While making the potent medicine on the thirteenth floor of Koolatar, the herbalist had already reached level 6.
It had only been a short while.
The ama from Miria had also reached level 20.
The speed of leveling up was clearly increasing.
It was probably because the experience points increased as we went to higher floors.
Or perhaps the monsters that appeared for the first time above the twelfth floor gave more experience points.
In any case, this was a good time to earn experience points.
I had to quickly reach Explorer level 50 and obtain the Adventurer job.
Until then, I couldn't move much.
The thieves were lying in wait because it was the twelfth floor.
The fact that I defeated the thieves on the twelfth floor of Halbar cannot be changed.
When I submit the Intelligence Card of the thieves to the Knights of Duke Halts, I will have to answer that I defeated them on the twelfth floor if asked.
We should avoid exploring the thirteenth and fourteenth floors of Halbar's labyrinth.
If someone sees us, it will complicate things.
Why would someone exploring the fourteenth floor go to the twelfth floor?
It might be an unnecessary worry.
For now, we should hunt in Koolatar.
Koolatar has more people, so the risk of encountering someone is higher.
However, if we encounter someone in Halbar's labyrinth within Duke Halts' territory, that person might be connected to Duke Halts.
If we encounter someone in Koolatar, the chances of them being connected to Duke Halts are almost zero.
I reset my character.
I added the skill that reduces the required experience points by one-twentieth and the skill that increases the gained experience points by twenty times.
If I prioritize experience points, this is the only way to go.
I am currently at Explorer level 37, so I have 135 bonus points.
The skill that reduces the required experience points by one-twentieth costs 63 points, and the skill that increases the gained experience points by twenty times also costs 63 points.
I cannot remove the character reset, so if I allocate 7 points to the Fourth Job, I will be left with 1 point.
I should stick to the Third Job.
I will become an Explorer, Hero, and Mage.
Considering the worst-case scenario, I might need a Priest as well.
I made it a Fourth Job and allocated the remaining 1 point to reduce casting time.
"Seri, what are the monsters on the fourteenth floor?"
"The monsters on the fourteenth floor of Koolatar are Hatbats. They are small and fly, making it difficult to hit them. They fly over the front line, so the back line must be careful. They are relatively weak against water, wind, and earth magic."
They are not pleasant enemies for me, who is in the back line.
We faced the Hatbats with Roxane's guidance.
The Hatbats were black bats.
They were hard to see in the labyrinth.
If they stopped and curled their wings, they might look like black top hats.
"Water Ball"
Oh.
Even though I cast the first water magic from a close distance, it was avoided.
The Hatbat suddenly changed its altitude.
The second wind magic was also avoided.
It moved quickly.
The third earth ball finally hit.
Roxane stood in front.
Seri and Miria surrounded the bat.
I positioned myself diagonally to the side of Roxane.
It was a bad position because I might hit my allies if the magic was avoided.
The fourth hit.
The Hatbat lunged at us.
Roxane deflected it with her shield.
The bat stopped moving and regained its posture, and I hit it with the fifth attack.
The Hatbat fell.
It took five weak-point attacks.
Duranadal would probably take five or six hits.
"Um, why the names of the spells?"
I need an excuse for Roxane because I don't have enough points for casting time reduction.
I wish I could leave the middle school syndrome patient alone.
"We need to practice coordination for a while. It seems difficult to hit the Hatbats with magic."
"Indeed, I understand."
"Then, from now on, please take us to places with more monsters."
It's also a bit worrying that it works.
If we face multiple monsters, we can use area-of-effect magic.
Area-of-effect magic won't miss.
Three Hatbats and one Flightrap appeared, and I brought down the bats with five Breeze Storms.
The remaining Flightrap was defeated with three additional Fire Balls.
I was annoyed that the Hatbats were not weak to fire magic alone.
For a Hatbat, it was frustrating.
"Fire-weak carnivorous plants or Hatbats, ideally, I would like to be guided to places with four of each."
"It won't go that smoothly."
"Then, the next best option would be three and one. Even if one is left, it won't significantly affect the battle duration."
If Roxane, who will stand in front of the remaining one, says so, it must be true.
She is reliable.
We continued hunting with Roxane's guidance.
As she declared, she led us to places with four, three and one, or slightly off, two and one.
The Hatbats were small and moved quickly, making it difficult to hit them.
Seri and Miria also struggled.
I used Durandal because I had used a lot of MP.
I removed the skill that increases the gained experience points by twenty times and obtained Weapon 6.
I don't know how the skill that reduces the required experience points works, so it's better not to move it much.
I made it a Third Job and added casting time reduction.
When using Durandal, I can be a decoy.
The attacks will focus on me and Roxane, so a Priest is not necessary.
If I take damage, Durandal's HP absorption will help.
I approached the Hatbats with Durandal.
I observed the bat's movements.
Even Seri and Miria struggled, so it's better not to expect to hit them easily.
The Hatbat lunged at me to ram me.
I chanted Overwhelming and struck the front, then twisted my body and added another hit.
It was impossible to hit the Hatbat as it passed by.
With Overwhelming, I could avoid the enemy's attacks like Roxane.
When the bat returned to my throat level and stopped moving, I activated Overwhelming again.
I struck twice with small movements and then brought down the third hit.
I could do this three times.
The Hatbat fell to the ground.
I moved on to the next target.
With Overwhelming, the Hatbats were not a threat.
It seems that the MP recovered more than I used, so it should be fine.
"Amazing."
Miria praised me.
Overwhelming was impressive.
I recovered MP with Durandal.
Using Overwhelming frequently is not efficient, but it can't be helped.
After fully recovering, I asked Roxane to guide us to a group of Hatbats and carnivorous plants.
If I make it a Third Job, I have 4 points left.
I changed casting time reduction to casting time reduction and allocated 1 point to increase gained experience points, and 1 point to Meteor Crash.
I used Meteor Crash on the group of monsters.
The Hatbats were not weak to fire magic, and the carnivorous plants were weak to fire magic.
I thought I might find out if Meteor Crash was a fire attribute magic, but the bats and Flightrap were all defeated with one Meteor Crash.
It seems the attribute doesn't matter.
Maybe the staff was enhanced, so it can defeat them in one hit.
I don't want to switch to a weaker weapon to test it.
It's fine if I can defeat them.
It's not an urgent issue.
I confirmed that Miria was surprised by the new magic and left it at that.
We continued hunting.
It's fine.
I can fight on the fourteenth floor.
"Seri, what is the boss on the fourteenth floor of Koolatar?"
I asked Seri when we left the labyrinth at noon.
"The boss of the Hatbats is the Patbat. It's an enhanced bat, but it's not particularly strong in attack. However, it has a skill that paralyzes us. If we are paralyzed, we can only wait for it to wear off or use a medicine."
"Is the medicine Antiparalysis Pill? I only have two."
"It won't kill you like poison, and the skill can be interrupted."
It seems fine.
To level up, it's better to go to higher floors.
Should I break through the fourteenth floor and advance to the fifteenth floor?
"Is it okay to go to the fifteenth floor?"
"No problem."
"I think we can."
I got the approval from Roxane and Seri.
But these two rarely give negative answers.
Roxane is obviously, and Seri might be quite adventurous.
Are they making reasonable judgments?
"It's fine."
When Roxane translated, Miria nodded.
Is it fine?
In this world, it's normal to be tough, and I might be taking too much safety margin.
It's a bit scary to keep going up.
But it's no use being too scared.
In the afternoon, I entered Koolatar's labyrinth with the map of the fourteenth floor.
Roxane and I each held one Antiparalysis Pill.
We followed the map.
I confirmed the situation with Miria and entered the boss room.
"I'll take care of the minions, so please handle the boss."
A Patbat and a Hatbat appeared.
Two bats.
I would have preferred Flightrap or Salasenia instead of Hatbats.
I can't be picky.
I have to deal with what appears.
I chanted Overwhelming and attacked the Hatbat.
"Here it comes."
Before I could finish off the Hatbat, Roxane's voice rang out.
It's a skill.
It's better not to let it activate.
I chanted Overwhelming and struck the boss.
I managed to hit it with Durandal before the skill activated.
I quickly returned to the front of the Hatbat.
I finished it with Overwhelming and entered the boss's circle.
At this point, it's a sure win.
The boss can fly high, so it broke the circle several times, and it was difficult to hit without Overwhelming, but I gradually whittled it down.
I finished it off with Overwhelming and Durandal.
"Seri, what are the monsters on the fifteenth floor?"
"The monsters on the fifteenth floor of Koolatar are Glassbies."
"Glassbies. Then we don't need to fight them one by one. Roxane, please take us to a place with more of them."
"Understood."
We moved to the fifteenth floor and searched for monsters.
A group of two Glassbies and two Hatbats.
"Breeze Storm"
I defeated them with six wind magics.
Six hits.
It seems we are getting stronger.
I don't have time to level up, so the higher we go, the harder it gets.
The party's job composition is also a problem.
Roxane's Beastmaster, Seri's Blacksmith, and Miria's Ama do not have intelligence boosts.
If we had intelligence boosts, it might be easier.
Should we change to jobs like Shrine Maiden or Priest?
But if we lose strength boosts, it will be difficult to use Durandal.
It's a dilemma.
If we have a long battle when using Durandal, I will suffer.
We continued fighting.
In the next battle, Seri and Miria also took hits.
It seems the longer the battle, the more hits we take.
"If the battle drags on, we might take several hits. Is that okay? Healing."
I asked while healing.
"No problem."
"Okay. Healing."
"I'm fine."
"Fine."
"Understood. Healing."
Seri and Miria seem to be fine based on their self-reports.
"We're fine now."
"Good. Next is Miria. Healing. When I'm in the back, Seri should wear the Anti-Poison Hard Leather Hat. Healing."
"Is that okay?"
"In return, Seri should actively take on the poisonous Glassbies. Healing."
I healed Seri and Miria.
Without casting time reduction, it feels like I have a strange hobby.
For now, I only have one piece of equipment that can prevent poison.
I will rely on Roxane's evasion, but I'm still unsure about putting Miria on the front line.
I have to rely on Seri.
I exchanged hats with Seri.
Even so, it's no use when there are three or more Glassbies.
Miria took a hit.
"A. A. A. A."
Miria groaned after being hit by the Glassbie.
It's poison.
I know because I've been hit before.
I immediately took out an Antidote Pill.
"Roxane, please for a moment."
"Yes."
I cast the fifth Breeze Storm and put the Antidote Pill in my mouth.
I pulled Miria close.
I pressed my lips to hers.
I forced my tongue into her mouth and opened it.
I sent the Antidote Pill into Miria's mouth.
Miria's tongue trembled as if gasping for air.
I overlapped my tongue and gently soothed her.
Miria's tongue clung to mine as if seeking support.
It was a passionate movement.
It was the first time Miria's tongue moved on its own.
I wish I could stay like this forever, but I can't.
The Glassbies rammed into me while I was holding Miria.
If I get hit by the poison needle, I might be poisoned too.
"Breeze Storm"
I pulled my mouth away from Miria and cast the sixth magic.