The surroundings glowed a brilliant crimson.
Incandescent meteorites plummeted toward the earth, filling the cavern as they fell. They streamed down, one after another.
One. Two.
The roar of the meteorites tearing through the air echoed through the depths.
"What...?"
"What was that?"
Massive rocks surged past the stunned Roxanne and Sherry.
It had been a success. More importantly, we were safe.
Because I hadn't specified a target, Meteor Crush acted as an all-target attack spell. For some reason, such magic never harmed people. Roxanne and Sherry were in no danger.
Though I had to admit, Roxanne’s instincts were so sharp she’d managed to dodge the stones anyway.
A meteorite had passed right through the space Sherry’s head occupied—she hadn't been quick enough to move—but it left her completely unharmed.
The stones surged forward.
They advanced, scattering sparks and leaving a trail of fire in their wake.
The interior of the cave flared up in a blinding red light as the meteorites collided with the Love Shrub. The impact shattered the stones, dragging two other monsters into the destruction.
The crimson glow eventually faded as the cavern returned to its natural state. The meteorites and the monsters were gone; only silence remained.
In the spot where the Love Shrub had stood, two boards lay on the ground.
A single hit?
As expected of a Bonus Spell, its power was staggering.
"M-Master, what was that just now?"
"A new spell."
"To think you possessed such magic as well. You never cease to amaze me, Master."
"B-But, it only took one hit."
It was certainly impressive power if it could one-shot monsters on the thirteenth floor. Currently, my normal magic couldn't achieve anything close to that. We were two floors higher than our usual hunting grounds, and the spell had trivialized the encounter.
It was safe to assume Meteor Crush possessed overwhelming destructive force.
However, the Love Shrub was weak to Fire Magic. Since the meteorites had been burning bright red, Meteor Crush was likely a fire-attribute spell.
"I simply have power to spare. I might have overdone it a little."
"I-It’s incredible."
At the same time, my MP had plummeted.
This was going to be rough. Activating it clearly consumed a massive amount of MP.
After moving back to the first floor to perform a quick, minimum recovery, I headed to the eleventh floor of Halber to restore my MP further. Moving from the thirteenth floor of Tale back to the first was easier than warping between Labyrinths, but monsters only appeared one at a time on the first floor. Absorbing MP bit by bit from Level 1 monsters was a tedious chore.
Once I had fully restored my MP on Halber’s eleventh floor, I returned to Tale's thirteenth floor.
This time, I wanted to see if I could handle the floor using Durandal. If things looked bleak, I could always fall back on Meteor Crush. With my MP refilled, I had a safety net.
"Find another spot with only a few enemies, Roxanne."
Guided by her, we moved forward until we encountered a lone Love Shrub.
Perfect.
I charged in, holding Durandal aloft. I had to hurry, or it would start launching its branches.
As expected, it attacked before I could close the distance. I saw the orange magic circle manifest, but I couldn't dodge in time. A branch slammed into the chest of my leather armor.
The impact was heavy. That actually hurt.
So it still had this much power even with Plating active? If I stopped now, it would just follow up with more attacks, so I kept running. I didn't have time to reapply the spell.
I swung the sword high over my head and slammed a Rush into the Love Shrub.
It didn't go down.
I used Rush again.
It was far more resilient than I’d anticipated. I was taken aback; I hadn't expected anything to withstand two Rushes.
While trading blows with the monster, I swept at the trunk from the side.
A third Rush.
The Love Shrub finally collapsed.
Finally? Even though I could kill them in one hit on the eleventh floor?
No matter how I looked at it, the durability shouldn't have tripled just by going up two floors. Did it mean the monsters from the twelfth floor upward were on an entirely different level?
That was probably it. Did the Labyrinth’s true challenge start at the twelfth floor? Perhaps everything up until the eleventh had just been a grace period.
Well, as long as the numbers were low, I could fight properly with Durandal. I could afford to stay on the thirteenth floor a bit longer.
I would slowly wear them down.
"How many boards do you need, Sherry?"
"For now, five or six should be enough."
Six, huh? I had collected three so far.
Good, good. Only three more to go.
I decided to use magic again on the next Love Shrub we encountered. Clashing with Durandal was exhausting; magic was much more efficient.
This time, I would blow it to smithereens.
"I'll erase this world."
I visualized Gamma Ray Burst.
This was the other Bonus Spell I had selected alongside Meteor Crush. Meteor Crush wasn't my only high-tier option. I didn't know if this one was fire-attributed, but with this, even a monster on the thirteenth floor should—
It... didn't work.
It seemed I still didn't have enough MP to trigger Gamma Ray Burst.
Even though I had leveled up considerably, there was still something beyond Meteor Crush. Well, since Meteor Crush already drained so much MP, perhaps the requirement for this one wasn't that much higher.
Left with no choice, I activated Meteor Crush instead.
The red-hot meteorite streamed past, scattering sparks in its wake.
Wonderful.
"See that, Roxanne? Sherry? Quite the firework display, isn't it?"
"Are there only Love Shrubs on the thirteenth floor?"
Come to think of it, I had only fought Love Shrubs so far in Tale. I turned to Roxanne for clarification. I doubted a floor would only have one type of monster.
"Um. It is because I am guiding you to places where they are solitary."
"That makes sense."
"I can also smell monsters I haven't fought before. I believe they are from the twelfth floor."
"Information on the twelfth floor of Tale hasn't reached the guild yet," Sherry added.
It seemed Sherry didn't know about them either. Back at the Explorer Guild in Quratar, the information only went up to the eleventh floor. I probably could have found out if I’d asked the explorer at the entrance, but I hadn't been paying much attention.
Oh well.
"I also smell Collagen Coral from this direction," Roxanne noted.
"That is an eleventh-floor monster," Sherry confirmed.
Sherry was reliable as long as the monsters were from the eleventh floor or below. She was quite the asset when it came to research and data.
"Are there many?"
"No. I believe there are only one or two."
"Then take us there."
"As you wish."
I should fight monsters from the lower floors at least once. It would help me determine if the Love Shrub was just exceptionally strong because it was Level 13, or if there was a general power spike starting from the twelfth floor.
After walking for a bit, we found a Collagen Coral Lv 13. It seemed even lower-floor monsters scaled their levels properly.
I waited for it to get close and slammed a Rush into it. I followed up with a second hit.
The Collagen Coral fell.
So it was weaker than the Love Shrub? Since this was the thirteenth floor, the strength of a lower-floor monster like the Collagen Coral was likely appropriate for its level. It hadn't become insanely powerful. It was a linear progression.
That confirmed it: the Love Shrub’s strength came from the fact that it was a monster native to the twelfth floor and above.
I needed to verify that theory.
"Can you find a twelfth-floor monster for us? I'll use that magic from earlier, so it's fine if there's a group."
"Yes. Let me see... this way."
I followed Roxanne toward a scent I didn't recognize.
The spot Roxanne led us to contained two Love Shrubs, one Collagen Coral, and a monster I had never seen before. I used Appraisal: it was a Pig Hogg.
It was a porcine monster roughly the size of a piglet. It had tusks but lacked coarse bristles. Since I hadn't seen one before, it was definitely the twelfth-floor native.
The group was a perfect mix of three types, and the number of Pig Hoggs—the unknown element—was small. Roxanne really was incredibly capable.
"Thanks, Roxanne."
I offered my thanks and unleashed Meteor Crush.
The two Love Shrubs and the Collagen Coral were obliterated instantly.
The Pig Hogg, however, remained standing.
I drew Durandal and charged the piglet. I didn't know if it had a ranged attack or not, and I wanted to recover my MP through absorption as quickly as possible. I wasn't at a critical level, but the drain was still significant.
The Pig Hogg ran toward me as well, but it didn't use any ranged attacks before we met. I caught it within my sword's reach and hammered it with Rush.
It survived the first hit.
I calmly dodged the Pig Hogg's headbutt and released another Rush.
This time, the monster finally vanished.
Finally.
There was no mistake: monsters that first appeared on the twelfth floor and above were significantly stronger than those from lower floors. The fact that the Love Shrubs died to Meteor Crush while the Pig Hogg survived was likely due to elemental resistance.
"It looks like the twelfth-floor monster is the Pig Hogg."
"Do you know of it, Master?"
"J-Just by chance. I don't know much about it."
"The Pig Hogg is an Earth Attribute monster," Sherry chimed in. "It has resistance to Earth and uses Earth Attribute Magic. Its weakness is the Water Attribute."
I only knew the name through Appraisal, so Sherry’s information was a welcome supplement.
This confirmed my suspicion that Meteor Crush was fire-attributed. It definitely wasn't water-attributed, which explained why it couldn't finish off the Pig Hogg.
Assuming Meteor Crush—being fire-attributed—did double damage to the Love Shrub, it would have dealt normal damage to the Pig Hogg. Since I couldn't finish it with a single Rush after the spell, it meant monsters from the twelfth floor onward were roughly twice as strong as those found below.
I hadn't tested the exact numbers, but that seemed like a safe estimate. In terms of raw power, Meteor Crush was slightly weaker than two hits of Rush. It was just barely enough to kill a Love Shrub Lv 13 in one go.
I'd been lucky to get that one-shot kill earlier and look cool in front of Roxanne and Sherry.
When the Pig Hogg vanished, it left behind Pork Belly.
Dinner was decided.
Now that I understood the strength of the thirteenth floor and had secured both meat and boards, we returned to the eleventh floor of Halber. I wanted to settle down and think.
Since I had recovered some MP using Durandal, warping wasn't an issue. I’d fill the rest of the gauge by hunting Minos in Halber.
I couldn't help but wonder why Minos didn't drop Beef Belly if Pig Hoggs dropped Pork Belly. They sold beef at the butcher shop, after all.
I pushed the thought aside once I had recovered my MP and calmed down. The real question was where we should hunt.
If I made full use of Meteor Crush and Durandal, we could handle the thirteenth floor. Generally speaking, it was better to fight stronger monsters to level up faster.
However, I had to consider my experience point skills. If I kept Durandal out and used Rush and Plating constantly, I’d have to sacrifice the XP bonus.
Furthermore, spamming Meteor Crush was risky. If anyone saw me, it would be impossible to explain. Fireball or Water Storm could be passed off as a Mage in the party, but Meteor Crush was too distinctive.
All things considered, the eleventh floor was still more advantageous for now. It was too early to move our main hunting grounds to the thirteenth floor.
We spent the rest of the day on the eleventh floor of Halber. In the evening, after finishing our exploration and selling the loot, we headed home.
Now that I had the boards, I needed Sherry to craft some equipment. The next item on the list was a club.
Sherry’s skills were finally catching up to her gear. Or rather, it was the other way around: she had only been equipped with weapons made from cheap materials because she’d only just become a Master Smith.
Monsters from the twelfth floor up were twice as strong. That meant it would take twice as many spells to kill them. Even the eleventh floor took some time; doubling that would be exhausting. If we got hit by a Green Caterpillar’s thread on those floors, it could be fatal.
Love Shrubs were easy enough with fire magic, but mixed groups would be much harder. The time to upgrade my wand had definitely arrived.
I wondered how parties without a Mage managed. Did they just gang up on monsters with numbers? If they had a dedicated healer like a Priest or a Monk, they could afford long battles.
In our party, I was the bottleneck because I was the only one who could heal. Post-battle healing was fine, but healing during combat meant I couldn't use magic to kill the monsters. It became a race against time.
Should I make Roxanne or Sherry the healer? I kept a Monk sub-job active just in case, but it would be easier if I didn't have to. Then again, with so few people on the front line, losing a combatant to healing duties seemed counterproductive. We simply didn't have enough people.
"...Master... Master."
Roxanne’s voice pulled me out of my thoughts.
"Sorry. What is it?"
"A message was left at the entrance from Mr. Luke. He successfully won the bid for the Rabbit Skill Crystal."
A messenger had come while we were in the Labyrinth.
"The Rabbit? That was Chant Delay, right?"
"Yes, that's correct," Sherry confirmed.
If I added a Skill Crystal: Kobold to that, it would become Chant Interruption.
Equipping Sherry’s weapon with Chant Interruption would change everything. If we could cancel enemy spells, Green Caterpillars wouldn't even be a threat anymore. It wouldn't stop the Love Shrub’s physical projectiles, but being able to stop magic was more than enough.
Since I switched to Durandal periodically, putting it on my weapon was pointless. Between the two girls, Roxanne was the primary vanguard, so Chant Interruption should go to Sherry, who acted as our flexible support.
I had a lot to look forward to.
But first, there were chores to handle. I had Sherry craft with the boards, and after dinner, I washed every inch of Roxanne and Sherry’s bodies. Once I had personally verified their cleanliness, we entered the Labyrinth in the morning, delivered a mirror, and then I had Sherry craft again.
I was a busy man. After breakfast, we headed to the Merchant Guild; I also needed to visit Pelmask today.
"Sherry, what's next?"
"A Wood Stick. I'll need two boards."
"Is a stick different from a wand?" I asked, handing her the materials.
"Wand-type canes focus entirely on strengthening magic. Stick-type canes can be used for physical attacks as well as increasing magical power."
"I see. A hybrid."
I assumed that for the same price, a stick-type would be weaker magically. Otherwise, no one would use wands. For me, a wand was better for now. I didn't know about the future, though. If combat became more chaotic later on, a stick with MP Absorption might be viable.
"I-I shall begin, then."
Sherry held the boards and chanted. Light flooded the room and then receded, leaving a Wood Stick in her hands.
"A success."
"It's strange. Usually, new equipment requires a lot of training to get right. This feels almost too easy."
"That just means you're talented, Sherry."
Personally, I found the fact that two flat boards turned into a rounded stick more strange than the lack of training. Magic really was a convenient explanation for everything.
"Thank you, Master. This Wood Stick has physical attack power as well."
"It certainly looks like it could leave a bruise."
"Like the Wood Stick, there is a spear version called a Holy Spear that strengthens magic. However, they are rare and expensive; you can usually only find them at auctions."
"Good to know."
It sounded like a perfect weapon for a back-row healer.
We continued our discussion over breakfast.
"Since we've upgraded our armor, I want to replace our weapons next."
"Weapons, Master?"
"We're getting the Rabbit Skill Crystal. And while we’re fine for now, those Love Shrubs on the thirteenth floor are no joke."
I spoke between bites of the rabbit meat Roxanne had grilled.
"But you killed them in one hit," Roxanne noted.
"To be honest, that's a lot harder than it looks."
"I see. So it's a trump card."
Currently, I couldn't use Meteor Crush twice in a row. Between MP efficiency and the risk of being seen, it wasn't a spell for daily use. It was for bosses or emergencies.
"Exactly."
"It's true that monsters from the twelfth floor onward are stronger," Sherry added. "And I've heard they spike again from the twenty-third floor."
So the Labyrinth had tiers of difficulty. It made sense.
"At the very least, I need to upgrade my wand. Sherry, are there any Skill Crystals that boost magic power?"
"The Skill Crystal: Goat."
"Goat, huh? I'll have Luke look into that. Then there's Sherry’s club."
I hadn't asked Luke for magic-boosting crystals before because I didn't want to draw attention to my Mage status. But we were past the point of being able to hide everything.
"My club?"
"I want to put Chant Interruption on your weapon. Roxanne can dodge most things, so it’s better used on you. But it would be a waste to put it on a simple club."
"We'd also need a Kobold Skill Crystal for that."
"Well, there's no point in putting just Chant Delay on your weapon."
I had Durandal, and Roxanne had her agility. Sherry was the one who needed the extra utility. Besides, since Roxanne took the brunt of the aggro, Sherry had more openings to aim for a disruptive strike.
"That's true. Thank you, Master. If we’re using Chant Interruption, a Warhammer or a Flail would be better. They’d also fetch a much higher price if we ever decided to sell them."
"Hammers are fine, but what about a spear?"
Sherry could use both.
"If you're trying to cancel a chant, wouldn't a spear's reach be more advantageous?"
"I suppose it would."
"We don't often get surrounded, so you haven't really needed the club’s wide swings lately."
"True. But we’ve mostly been fighting NEET Ants and Escape Goats. That might change."
There was another reason a spear was better. I decided to just say it.
"We’ll be adding more party members soon. When we do, you'll have even fewer reasons to need a wide-swinging weapon."
I had to keep reminding them that the party was growing.
"If we have more people on the front line, a spear allows you to strike from behind them. Or you could take on a healing role. Even if we can't get a Holy Spear right away, a normal spear offers more flexibility."
"Um... I wasn't able to become a Shrine Maiden, though..."
Right, I hadn't told her about her hidden job yet.
"Don't worry about it. You became a Master Smith, didn't you? It'll work out."
"Yes... I'll do my best."
"Front-liners can be healers, too," Roxanne added.
"Really?"
"Yes. Priests and Shrine Maidens aren't strictly rear-guard jobs. In small parties, the distinction matters very little."
"The stick-type canes I mentioned are meant for front-line Priests," Sherry explained.
"So they can bash heads and heal at the same time."
It sounded like a Goddess of Liberty leading the charge. I could see Roxanne in that role.
"Well, the healer role is a conversation for the future. My healing is enough for now. But to keep our options open, I think a spear is the right choice for you, Sherry."
"I understand."
We agreed on the spear. After breakfast, we went to the Merchant Guild and bought the Rabbit Skill Crystal from Luke. I confirmed its authenticity with Appraisal.
"I want to use this with a Kobold Skill Crystal. Are the bids for those still around 5,200?"
"They are. The last two were 5,200 and 5,300."
"I'll go up to 5,400 Nahl, then. See if you can get one."
Someone was consistently buying them up at 5,200. They were persistent. I wished they’d finish their project already. The fact that the last one went for 5,300 meant I had competition. I had to outbid them.
"Understood. Just one?"
"...Yeah."
Sherry wouldn't fail, so one was enough. But Luke didn't know that. If the fusion failed, the Rabbit Skill Crystal would be lost. It was a one-shot deal.
Maybe I didn't need to go as high as 5,400? If the 5,300 bidder was gone, I was overpaying. But I wanted certainty. A few hundred Nahl wasn't worth the risk of losing the Rabbit crystal.
"I'll aim for a Kobold crystal at 5,400. Anything else?"
"I want a Skill Crystal: Goat."
"A Goat crystal? The last few went for 5,000 and 5,100. If you want it immediately, it might cost more. They usually fluctuate between 4,700 and 5,500."
Luke was fast with his numbers. Sherry, who was checking the result lists in the waiting room, didn't contradict him.
"So they're expensive."
"Mages are the primary damage source for many parties. Everyone wants to boost their magic power. Plus, people who can afford to be Mages usually come from money, so the prices stay high."
Supply, demand, and deep pockets. Typical.
"Fine. Put me down for 5,400 for a Goat crystal, too."
"Understood."
He didn't ask if I only needed one. That was the downside of specifying crystals. I only needed one for the intelligence boost, but since I couldn't tell Luke that Sherry had a 100% success rate, I’d likely end up buying several over time as I upgraded gear. It wasn't a total waste, though.
We left the guild and headed to a nearby weapon shop.
I looked for a good spear. The Steel Spear was the best they had, with up to three empty skill slots. Only two in stock met that criteria.
"Pick the better of the two, Sherry."
"I-I'll do my best!"
She seemed a bit tense. It wasn't like picking a mass-produced spear was a high-stakes decision, but I let her be.
"I'm counting on you."
"If I fail the fusion... I can't replace it..." she whispered.
Ah, so she was nervous about the crafting, not the shopping.
"It'll be fine." I patted her shoulder and went to look at the wands.
I settled on a Rod. The best thing in the shop was a Damascus Steel Stick in a display case, but it was a stick-type and had no slots. I passed.
The cheap stuff was better for my purposes because I could actually find items with empty slots. The high-end gear was so rare that if the one item in stock didn't have slots, you were out of luck.
It made me worried about the future. How was I supposed to get slotted Orichalcum gear if it only showed up at auctions once in a blue moon? I’d have to keep a close eye on every shop we passed.
I chose a Rod with good slots, took the Steel Spear Sherry had picked, and paid for both.
I didn't buy a weapon for Roxanne. Three gold coins had already disappeared into the other two.
"Sorry, Roxanne. Just Sherry and me today."
"I do not mind at all, Master."
I soothed her as we left the shop. I couldn't buy her everything all the time. She already had the necklace and the jacket. I had to be a "firm" master occasionally. I couldn't have her thinking I was a pushover.
"We need to save money to expand the party. Gear isn't everything."
"Of course, Master."
I had to be resolute. Dignified.
"Don't think I'm a stingy master."
"Not at all! You treat us to wonderful meals every day."
I steeled my heart. I had to be the kind of master she respected—one who was brave, noble, and decisive.
"And don't think I'm annoying or that you should look for a better master."
"Um... yes, Master."
Good. I was a mountain of authority.
"I'll upgrade your weapon eventually."
"Thank you. I am perfectly fine with my current gear for now."
"I saw an Estoc in the back. Maybe when a really good one comes in."
"That... sounds far too expensive for me."
My "firm" attitude seemed to be working; she looked a little overwhelmed. My aura of authority was clearly making an impression.
"It's just a thought for the future."
"I see."
"Besides, making you stronger makes us all stronger."
"Thank you, Master."
I had established my dominance. She wouldn't be growing conceited anytime soon.
We headed back to the guild and warped to Halber’s eleventh floor to test the new gear. I took the Rod, and Sherry took the Steel Spear. It was over two meters long—not something you carried around town, but perfect for the Labyrinth.
"Sherry, it might take a bit to get used to the spear. Roxanne, keep the groups small for now."
"Understood."
"I'm counting on you, Sherry."
"Yes, Master. I'll do my best."
"Once you're comfortable, we'll go back to larger groups. I’ll leave that to Roxanne’s judgment. My wand is better now, too, so it should be easier."
Roxanne’s first target was a lone ant. The NEET Ant Lv 11 died to a single Water Ball. The Rod was definitely an improvement.
Next was a lone Mino. I fired a Fireball, but it didn't die before reaching us. Roxanne stepped up to block it, Sherry thrust her spear from the side, and I finished it with a second Fireball.
Roxanne dodged the cow’s charge with her usual grace. The Mino died almost instantly after reaching her.
The wand was definitely working. The ant died faster because of its elemental weakness, but the overall speed was better. Still, I wasn't one-shotting everything with basic magic yet. The thirteenth floor would still be a challenge.
"Should we head to Tale to test these out?"
"We should!" Roxanne said immediately.
"Um... if you think it's safe, I agree," Sherry added, though she looked a bit surprised by Roxanne’s enthusiasm.
The two of them spurred me on. It was time to see what these new weapons could really do.