"Alright! Well then, let's head to the Great Labyrinth this afternoon!"
After the lesson on magic beasts, I spent the rest of the morning covering the basics—the logic behind different roles, the proper mindset for an explorer, and general survival tips. By the time I finished, it was exactly noon.
"Wait, is that okay...?"
"Yeah, my teaching methods have been left entirely to my discretion. It would be boring for you guys to be stuck in a classroom all day, and I'm sure you’re itching to move. Besides, I want to see your actual combat skills again so I can tailor our future training plan."
I suggested the three of them grab lunch at the dining hall, though I instructed them to keep their portions light.
When they asked if I wasn't joining them, I explained that I’d be fine with my homemade portable rations. This piqued their interest, and they eventually insisted that we all eat the rations together.
I’d designed my portable rations with efficiency in mind; taste was a distant secondary concern. While I’d managed to improve them to the point where they weren't exactly "disgusting," they certainly weren't "delicious."
Predictably, their faces froze the moment they took their first bites.
"What is this?! It’s not tast—mmph—!"
"I-It's delicious, Master! To think you can even make something like this... you really are amazing!"
Just as Carol was about to voice her honest opinion, Log clamped a hand over her mouth and scrambled to cover for her.
"Phew! I thought I was gonna die!" Carol sputtered once released.
"Ahaha... I know the flavor is an acquired taste, so don't force yourselves. We can still go to the dining hall, you know?"
"N-No! We can't let a gift from our master go to waste!"
It wasn't just Log; the other two seemed determined to finish every bite as well. They really didn't need to push themselves over something like this...
After lunch, we arrived at the 11th Floor of the Great Labyrinth.
"Now then, I’m going to have you fight individually. I want to see exactly what you’re capable of on your own. Don’t hold back—I’ll be right here to step in if anything goes wrong. Also, wear these necklaces while you fight."
A group of three naturally attracts more attention from magic beasts than a lone explorer, so I had them wear the necklaces I’d used during the Black Dragon battle to mask their presence.
First up was Sophie.
Her opponents: five Slimes.
"Good luck, Sophie!"
"I-I'm going in! ...【Fire Arrow】!"
Slimes are often cited as the quintessential weak magic beast. However, they possess high physical resistance, and their only weakness—the core—is small and difficult to target inside their translucent bodies. They can be quite the headache for rookie Swordsmen.
Sophie, however, was a Mage.
Even against five of them, she should have no trouble. She correctly chose 【Fire Arrow】, an intermediate fire-type spell that Slimes are weak against.
As the Slimes drew near, she calmly maintained her distance. She stayed mobile, picking them off one by one with steady precision.
If she mastered Parallel Construction, she could clear them even faster, but for a rookie, her spell choice and positioning were beyond reproach. I definitely needed to prioritize teaching her Parallel Construction.
Next was Log’s turn.
His opponents: four Goblins.
As an Enchanter, his primary focus should technically be managing buffs for his allies rather than attacking. However, with a party of only three, he had to be able to contribute to the offense. It would be ideal if we could find another rookie capable of keeping up with these three, but for now, this was reality.
In the blink of an eye, Log unleashed spells like 【Rock Needle】 and 【Fire Arrow】, reducing the Goblins to magic stones.
Watching him fight again confirmed my suspicions. Log was already using Parallel Construction.
The Exploration Management Department was meant for instructing novices; I couldn't imagine them teaching a high-level technique like Parallel Construction to rookies. Had he reached that level through self-study, or had someone else mentored him? Either way, to be proficient in Parallel Construction at his age was impressive.
Log’s attitude might have been a problem before, but his skills as an explorer were already well-developed. I’d have to think carefully about what to teach him next.
Finally, it was Carol’s turn.
Her opponents: two White Wolves.
White Wolves are notorious for their agility and their lethal bites. As usual, Carol stayed glued to her enemies, weaving through their attacks and landing counter-slashes with her dagger.
She was a natural-born front-line attacker. Now that she was my student, I had no intention of letting her remain an evasion-type defender—the role with the highest mortality rate in the business. I didn't want her taking those kinds of risks.
The problem was that, currently, Carol was the only one capable of holding the front line. A party without a proper defender was a death trap. I’d let her fill the role for now out of necessity, but that would only last until we reached the middle floors. Once we hit the lower floors, I’d have her convert to a pure attacker. In the meantime, I’d have to scout for a dedicated defender who could keep pace with them.
Carol toyed with the wolves, focused on carving one of them up. Perhaps she was too focused, because she left her back completely exposed to the second wolf lunging from behind.
"Watch out!" Sophie screamed.
I instantly funneled mana into the spell formula I’d been holding and triggered 【Reflective Wall】. The White Wolf slammed into the gray, translucent barrier and was sent reeling backward.
I activated a 【Triple】 stack of 【Agility Up】, closing the distance in a heartbeat. Before the wolf could even hit the ground, I cut it clean in half.
"Carol, you're fighting solo right now. You have to stay aware of your surroundings."
I kept my voice calm, trying not to sound like I was scolding her.
"Hmm? I knew it was coming," Carol replied, sounding utterly nonchalant. "That’s why I didn't bother guarding."
I blinked, confused. "You knew? Carol, you could have been seriously injured just now."
"Hmm? But I don't get hurt."
Our conversation wasn't making any sense. Before I could press her, Carol took her dagger and slashed it across her own wrist.
Blood began to pour from the deep cut.
...What?
My brain stalled for a fraction of a second before I frantically started constructing a 【Heal】 spell. But before I could even finish the formula, the wound knit itself back together, vanishing before my eyes.
(What on earth...)
I stood there, unable to hide my shock.
"This is my Ability. No matter how bad the injury is, it heals instantly! My body just won't die. I'm used to the pain, and I can't be permanently wounded, so you don't have to worry about me!"
She gave me a bright, beaming smile.
Like hell I can't worry!
This girl was dangerously unbalanced. I’d thought I had time to ease them into things, but this couldn't wait. Was this Ability the reason she felt she could just charge recklessly at magic beasts?
That distorted logic, combined with such a powerful Ability... it was a recipe for disaster. I had to fix her mindset, and I had to do it immediately.