Chapter 77

In the thirteenth floor of Tal's labyrinth, so far, we have only fought with Lovshrub.

"Is there only Lovshrub on the thirteenth floor?"

I asked Roxane.

I don't think that's the case.

"Well, I'm guiding you to a place where there are fewer of them."

"Ah, that makes sense."

"I can smell monsters we haven't fought yet. I think they are from the twelfth floor."

"The information about the twelfth floor of Tal hasn't been released by the guild yet."

It seems Seri doesn't know either.

If I asked the explorers at the entrance, I would probably know, but I didn't really care.

Should I have asked?

Well, it doesn't matter.

"I can also smell Collagen Coral."

"They must be from the tenth or eleventh floor."

The information in the explorer guild only went up to the ninth floor.

So, they probably haven't appeared on the ninth floor yet.

"Are there few of them?"

"Yes, I think there are one or two."

"Then take me there."

"As you wish."

I should fight the monsters from the lower floors at least once.

The strength of Lovshrub, which can be defeated with three Rushes, is due to either being on level 13 or being Lovshrub.

After a while, we found a Collagen Coral at level 13.

Even the monsters from the lower floors seem to level up properly.

I waited and struck with a Rush.

Then another hit.

The Collagen Coral at level 13 was defeated with two Rushes.

Two Rushes.

The monsters from the eleventh floor can be defeated with one Rush, so this is reasonable.

They can probably be defeated with one Rush and one Durandal strike.

They aren't overwhelmingly strong.

Lovshrub couldn't be defeated with two Rushes.

The monsters that appear from the twelfth floor are probably 1.5 to 2 times stronger than the monsters from the lower floors.

I need to confirm this.

"Can you take me to the monsters from the twelfth floor? I'll use magic, so it's fine even if there are many."

"Yes."

I asked Roxane to take me to the monsters with a smell I haven't encountered before.

Pig Hog Level 13

What appeared were two Lovshrub and a Pig Hog.

Since they haven't appeared up to the eleventh floor, they must be from the twelfth floor.

It's a pig the size of a piglet.

It has tusks but no bristles.

I cast a Meteor Crash.

The two Lovshrub were defeated.

The Pig Hog wasn't defeated.

Meteor Crash is definitely a fire attribute magic.

I threw away the wand and drew Durandal.

I ran towards the piglet.

There might be a ranged attack, but it didn't attack until I got close.

I struck with a Rush.

It wasn't defeated with one hit.

I calmly dodged the Pig Hog's headbutt and cast another Rush.

This time, the monster was defeated.

Two Rushes.

Since I only attacked with Rush for safety, I couldn't tell the details, but it's clear that the monsters that appear for the first time above the twelfth floor are stronger than the monsters from the lower floors.

Assuming Meteor Crash, which is Lovshrub's weakness, has double the power, it should have dealt half the damage to the Pig Hog.

If the remaining half is equivalent to two Rushes for the Collagen Coral at level 13, then the monsters above the twelfth floor are probably about twice as strong as the monsters from the lower floors.

Thinking about it, Meteor Crash might just have the power to defeat Lovshrub at level 13.

Meteor Crash doesn't have the power of two Rushes.

"The monsters from the twelfth floor are like Pig Hog."

"Do you know them?"

"Just by chance. I don't know much about them."

"Pig Hog is an earth attribute monster. It has resistance to earth and uses earth attribute magic. Water is its weakness."

Seri explained.

I only knew the name from the identification, not the details.

By the way, the remaining item is pork belly.

The ingredients for dinner are decided.

Since I have recovered a bit with Durandal, I teleported to Halbar's eleventh floor.

I killed a Minotaur to recover MP.

Why doesn't the Minotaur leave beef belly?

The butcher sells belly cuts.

After recovering and calming down, I thought.

No, the beef belly doesn't matter.

Where to hunt.

If I use Meteor Crash and Durandal, I can probably fight on the thirteenth floor.

In general, it's better to fight stronger monsters to level up.

However, in my case, I need to consider the experience skill.

If I always use Durandal, I want to use the warrior's Rush and the alchemist's Plating, but I have to sacrifice the experience skill.

Using Meteor Crash excessively is not good.

There's a possibility someone might see me.

If it's a Fireball or Waterstorm that a mage can use, even if someone sees it, they might just think there's a mage in the party.

With Meteor Crash, there's no way to hide it.

Considering everything, it's more advantageous to fight on the eleventh floor.

It's too early to hunt on the thirteenth floor.

I should hunt on the eleventh floor.

Since I have collected boards, I hunted on the eleventh floor of Halbar's labyrinth.

After finishing the exploration, I went shopping and sold items, then went home.

Today, I got the boards that Lovshrub drops.

I need to ask Seri to make new equipment.

The next thing to make is a club.

Seri's skills have caught up with the equipment.

Or, rather, I should think the other way around.

It means that the equipment I have is made from cheap materials from the lower floors that a newly minted blacksmith like Seri can make.

The monsters from the twelfth floor are about twice as strong.

Currently, it takes seven spells to defeat the monsters from the eleventh floor.

If it's twice as strong, it would take fourteen spells.

Fourteen spells is too much.

If I get entangled in a web, it's game over.

Lovshrub's weakness is fire magic, so using fire magic would halve the number of spells needed.

However, if other monsters are mixed in, it won't be that simple.

Defeating the monsters from above the twelfth floor seems quite difficult.

It's fine now, but it will be tough when I reach the twelfth floor.

Especially, it's time to reinforce the wand.

How do parties without a mage do it?

They probably use a large number of people to overwhelm the monsters.

If there are enough people and healers like priests or clerics, they can probably handle a prolonged battle.

In our party, I'm the healer, which is a problem.

There's no problem if I heal after the battle.

The problem is healing during the battle.

I rely on my magic to eliminate the monsters.

If I heal during the battle, it will delay the elimination.

So, it becomes a race against time, like the battle with the Green Caterpillar at level 11.

I should make Roxane or Seri the healer.

I always have a priest as a precaution when I use Durandal.

If I can remove the priest, it will be a bit easier.

However, it's pointless to make a healer if there aren't enough frontliners.

Basically, we don't have enough people.

"Master... Master"

While I was thinking, Roxane called out to me.

I didn't notice.

"Sorry. What's up?"

"There was a note at the entrance. It's from Luke. He says he won the bid for the Rabbit Monster Card."

It seems a messenger from the broker Luke came while I was in the labyrinth.

"Oh. A rabbit. The Rabbit Monster Card has a casting delay, right?"

"Yes, that's correct."

I confirmed with Seri.

If I have a Kobold Monster Card, it will interrupt casting.

If I can attach casting interruption to Seri's weapon, it will expand our strategy.

If I can cancel casting properly, the Green Caterpillar at level 11 will no longer be a threat.

However, I can't defend against Lovshrub's ranged attack.

Well, I can't defend against ranged attacks anyway.

I can defend against skills and magic after getting close.

That alone is a good improvement.

The next morning, I first entered the eleventh floor of Koolatar.

Since I had reinforced the chainmail, I should test it.

I don't know if I can withstand the time from being entangled in a web to defeating the enemy.

There's some risk, but if I can't proceed to the next floor until it's confirmed to be safe, the exploration won't progress at all.

The Green Caterpillar at level 11 doesn't frequently spit webs, and it's not certain that Seri will be targeted, and it's not certain that she can't withstand it.

I reinforced it for that reason.

It's pointless to just pile up assumptions and be afraid.

"Let's start by testing the eleventh floor of Koolatar. I want to see how much we can fight with the chainmail."

"Okay. Then I'll take the attack."

Seri said.

Indeed.

Actually taking the attack is the quickest way.

Waiting to be caught in a web is just inviting unnecessary danger.

Taking an enemy's attack is unpleasant.

Even if it's not certain that I'll be defeated in one hit, it's still painful.

I would hesitate.

I'm glad Seri is reasonable.

"Sorry. Can you do it?"

"Then I'll look for a place with few Green Caterpillars."

"Rather than the number, I want a place without an Escape Goat. I'll take the attack after casting six spells, so if there's an Escape Goat, it will run away."

"Understood."

Guided by Roxane, we faced two Green Caterpillars and one Neet Ant.

I cast Waterstorm four times to kill the ant.

Then I added two more spells.

After casting six spells, Seri took a half step forward.

She seemed a bit hesitant.

I understand her feelings, but being attacked while hesitating and being attacked while entangled in a web are different, aren't they?

It actually hurts, so it's understandable to be hesitant.

The Green Caterpillar charged.

Seri didn't block with the club and took the attack directly.

She immediately cast the seventh spell.

The Green Caterpillar was defeated.

"How was it?"

I asked while treating her.

"Well, the strength against attacks has definitely increased. Thank you, I'm fine now. I think I can probably withstand the time to cast four spells."

The treatment was completed in two rounds.

If I get entangled in a web immediately after getting close, will it be okay?

It's not certain until I try, but I can't just give up if it doesn't work.

I can consider the countermeasures for the Green Caterpillar at level 11 to be complete.

After fighting once in Koolatar, I moved to the eleventh floor of Halbar.

I explored until breakfast.

I confirmed that there's almost no danger on the eleventh floor, so I'm relieved.

After leaving the labyrinth, I delivered a mirror and had breakfast.

"Since the armor is reinforced, I want to change the weapon next."

"A weapon?"

"I can get the Rabbit Monster Card. Also, the Lovshrub on the thirteenth floor is quite strong, even though there's no problem now."

I talked while eating the rabbit meat Roxane cooked.

"With Master's magic, it's one hit."

"Actually, it's quite difficult."

"I see. It's a trump card."

I can't cast Meteor Crash twice now.

Considering MP efficiency and the risk of being seen, it shouldn't be used normally.

It's a trump card for boss battles or when a large number of monsters appear.

"Indeed, the monsters from above the twelfth floor are strong. The monsters from above the twenty-third floor are even stronger."

Seri told me.

The monsters from above the twelfth floor are indeed strong.

Moreover, they get stronger again from the twenty-third floor.

Well, it's natural to get stronger as you go up.

"First, I need to reinforce my wand. Also, is there a Monster Card that increases the power of magic?"

"The Goat Monster Card."

"A goat. I should ask Luke to arrange it. The rest is Seri's club."

I haven't actively asked the broker Luke for Monster Cards that increase magic power.

I don't want to be probed for something that doesn't hurt.

Actually, I have a bruise on my shin.

At this point, I can't afford to be picky.

"My club?"

"Attaching casting interruption to Seri's weapon is better. Roxane might be able to avoid it. It's a waste to attach casting interruption to a club."

"To attach casting interruption, I need a Kobold Monster Card."

"Well, it's no use to attach casting delay only to Seri's weapon."

I have Durandal as a backup.

Roxane might be able to avoid skills and magic.

It's better to attach casting interruption to Seri's weapon, which would be problematic if cast.

Roxane stands at the front as a frontliner, so it's easier for Seri to aim for casting interruption from the side.

"That's true. Thank you. Indeed, it would be a waste to attach casting interruption to a club. If I attach it to a warhammer or a flail, it would be worth more when selling."

A warhammer or a flail.

Both are classified as maces, like a club.

"Maces are good, but what about a spear?"

"A spear?"

Seri can use maces and spears.

"If I can cancel casting with casting interruption, a spear with a longer reach would be more advantageous, wouldn't it?"

"Indeed, that might be true."

"Currently, we don't often get surrounded by monsters, so I don't use the club's sweeping attack much."

"That's true. However, recently, Neet Ants and Escape Goats have been mixed in, so it might change in the future."

There are other reasons why a spear