It was certain that I’d be expected to hunt the Black Diamond Tuna from here on out. I really should have just equipped the Cook job and gotten it over with from the start.
I swapped out my Mage job for Cook before challenging the next boss. Since I wasn’t using magic during these boss battles anyway, Mage wasn't strictly necessary—unless I was trying to get a Whole Fish drop from a Marbrim, that is.
Actually, when I do use magic, I don't use Slash, so the Swordsman job becomes redundant. I could make it work either way, really. At the moment, I had removed Mage but kept Swordsman, which allowed me to tear through monsters using the Slash skill. Even without it, the battles probably wouldn't drag on that much longer, and if they did, Miria would eventually end things with her petrification.
Perhaps thanks to Slash, the boss went down this time before Miria’s petrification could even trigger. It dissolved into a cloud of smoke.
"Oh."
"Toro, it is."
Miria pounced. She moved with unprecedented speed—the fastest I’d ever seen her move. She was probably faster than any monster at that point. Setting the Cook job had yielded results on the very first try. While that was likely just a coincidence, it was still impressive.
"Good for you," I said.
"Yes, it is."
Miria handed me the Toro and the White Fish. She didn't really need to hold both at once. For that matter, when had she even picked up the Marbrim’s drop? Surely she hadn't slipped away while we were all surrounding the boss... No, that was unlikely. It was hard to imagine Miria slacking off during a fight with her beloved Black Diamond Tuna, and Roxanne wouldn't have allowed it anyway. She must have grabbed the first item while the boss was still vanishing, then lunged for the Toro the second the smoke cleared. She really was faster than any monster when food was involved.
Come to think of it, had I ever taught Miria the Brahim word for "Toro"? She seemed to have picked it up on her own. She was remarkably quick when it came to vocabulary related to fish.
"Let's have this for tomorrow's dinner. I'll leave the cooking to you, Miria."
"Yes, it is."
The Toro was a block of tuna, much like the lean red meat but paler in color. It was hard to tell for sure inside the labyrinth, but under natural sunlight, it would probably be a beautiful pink, like high-grade fatty tuna. It looked delicious.
However, I wasn't going to serve it as sashimi. That custom didn't seem to exist in this world, and I wasn't even sure if it was safe to eat labyrinth-sourced ingredients raw. Was Kobold Salt considered "raw"? Well, regardless, it was better to be safe. A wise man avoids unnecessary risks. I had a feeling that if I even whispered to Miria that it could be eaten raw, she’d go for it, but that would essentially be human experimentation. Better not. Besides, I didn't even have soy sauce.
"But will one block be enough?" I asked.
It wasn't particularly large, and we had to divide it among five people. It would be fine as a single course in a larger meal, but...
"..."
Miria remained silent. She didn't say it was enough. She probably felt it was insufficient but didn't want to be greedy by asking for more. We usually only had one White Fish or the occasional Whole Fish when we cleared a floor, but we'd had those many times before. This was our first time getting Toro, so it was only natural she’d want to eat her fill. I wanted to try it myself, so I didn't want her hogging the whole thing either.
"As I thought, we should probably get a second one."
"I agree. If you're willing to go again," Roxanne answered on everyone's behalf. It seemed they weren't keen on having their portions skimped on either.
"Since we’re already here, we might as well do a few more laps. Shall we?"
We exited to the 23rd Floor briefly, then used Field Walk to return immediately. It was time for another round. I hit the Black Diamond Tuna with a Status Ailment Resistance Down, then focused my own attention on the small-fry adds. I wasn't running away; it was a tactical decision. You whittle down what you can, starting with the weakest. It's common sense in a fight.
This time, a Marbrim appeared. Since Vesta took the lead, I circled around and slashed at it from behind with Durandal. This wasn't cowardly—it was strategy. A reliable vanguard holds the line while the rear guard strikes from the shadows. Standard combat procedure.
Vesta was our party’s Main Shield. Since the monster's aggression was focused entirely on her, I could concentrate on my own attacks without worry. I just had to keep an eye on the tail fin. Marbrims had a habit of sweeping with them. Cowardly bastards. Monsters really were dirty fighters.
As I was pummeling the Marbrim with Rush, I heard a sound behind me.
"I did it, it is."
I looked back to see the Black Diamond Tuna petrified on the floor. It had succumbed before I’d even finished off the Marbrim. This meant I wouldn't have to fight the boss at all. Again, not cowardly—strategy. Since petrification could neutralize an enemy in a single blow, it was only logical to use it on the strongest target.
"We're coming to help you!" Roxanne called out.
"No, stay there. I've got this."
I stopped them from coming over. A regular enemy didn't take much time. With my next strike, the Marbrim fell. I moved over to the petrified boss.
"A Whole Fish, it is," Miria noted.
The Marbrim had dropped a Whole Fish. I really wished that luck had been saved for the boss instead.
"So that's where the drop went, huh?"
Oh well. I'd just have to put in the work here. I pressed the tip of Durandal against the top of the petrified tuna. When it was turned to stone like this, it really was just a giant fish. It didn't move an inch. I wasn't a fan of dealing with a passive opponent.
I thrust into the tuna with short, rhythmic, piston-like movements. I moved the blade up and down repeatedly, thrusting with intensity. Strongly. Fiercely. My passion overflowed into every strike.
Is it good for you? Does this feel right?
As expected, a "tuna" was no fun. It didn't give me any response at all. Piston movement is supposed to be a form of communication between partners, after all.
Whoops.
I had been thrusting so mindlessly that Durandal eventually struck the floor. I guess I’d defeated it. I wondered if "mindlessly" was the right word, but I had certainly been focused. It was a state of pure concentration—no thoughts, no desires, just the act itself. I definitely didn't have any shameful ulterior motives. None at all.
The smoke cleared, leaving items behind.
"Toro, it is."
Miria pounced instantly. She brought back both the Whole Fish and the Toro. She’d managed to grab both earlier, so there was no way she’d miss them now. I took them and stowed them in my Item Box. Since we’d gotten two Toros in a row, our business here was done. Miria looked a bit reluctant to leave, but she seemed happy enough with the haul. It was best to head out while everyone was in good spirits.
"Alright. Tomorrow's dinner is officially secured."
"I did it, it is!"
Wait, what? I’d tried to congratulate her, but her response was a bit off. Maybe we weren't on the same page. Before I could say anything else, Miria trotted off.
"What's wrong?"
"Magic Crystal, it is."
Apparently, a Magic Crystal had dropped nearby. She went to retrieve it. In our party, Miria was usually the only one who noticed those. Fish savings were a serious matter. Since the Zabil West Forest Labyrinth 22nd Floor wasn't very popular, there hadn't been anyone around to pick it up. Or perhaps our repeated boss battles had caused it to form; either way, I was glad we found it. If we’d left a moment sooner, we would have handed it over to the next party.
"Good job, Miria. So, Roxanne, how’s the time?"
"I believe the sun has already risen."
"Then let's wrap it up here. We'll hit the Quratar Labyrinth after breakfast."
"Understood."
I confirmed the time with Roxanne and ended the session. We warped from the labyrinth to the Adventurer Guild wall, bought some supplies, and headed home for breakfast. After the meal, I grabbed the map and we headed to the 22nd floor of Quratar.
"Does it look crowded? What do you think?"
"There are some people, but not too many. It should be fine for hunting," Roxanne reported.
"Well, the real issue on this floor is usually the boss room."
The boss of Quratar’s 22nd Floor was the Oystershell, which dropped Bolet. Since Vesta needed Bolet, we’d likely be visiting this place often. The concern was how long we’d have to wait. If the waiting room was always packed, I might have to ask Sherry to find us another spot. If we could use this floor, then our boss farming for both Vesta (in Quratar) and Miria (in Zabil) would be conveniently located on the 22nd floors.
In terms of experience, the Level 22 monsters on higher floors were better anyway, so this was ideal. If I had Sherry look for a new spot, it would be a labyrinth where the Clamshell appeared as a regular monster on the 22nd floor.
Under Roxanne's guidance, we reached the boss room. The waiting room was empty. The door opened as I was drawing Durandal, so it didn't seem like anyone was inside fighting, either. We headed straight in. It looked like we wouldn't have any trouble.
Wait. Come to think of it, I didn't actually need to come here during the day for Bolet. I could just come in the early morning when the crowds were thin. There was absolutely no reason to worry about the daytime rush. I already knew from experience that the first 21 floors were quiet in the early hours, so the 22nd was unlikely to be any different. My apprehension had been totally unnecessary.
What had I even been worried about? For that matter, no one had questioned me when I said the boss room would be a problem. Did that mean we were suffering from a complete lack of communication? Now I’m just depressed. I’ll vent this frustration on the boss.
I hit the Oystershell with Status Ailment Resistance Down and proceeded to butcher the Love Shrub that had spawned with it. The boss was next. Tonight, Durandal was thirsty for blood.
"I did it, it is."
Never mind. Miria petrified it. Lucky monster. The end result was the same—I’d still be hacking it to pieces—but still. Since the Oystershell was literally just a giant shell, it was hard to tell when it was petrified, other than the fact that it stopped moving. I made short work of it. It dissolved into smoke almost immediately.
"Vesta, you take this."
"I understand. Thank you very much."
The drop was Bolet. I hadn't equipped Cook, and it hadn't dropped an oyster. Not that a single oyster would have been useful anyway.
"Do you have enough Bolet, Vesta?"
"Yes. I still have plenty in stock."
"Then I guess we don't need to farm this for now."
"I believe so."
Vesta seemed to have a decent supply. She was the type to hold back and endure even if she was running low, so I’d need to keep an eye on her needs, at least for a while.
"I agree. There's no need to stay here," Roxanne chimed in.
"Is that so?"
"We were lucky it was empty this time, but if we stay to farm the boss, we'll eventually run into a crowd and have to wait."
Ah, I see. So she thought my concern about the boss room congestion was because I wanted to stay and farm the 22nd floor. That explained why she hadn't found my previous comment strange. And clearly, Roxanne was eager to move up to the higher floors. I suppose I should be impressed by her ambition.
"It's true that we haven't been exploring very long. I've never heard of ordinary commoners challenging the 23rd floor this quickly," Sherry began, launching into a detailed explanation. "Floors 1 through 11 are for beginners, and 12 through 22 are manageable for those with a bit more experience, but the 23rd floor is where the intermediate levels truly begin. While farming the 22nd floor boss is an option, we aren't exactly struggling here, so I think we're ready for the 23rd."
Sherry, too, had assumed I wanted to stay on the 22nd. I hadn't even considered it.
"I'll do it, it is," Miria added.
"I think we'll be fine," Vesta agreed.
The two of them clearly hadn't considered it either.
"Right. The 23rd floor it is." I hadn't actually planned on it, but I decided to pretend I had.
"The monster on the 23rd floor of Quratar is the Gummy Slime," Sherry continued her briefing. "It is weak to fire, wind, and water magic, and it has no elemental resistances. It does use earth magic, but it isn't resistant to the earth element itself."
"Gummy Slimes, huh? That brings back memories."
"If you've fought them, you know that swords and spears aren't very effective. If one attaches itself to a person, attacking it physically can injure the victim. You have to use magic."
"They dissolve people, right?"
"If they fully latch on, yes. They have to be defeated before the person is digested."
I’d fought one when I first arrived in this world. Back then, a single strike from Durandal had ended it. Hearing the details now, they sounded much more dangerous, especially since a Level 23 version would be far stronger.
"So monsters from floors other than the first can appear on the surface?"
"First-floor monsters usually appear near human settlements. Since there are people around, they don't move far and aren't very aggressive. In more isolated labyrinths, 12th-floor monsters might emerge. And in the deep wilderness, 23rd-floor monsters can appear on the surface. They travel long distances in search of prey and are very aggressive."
"I see."
That explained a lot. A labyrinth makes an area uninhabitable, so the monsters have to go elsewhere to find food. They send stronger versions to the surface to hunt further afield. The Gummy Slime I saw near Vale must have traveled quite a distance. It hadn't seemed particularly rare, so there might even be established routes. How annoying.
"Also," Sherry added with an ominous tone, "monsters from the 23rd floor and up can use all-target attack magic. You can't dodge it, so it's very dangerous. I’d like to believe it won't kill you in a single hit."
All-target attack magic. My own spells like Fire Storm were sure-hit, so it made sense that monster versions would be too. Even Roxanne wouldn't be able to dodge. That was terrifying. So that's why the intermediate floors started here. From this point on, if we weren't careful, every fight could turn into a slugfest where we just had to tank the hits.
"Are you sure we'll be okay?"
"With you, Master, there shouldn't be any problem," Roxanne said confidently.
"It is a concern, but as I said, we aren't struggling against the 22nd-floor boss," Sherry noted.
"I'll do it, it is."
"I think we'll be fine."
If Sherry thought so, I guess it was okay. Surely we wouldn't die in one hit. Right? If that were a real possibility, there would have been a lot more warnings—not just from Sherry, but from the Guild as well. The jump in mortality between the 22nd and 23rd floors would be legendary. Sherry was probably just trying to keep the mood light.
From what I’d seen, the 22nd-floor monsters didn't hit that hard. I couldn't imagine a single floor jump making them instantly fatal, even with all-target magic. If it was that much of a leap, the 23rd floor would be a literal graveyard.
Besides, I was the one who usually tanked hits whenever I brought out Durandal to recover MP. I knew our limits better than anyone.
"Well, if it's too much for us, we can always retreat. Worst comes to worst, we have the Substitution Misangas. We shouldn't get wiped in one go. Either way, we won't know until we try. No matter how much time we waste on the 22nd floor, we have to face the 23rd eventually."
"That's true. With the misangas, we can survive at least one hit. And it's unlikely they’ll spam area magic consecutively on the 23rd floor—though I can't say it's impossible. I really have never heard of a party reaching the 23rd floor this early in their career. Still, they say having a Dragon Knight increases a party's stability. Even if Vesta did only join us recently."