I turned back to see a door behind us. This small chamber appeared to have doors only at the front and the back.
"Um, there is a boss beyond this door," Roxanne explained. "If we defeat it, the door to the room leading to the Second Floor will open. Only one party is allowed inside at a time. If multiple parties enter, the boss will not manifest, and the door to the upper floor will remain closed. Therefore, if a party is already fighting the boss, everyone else must wait here."
"I see. So it’s literally a waiting room."
"We will prepare ourselves here before we face the boss."
"Right. Are you sure we’ll be okay?"
"With your strength, Master, it will not be a problem."
Roxanne spoke as if the outcome were a foregone conclusion. Still, I hesitated. Was it really the right time to fight a boss?
There were no do-overs here. Failure against a boss meant death. Perhaps I should have spent more time training against Needle Woods. But then again, it was hard to judge exactly when I would be "ready." I could already take down a Needle Wood with a single strike from Durandal. Training until I could one-shot them with a Copper Sword seemed like overkill—and who knew how long that would take?
Logic dictated that moving to the higher floors to fight stronger monsters was the fastest way to grow. Since the monsters on the First Floor posed absolutely no threat to us, maybe the time to challenge the boss had indeed come.
"Since it’s a boss, I assume it’s significantly stronger?" I asked, looking for one last bit of reassurance.
"It will be fine. A mere First Floor boss is no match for you, Master. Usually, a floor's boss is a stronger version of the monsters found there. As for what the Needle Wood boss is... um, I seem to have forgotten."
Roxanne's tactical assessment seemed to lean heavily toward "aggressive."
"Ah."
While we were talking, the door to the boss room swung open. There was no more time for indecision.
"Perhaps because there are so few people in the Labyrinth today, no one else was waiting. Let us go. If we are lucky, we might even find equipment from a previous party."
"Equipment?"
"If a previous party is wiped out by the boss, the next party to enter can claim whatever gear they left behind."
I wasn't sure if finding such a thing should be considered lucky or grim.
Roxanne led the way, stepping into the boss room without a moment’s hesitation. I wondered if she ever felt the need for caution, but I had no choice but to follow. As soon as I crossed the threshold, the door slammed shut behind me. The boss room was the same size as the waiting room, about four or five meters square. There was no discarded equipment to be found; it seemed the previous party had made it through safely.
Smoke coalesced at the far end of the room, and a monster took shape.
It was a full size larger than a Needle Wood, standing taller than I did. Even its trunk was a deep green. It was a botanical humanoid with four branches extending from its body to serve as limbs.
Appraisal identified it as an Udo Wood, Level 1. So, this was the Needle Wood boss. It was undoubtedly stronger than its subordinates, but I was relieved to see the level was the same. Did that mean everything on the First Floor was Level 1?
Roxanne rushed forward, her Scimitar flashing as she struck. I hurriedly joined the fray.
The Udo Wood swung a branch. Roxanne dodged with a graceful lean, making it look effortless. I avoided the blow by taking a sharp step back.
The monster swung again. Roxanne swayed her upper body to evade the strike, counterattacking with an upward slash as the branch whistled past. I missed my opening to jump in and could only watch her work.
Since the plant-man had branches on both sides, it could attack the front and back simultaneously. Roxanne caught the next strike on her shield, her Scimitar biting into the wood. The impact momentarily stunned the monster, and I seized the opportunity to slam Durandal into its side.
It didn’t go down.
As expected of a boss, it was sturdy. Come to think of it, the Level 1 Gumi Slime I fought on the way to Vale hadn't died in one hit from Durandal either. Even at the same level, there were clear differences in strength between species.
The Udo Wood's other branch swung toward me from the opposite side. Roxanne swayed out of the way, and I managed to dodge by arching my back. The momentum carried me back a few steps.
The difference between Roxanne’s movements and mine was staggering.
The monster attacked again, but Roxanne dodged with ease. I capitalized on its focus on her, rushing forward to land a heavy blow. My forced retreat had actually put me in a good position to strike, though it wasn't exactly intentional.
The Udo Wood didn't have the luxury of dealing with both of us. It swung a branch at Roxanne, clearly identifying her as the greater threat. She dodged the branch nonchalantly. It passed in front of me as well, but I was just outside its reach.
The branch swung back toward her, and she avoided it with a slight shift of her weight. Again, it passed right before my eyes. Knowing the reach, I stepped in and unleashed a Rush, bringing Durandal down hard on the monster’s shoulder before following through with a diagonal slash.
The Udo Wood shook violently and collapsed. Finally, it dissolved into smoke and vanished.
"Ro-Roxanne... your movements were incredible."
"You think so? Well, it was certainly stronger than a Needle Wood."
I wasn't talking about the monster.
"No, I mean you. You dodged every single attack like it was nothing."
"Thank you. If you watch closely, those kinds of attacks are quite easy to evade."
I begged to differ. Honestly, I didn't think just anyone could do that. Was Roxanne actually some kind of elite warrior?
"Well, maybe so..."
If this kept up, she’d lose all respect for me as her master. I’d be a useless, talentless owner with zero dignity.
"However," Roxanne added, "the fight was easy because the combat time was so short. That is thanks to your incredible attack power, Master."
Technically, it was Durandal’s power, but I decided to take the win. At least my dignity was intact for the moment.
"Oh, it looks like a Leaf dropped."
As the smoke cleared, a single leaf remained on the floor. That was the Udo Wood’s drop item. Appraisal confirmed the name. Roxanne picked it up.
Watching her, I couldn't get over how she moved. It was almost supernatural. It was definitely more than a normal person could manage—at least, more than I could manage. Maybe I could imitate it for a few seconds using Overwhelming, but Roxanne... she was in a constant state of Overwhelming.
I wondered if it was a skill. I opened the Party Job Setting to check.
Beast Fighter Lv 7, Monk Lv 2, Villager Lv 8, Farmer Lv 1, Warrior Lv 1, Swordsman Lv 1, Explorer Lv 1, Herbalist Lv 1.
Wait, she had a new one.
"Herbalist..." I muttered.
"Yes, that's right," Roxanne said, overhearing me. "I believe Herbalists use these Leaves to make medicine."
Incidentally, the skill for a Beast Fighter was called Beast Attack.
The door opposite the entrance opened, signaling that the boss was dead. The room was empty otherwise—no treasure chests, and no loot from previous parties. After a final sweep, we moved to the next room.
"Could I see that Leaf for a second?"
"Of course."
She handed it over. It looked like an ordinary tree leaf.
"About that Beast Attack skill... what kind of skill is it?" I asked, inspecting the leaf. I wondered if it provided an evasion boost like Overwhelming. Based on the name, it sounded like an offensive skill.
"You are familiar with it? I have heard it is a technique that deals massive damage to monsters. However... I am sorry. I cannot use it."
"You can't?"
"Skills and magic spells are all composed in Brahim. It is a sacred language that has manipulated the spirit of language since ancient times. Those who cannot speak Brahim cannot use skills."
I see. So that was why Brahim was so important. To use skills, one had to master the language. It made sense that it became the common tongue.
"But you can speak Brahim now, can't you?"
"Yes, but apparently, my proficiency is not yet enough. To chant a skill, the pronunciation, accent, and intonation must be flawless. It is not enough to simply have a conversation; one must be able to wield the language with total mastery. I cannot chant while my skills are so unrefined."
Apparently, the incantations would simply appear in one's mind when trying to use a skill. That was a universal mechanic.
"I see."
"Besides," Roxanne continued, "chanting a skill always leaves one vulnerable. It is not a major issue that I cannot use them yet. In fact, it is considered poor form for a beginner like me to rely on skills."
"Right."
That might be true for front-line attackers. Not that I’d call Roxanne a "beginner" with a straight face.
We entered the final room of the floor. There was nothing there but a black wall.
"Once we pass through here, we will be on the Second Floor."
We stepped into the black wall. After a momentary flash of darkness, we arrived in a small room identical to the one at the entrance of the Labyrinth. It was about four or five meters square, with paths leading forward, left, and right. Behind us was the black wall we had just exited.
If someone had brought me here blindfolded, I wouldn't have been able to tell it apart from the First Floor entrance. I assumed Dungeon Walk would work here now.
"Can we fight that boss again?" I asked.
"Yes, of course."
This was the more pressing matter. When the boss died, Roxanne had unlocked the Herbalist job. I needed to know how. I had become a Thief by stealing and an Explorer by entering the Labyrinth. It stood to reason that one became an Herbalist by gathering herbs.
Roxanne said the Leaf was used for medicine, meaning the Leaf was an herb. But she hadn't gained the job just by holding it, nor by picking it up after dropping it. It seemed I had to pick it up directly from where the monster dropped it. It had to be "fresh."
I returned the Leaf to Roxanne and stepped back through the black wall. We passed through the darkness and suddenly emerged into bright sunlight.
We were back at the entrance of the Labyrinth. The Explorer guide was still standing there. It was a one-way exit. It made sense—if you could enter the boss room from the exit, it would ruin the "one party at a time" rule.
Roxanne looked like she wanted to say something but held her tongue. She really was an ideal partner.
A group of six people approached from the path—a full party. Their Explorer spoke to the guide at the entrance.
"How deep can you go?"
"The Fourth Floor."
I moved slightly off the path with Roxanne, pretending to check my rucksack while I eavesdropped. Information was life.
The party’s Explorer looked toward a Knight in their group. Even in this party, it seemed the Knight was the one in charge.
"What's on the Fourth Floor?" the Knight asked the guide directly.
"Minos. Below that, on the lower floors, you have Needle Woods, Green Caterpillars, and Kobolds."
"I don't have time for Kobolds on the Third Floor. We'll start from the Fourth."
The Knight nodded to their Explorer.
"The latch of the warehouse housing eight million and five hundred treasures—Item Box, Open."
So that was the full incantation for the Item Box. I had only ever used the shortened version. The party's Explorer opened his Item Box and took out a silver coin. Appraisal confirmed the currency. The guide took the coin and stored it in his own Item Box.
"Of the trust that responds to a friend, of the sincerity that cleanses the heart—Party Formation."
The guide chanted his spell next. He and the party’s Explorer stepped into the Labyrinth together and returned almost immediately. Then the party's Explorer chanted the formation spell again to rejoin his group.
"Alright, we're going to the Fourth Floor!" the Knight declared, and the six of them vanished into the Labyrinth.
I watched them go and then approached the entrance myself. I finally understood the trick.
The guide was likely an Explorer who had already reached the Fourth Floor. The party’s Explorer had never been here. By forming a temporary party, the guide could use Dungeon Walk to take the other Explorer to the Fourth Floor. Once the other Explorer had stood on that floor even once, he could use his own Dungeon Walk to bring his entire party there whenever he wanted.
It was a clever business. This was likely what those two adventurers I saw at the Guild were doing with Field Walk. If one person knew the way to a town, they could "teach" it to another by traveling there together.
I stepped back into the Labyrinth. The guide didn't say anything to me. He probably assumed I was just some newbie who had gotten scared of the monsters and needed to start over from the bottom.
Inside the black wall, a choice appeared in my mind. Until now, I only had the First Floor, so there was no choice to be made. But since I had reached the Second Floor, it was now an option. I selected the Second Floor and entered.
We emerged into the entrance room. I tried to use Dungeon Walk to go directly to the waiting room, but it failed. It seemed I couldn't teleport directly to a boss area. It was a fair restriction—if parties could warp straight to the boss, it would be chaos.
"...I see. So that method is ineffective. A fascinating result," I muttered for Roxanne's benefit. I had to make my failures look like deliberate experiments. Failure is the mother of success, and all that.
"Um... is that so?" she asked, seemingly buying it.
I used Dungeon Walk to return to the room closest to the First Floor boss. I could have used Warp to go straight into the room, but I didn't want to risk warping into the middle of another party’s fight.
"Do you know where we are, Roxanne? This is near the First Floor boss."
"Yes, I know it."
"Lead the way. Straight to the boss room."
We fought our way through a few Needle Woods and reached the waiting room. The door opened instantly. No one else was around.
The smoke gathered, and the Udo Wood appeared again. Roxanne and I flanked it. I dodged its first swing with a wide step, while Roxanne merely tilted her head. I was playing it safe—safety first, after all.
Roxanne slashed the monster's trunk while I readied Durandal. The Udo Wood stepped in, swinging a branch at her. She backed away to avoid it.
For a split second, a gap opened between us and the monster. Seizing the moment, a blue geometric pattern flared to life at the Udo Wood’s feet.
A magic circle.
That looked bad. I had no idea what it was, but the blue glow screamed "danger." Was it a skill? A spell? Even if it were just a buff, I couldn't let it finish.
I lunged forward and slammed Durandal into the monster. The Udo Wood didn't die, but the magic circle shattered and vanished.
Durandal had the Chant Interruption skill. Since monsters didn't speak, they used magic circles as a substitute for chanting. That meant my skill could cancel their circles just as easily as a spoken spell.
Relief washed over me, but I grew careless. A branch caught me in the ribs.
The air left my lungs. The Udo Wood hit much harder than the rabbits or the smaller trees. A second branch whistled through the air, but Roxanne caught it on her shield, her Scimitar striking out simultaneously. She dodged a follow-up from the right with a casual sway.
I waited for the branch to pass and then unleashed a Rush. Durandal’s HP Absorption kicked in, and the tightness in my chest vanished. I was back in the fight.
Roxanne blocked another strike, and as the monster's movement stalled, I moved in. But it was a feint—a second branch swung from the left. Roxanne swayed out of the way, but I was caught. I took the hit and traded it for a final Rush.
Durandal sliced deep into the monster’s core. The Udo Wood shuddered and collapsed, dissolving into smoke.
"Well, we can handle the Udo Wood," I said, trying to sound cool despite having been hit twice.
"We can. But Master... the magic circle vanished before it could activate."
"It’s a property of this sword," I said.
"I-I see! As expected of your blade, Master!"
The smoke cleared, leaving another Leaf behind.
"I'll get it this time," I said, stopping Roxanne. I picked it up myself and checked my settings.
There it was. I had unlocked the Herbalist job. It really did have to be a direct pickup from a monster drop. I set my third job to Herbalist Level 1. Holding the leaf, I focused on the skill: Crude Drug Synthesis.
The leaf in my palm dissolved, replaced by a handful of small pills.
"I did it."
"Th-that's... that's amazing!" Roxanne gasped. Technically she could do it too if she had the job and the language skills, but her admiration was genuine.
"Keep this between us," I said.
"Yes! Of course! Master, you are truly incredible!"
Her eyes were shining with worship. It was a little embarrassing, considering I was essentially cheating with my game-like interface.
"Can I have that other leaf too?"
Roxanne handed over the first leaf we had found. Appraisal identified the pills as Antidote Pills.
Wait. If there were antidotes, that meant there was poison. I felt a cold sweat on my neck. I had been exploring the Labyrinth without any way to cure poison. I had been incredibly lucky.
"Are there many monsters that use poison?" I asked.
"Yes, quite a few, I believe."
"I see..."
I wished I’d known that earlier. My eyes must have been darting around nervously.
"Um, I don't think poison is a major threat on the first two floors," Roxanne added quickly. "And besides, with your skill, Master, you have nothing to fear. After all, if the monster's attacks never hit you, poison is of no concern."
That only applied to her. She moved like she could see the future.
"You're a smart girl, Roxanne."
"Thank you, Master."
I used the second leaf to make more pills. One Leaf produced ten Antidote Pills. I stowed them all in my Item Box. Entering a Labyrinth without medicine was the height of recklessness, but I suppose I didn't know what I didn't know. At least now, we were prepared.