“—That’s why. If the magic isn’t suited to my strength, I run out of MP quickly. In short, I don’t have enough sustained combat ability, Maria-chan.”
Rustiara explained the points of reflection to Maria, who was sitting cross-legged, catching her breath.
Incidentally, they were in front of the Magic “Connection” on the 20th floor.
“Hah, hah… Y-Yes, it seems so… I’m no good, am I…”
Maria agreed, her head hanging low.
She keenly felt the truth of Rustiara’s words through her own experience. There was no room for argument.
Then, Maria slowly stood up and continued, speaking with a smile.
“It seems I’m still not good enough, so I’ll be going home today. I’ve caused you so much trouble… I’m sorry.”
Her expression was a smile.
However, that smile, plastered over her pale face, was nothing short of creepy. I had no idea what emotions Maria was feeling as she smiled…
As I hesitated for a reply, Rustiara answered in my stead.
“Okay, see you again. …Maria-chan, I want to eat meat today. Something hearty, common, and a really filling dish for me!”
“Fufu. Yes, I understand. I’ll be waiting with a delicious meal.”
Rustiara and Maria decided on tonight’s dinner while laughing.
With that conversation as the last, Maria returned home through Magic “Connection.”
Only I and Rustiara remained on the 20th floor.
Rustiara stretched her body lightly and asked me as she did her stretches.
“Phew. That was quite interesting, wasn’t it?”
“…I was sweating bullets, but this.”
“With that flame magic that’s like a sword, Maria-chan should be fine even if the monsters on the 21st floor get close, so shouldn’t you be more relieved than before?”
“Having a half-baked means of attack is scarier. I was more at ease when she could do nothing…”
Even though she had obtained powerful magic, Maria’s stats were not suited for the 21st floor.
Maria couldn’t keep up with the speed of Fury, couldn’t withstand the attacks, and naturally, even a single mistake could lead to death. There was no way I could watch that with peace of mind.
I exhaled and started walking towards the stairs leading to the 21st floor.
Rustiara followed behind, confirming our future objective.
“So, are we aiming for the 24th floor again today?”
“No… if possible, I want to hunt monsters endlessly on the 21st floor.”
“Eh? Are the enemies strong enough that you need to level up?”
“Not really…”
Certainly, I didn’t feel any issues with the enemies’ strength.
After all, I hadn’t received any proper attacks at all.
“If you’re going to level up, let’s do it after we’ve progressed a bit more. Wouldn’t it be easier to level up after checking the estimated levels of the next target enemies?”
“That’s true… but the way you put it…”
She just wanted to go deeper.
It was obvious she was trying to find a reason to go to deeper floors.
However, I couldn’t resist Rustiara’s enthusiasm and nodded. It was true that there were no enemies that made me feel danger yet.
“…Understood. Let’s go a little further.”
“That’s the spirit.”
We descended to the 21st floor and proceeded deeper into the labyrinth.
◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆
There were no abnormalities on the path from the 20th to the 23rd floor.
Since it was a floor with few Monster types, we were able to proceed along the “Seidō” without encountering any new monsters.
We avoided enemies as much as possible.
This was to conserve our strength for exploring the 23rd floor.
And then, with considerable surplus strength, we began exploring the 23rd floor, but we couldn’t find the stairs leading to the 24th floor.
“—There, there’s nothing…”
“Nothing… Ahh, this is irritating…”
This was our second exploration, so we expected to find the stairs to the 24th floor quickly, but it wasn’t going as well as we thought.
We had been walking around for two hours, but there was no sign of any stairs.
Rustiara’s frustration grew with the current situation.
Losing patience, Rustiara shouted.
“Christ! Let’s cast Perception magic over a wider range!”
“Hmm…”
It was a method I’d rather avoid, so I grumbled.
Currently, my Magic “Dimension” only extended a few meters around me. At times, it was even turned off. I only used wide-range perception to check for nearby monsters at regular intervals.
It was partly to conserve MP, but I didn’t think this state of being lost was a bad thing.
Even though we were lost, the “Map” was steadily filling up, and we were fighting suitable monsters appropriately. We were consuming time, but since we were gaining Experience Points and funds, I had no complaints.
However, Rustiara was different.
Her irritation was reaching its peak due to the humid heat of the 23rd floor.
“It’s a waste of time!!”
“It’s my MP that’s being wasted. Isn’t it fine? As long as we keep walking. The map is being filled, so we’ll eventually reach it.”
“More to the point! Christ, do you even remember all the paths you’ve taken so far!?”
“Ah, that’s for sure.”
I hadn’t explained the “Map” system in detail to Rustiara. I had only said, “I never forget a path I’ve walked,” so Rustiara seemed to doubt my mapping ability.
We had engaged in intense battles several times along the way. It was possible she couldn’t believe I remembered them accurately.
If I explained the “Map” system in detail, she might be convinced, but I didn’t intend to tell her everything.
Even if she didn’t believe me now, after a few days of repetition, she would eventually be convinced of the accuracy of my mapping abilities.
“For sure? Really, really?”
“Ah.”
However, Rustiara was suspicious and kept confirming with me.
There was a hidden desire for me to use my Magic “Dimension” and quickly move to the next floor.
“Really, really, really, are you sure we’ll eventually reach the stairs?”
“I’m absolutely sure.”
I stated with conviction.
I met Rustiara’s doubtful gaze head-on.
“Haa… If you say so, I’ll believe you. …Give me some water.”
“Yes, yes.”
Rustiara gave up on asking for magic and switched to asking for water.
I took out water from my Inventory and handed it to Rustiara.
Although the temperature on the 23rd floor was high, the water in my Inventory was cold. It wasn’t as cold as a modern refrigerator, but it was a welcome coolness in the high temperatures of the 23rd floor. I was grateful that my Inventory was unaffected by the outside temperature.
At that moment, I found myself pondering my Inventory.
I had used this system casually until now, but now that I had started applying it in combat, I needed to understand it more.
First, my Inventory was unaffected by the outside temperature.
This indicated it was an isolated space.
Also, there was no need to fumble around when taking things out of my Inventory. It naturally allowed me to grasp what I had in mind.
That sensation was different from reaching for a specific item in a large space. It was as if each item had its own space prepared, and when I thought of a specific item, it connected me to that specific space.
From this, I could infer that my Inventory was not a large room, but composed of countless small rooms.
I also came to understand various rules within the Inventory space.
I had thought it might ignore the Laws of Physics since it was an异世界 (different world) dimension, but that wasn’t the case. Time flowed within the space as well—for example, if I left a blood-stained sword, it would rust. Similarly, water would also spoil.
It wasn’t omnipotent, but it was capable.
That was my impression so far.
Depending on how it was used, it could be more than just a mere storage.
As I walked through the 23rd floor, I continued to test the bringing out and putting away of items from my Inventory.
Just then, I sensed a swarm of Monsters.
A large number of shapeless Monsters that appeared on the 23rd floor, Red Elements, had gathered in one place. Red Elements were like the fire-attribute Hang Shadows that appeared on the 5th floor, Monsters resistant to physical attacks.
They required either being cut down to crush their cores or using Magic attacks, which made them troublesome opponents for both of us.
I tried to avoid the swarm, observing the movements of the Red Elements, and noticed a particularly large Red Element at the center.
“Ah, there’s a boss.”
I reported this to Rustiara.
Personally, I preferred hunting a boss to going deeper.
The risk increased, but not as much as going to deeper floors. Yet, it offered a certain return.
“Eh, a boss!? Really?”
Then, Rustiara’s dropped tension instantly recovered, and her eyes sparkled.
“That shimmering flame Monster, there’s a boss-class Red Element. It seems we’ve entered its area without realizing it. No wonder the heat increased.”
It seems we had wandered into the boss’s domain while aimlessly walking through the labyrinth.
This kind of situation would likely increase on the 23rd floor, which lacked a “Seidō.”
“Alright. Let’s beat that thing, let’s beat it.”
“It’ll get hotter if we get closer, but that’s okay?”
“Won’t it get cooler if we defeat it?”
Rustiara seemed to prioritize fun over the heat.
We decided to defeat the boss and began to formulate a plan.
However, it was a simple plan. Since our strengths didn’t create explosive synergy, we would simply spread out and charge simultaneously. We did decide to primarily use magic attacks based on the enemy’s characteristics.
I told Rustiara the direction of the boss and said, “Charge in one minute. I’ll charge from a different direction,” then went to find a different charging position from Rustiara.
I found a position for charging and immediately began constructing magic.
“—Magic: Dimension – Decisive Calculation.”
I transformed Dimensional Magic into a combat-ready form and prepared for a magic attack.
“—Magic: Ice, Magic: Form. —Magic: Ice Condensation Sword.”
I used a composite magic I had newly developed on my sword during our journey.
Cold air was infused into my Treasure Sword, and it was coated with ice.
It was something I had imitated from Maria’s new magic, Flame Flamberge. While creating such a magic sword solely with magic power was difficult, by utilizing an existing sword, I succeeded in creating a similar magic.
Since I had the original image, creation did not take long.
With this, I could attack with cold air.
As soon as “Ice Condensation Sword” was complete, I sensed Rustiara, who had been waiting, start running, and I also began running towards the boss.
The closer we got, the hotter the temperature became, and the corridor turned into scorched rock.
The charge of Rustiara and myself was blindingly fast.
At least, no Monster up to the 23rd floor could keep up.
The Red Elements couldn’t cope with the sudden, rapid assault, and allowed me and Rustiara to pass by them.
We confronted the boss.
The enemy was five times larger than a Red Element.
The heat it contained was also likely magnified by the same ratio.
Its appearance was the same, just much bigger.
【Monster】Flame Scold: Rank 26
Its name was Flame Scold.
We ignored its minions and charged straight at the boss.
Our swords struck Flame Scold, slicing through its flickering flames. Slicing—but there was no reaction.
We lost our balance due to the complete lack of resistance.
Both Rustiara and I had added our own magic to our swords. We had expected at least a slight snag when we cut the enemy, but that expectation had been dashed.
It seemed that a sword of this level of cold air was ineffective against a boss-class Monster.
Then, Flame Scold’s counterattack struck us as we lost our balance.
In response to the sudden enemy attack, Flame Scold formed flame arms and swept the surroundings.
We managed to avoid a direct hit by jumping back.
However, even though it wasn’t a direct hit, the residual heat scorched our clothes, and the air burned. As we inhaled that air, our throats burned with sharp pain.
I understood that this was different from fighting a Red Element and, gritting my teeth against my burning throat, I shouted.
“Rustiara! Should we fall back for now!?”
I proposed a retreat.
The strength of both Rustiara and myself lay in our mobility, above all else. Being able to switch to a fighting retreat at any time was our greatest advantage.
However, Rustiara refused.
“No, I have an idea! Give me some cover!”
Saying that, Rustiara began to distance herself while constructing some kind of magic.
I had no choice but to ready my sword against Flame Scold and try to draw its attention.
“Over here! —Magic: Freeze!”
I cast magic to lower the ambient temperature and called out to draw its attention. It was a crude harassment, assuming a fire Monster would be uncomfortable with the temperature drop.
Upon seeing this, Flame Scold brought its arms together and swung a giant flaming hammer at me.
I dodged to the side, narrowly avoiding it.
As long as I had my speed, I wouldn’t receive a direct hit from visible flames.
The subordinate Red Elements also shot flames at me, but the flames from Monsters that were not bosses were not a threat.
Just as I was considering continuing to dodge the Monsters’ flames, Flame Scold’s form underwent a significant change.
It sucked in the surrounding air and expanded its body.
I felt a premonition of something bad and put distance between us.
Then, drawing on my experience from my original world, I assumed it would use a wide-range flame attack next, took out water and cloth from my Inventory, and created drenched clothing.
As expected, flames erupted from Flame Scold’s massive body. It was a wide-range attack that engulfed the entire corridor like a tsunami of fire. I was glad my prediction was correct, and spread the drenched cloth in front of me.
No matter how fast I was, I couldn’t avoid this kind of attack. I concentrated Magic “Freeze” to a few centimeters around me and further used the drenched cloth as a shield to endure the flames.
The power had decreased due to the wide range, so I managed to endure the flames. I took a breath and, worried about Rustiara, who was chanting magic, looked towards her.
There she was, deploying a shining magic barrier, unharmed.
Rustiara rarely used magic, but she had many Divine Magic skills. She likely had plenty of magic that could block flames of this level. She continued her incantation without issue.
Feeling that the safety was unfairly distributed, I was tempted to flee, leaving Rustiara behind.
Rustiara, sensing my gaze, gave me a thumbs-up and a smile as if to say, “Amazing, Christ! Keep going a little longer!”
I sighed and turned back to Flame Scold.
Judging that the wide-range attack wouldn’t be decisive, Flame Scold extended its flame arms towards me.
I continued to dodge.
Since I didn’t need to consider a counterattack, dodging was easy.
However, the difficult part was the aftermath of the attack.
The residual heat.
My skin was burning from the residual heat, and the air I inhaled became a weapon.
I was gradually finding it harder to breathe, and just as I was about to consider retreating, help finally arrived.
“—Divine Magic: Sion!”
In the flame-filled corridor, magic light invaded.
It was Rustiara’s Divine Magic.
And then, I understood that it was the same magic as Dia’s from long ago.
Just like that time, spheres of magic overflowed in the labyrinth, solidifying Flame Scold’s magic power.
—Can I attack it now?
I re-gripped my sword and switched from evasion to attack.
My sword easily severed the giant flame arm.
Flame Scold, bewildered by what had happened, let out a soundless cry and trembled.
Then, Rustiara’s sword pierced it from behind, and it wasn’t even allowed to tremble.
With its advantage of a fiery body gone, Flame Scold had no chance of victory.
It was torn apart, unable to cope with our high-speed swords.
After a while, Flame Scold was completely dismantled and disappeared into light.
【Title “Flickering Flame” Acquired】
Adds a +0.01 bonus to Fire Magic.
I acquired a title. However, I didn’t have the Fire Magic skill, so my status didn’t change when I displayed it. Rustiara probably felt the same.
I picked up the Magic Stone dropped by Flame Scold and turned my attention to the surrounding subordinate Monsters.
Rustiara was already wielding her sword imbued with Divine Magic to sweep up the rest. I could also join in, but doing so would require me to use the unfamiliar Ice Condensation Magic, so I refrained to save MP.
Within a few minutes, the mopping-up operation was over.
A somewhat tired Rustiara handed me the collected Magic Stones. With a smile.
Thanks to the boss fight, she seemed to be in a good mood.
“Phew. That was reasonably interesting.”
“I almost got completely roasted, though.”
I took off my burnt jacket and coat and discarded them.
Since I was wearing clothes from my original world underneath, they were revealed. To hide them, I quickly took out a new coat from my Inventory.
Rustiara, seeing my clothes, gazed at them with interest.
“Oh? Are those clothes from another world? They’re exotic, I like them. I want to try wearing them too.”
“What are you talking about? These are a few precious items from my homeland. Absolutely not.”
“I think I’d look good in them, though. You know, I have good material.”
“These are men’s clothes. Give up.”
I put on the coat, hiding my homeland’s clothes from Rustiara’s gaze.
Then, trying to change the subject, I brought up the recent battle.
“More importantly, that Divine Magic just now… was it Magic: Sion? If you could use something like that, you should have told me beforehand. If I had calculated that from the beginning, it would have been much easier.”
I hide many things from Rustiara… but she probably hides even more cards.
“Hmm. That magic uses a lot of MP, so I really didn’t want to use it.”
Rustiara said that and urged me to check her status.
I focused on Rustiara and checked her MP.
【Status】
HP 621/709 MP 121/325
“Whoa… It’s decreased so much…”
“It’s one of the higher-level spells among Divine Magic. Besides, I’m not good with magic in the first place, so the consumption is extremely high.”
Rustiara explained while catching her slightly uneven breath. It was perhaps the first time I had seen her breathing unevenly.
“So you don’t want me to rely on that magic?”
“That’s right. If I rely on this, I won’t be able to go to the deeper floors.”
Rustiara was good at making plausible excuses. I felt like she was just trying to hide the fact that she simply preferred fighting with a sword. But her reasoning was sound, so I had no choice but to nod.
“Understood.”
“Yes. My magic is a last resort.”
With that conversation settled, we started walking towards the 24th floor.
Judging by how much of the “Map” had been filled, we should be finding the stairs to the 24th floor soon.
When she heard this, Rustiara’s tension rose, and she quickened her pace.
We found the stairs a few minutes after defeating Flame Scold.
