The water temperature shouldn't have been a problem at this time of year.
Roxanne and Vesta kept a watchful eye, alternating between checking on Sherry and scanning the surrounding area. I tried not to stare only at Sherry and did my best to maintain a lookout as well. Besides, you couldn't see much through the curtain of the waterfall anyway.
"Fish," one certain person muttered. It seemed Miria was focusing on something else entirely.
Eventually, Sherry emerged from the waterfall, dripping with water. Her wet white robes clung tightly to her skin.
No, no. I had to focus. I couldn't forget the objective.
"It's something like that," Sherry said.
"I see. I'll give it a try next. Vesta, I'm handing you my sword. If a monster appears, I'm counting on you."
I handed Durandal to Vesta and left the safety of the group to her. I stepped into the waterfall basin, doing my best to avert my eyes from the women. The objective came first; I couldn't let myself be led astray by worldly thoughts.
The basin was about a meter deep at its most shallow point. There might have been deeper spots, but I chose a shallow area and stepped directly under the falling water. The current was surprisingly powerful.
The water struck me. It was intense. As the torrent washed over me, the sheer force made me sway. To avoid being swept away, I aligned my body's axis parallel to the waterfall. I corrected my posture and stood vertically, taking the full weight of the water directly on the top of my head.
Water fell. Water fell, water fell. Water fell, water fell, water fell, water fell, water fell, water fell, water fell, water fell, water fell, water fell, water fell, water fell, water fell, water fell, water fell, water fell, water fell, water fell, water fell, water fell, water fell, water fell, water fell, water fell, water fell, water fell, water fell, water fell, water fell, water fell, water fell.
I couldn't think of a single thing. Water hammered against the top of my head until my entire mind was filled with nothing but the sensation of falling water. There wasn't even the slightest room for any other thought to enter.
After enduring it for a while, I stepped out from the cascade. I immediately checked my jobs in the Job Settings.
Priest Lv 1 Effect: MP Increase (Small), Intelligence Increase (Slight) Skill: All-target First Aid
There it was. I had successfully obtained the Priest job.
Sherry was a Shrine Maiden, but I was a Priest. I supposed men became Priests while women became Shrine Maidens. Being struck by a waterfall was certainly an exercise in asceticism. It rendered you incapable of thought, making it a fitting method for achieving mental unification. Apparently, one needed to reach that state to unlock these jobs.
"How was it?" Sherry asked as I approached.
"So this is waterfall training. It's certainly staggering. It looks like you've obtained the Shrine Maiden job as well, Sherry."
"Is that true?"
"Why would I lie to you?"
It wasn't exactly a lie. It was a fact that Sherry had the Shrine Maiden job; I just omitted the part where she hadn't just gotten it.
"Thank you very much!" Sherry looked genuinely happy, so I figured it was fine.
"Then, could you go back up and swap places with Roxanne?"
"Understood."
I watched Sherry leave. The white robes clinging to her back were quite suggestive. Since my own objective had already been achieved, I felt I could now look as much as I wanted.
"Miria, Vesta, it's your turn for the waterfall training. You saw how it's done, right?"
"I think I'll be fine," Vesta said.
"Yes, it is," Miria added.
Miria tilted her head curiously, but when I pointed toward the falls, she nodded and stepped into the water. Vesta handed Durandal back to me and followed her. The presence of her "watermelons," barely covered by the top that was only fastened with a thin string, was incredible.
Roxanne also climbed down from her post above the waterfall.
"Roxanne, you do the training too."
"Yes. I understand."
As she climbed down, her chest swayed violently. Perhaps it was because of the thin clothing, but the movement was mesmerizing. Its destructive power was almost more staggering than the waterfall itself.
Following Miria and Vesta, Roxanne also began her training. The sight of the three of them lined up in white robes was quite alluring, even if the spray made it hard to see them clearly.
The first to emerge was Miria. Her wet hair and the skin peeking through her translucent clothes were beautiful. However, she hadn't acquired the Shrine Maiden job. She had come out far too early; I felt like even I had stayed under the water much longer than that.
"One more time," I told her, making her go back.
Miria stepped back under the cascade. The next person to come out was also Miria. She had entered last and come out first again.
"It's hard, it is," she complained.
"Try to unify your mind properly."
"I will, it is."
I sent her back once more, wondering if she would be alright. In the worst-case scenario, she just wouldn't get the job, and I supposed that would be fine.
The next to emerge was Vesta. Her chest heaved beneath the wet robes. The thin, soaked silk clung tightly to her skin, gently enveloping her large breasts. Her pale, wheat-colored skin was clearly visible through the white fabric. I wondered if darker skin stood out more vividly against the white robes.
"I'm not quite sure what happened, but I feel like I was able to concentrate," Vesta said.
She certainly must have. She had already acquired the Shrine Maiden job. Meanwhile, I found that I couldn't concentrate on anything else but her. Or rather, I was concentrating very intensely on a specific view.
"I see. Vesta, you don't need to do the training anymore. You've obtained the job."
Being able to see my party members' jobs was truly convenient. I knew the moment she acquired it.
"Thank you very much. Oh—a monster."
Vesta pointed. I had been so focused on her that I hadn't noticed, but she had remained vigilant even after her training. That was a lifesaver. I rushed forward with Durandal and cut down a Grass Bee. I wasn't wearing any equipment—or even clothes—but a single blow was enough. I had put my shoes back on earlier, and since it was summer, being wet actually felt quite nice.
I returned after defeating the bee. Sherry and Vesta watched the surroundings while I kept my eyes on Vesta and Roxanne.
"Once more," I said, sending Miria back in yet again. I really wondered if she was focusing.
Roxanne, on the other hand, wasn't coming out at all. Even checking the Party Job Settings, she hadn't obtained the job yet. She seemed to be struggling. Vesta and I had gotten it almost immediately, so I wondered if there was a matter of temperament involved.
"Vesta, how did it feel for you under the waterfall?"
"It felt pleasantly relaxing, as if my consciousness was drifting comfortably away."
Was that so? She found it "pleasant"? It was a heavy waterfall, not a spa treatment. I wondered if Dragon Knights were just that resilient. Or maybe because she was taller than me, the force of the water was weaker at her head level? I doubted that. Knowing Vesta, she probably just wasn't thinking about anything at all. Perhaps people who were naturally "empty-headed" obtained the job faster.
Wait, I had obtained the Priest job quickly too. Did that mean I didn't think about anything? No, Sherry had the job too, and she was very smart. I wanted to believe I was fine.
"It's difficult," Roxanne said, finally emerging.
The wet white robes clung to her skin, looking stunning against her fair complexion. Beneath the white silk, her cherries were clearly visible. My consciousness was now completely focused on that single point. I felt like I could have obtained the Priest job all over again just from the sheer focus of looking at her.
"When you're under the water, doesn't your mind focus entirely on the flow?" I asked.
"Hmm. It's just... there's water here, and water there... it's everywhere."
I didn't quite understand what she meant. Human perception shouldn't have been that sharp. Was it possible her senses were too keen? That was great for dodging monsters, but apparently a hindrance for mental unification.
"Try to perceive the entire waterfall as a single, unified flow."
"I'll try that."
I gave her that bit of advice and sent her back in. In her place, Miria emerged. She lacked concentration entirely, though I didn't mind getting another look at her wet figure.
A little while after I sent Miria back, Roxanne emerged again. She had finally obtained the Shrine Maiden job.
"Oh! You did it. You've acquired the job."
"Yes. Thank you very much. I feel like I finally understood what you meant by a single flow."
She actually understood that? I had just been grasping at straws when I said it. I wondered if it was really a concept one could grasp, but since her cherries also seemed to be perking up with joy, I decided it was fine.
"Now, what should I do about Miria?"
"It would be good if she could understand that concept as well," Roxanne suggested.
Miria emerged again, still without the job. Roxanne was being a bit too optimistic, assuming Miria could understand just because she had.
"Miria, when you're catching fish, they run away if they see a person, right?"
"Yes, it is."
"To keep them from running, you have to erase your presence. You have to get under the waterfall and become one with it. When you dissolve into the waterfall, the fish won't notice you anymore."
"I understand, it is."
I sent her back with that bit of nonsense. It was the only advice I could think of that might resonate with her. This time, Miria stayed under the water for a significantly longer period. When she finally emerged, she had acquired the Shrine Maiden job.
"Good. You did well, Miria."
"Fish... I can catch them now, I can."
As I thought, I had to use fish as a motivator.
"With this, everyone has obtained their jobs. Well done," I announced to the group after calling Sherry back down.
"Thank you very much." "I'm glad we were able to acquire them today." "Caught them, it is." "I think it was very productive."
Sherry hadn't actually gotten the job today, but I let it slide. The sight of four beautiful women lined up in wet white robes was spectacular. Even if Sherry's clothes were starting to dry, it was still a magnificent feast for the eyes.
"Moving forward, I'll continue to be the primary healer as I have been. However, as we move to higher floors in the Labyrinth, combat will get more intense. There might be times when I can't keep up with the healing alone. In preparation for that, I'll have you all gain experience as Shrine Maidens. Having multiple people capable of healing will give us peace of mind."
"Yes. I'd like to try it," Roxanne said, proactive as always. I figured she would be the first choice for a secondary healer.
"I had originally wanted to be a Shrine Maiden, so the job is very appealing," Sherry added. "However, considering we need to work on our next set of equipment, I'd like to keep gaining experience as a Master Smith too."
"I intend for you to focus on being a Master Smith, Sherry, and for Miria to focus on the Assassin job."
"Yes." "I'll do it, it is."
I wondered if Miria's "do it" meant she understood the Assassin job part. I was slightly uneasy about whether I was communicating effectively with her.
"I wouldn't mind being a Shrine Maiden," Vesta offered.
"In your case, Vesta, we have to consider your Dual Wielding. For now, I'm thinking of keeping you as a Dragon Knight primarily."
"Understood."
In the end, Roxanne was the most logical choice if I needed a second Shrine Maiden. At her current level, she would grow into the role quickly. I decided we would experiment with different party compositions as we moved forward.