Embers continued to dance in the air around us.
This confirmed it: I was definitely unleashing one Fire Storm after another.
It was a success. I had managed to cast magic in rapid succession.
However, even with this success, the timing for the next spell was a bit tricky. The cooldown for the third cast would likely end before the flames from the fourth disappeared, but I couldn't quite pin down the exact window yet.
Still, I had used Fire Storm enough times by now that my body roughly remembered the rhythm. I mentally visualized a fifth Fire Storm at what felt like the right moment.
The sparks never wavered, so that must have been a success too. Following up with a sixth shot was where the timing got blurry again. I really shouldn't have messed with the rhythm.
I waited a beat, then fired.
The monsters rushed toward our front line even as they burned. Roxanne dodged them with her usual grace. I wondered if being constantly engulfed in flames slowed their advance at all, but there didn't seem to be much of a difference. They were monsters; they didn't seem to have much fear of the fire.
I kept the monsters constantly burning, layering one Fire Storm on top of another until every last one of them collapsed. The consecutive casting had worked perfectly until the end.
Roxanne looked at me with a look of genuine surprise. It made sense—combat time had been cut nearly in half. Since the time spent traveling between encounters remained the same, the actual time spent fighting had decreased even more drastically. For the front line, the battles must have felt significantly shorter.
"Um... the sparks seemed to dance without interruption. Did you change the way you use your magic?" Sherry asked, speaking up on behalf of the group.
So that was how it looked to them. Her observation was spot on.
"I was running a little experiment. Could you tell?"
"It was hard not to," she admitted.
"It was actually a bit of a failure," I said.
"A failure?"
"I’ll make it less obvious next time."
"I see."
Actually, it was easier to time the sequence if I just fired them off one after another. Flashy combat wasn't necessarily a bad thing, but there was always the risk of being spotted by other explorers. Using magic was a big enough deal; having sparks constantly flying everywhere was even more conspicuous.
Not to mention the lack of a chant. That was dangerous territory.
"Our combat time has been reduced tremendously," Roxanne noted.
This was also bad. If she realized how much faster we were clearing groups, she’d definitely start pushing for higher floors.
"It's still in the testing phase," I cautioned. "It needs more adjustment. Just keep in mind that it won't get any faster than this. In fact, it might end up taking a bit longer in the long run."
"That's still incredible," Roxanne said.
"To put it simply, I'm experimenting with consecutive Fire Magic. I’ll be continuing the tests for a while, but this is going to be my primary way of fighting from now on."
"To think you could achieve such a feat. You never cease to amaze, Master."
"No, well, I think that's normally impossible. Isn't it?" Sherry looked perplexed.
Was it really that impossible? I suppose for anyone else, it would be.
"Amazing, desu," Miria added.
"I think it’s wonderful," said Vesta.
They seemed to have been swept up by Roxanne's enthusiasm. Ordinarily, no one could equip two Mage jobs. Even the hardworking Gosler was a Wizard, and even then, combining Wizard and Mage was impossible.
Wizard was likely the advanced version of Mage. If I ever acquired it, I could probably pull off a triple-job setup: Wizard, Mage, and Libertine. I’d have to call that triple-magic sequence a Jet Stream Attack. I was genuinely starting to look forward to the future.
"Perhaps the lack of a chant is what allows you to use them consecutively?" Sherry suggested, trying to find a logical explanation without getting distracted by Roxanne’s praise.
I didn't think Chant Omission had much to do with it. The key was simply having multiple job slots.
"Well, skipping the chant does let me fire faster."
"No, that's not exactly what I meant..." Sherry glanced at Roxanne. Clearly, there was more to it.
"Is there something else?" I asked.
"Well... normally, members of a party call out to each other when they’re about to use skills or magic," Roxanne explained.
"Since Master is our only caster, it hasn't been an issue for us," Sherry took over. "But if multiple people try to chant at the same time, the spells fail. It’s called Chant Resonance."
So overlapping chants was bad? That would definitely make consecutive casting a nightmare for anyone else. Given how quickly Roxanne brought it up, it seemed to be common knowledge. It was news to me, though.
"Is that true? You all knew about this?"
"I knew, desu," Miria said, puffing out her chest.
"I believe I’ve heard of it as well," Vesta added.
"Because of Chant Resonance, it's very rare for multiple parties to explore the same area of a Labyrinth together. Even having more than one Mage in a single party is uncommon. At most, they might take turns," Sherry explained.
"I see. Good to know, Sherry."
Now that I thought about it, magic was incredibly powerful. A party with three Mages in the rear guard should be unstoppable, yet I had never seen such a group. It wasn't just a shortage of casters; there was a mechanical limitation. If two or more people tried to cast simultaneously, their spells would fail. Taking turns was an option, but that still ran into MP issues.
"It's one of the most basic rules for anyone entering the Labyrinth," Sherry noted.
"I-I see. So, normally the chants would interfere, making consecutive casting impossible. But that doesn't apply to me." I turned away from Sherry's flat gaze, satisfied with my own conclusion.
"As expected of Master," Roxanne said warmly.
She really was a friend to my soul. Or rather, the wife of my soul.
"It's still just an experiment. I’m going to keep testing things for now."
I smoothed over the awkwardness and got back to testing the Libertine job. Now that I knew I could do it, I wanted to focus on the rapid-fire aspect. I doused the next three Cape Carps we found in flames.
"We did it, desu!"
Miria neutralized one of them, but I obliterated the other two with overwhelming firepower by stacking two Fire Storms on each. It was glorious.
With this, I could maintain a fighting style that looked relatively normal while cutting combat time in half. This floor was perfect for testing the Libertine since everything was weak to fire. I breezed through the next few groups of monsters with zero effort.
This would make anyone think we were ready for higher floors, not just Roxanne. But that was a trap. Things would get complicated the moment we encountered monsters with different elemental weaknesses. The Libertine only had one skill slot. That was the bottleneck.
If only I had two. I didn't even need three or four; just two would let me set the weakness for the most common monster on the floor and the second most common one from the floor below. That alone would make most levels a breeze.
But there was no point wishing for what I didn't have. Since fire was all I needed for the 33rd floor of the Bode Labyrinth, I should be satisfied. Even if a group of six appeared, I could just brute-force them with the fire attribute. The only downside was that combat was ending so quickly that Miria barely had time to petrify anything. A high-class problem, to be sure.
I marched boldly through Bode's 33rd floor. With the combat time halved, this place posed no threat at all.
"The test results are magnificent, Master. At this rate, I believe even the Drive Dragons on Quratar's 33rd floor will be no trouble at all. In fact, we could go even higher. How far do you think we can go?"
Stop it, Roxanne. You’re getting ahead of yourself.
"L-let's just finish this floor first, then we can try the 33rd floor in Quratar."
"Of course. As you wish."
Did I dodge that bullet? It was a good answer—it didn't shut her down completely, but it set a prerequisite. We were going higher anyway, eventually.
"I think that’s a sound plan," Sherry agreed.
If the voice of reason approved, then I was safe.
"We also need to push through so we can get more Whole Fish," I added.
"I’ll do my best, desu!"
"I’m sure we’ll be fine," Vesta said.
Those two were easy enough to convince.
"Oh, it's this way next."
I had a feeling Roxanne had flipped into her relentless exploration mode. She was making a beeline for the floor's exit. In fact, it wasn't long before we reached the Boss Room. Whether that was purely Roxanne's obsession or just luck was hard to say. Exploration speed usually depended on whether you wandered around looking for prey or just ignored everything that wasn't on the direct path to the boss. I suspected Roxanne was making those calls on the fly.
By the way, after switching the Libertine's effect back to Intelligence Increase (Medium) and leveling the job up, combat time dropped even further. Since neither Roxanne nor Sherry pointed it out, I let it go. I had told them it might take longer, and here I was finishing fights even faster. If I had just told them it would be shorter from the start, I could have looked much more impressive.
"Should we try fighting on Bode's 34th floor, or head back to Quratar's 33rd? Duke Harz did mention he wanted us to stop by once we reached the 34th, but I'm not quite ready for that yet. Is Quratar's 33rd floor okay with everyone?" I asked Sherry after we cleared the boss.
Even though I was still using Durandal, the Bode boss had been easier than the 32nd-floor boss in Quratar because of the extra magic support. We were in a good spot, which made the next decision important.
I could stay here and grind the Bode boss, but there wasn't much point. Now that I had two magic jobs, I could try fighting without Durandal, but we were going to move up soon anyway. Bosses were more dangerous than regular mobs, so I preferred to use every advantage I had. Relying on magic alone was better for experience, but playing it safe felt more responsible when I couldn't just reload a save.
"I don't think there's much difference between the two," Sherry said calmly. "Quratar's 33rd floor should be fine. The Drive Dragons are exceptionally strong, but they shouldn't be more troublesome than the monsters from the 34th floor onwards—except for the Kobold Kämpfers. We have to go there eventually, anyway."
That was a fair point. Thanks to the Libertine, the Bode boss had been a walk in the park. The jump from Bode 34 to a difficult Quratar 33 probably wasn't that big. I was also close to unlocking the Adventurer job, and I wanted to clear up any lingering anxieties before meeting with the Duke.
"Yeah, you’re right."
"There aren't any suitable monsters nearby, so I think Quratar's 33rd floor is the best choice," Roxanne added.
I hadn't really wanted her input, but at least it was a practical answer.
"Whole Fish, desu!"
"I think either will be okay," Vesta said.
I’d asked the other two mostly so they wouldn't feel left out. They gave me answers that weren't really opinions, which was fine by me.
"Alright. Let's head to the Quratar Labyrinth. We’ll start on the 17th floor."
"We don't have the maps for that. We should go home first," Roxanne reminded me.
Even she didn't carry every map on her. It would be a disaster if they got lost or damaged, anyway. Still, she clearly expected us to go straight to the 33rd-floor boss battle today. I was glad I hadn't asked for her specific opinion; she probably would have said "Let's go straight to the boss."
"Ah... right. For today, let's just focus on fighting some Drive Dragons."
"We still have plenty of time. And tomorrow, the 34th floor is waiting for us," Roxanne said.
It's not waiting. I really wanted to tell her it wasn't waiting. Was her rampage starting again?
If I stayed on Bode 34, I’d have to see the Duke. But if I didn't, there was nothing to stop Roxanne's momentum. It was a classic dilemma. Of course, even if we went to Bode 34, there was no rule saying we had to clear the whole floor immediately. It wasn't like we were the vanguard for that Labyrinth.
Then again, there was really nothing to stop Roxanne either way. I decided to just stick to Quratar's 33rd.
"But before we head to Quratar, should we fight a Drive Dragon somewhere else? We have a few Cape Carp Livers. We could use one to turn a 1st-floor monster into a Drive Dragon just to get a feel for it."
"I don't think that's necessary for a common monster from the same floor," Roxanne said.
"We’ve fought plenty on this floor and cleared the boss. That feels a bit overly cautious," Sherry added. "Livers are rare; it's better to save them for an actual emergency."
My suggestion was shot down by both of them. I could see their point—getting even one liver after a full day of hunting was lucky. They were better used to weaken even stronger monsters. Apparently, there were plenty of things scarier than a Drive Dragon. Sherry's logic was hard to argue with.
"Fine. Let's do it your way."
I gave in to Roxanne's plan. We went home to swap maps and then moved to Quratar. First priority: Whole Fish. I could have aimed for Toro, but I didn't want to spoil them too much. We intercepted the Marbrim with our full setup, including the Cook job. I hadn't changed the Libertine's Beginner Fire Magic yet because swapping back was such a pain.
The 17th floor was manageable with just a Mage, so I had considered setting the Libertine skill to Rare Ingredient Drop Rate Up to see if it stacked with the Cook job, but I decided against it. It wasn't like the drop rate would suddenly jump to ten times the normal amount. Besides, if the battle ended too quickly, I wouldn't be able to change it back. Not being able to swap skills on the fly was a real downside.
With my skill still set to Beginner Fire Magic, scorching sand rained down on the monsters. It certainly looked powerful. Marbrim were weak to earth, so combining the Mage’s Sand Storm with the Libertine’s Fire Storm created a literal lava hell.
I felt like I was onto something here. Water and Fire would be a boiling water hell. Wind and Fire would probably just make the flames even more intense—unless the wind was strong enough to blow them out. I wondered if the game logic accounted for elemental compatibility like that. It would be a mess if it did. If having resistance to either Water or Wind could negate a Storm spell, that would be a problem.
"Incredible. As expected of Master."
"I see. You can do that too," Sherry noted.
"White fish, desu!"
"It’s amazing," Vesta said.
They were all full of praise as the rapid-fire magic cleared the enemies with ease. Well, most of them were.
We spent some time on the 17th floor hunting for Whole Fish. The lava hell made short work of everything. The Bitch Butterflies on the 16th floor were a bit resistant to fire, so the efficiency dropped slightly, but it wasn't a dealbreaker. Compared to how easy this was, it made me realize just how tough the 33rd floor really was. Only a week or two ago, this was our normal. Even if the ease was mostly thanks to having two magic jobs now.
I ran another quick experiment. I visualized Fire Storm for the first cast and Sand Storm for the second. It didn't turn into a lava hell. Sparks flew, but there was no sandstorm. The earth magic failed. When I immediately visualized Fire Storm again, it worked.
So, the Mage’s Beginner Fire Magic fired first. When I tried to follow up with Sand Storm, the Libertine didn't have earth magic set, and the Mage had already used its turn, so nothing happened. But because the Libertine’s fire magic was still available, the second Fire Storm worked.
Did the Mage job always take priority because of the equipment order? Or was it level-based? I swapped the job order and tried again, firing Fire then Earth. This time, both sparks and sand flew perfectly. Even reversing the order worked.
Wait, the Libertine didn't have earth magic. So the first cast used the Mage’s Beginner Earth Magic, and the second used the Libertine’s fire magic. That made sense. They seemed to trigger based on the order the jobs were equipped. That was much easier than worrying about level-based priority.
Better yet, swapping job positions didn't reset the Libertine's current skill or effect. I couldn't use job-swapping as a workaround to change skills quickly, which was a shame, but I should have tested it sooner anyway.
"Whole fish, desu!"
Miria gleefully brought over the second Whole Fish drop. She was on a roll.
"Alright. Let's move to the 33rd floor."
I almost suggested collecting some feathers on the 32nd first, but Rock Birds appeared on the 33rd anyway. Still, jumping from earth-weak Marbrim to earth-resistant Rock Birds was going to be a pain for my current Libertine setup. I’d need a better plan eventually. I just hoped the Down Duvet would be finished soon. I wasn't sure I could talk Roxanne into staying on the 32nd floor until it was done. I’d need a better excuse than "I want a nicer bed."
Marbrim weren't a challenge even before I got the Libertine job, so worrying about the setup was a luxury. We were getting Whole Fish without any struggle. Things were only going to get easier from here. I pushed aside my worries and moved to the 33rd floor.
"Start with a small group, please."
"Understood. This way."
I couldn't help giving orders, even though I knew she already knew. I was always a little worried she’d drag us into a massive group right off the bat, given her usual enthusiasm. I suppose I should just accept that her baseline for "small group" was different from mine.
As we followed Roxanne, three monsters appeared ahead. Drive Dragons. They were hovering in the air. I unleashed a barrage of magic as Roxanne and the others charged in. A group of three might have been because there wasn't a smaller one nearby, or maybe she just couldn't tell the difference between two and three by scent. With Roxanne, I was always a bit suspicious.
I closed in after firing my spells. The three dragons were long, snake-like creatures with four legs and wings, roughly three meters long. They were massive and genuinely intimidating. They glided toward our front line, and the center one lunged at Roxanne with its jaws wide.
Roxanne ducked, dodging it easily. I thought she’d given herself plenty of room, but then a clawed limb lashed out right where she’d been a second ago. She’d anticipated that too. The dragon pulled back and lunged again, but this time she only had to move her head to avoid it. Its head didn't come as far forward this time, mostly because Roxanne had pinned its front leg with her shield. That looked like it would hurt.
The other two dragons attacked Miria and Vesta. Miria dodged with room to spare, while Vesta took the hits on her blade. Neither of them seemed to be in any real trouble. Miria was faster than the dragons, and Vesta didn't budge an inch. Even though the dragons were bigger than her, she looked like she was holding her own perfectly. She was incredibly reliable.
While they kept the dragons occupied, I hammered them with magic.
"Did it, desu!"
The first Drive Dragon turned into smoke after being petrified, and the other two followed shortly after. It took a while, though. It was clear why Drive Dragons were considered top-tier threats, even with my dual-magic setup. They were tough. I wasn't sure if we could even make it to the boss today.
"That was a tougher fight than usual," I said.
"Perhaps so," Roxanne replied.
Wait, even she thought so?
"The combat time was much longer, too."
"Was it? Compared to fighting Rock Birds on the 32nd floor, I didn't think there was much of a difference."
I got a little ahead of myself, and she immediately shot me down.
"Ah... I guess that's true."
"To think you can defeat a Drive Dragon in the same amount of time as a Rock Bird, even though the dragon is far more difficult. Truly, Master is amazing."
"...Right."
I’d wanted to say the boss battle was impossible, but she’d completely closed that exit.
"It did take longer than on the 32nd floor," Sherry added, trying to soften the blow. "Drive Dragons have resistance to all attributes, after all. Normally, this should have been a much harder fight."
So, even though they were harder, my two-job setup had balanced things out. Fighting Rock Birds without the Libertine job had definitely been slower. Compared to that, this wasn't so bad. Maybe I’d just gotten too used to how easy the Bode 33rd floor was.
"I see."
"Since you’re using magic, the 34th floor might actually be easier," Sherry suggested.
Sherry was becoming scarier than Roxanne in her own way.
"You think so?"
"The monsters on the 34th floor are Kobold Kämpfers. They’re weak to all elemental magic. That’s why some people say the Drive Dragon is a bigger hurdle. If you have magic, the 34th should be much easier."
"That makes sense."
She was thinking it through logically. As expected of Sherry. I was starting to think the 34th floor might actually be a walk in the park.
"Then, if we clear the 33rd-floor boss today, we can move to the 34th tomorrow, right?" Roxanne said.
Was that a concession? It didn't feel like one. Just because the 34th was easier didn't mean we had to rush. But I knew Roxanne; if we cleared the 34th today, she’d be pushing for the 35th tomorrow. In that case, staying on the 33rd today was her way of compromising. I’d take it.
"Is everyone okay with that?"
"Yes. the 34th should be no problem."
"I’ll do it, desu!"
"I’m sure we’ll be fine," Vesta said.
The other three were completely on board with Roxanne’s plan. I didn't have much of a choice.
"Alright then."
"Wonderful. Here you go."
Roxanne happily handed me the loot. It was Dragon Hide from the Drive Dragon. It was white and bumpy, looking a lot like chicken skin. I wondered if those bumps were pores. I assumed dragons had scales, not feathers, but who knew.
"Let's try making this into a soup tonight."
"Whole Fish Soup, desu!" Miria suggested.
"Can you make it?"
"Yes, desu!"
"It’ll be fine if you leave it to Miria," Roxanne assured me.
Miria had handled most of our fish dishes lately, so I wasn't worried.
"Alright, I’ll leave it to you."
"On it, desu!"
We moved on to the next encounter. For the record, no one had unlocked the Dragon Slayer job yet. It seemed the Drive Dragon wasn't the "gate" I’d hoped for. Maybe there were other conditions, like defeating it alone or turning another monster into a dragon first. Or maybe I had to win a desperate, bloody struggle. I wasn't exactly looking for that.
It wasn't even confirmed that such a job existed. I’d never seen a Dragon Slayer with my Appraisal before, so it wasn't something worth obsessing over.
"The Boss Room is this way," Roxanne announced.
She was very sensitive to the Drive Dragons, so we fought several more groups on the way before finally reaching the waiting room.
"The boss of the Drive Dragons is the Land Dragon," Sherry began her briefing. "It doesn't fly, but it's much faster than a standard Drive Dragon, so be careful. Like the others, it has resistance to all attributes and no specific weaknesses."
We entered the Boss Room. As a boss, it was bound to be tougher, but at least there was only one of them. We had Roxanne to tank and Miria for petrification. There was no need to be overly afraid.
Smoke gathered in the center of the room, and the monster materialized. Since it couldn't fly, it appeared low to the ground. The Land Dragon. It was a stout, four-legged creature with its belly practically on the floor and legs splayed out to the sides.
"Wait, it’s just a lizard."
It wasn't an "earth dragon" so much as a giant lizard. It looked more like a Komodo dragon than anything else. It was huge, sure, but the regular Drive Dragons actually looked more intimidating. Maybe I was just getting used to this world.
Roxanne stood directly in front of the giant lizard, flicking her rapier playfully. She was baiting it, attracting its attention. She didn't look scared at all; she looked like she was catching dragonflies. That was my Roxanne.
I wasn't particularly scared either. It was just a big lizard, after all. Miria and Vesta also stood their ground. Vesta was used to Rock Birds, but seeing Miria face down a dragon was impressive. She probably wanted to be right there in case her petrification triggered. She moved into position without being told.
Vesta, as always, looked like she could handle anything. She was a bit of a disadvantage being so tall and sturdy; it was hard to feel "impressed" when she looked so naturally capable. But standing in front of a monster like that was still a feat.
The Land Dragon suddenly lunged at Roxanne with surprising speed. It opened its jaws wide, showing rows of terrifying teeth. Roxanne twisted her body, dodging it effortlessly, and thrust her rapier near its eye. Her counter was cold and precise.
It didn't seem to do much damage, though. Maybe it had reinforced eyelids or just didn't rely on sight. It was a monster, after all. Who knew if it even had compound eyes like a NEET Ant or if the Non-rem Golems could actually see. Needle Woods were basically plants.
While I pondered that, I rained Fire Magic down on it and circled around to hit the Rock Bird with Durandal. I left the front to Vesta, so I was in zero danger. Vesta could take a hit from a 33rd-floor monster without flinching.
Roxanne was handling the boss, and I wasn't worried about her getting hit. She’d already dodged several of its charges with ease.
"It is indeed quite fast," Roxanne noted with clinical detachment.
"Quite" fast? It looked like it was moving like a blur to me. She was really looking down on it.
"Did it, desu!"
The Drive Dragon behind it was petrified before the Rock Bird even went down. We finished off the bird and piled onto the Land Dragon. I was worried it might turn on me, but it kept trying to bite Roxanne, and she kept making it look like a fool.
The fight ended without us taking a single hit. At this rate, the Land Dragon wasn't a problem. It was actually easier than a regular encounter with six Drive Dragons.
"Well, that wasn't so bad. We can handle this," I said.
"Yes. It wasn't much of an opponent. It would be more fun if it moved a little faster," Roxanne said.
I didn't hear that. I definitely didn't hear that.
"We had no issues," Sherry agreed. "In fact, I think the regular mobs on this floor are more dangerous than the boss."
I had to agree with her. It was a strange situation, but that’s how it was.
"I’ll do my best, desu!"
"I think we did well," Vesta said.
They brought over the loot. The Land Dragon had left behind a reddish item. Meat? I used Appraisal: Dragon Meat. So the boss dropped food.
"Dragon meat, huh?"
"Yes. It’s edible as is," Sherry explained. "It’s said to hold the dragon’s power and it never rots, so even non-explorers use it as travel rations. And like the hide, it makes for a very flavorful soup."
It sounded like dragon jerky.
"It's good as is? Let's try some."
I looked at Roxanne. Just because she was Wolf-kin didn't mean she’d love jerky, but you never knew. She didn't seem to be salivating, at least. I tore off a small piece and gave it to her. It tore easily, just like real jerky.
It tasted exactly like dried meat. Rich, savory, and actually quite delicious. It was chewy at first but melted after a few bites.
"Eating it fresh like this is quite nice," Roxanne said.
She seemed to like it. I passed some around to everyone, then took another piece for myself and Roxanne. It was addictive. I missed snacks like this. Potato chips or shrimp crackers would be great, but I wasn't about to spend weeks researching how to make them. If I didn't have them, I didn't have them.
Most Japanese foods weren't on my "must-have" list anyway. I’d never eaten enough high-end sushi or eel to really crave them, and I’d eaten enough cheap stuff to last a lifetime. Matsutake mushrooms might have been nice to try once, though.
I missed peaches, but that was about it. Melons were too expensive to even think about. Cup noodles... I’d eaten so many I never wanted to see one again. Even rice wasn't a huge craving. I didn't buy into the idea that you’d die without miso soup. Most young people in the city didn't even eat it that often.
Curry, though... I might crave that one day.
In a way, I was perfectly suited for this world. I didn't have many attachments to modern luxuries.
"Since we’ve already started eating it, it won't fit in the Item Box. Roxanne, you take—oh, wait."
"It’s already gone," Roxanne noted.
I’d been so lost in thought that we’d finished the whole thing. It wasn't that big to begin with, and with five of us eating, it vanished quickly.
"Well, just finish it off then."
"It’s so small, it didn't last long," Roxanne said.
"Yes, desu!"
"I think it’s fine to just eat it," Vesta added.
Sherry split the last piece for Miria, who then shared it with Vesta.
"We can always hunt more," I said as Vesta tried to split her tiny portion again. We’d be back soon enough.
"You’re right. Let’s do more boss battles," Roxanne said.
Damn. I’d given her another reason to grind the boss. Still, the boss battle was safer than fighting a full group of Drive Dragons. Roxanne dodged the physical attacks, and Sherry could cancel the magic. Even if an attack did land, it would hurt, but we had more control over a single target.
"Land Dragons also drop Dragon Hide," Sherry mentioned. "If we keep at it, we’ll gather enough for equipment. I can't work with it yet, but we should start collecting."
So the rare drop was the hide. We were already finding materials that were beyond Sherry's current crafting level. Since this was a 33rd-floor boss, the Land Dragon would appear as a regular mob on the 66th floor. Anyone who could make full Dragon Hide gear was probably strong enough to survive that deep.
"We’ll just save it for now. You’ll be able to use it eventually."
"Understood."
If even Sherry was suggesting the 33rd-floor boss, she must have decided it was the safest option. And if she thought so, it probably was. I was fine with grinding the boss for today, but I knew what was coming tomorrow: Roxanne would be pushing for the 34th.
"Let’s go then."
"Yes!"
"If there are Kobold Kämpfers nearby, we should try fighting them on the 34th floor too," Sherry added.
Sherry! Why?
"Oh, right. You said they might be easier than the Drive Dragons."
"They are. Kobolds are weak to all four elements. If you use magic, the 34th floor of Quratar will be much easier than the 33rd. We should definitely be proactive about it."
"I see."
Attribute weaknesses made a huge difference. Compared to the Drive Dragons who resisted everything, a monster weak to everything was a dream for a caster. When I’d fought them before, I didn't have Sherry or my magic setup, so I hadn't realized how easy they could be. I thought I wouldn't need Sherry’s monster knowledge as much on the deeper floors, but it seemed I was wrong.
"This way then," Roxanne said, leading us to the 34th floor.
I didn't want to rush, but if they were truly easier, it was hard to argue. Of course, "easier" meant we’d clear the floor faster and move on even sooner. I felt like I was being dragged along, but I had to commit. Hesitating in a Labyrinth was a good way to get killed. If I couldn't stop her, I might as well be proactive.
We moved through the 34th floor and found one. A Kobold Kämpfer. So they really did appear as regular mobs here. I knew bosses showed up thirty-three floors higher, but seeing it was different. Since I’d fought it before, it felt familiar. But this one was Level 34.
I unleashed two Fire Storms. Roxanne and the others charged, and I followed. A long battle began.
"Did it, desu!"
The fight finally ended when Miria petrified the Drive Dragon that was with it. It had been a long battle—not the longest ever, but the Drive Dragon had definitely slowed us down. The Kobold Kämpfer had gone down way earlier.
Drive Dragons were just too strong. Or maybe the Kämpfer really was that weak.
"I can see why people say the Kämpfer is easier," I said.
"It’s because of the magic," Sherry explained. "If you didn't have your spells, it wouldn't feel so weak."
It was a stark contrast between a monster that resisted everything and one that was weak to everything. Sherry was right; if I were using Durandal, the Kämpfer would probably be the bigger threat. I wasn't about to test that theory, though.
"As long as we have Kobold Kämpfers, this floor is easy. We can definitely handle the 34th floor. With Master, I’m sure we can go even higher!"
Roxanne was getting that look again. It seemed the march to the deeper floors was inevitable. I wasn't thrilled about it, but there was no stopping it now. I wanted to avoid it, but it was happening.
"Let's head back to the 33rd for now," I said.
"Of course. There aren't any large groups nearby anyway."
We went back to the 33rd floor and spent the rest of the day grinding the boss. It was weird that the boss and the 34th floor felt more manageable than a regular group on the 33rd. But as we fought more, I started getting used to the long battles with the Drive Dragons.
Maybe this was okay. Maybe we really were strong enough. Was I being overconfident? Was it okay to get this comfortable? I tried to stay positive—getting used to the rhythm meant adapting. As long as I didn't lose my focus, it was a good thing.
We finished our day in the Labyrinth. For dinner, Miria served the Whole Fish and Dragon Hide soup. I’d been looking forward to the hide.
"This tastes like... well, that."
"What is it?"
"Chicken skin."
It was delicious, but it was definitely chicken skin. High-quality chicken skin, sure. It was soft, plump, and had a rich fat that melted on the tongue. It wasn't exactly sweet, but it had that kind of savoriness.
"As expected of a dragon, I guess."
"Yes, it’s wonderful!"
"The soup is delicious too. The flavor really is better with the hide," Sherry said.
The broth was much richer than our usual pot-au-feu. It had a deep, savory complexity.
"Whole fish, desu!"
"It’s very good," Vesta added.
I wondered if the flavor was mostly from the Whole Fish. It reminded me of bouillabaisse. I should have gathered some clams to go with it. I’ll keep that in mind for next time. I wouldn't tell Miria yet, though; she’d never stop asking about it. We could even try adding Dragon Meat. Dragon Hide was a great ingredient—like chicken skin and bones combined.
As for the "beauty effects" of the Dragon Hide... I couldn't really tell. I inspected everyone thoroughly in the bath, and again once we were back in bed. Their skin was as smooth, soft, and perfect as it always was.
They were already beautiful enough without any magical hide. Their complexions were perfect, their skin firm and supple. Still, it probably took a few days for the effects to show up anyway. I couldn't expect immediate results.
Which meant I would have to continue my observations every single day. I’d have to keep stroking and inspecting them with the utmost care. It was for the sake of science, after all.