide-area fla attack might co based on the experiences I had of vidya gas, I produced water and cloth from my Item List and made a soaking wet robe.
As I had expected, flas erupted from the Fla Squalls massive body. It was a wide-area attack that engulfed the entire corridor like a tidal wave of flas. A bit happy that my prediction hit the bulls eye, I spread the soaking wet robe in front of .
There was no way to evade that kind of attack, regardless of my speed. I focused my Freeze magic on an area a few centiters around and used my wet robe as a shield against the flas.
I managed to hold off the flas, as the wide area of effect ant the firepower had been compromised. I took a breath and looked anxiously at Lastiara, who was probably focused on chanting her magic.
There she was, unhard, with a glowing magical wall deployed around her. Lastiara rarely used magic, but she had a great deal of Holy Magic in her arsenal. She probably had plenty of magic to prevent flas of that level. She kept on chanting without any problem.
Feeling that degree of safety between us was unfair, I thought about just leaving her behind and fleeing on my own. Feeling my gaze on her, Lastiara gave a thumbs up with a smile that basically said, Thats Christ for you! Hang in there a little longer!
I sighed and turned to Fla Squall.
The monster, after deciding that the AoE attack would not be decisive, extended both of its flaming arms to .
I kept on dodging. Dodging was easy because I didnt have to think about counterattacks.
However, what was painful was the aftermath of the attackthe residual heat.
It scorched my skin, and the air I inhaled turned into a deadly weapon. Gradually, my breathing beca labored, and just when I thought it was ti to retreat, help finally arrived.
Holy Magic, Zion!
Lights of magic invaded the corridor filled with flas. It was Lastiaras Holy Magic.
I realized that it was the sa kind of magic Dia had used so ti ago.
Just like that ti, spheres of magic flooded the Labyrinth, solidifying the Fla Squalls magic power.
would our attack reach now?
I fixed my swords position and turned from evading to attacking.
My sword easily sliced through the giant fla arm. The Fla Squall, not knowing what had happened, let out a muffled cry and trembled.
Having lost the advantage of its flaming body, the Fla Squall no longer had a chance to win. Unable to cope with the high-speed slashes Lastiara and I delivered, the monster was diced.
A few monts later, the Fla Squall was completely dismantled and then disappeared as light.
You have earned the title Flickering Fla
Fire Magic is adjusted by 0.01
I received a title. However, since I had no Fire Magic Skill, there was no change when I displayed my Status. The sa would probably be true for Lastiara.
I picked up the magic stone dropped by the Fla Squall and shifted my attention to the surrounding monsters.
Lastiara was already sweeping them up with her sword added with Holy Magic. I could have joined in, but then I would use Ice Magic, which I was not accustod to, so I restrained myself to conserve MP.
Within a few minutes, the sweep was over. Exhausted, Lastiara handed the magic stones she picked up with a smile.
Perhaps thanks to the boss battle, she seed to be in a good mood.
Phew. That was pretty fun.
I was this close to being grilled whole, you know?
I took off my burnt coat and cloak and threw them away. The clothes I wore from my original world were exposed underneath, so I quickly took out a new cloak from my Item List to hide them.
When Lastiara saw my clothes, she looked at them with interest.
Huh. Are those clothes from the otherworld? Theyre quite exotic and nice. I wish I could wear them.
What are you saying? Its one of the few things I have from my hotown. No.
Maybe Ill look good in them. I am beautiful, as you know.
These are ns. Give it up.
I put on my cloak to hide my hotown clothes from Lastiaras curious gaze. Then, to change the topic, I brought up the battle we just had.
More importantly, that Holy Magic you used Zion, right? You couldve told you could use sothing like that. It would have been a lot easier if I had included that in my calculations from the beginning.
I was hiding a lot of different cards in my hand from Lastiara, but probably, Lastiara had more cards hidden than I did.
Mn~ I didnt really want to use it, you see. This magic just gobbles MP like crazy.
Lastiara spoke before she urged to check her Status. I focused on her and did as asked.
Status
HP: 621/709, MP: 121/325
Uwah thats really a lot
It is pretty advanced, even amongst Holy Magic, you see. Im not a big fan of using magic to begin with, so its exhausting.
Lastiaras breathing was a little disordered as she explained. That mightve be the first ti I had ever seen her breathing so disrupted.
You an you dont want to depend on that magic?
Exactly. Well never get to the depths if we rely on this.
Lastiara was great at giving plausible reasons. I had a feeling she was trying to cover up the fact that she just wanted to fight with a sword. However, what she said was reasonable, so I had to nod my head.
Got it.
Sure you do. My magic is a last resort.
The conversation ca to an end, and we started walking in search of the 24th floor.
Looking at how the Map was filling up, it was about ti we find the stairs to the 24th floor. When I told her that, she beca more excited and quickened her pace.
We found the stairs a few minutes after defeating Fla Squall.
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