“Well then, let's dive right into the lecture. It’s the first day, so we’ll start with the basics. You might know this already, but it’s vital information, so consider this a review. We’re going to talk about the magic beasts that explorers fight.”
In labyrinth exploration, combat with magic beasts was unavoidable.
Whether or not one understood the traits of a magic beast could significantly impact their survival rate. It was information I absolutely needed them to take to heart.
“First, the fundamental premise: magic beasts have a natural instinct to attack humans. There is no definitive explanation as to why, but the leading theory is that they are targeting the high-density mana accumulated within the human body—the result of us breathing in the mana present in the atmosphere.”
Magic beasts did not attack other species of magic beasts.
However, since magic beasts also breathed, it stood to reason that they, too, possessed dense mana within their bodies. While the "mana-consumption" theory was the most prominent, there were many contradictory elements that kept the scholars from reaching a final conclusion.
“Because of this instinct, magic beasts prioritize locations where people gather. However, that isn't the only thing that dictates their behavior. Magic beasts don’t target each other... but they do target magic stones.”
This was another behavior that complicated the previous theory.
The moment a creature was reduced to a magic stone, other magic beasts would move to incorporate that stone into their own bodies. Furthermore, they prioritized this action quite highly. While consuming one or two stones didn't cause a noticeable shift, a magic beast’s power increased in direct proportion to the number of stones it devoured.
“If you have a small group in one spot and a single person holding a magic stone a short distance away, the beasts will often go for the one with the stone. It’s not an absolute rule, but it’s a common pattern. Beyond that, they attack whoever is attacking them. Well, that much is obvious—it’s a basic survival instinct for any living creature.”
This was exactly why attackers had to be mindful of the "hate" they generated. They had to strike carefully to avoid drawing too much focus. It wasn't a position where one could just swing a weapon without thinking.
“You’ve probably noticed that defenders often have magic stones embedded in their equipment, right? They’re utilizing this trait. By brandishing magic stones right in front of the beast while attacking, they draw its hate and force it to focus its strikes on them.”
“Ah, I see,” Sophie muttered, looking as though the pieces of a puzzle had finally clicked into place.
“What is it?” I asked.
“N-no, it’s nothing.”
Sophie looked embarrassed and tried to shy away from answering. I felt like I understood her personality well enough by now, and normally, I would have let it slide.
But not here.
“Go ahead and say it, even if you’re wrong. If you’ve misunderstood something, we should clear it up now so you don't memorize the wrong info. And if you’re right, it’s better if everyone shares that knowledge, right?”
“Y-yes. I suppose so. Um, it was when Orun-san was fighting the black dragon... Before the battle really began, you put on a necklace with a magic stone, didn’t you? I was wondering if that was also to draw the dragon’s hate to yourself.”
“...” I paused, genuinely impressed. “You’re correct. I’m surprised you were watching closely enough to see that.”
I offered Sophie my sincere admiration. When the black dragon had appeared, the rookies should have been in a total state of panic. To have noticed such a casual action and remembered it until now was no small feat. Even when the group had been swamped by orcs, she had managed to hold her own against those numbers, however narrowly. Sophie’s field of vision was likely much wider than I had initially realized.
“Sophie, that’s amazing! I can’t believe you were even watching Master’s movements that closely!”
“T-thank you.”
Sophie’s face turned bright red as she shrunk back. I wanted to keep building her confidence like this, one small step at a time.
“Let’s get back to the topic. The behavioral principles of magic beasts are as I described. Now, some explorers carry a vast array of combat magic tools into the labyrinth. However, I’d advise against that.”
“Is that because you need magic stones to power them?” Log asked.
“Exactly. Combat magic tools are certainly convenient since they allow you to trigger attack magic with ease. But since they require magic stones, carrying too many makes you a beacon for every beast in the area. Even if you do bring them, you should limit yourself to a few carefully selected items.”
“But couldn't you just keep them inside a storage magic tool?”
“Keeping them in storage helps more than carrying them in your hands, but it doesn't reduce the effect to zero. Think of it like this: imagine magic stones emit a scent that only magic beasts can track. A storage magic tool can mask that scent to a degree, but it still leaks out. Therefore, the more stones you have, the easier it is for beasts to find you.”
“I had no idea. You really are a fountain of knowledge, Master!”
Log looked at me with eyes full of pure respect. It really threw me off my pace... but it was a reminder of how important first impressions were.
“...W-well, I’ve just dabbled in a lot of different fields. Anyway, have you ever heard the saying that the longer you stay in a labyrinth, the more frequently magic beasts appear?”
“Oh! I know that one!” Carol chimed in. “It’s that thing people say, right? ‘The labyrinth starts getting serious once the explorers start getting tired!’”
There were quite a few explorers with limited knowledge who believed that. I used to think the same way when I first started out.
“That actually ties back to what I just said. As you continue your exploration, the number of magic stones inside your storage magic tool increases. Since magic beasts are drawn to them, your encounter rate naturally climbs. That’s why, in a professional exploration, you should decide when to turn back based on the volume of magic stones you’ve collected rather than the time on the clock.”
As a side note, my specific storage magic tool was better at suppressing that "scent" than the average model. I honestly had no idea what was going on in the head of the old man who crafted this thing. Even when I studied the spell formulas inscribed on it, I couldn't make heads or tails of them.