The five of us returned to the thirtieth floor of the Great Labyrinth.
For a while, Sophie and the others tested their new weapons in actual combat.
"This is incredible! It’s on a completely different level than anything I’ve used before! Master, thank you so much for such an amazing gift!"
"You're very welcome."
Carol was practically vibrating with excitement as she gazed at the black daggers in her hands. Seeing her this happy made the effort of making them well worth it.
"Um, Orun-san, may I ask a question?" Sophie called out to me hesitantly.
"Sure. Is it about the red knives?"
"Ah, yes. Along with the black staff and the clan uniform, there were several small red knives inside. I thought they might have been included by mistake, but they were intentional, weren't they?"
Sophie withdrew a small knife from the storage magic tool I had given her. The blade wasn't made of metal; it was crafted from a clear, crimson gemstone.
"Yeah. Those are yours too, Sophie. They’re still prototypes, so I want you to give me your feedback once you've used them for a bit."
"I don't mind, but... well, I’m not exactly trained in close-quarters combat with knives..." Sophie’s shoulders slumped, her aura turning dejected.
"Certainly, knives can be thrown, but they are fundamentally close-range weapons. However, in your case, you don't actually need to hold them to use them, do you?"
"Without holding them...? Ah! Psychokinesis!"
"Exactly. If you use Psychokinesis, there’s no need to grip them or even close the distance with your opponent. You can slash at them unilaterally from afar. That's an advantage unique to you, Sophie."
"You're right. If I use Psychokinesis, that kind of application is possible. I was so focused on using it to seal an opponent's movements. I really have a long way to go..." Sophie muttered, a self-deprecating smile on her face.
"Don't be so hard on yourself. I think Psychokinesis is an excellent ability with a wide range of applications. Try exploring different possibilities without getting stuck on a single idea."
"Yes! Understood!"
"As I said, those knives are designed to be moved with your ability. There’s also a specific gimmick built into them—that’s the 'prototype' part. I want you to figure out what that gimmick is for yourself."
"A gimmick in these knives..." Sophie whispered, her eyes fixed on the blade. She was already lost in thought.
Perhaps she would find a way to use them that I hadn't even considered. I was looking forward to seeing what she’d come up with.
Once Sophie and the others finished familiarizing themselves with their new gear, we returned to the entrance of the thirtieth floor.
"Alright, then. Since it was my disciples’ request, let's approach this with everything we've got. Luna, are you ready?"
"Yes, I’m ready. What about coordination? Should we stick to the Golden Dawn's standard patterns?"
"That'll work. I’ll act as the Enchanter and Front-line Attacker; you take Healer and Rearguard Attacker. We probably won't need a Defender, but we can adjust as needed."
"Understood. And when you say 'everything we've got'..."
"I mean it literally. Treat this as if we’re diving into the Deep Floors."
"But if we do that..."
I knew what Luna was worried about. If we tackled the thirtieth floor at full power, Sophie and her team would have almost nothing to do. However, I had already decided that going all-out was the right move.
"This is the best way to show them exactly how wide the gap is. Besides, it’s been a while since we’ve formed a party. Let's make sure to enjoy the run."
"...I understand. Then let's show Carol and the others what S-Rank explorers are truly capable of."
The briefing finished, I walked back over to the disciples.
"Welcome back! Are we ready to go?" Carol asked.
"Yeah. Sorry to keep you waiting. Let's head out. Keep a close eye on us, and try to keep up."
"Yes, sir! I can't wait. I'm going to memorize every single move you and Big Sis Ruu make!"
About ten minutes had passed since we started the conquest.
Without engaging in a single proper battle, we navigated the shortest route at a brisk but comfortable pace, covering ninety percent of the floor.
"Wait, um... what's happening?" Sophie’s voice was laced with bewilderment.
Usually, I would have responded, but I was currently too focused on the conquest to spare a reply.
"I don't understand... but it’s clearly abnormal not to encounter any magic beasts for this long."
"Hmm, are they just walking in a way that avoids them?"
"No, Master and the others are taking the most direct route to the floor boss. It’s not that they’re avoiding the beasts—it feels more like the magic beasts are avoiding them... But how?"
While listening to their chatter, I kept my senses sharp. A magic beast finally tripped my detection net. Given the positioning, avoiding this one was impossible.
"Contact. Thirty meters ahead. Four Goblins."
"Should I use Thunder Arrow?" Luna asked.
This was the first time we had spoken since the start of the floor. Until now, slight gestures and eye contact had been more than enough to coordinate our movements.
"Yeah. In three seconds, please."
Exactly three seconds after my reply, Luna unleashed her Thunder Arrow. Bolts of lightning streaked forward from her position. Even with light-emitting crystals placed at intervals, the thirtieth floor was essentially a cave; identifying enemy positions with the naked eye at thirty meters was difficult.
Luna’s bolts were fired with a general aim, but at this trajectory, they would all miss.
——In that case, I'll just have to change their course.
I flooded mana into the four spell formulas I had constructed during the three seconds I had her wait. Gray, translucent walls manifested near the Goblins. When the lightning arrows struck the walls, they ricocheted, their paths bending to pierce the vitals of the unsuspecting monsters.
I signaled the hit to Luna with a glance, and she gave a small, sharp nod.
"Phew. We’re here."
I took a breath as we reached the Boss Area. Since we were able to divert or suppress everything except for those Goblins, we reached the door in about ten minutes.
In labyrinth exploration, the key is how well you can avoid unnecessary combat to conserve stamina. This is vital in the Deep Floors, where common monsters are incredibly strong and a lethal floor boss waits at the end.
The secret to how we were "guiding" the monsters was simple: we exploited their natural attraction to magic stones. I used Space Leap to warp magic stones to locations where I wanted to lure them, while Luna used Induction to provide a sensory decoy.
" " "............" " "
The three disciples stood in stunned silence, staring at us as if we were alien beings.
"How should we handle the boss?" Luna asked.
"Against that boar, there isn't a one-in-ten-thousand chance we'd lose. But since we're doing this, I want to end it instantly."
The floor boss of the thirtieth floor was pathetic compared to the monsters found on the ninety-second or ninety-third floors. To demonstrate the gap to Sophie and the others, I wanted this to be over in the blink of an eye.
"Then... Pattern D?"
"That's the one. Let's go with D-7."
"Understood."
I hung the necklace with the processed magic stone around my neck—the same one I had used against the Black Dragon. As I pushed open the doors to the Boss Area, I cast Rearguard Up on Luna. Since my Ki-based buffs weren't stable yet, I cast a Quintuple Status Up on myself using standard mana.
"You three, stay back."
The moment we entered the Boss Area, the disciples retreated to the wall as instructed.
"—Induction."
Once they were clear, Luna activated her Seirei magic. A pale blue light flickered into existence in front of me. Lured by both the light and the magic stone at my throat, the massive boar began its thundering charge.
I immediately channeled mana into my pre-constructed formulas.
"—Reflective Wall. Alteration."
A gray, translucent floor manifested on the ground in the boar’s path while I transformed the Schwarzhase in my hand into a massive magic sword. The charging boar hit the Reflective Wall and was launched several meters into the air.
"Fire Javelin!"
Luna fired several spears of flame at the airborne beast. They pierced the boar's hide and detonated, keeping it suspended in mid-air.
"...Third Form: Mont Drei."
I had already leaped above the beast. I swung the Schwarzhase—now shaped into a heavy greatsword—down with every ounce of my strength. The blow slammed the boar into the ground with enough force to make the entire room shake. It let out a strangled shriek.
Maintaining my momentum, I spun on the spot and brought the blade down again.
"Heavenly Flash...!"
A concentrated mass of pitch-black mana transformed into a slash that tore toward the monster.
"Explode!"
Luna timed her magic perfectly, and I synchronized Impact with both my Heavenly Flash and her Explode.
A massive explosion roared through the room, the shockwave of mana echoing off the walls. As I landed and the smoke cleared, nothing remained of the boss but a magic stone and its tusks.
"...Incredible," Carol whispered, her usual high-energy replaced by pure awe. Sophie and Log were equally wide-eyed, completely lost for words.
Yeah, that should have given them the shock they needed.
(Still, as I thought, this is...)
I clenched and unclenched my left hand, staring at my palm.
"Good work, Orun. ——Is something wrong?" Luna approached and asked, noticing my distraction.
"No, it's nothing. Good work to you too. Your timing on that last Explode was flawless. As expected."
"Fufu, we were in the same party for nearly ten years. Even if we haven't dived together lately, syncing up with you is a piece of cake. ...By the way, that black greatsword—you used it against the Black Dragon too, didn't you? It looks a little different now, but is that your new weapon?"
Luna looked at the magic sword curiously.
(Right, she saw it back when we were forced to evacuate.)
"Something like that. Simply put, it's a sword I create using my Mana Convergence. I'll explain the theory some other time."
"A sword made of mana... That really is an incredibly versatile ability."
While Luna and I chatted, we waited for Sophie and the others to join us, but they seemed unable to snap out of their daze.
"How long are you guys going to stand there? We're heading to the thirty-first floor."
My voice finally broke the spell. They scrambled back to their senses and ran over to us. We continued on to the next floor before finally starting the journey home.