"The day has finally come, I suppose."
We entered the Labyrinth early the next morning. It was finally time for the 44th-floor boss battle. If we cleared this, we’d hit the 45th floor, where the monsters would be another step up in strength.
"That day, Master?" Roxanne asked, sounding confused.
She was the one I’d brought along after assuring her everything would be fine, yet she didn't seem to realize what I meant. But this was the limit. I couldn't keep going up one floor every single day.
"If we break through the 44th-floor boss, we’ll reach the 45th," I explained.
"Yes, that's right."
Listen to the end, please.
"We’ve rushed through the floors until now, but the battles are honestly getting quite difficult."
"No, at this level, we’re still—"
I said, listen to the end.
"I believe it is certainly true that things are becoming more challenging," Sherry chimed in, backing me up.
As expected of Sherry. She always provided a level-headed judgment.
"Still want to do it, desu," Miria added.
"I think we'll be fine," Vesta said.
I wasn't expecting much from those two.
"Realistically, we can't just keep climbing forever. We’ll hit a wall eventually, and hitting a wall in the Labyrinth is dangerous. For the time being, I want to take a breather on the 44th floor. We won’t fight on the 45th just yet. For a while, we'll focus on repeating the 44th-floor boss battle."
"Mmm. Is that so?" Roxanne pondered.
Just one more push.
"When things are going well, it’s actually better to re-evaluate your footing. Pushing too hard could lead to something dangerous, and I can't allow that. I want us to move forward without losing a single person."
"Without losing a single person... Yes, you're right."
I finally managed to draw a concession from Roxanne.
"We won’t be able to keep advancing like this indefinitely, so I think staying on the 44th floor for a while is a good idea," Sherry added, immediately expressing her agreement.
"Will do, desu."
"I think it’s fine."
The other two were on board now, too. You two aren't really thinking about this, are you?
"Well then, it's settled."
"Yes."
Good. I’d persuaded them. I felt a surge of relief at getting Roxanne’s approval. There’s no feeling quite like it. I still have a place to come home to.
"But what should we do about a time limit?" Sherry asked, throwing a wrench into my victory.
"A time limit?"
Now Roxanne’s interest was piqued again.
"Yes. If we don’t set one, we might end up staying on the 44th floor forever. Aimlessly dragging it out is also a problem."
"That is true," Roxanne agreed.
Ah, yes. Of course Roxanne would side with that. Curse you, Sherry.
Still, it was probably important to have some sort of guideline for how long we’d stay. An exit strategy, so to speak. I understood the logic of deciding how long we’d stay or what we needed to achieve before moving on. It was very like the rational Sherry. Or perhaps she’d looked at me and judged that I’d stay on the 44th floor forever if left to my own devices.
You’re not wrong.
But what’s wrong with letting things slide? We’re only human. I didn't need to worry about that today. Whatever can be done tomorrow, do tomorrow.
"It’ll be fine. I have a few preliminary plans."
"Preliminary plans?"
"Indeed. We’ll move through various stages."
"Is that so? As expected of Master!"
Sherry, please learn from Roxanne’s honesty. It’ll be fine. You don't have to make that face. Even if we just let things drift, we're only human.
We spent the rest of the day repeating the 44th-floor boss battle. We fought until evening, taking occasional breaks. Since we’d decided not to advance to the floors above, I was able to fight with a clear head. It felt like a weight had been lifted.
"It will be evening soon," Roxanne noted.
"Oh, is it that time already? Well, whatever. We’ve received another invitation from Duke Harz today."
"An invitation?"
"Let’s treat ourselves to dinner there. He said arriving after sunset was fine, so we can probably squeeze in a few more fights."
"In that case, let's keep going."
I suppose we’ll do an extra boss battle as Roxanne wishes. As I thought that, I casually checked my status and found that my Mage job had reached Level 50. Not long ago, my Explorer job hit Level 50, and I gained the Adventurer job. It stood to reason that Mage would be next. And sure enough, I’d acquired the Wizard job—the same job Gosler held. It seemed one could become a Wizard once Mage hit Level 50.
Wizard Lv 1 Effects: Intelligence Increase (Medium), MP Increase (Small), Spirit Increase (Slight), Vitality Increase (Slight) Skills: Intermediate Fire Magic, Intermediate Water Magic, Intermediate Wind Magic, Intermediate Earth Magic, Beginner Ice Magic, Beginner Lightning Magic
As expected, a higher-tier job offered better effects. And the skills had upgraded to Intermediate Magic. I’d thought Wizard was an advanced job for Mage, but it appeared to be an intermediate one. The skill names were still generic, like Intermediate Fire Magic, and didn't list the actual spell names. How inconvenient.
"Sherry, do you know what kind of spells a Wizard uses?" I asked, relying on her as usual.
"Um, yes. If I recall correctly, there are six types: Burn, Aqua, Wind, Dirt, Ice, and Thunder."
You actually know them? As expected of the God of Thunder—no, as expected of Sherry.
"Thank you. Is there a job even higher than Wizard?"
"There are theories that one exists, but at that point, it’s the stuff of legends."
"And what spells would that job use?"
"I’m afraid I don’t know that much."
If it was a legend, that made sense. But since there was Intermediate Magic, there was almost certainly a job that could use Advanced Magic. Would that be the true advanced job? I didn't know the spells, though. Even if I obtained it, finding the spells would be a struggle. For Wind Magic, it went from Breeze to Wind, so maybe Tornado would be next? I’d just have to try things out when the time came.
"Ice and Thunder are Ice Magic and Lightning Magic, right?"
"Yes. Both are special. Ice Magic is effective even if a monster is weak to either Water or Earth. Conversely, unless they have resistance to both Water and Earth, the damage can't be mitigated."
So Ice Magic combined the properties of both. Did the solid state count as an earth characteristic? Since monsters appeared in various combinations, it would surely be useful. Even if it didn't hit a weakness, many enemies would be vulnerable if they lacked both resistances.
"I see."
"Lightning is special because while no monsters are weak to it, none have resistance to it either. Additionally, targets hit by Lightning Magic can sometimes be paralyzed. It’s an excellent attribute in that regard."
Lightning Magic might be particularly useful for me. Since I had the Libertine job and multiple slots, I could set Lightning Magic as a Libertine skill and fire two bolts at once. By simple math, I could paralyze twice as many monsters. If that didn't work, I could just fire them alternately. Plus, I might be able to combine it with the Assassin’s Status Ailment Probability Up. This was something to look forward to.
However, the question of which jobs to use was a problem. Right now, I was leveling Adventurer, so I didn't have the luxury of juggling Assassin or Gambler. But if I lined up Libertine, Wizard, and Mage, I could probably fire three spells in a row. Wonderful. It was tempting.
To do that, I’d have to give up Adventurer, Explorer, Priest, or Hero. A Mage can't use Lightning Magic. If I set Lightning Magic for the Libertine, then making Mage the First Job wouldn't be an issue. Would giving up Explorer be the realistic choice? Both Explorer and Mage were Level 50. I predicted that leveling up further would be even harder now. Since the rate slowed at Level 30 and Level 40, it was reasonable to assume the same for Level 50. The gap between the two wouldn't widen much. Explorer would hit 51 faster, but a one-point difference in Bonus Points wasn't fatal.
Could I remove Explorer? The problem was the Intelligence Card check. If I removed Explorer, items would be stored in the Adventurer’s Item Box. I couldn't set Adventurer as the First Job during a check. I could set Explorer as the First Job, which was the same as my current situation. If I wasn't an Adventurer, I felt like there wasn't a huge difference between being a Mage or an Explorer. Would the day ever come when I could proudly claim to be an Adventurer during a check?
"Are the spell types still Ball, Storm, and Wall?"
"I have heard there are three, yes."
"I see." No change there, then.
"Um... could it be?"
Sherry seemed to see right through me.
"Yeah. I’ve acquired the Wizard job."
"As expected of Master!" Roxanne chirped.
"That’s amazing," Sherry added, looking impressed.
Yes, yes, it is.
"With this, we can go to the upper floors right away, can't we?"
"I see. You were waiting for the Wizard job. Our combat power has certainly gone up a level. This might be the perfect timing."
Gah. They were misunderstanding. I did say I had preliminary plans, but...
"N-No. That was a bit too soon. I thought it would take longer. We should still be building our strength for now. There are other triggers to consider. For now, staying on the 44th floor is fine."
Explorer and Mage had reached Level 50, but the next step seemed miles away. It would take time. Besides, having finally won the right to stay on the 44th floor, I didn't want to throw it away immediately.
"Hmm. Well, I suppose so."
"It’s true that we haven't been able to build up much strength yet."
Good. Case closed. I’d momentarily panicked when I became a Wizard so quickly, but the timing actually worked in my favor. If I’d become a Wizard in a few days, Roxanne and the others probably wouldn't have backed down. A stroke of luck.
As a test, I decided to try using Intermediate Magic. I visualized Burn Wall. A wall of flames appeared. Just as Sherry had said, Burn was the name for Intermediate Fire Magic. The wall was a size larger than Fire Wall. Not just larger, but thicker, too. And it felt hotter, I thought. That part might just be my imagination, and I had no intention of sticking my hand in to check.
I also felt the MP consumption was a bit higher. Since I could only tell by intuition, it wasn't clear, but it seemed more taxing. The magic dissipated, and the fire died out.
"It seems to be a bit larger now that I'm a Wizard."
"As expected of Master. With this, you'll surely be able to manage even on the upper floors."
I’m not going, okay?
"It certainly seems like the power has increased."
"Amazing, desu."
"I think it’s incredible."
It seemed to be a hit. Well, our combat power was increasing, so I could see why they’d want to move up.
"So you’ve truly become a Wizard. I’ve heard that obtaining a high-tier job like that takes over ten years of cultivation. And apparently, it doesn't work well with Doping Medicine."
Sherry was muttering to herself. Did she not believe me?
"It is only natural for Master," Roxanne said.
Shouldn't she have considered the possibility that I’d been training for decades before I met her? Of course, I hadn't, but I wished Sherry would learn from Roxanne’s simple faith. So, high-tier jobs couldn't be easily obtained with Doping Medicine. Since strengthening yourself that way doesn't necessarily make you stronger, I figured that even if you leveled up with it, your stats might not increase much. If the conditions for Wizard included specific status values, then you wouldn't get the job just by raising your level with medicine. Overusing it sounded like a recipe for disaster.
"Alright. Shall we try it out in battle?"
"Yes. This way."
With Roxanne’s guidance, we found some monsters. I started with Intermediate Fire Magic. Until the test was finished, I’d leave the Libertine’s skills as they were. I visualized Burn Storm, Fire Storm, Fire Storm.
A triple magic barrage from the Wizard, Libertine, and Mage. I couldn't tell just by looking if it had activated perfectly, but since it hadn't failed, it must have worked. As I repeated the spells, the battle ended in an instant. It was incredibly fast—easier than anything we’d fought lately. Intermediate Magic was no joke. In exchange, the MP consumption had probably increased, but that was unavoidable. I could recover MP indefinitely with Durandal.
Lately, I’d been finishing off petrified monsters with Durandal anyway. The best part about attacking petrified enemies was that they couldn't counterattack. I could go wild without a care in the world.
"This is quite amazing."
"Yes. As expected of Master."
"It seems the Wizard’s magic is indeed powerful."
"Fast, desu."
"I didn't think it would be this incredible."
Young ladies shouldn't say things are fast.
I picked up the loot and moved to the next group. I wanted to try another attribute. Next was Ice Magic. I visualized Ice Storm, Fire Storm, Fire Storm.
Embers and what looked like snowflakes danced in the air. Wait, wouldn't the embers melt the ice? If I used them together, would the power weaken? Sherry hadn't mentioned anything. But then again, I was the only one who could use both at once because of my multiple jobs. In this world, that was likely rare, so maybe it just wasn't known.
It was a test anyway. I fought to the end with a triple barrage of Ice and Fire. It seemed the combination might be slightly weaker, or at least it took a bit more time. Was the mix no good? Or maybe Ice Magic was just naturally weaker than the other attributes to compensate for its elemental advantage?
I tried a double barrage of Ice Storm and Fire Storm on the next monster, then Ice Storm and Water Storm on the one after that. With Water, it shouldn't cancel out. As it turned out, Fire didn't seem to actively cancel Ice. They didn't interfere; Ice was just slightly less powerful overall.
Next was Lightning Magic. I targeted the 44th-floor boss, the Silver Caterpillar, with a Thunder Storm, Fire Storm, and Water Storm. My first Thunder Storm. Amidst the embers and mist, I saw a flicker of light. It wasn't a blinding flash, just a slight glow. Since it was lightning, that felt right.
With the first triple-shot, one Silver Caterpillar stopped moving. Paralysis. Miria was attacking the other one, so it was definitely the Lightning Magic. It seemed quite effective.
"It stopped moving."
"We did it, desu!"
When I pointed out it was paralyzed, Miria attacked and petrified it immediately. If it didn't move, we could attack recklessly. Petrification happened in a flash. While Roxanne held off the remaining boss, Miria suppressed it from the side. The battle ended incredibly quickly for a 44th-floor boss.
"Was that Lightning Magic just now?" Sherry asked.
"That's right," I replied, slamming Durandal into the petrified boss.
"I felt like you were also using Fire and Water Magic..."
"I was."
Sherry fell silent, speechless. It might have been the first time I’d used three different attributes at once. Now that I was a Wizard, my spell count had increased, though I hadn't told her that. It seemed like it would lead to all sorts of troublesome questions.
I finished off the first one and turned Durandal on the second. My MP was sufficiently recovered, so I decided to use more Lightning Magic. I’d never used a single-target bolt before. I visualized Thunder Ball. A sphere of bright light appeared above my head, with bolts of lightning coiling around it.
Ooh. That’s cool. It really looked the part—like a prop for a Demon King’s entrance.
Gentlemen of the Yamato... My name is Gore.
The Thunder Ball flew out and struck the petrified boss, but failed to defeat it. Well, that was expected. Surviving that attack was impressive for an enemy. The paralysis from Lightning Magic was a game-changer, especially given how well it synergized with Miria’s petrification. I should definitely set it as a Libertine skill. It might be weaker than other elements, but the benefits were huge. I’d have to see just how often it paralyzed enemies starting tomorrow.
"I think I'll call it a day."
"Understood. The battle time has shortened drastically. It's almost a little unsatisfying. At this rate, the upper floors—"
"No. I still need to continue the testing."
I didn't let her finish. What do you mean, unsatisfying? I’ve never felt that way for a single second.
We left the Labyrinth and checked the time. It was already dark. Bode was further north, but we’d be fine. We headed to the Duke’s estate.
"The Commander is in his office," the knight at the reception told us curtly.
How cold. Even though this was supposed to be a celebration for me joining the Society. But his reaction was the same as always. It didn't feel festive at all. Maybe he meant I should just go in because they were busy preparing for the banquet? I usually just walked in anyway.
"Enter," Gosler’s voice called out when I knocked.
"It’s Michio."
"Oh, Lord Michio! Good of you to come."
As expected, the Duke was there, too.
"We have been waiting for you. Now then, Gosler. We shall commence Operation Se-2."
"Eh? What?"
Gosler looked completely bewildered. What on earth was Operation Se-2? It seemed even he didn't know. You guys should really coordinate better.
"Operation Se-2," the Duke repeated.
"You don't mean...?"
"We are carrying it out!"
"Y-Yes, sir!"
So Gosler did know about the operation itself; he just didn't expect it to happen today.
"Forgive me, Lord Michio. It is an emergency."
"I see."
Was it really an emergency? Everything had seemed normal until I arrived. Even Gosler seemed blindsided.
"My apologies. I must issue an emergency mobilization. I shall take my leave," Gosler said, hurrying out of the office.
Emergency mobilization? What was going on?
"Shall we go to dinner, then?" the Duke asked.
"Uh... if it's an emergency..."
"No, no. It matters not. There is still time."
Apparently, it wasn't time to panic yet, even if it was an "emergency." Was it really okay? I didn't think he was the kind of fool who would use an emergency mobilization against us right after we arrived, but you never know.
"Are you sure it's alright?"
"I shall explain the situation in due course. Follow me."
The Duke left the room. I looked at Roxanne and Sherry, but they just tilted their heads. Even Gosler hadn't known what was happening, so there was no way they would. Left with no choice, I followed the Duke. I felt uneasy, but if they intended to trap us, they wouldn't be this blatant about it. He’d promised an explanation, after all.
He led us to the same dining room as last time. So we really were having a normal dinner?
"Welcome. We have been waiting for you."
Cassia was already there, dressed up and ready for the evening.