I experimented to see if I could cast two spells simultaneously.
...While the wall of fire burned, I found myself unable to use any other magic. I couldn't put up a second Fire Wall, nor could I trigger a Breeze Storm.
Since I couldn't fire off Breeze Storms or Fireballs in rapid succession anyway, I suppose it amounted to the same thing. It seemed I could only maintain a single spell at a time.
Sealing off a cavern with two separate wall spells was a non-starter. Instead, I ended up being peppered by the Needle Wood’s projectiles.
I released a Breeze Storm. The monsters’ bodies shuddered as both the Green Caterpillar and the Needle Wood collapsed.
So even a Breeze Storm took four hits. Since they only had one hit left, I should have just used Breeze Storm from the beginning instead of Fire Wall.
Still, it was an experiment; some trial and error was to be expected.
I’d have to be satisfied with the simple confirmation that I could only use one spell at once.
I continued the experiments.
Since I had already tested fire, water, and wind, next was Beginner Earth Magic.
I wondered what earth would look like.
Sand Ball.
Surprisingly, it worked on the first try. A sphere of earth materialized above my head and shot forward. Since it was called Sand Ball, I suppose "sphere of sand" was a more accurate description.
I tried Sand Wall as well.
An earth wall—the terrestrial version of Fire Wall. Once some time passed, instead of simply vanishing, it crumbled apart just like Water Wall, leaving a pile of sand behind.
Still, creating piles of sand with magic didn't seem particularly useful.
I also tested Sand Storm on the next group of monsters that appeared.
In the end, there were a total of twelve usable spells—three types for each of the four elements.
The three types were Ball for single-target attacks, Wall for creating defensive barriers, and Storm for all-target attack magic. Fire magic utilized "Fire," water used "Water," wind used "Breeze," and earth utilized "Sand."
There might have been others, but I didn't know them yet. Roxanne had mentioned there were three, so this was likely the complete set.
"I think that's enough experimenting with magic."
"Yes. Thank you for your hard work."
"Having you here was a huge help, Roxanne."
"Thank you very much."
The real question now was whether I should commit to a magic-focused combat style from here on out.
I could defeat the Level 2 monsters that spawned on the Second Floor with four spells. Calling the combat time "long" felt like an exaggeration, but calling it "short" wasn't quite right either—it was an awkward middle ground, though certainly manageable.
What should I do?
If I fought with magic, I could put Durandal away. If I put Durandal away, I could reallocate the Bonus Points I was currently spending on Weapon VI into experience-boosting skills.
The points required to equip Durandal totaled 63 points up to Weapon VI.
If I unequipped it, in addition to the 16 points each for Required XP 1/10 and 10x XP Gain, I could also afford either Required XP 1/20 or 20x XP Gain, both of which cost 32 points.
Since I needed to share experience with Roxanne, 20x XP Gain was the better choice.
The settings I had active now were Required XP 1/5 and 5x XP Gain, so the difference in efficiency would be eightfold. That was a massive leap.
In all honesty, the thought of putting Durandal away terrified me.
Durandal offered more than just the power to slay monsters in a single stroke; it provided both HP Absorption and MP Absorption. The HP recovery meant I could shrug off a few hits, while the MP supply allowed me to unleash skills and spells without restraint.
As long as I fought with Durandal, there was virtually no way I would die on this floor.
I felt a profound sense of dread at the thought of removing it. It was beyond unsettling.
Should I choose safety, or an eightfold increase in experience efficiency?
If I prioritized safety, I should continue using Durandal. In an emergency, its utility was undeniable.
If I were asked to name a specific scenario where I'd need it, I’d be at a bit of a loss, though.
In terms of pure possibility, I could imagine all sorts of things. A tremendously powerful monster suddenly appearing, for instance. But was that just groundless anxiety?
The Labyrinth was a battlefield, and because it was a battlefield, absolute safety was an illusion. Rather than dismissing it as paranoia, I had to accept that anything could happen.
But looking at it from another angle, as long as I set foot in the Labyrinth, I was already shouldering a certain amount of risk.
You can't expect a payout if you aren't willing to put down a stake.
Judging rationally, I had to take the 8x experience efficiency. In the long run, gaining levels faster would ultimately reduce my overall risk.
Furthermore, I had Roxanne to consider.
It wasn't just about my own survival; I had to protect her as well.
I looked at Roxanne.
She was a well-endowed beauty I had finally made my own. She was gentle and served a man like me with total devotion.
I couldn't fathom losing her now. I couldn't allow it to happen.
To prevent that, I needed to earn as much experience as possible and raise our levels quickly. With Durandal, I was safe, but I couldn't be certain I could protect Roxanne just as well.
I had confirmed that I could defeat monsters with magic alone. Speaking calmly and logically, Durandal was no longer a necessity. If magic sufficed, then Durandal was overkill.
Having made my decision, I exhaled.
I unequipped Weapon VI.
When I thought about it, even if I focused on fighting with magic, Durandal wouldn't be gone forever.
Since I would be consuming MP, I’d still be relying on Durandal's MP Absorption to replenish it. It would be different if I bought recovery items, but that felt like a waste of money.
With any luck, I would likely have Durandal in hand whenever a true emergency struck.
I set my skills to Required XP 1/10 and 20x XP Gain. I configured my jobs up to the Fourth Job. I could have pushed it further if I really tried, but there was no need to go to such extremes yet.
Sticking with 10x XP Gain would have allowed me to equip a Sixth Job, but increasing my jobs from four to six was only a 1.5x boost. Upgrading from 10x to 20x XP Gain, however, was a flat 2x multiplier.
The 20x XP Gain was clearly more efficient.
For the remaining points, in addition to Chant Omission, Character Reset, and 8x Crystallization Acceleration, I also acquired 2x MP Recovery Speed. Doubling the speed probably wouldn't be a game-changer, but it would surely be of some help.
"I’m thinking of focusing on magic for our battles from now on."
"Yes. I understand."
"It will take longer to kill things, so it'll be more of a burden on you, Roxanne."
"There is no problem at all."
The fact that she seemed genuinely unfazed by the prospect was almost unsettling.
"Since I'll be fighting with magic, do you think you can guide us to areas where there aren't any other people?"
There was one more risk to using magic.
Would it be a problem if someone saw me?
Second Job and Job Settings were Bonus Skills. I doubted the people of this world could hold both the Explorer and Mage jobs simultaneously.
Moving via Warp and Dungeon Walk while wielding high-level attack magic would definitely look suspicious. Space Magic wasn't part of a Mage’s standard repertoire.
If someone observed me closely, they might also realize I wasn't chanting my spells.
"It will be fine. Please leave it to me."
It seemed that as long as I relied on Roxanne, it wouldn't be an issue.
She really was incredible.
She was an irreplaceable partner.