3 bar menu

Chapter 26 Part 1

This Kind Of Relationship Between Companions Must’ve Been How It Feels Like To Be In a Good Party

 

I also began to understand the structure of this dungeon better as we increased our pace.

 

「I’ve been thinking about this for a while now, but even though the walls in this dungeon are quite bumpy vertically and horizontally… they’re, how should I put it, it’s like they will definitely make a sharp turn at a crossroads, huh.」

 

「That’s right, it’s always making a ninety-degree turn… or a quarter of a circle. It’s making it a lot easier to map it in my head than the ones on the upper floor though.」

 

「Wait, you’ve been making a map in your head?」

 

「You bet I do. If you go back seven blocks and turn to the left for five blocks, you’ll return to the stairs to the upper floor.」

 

Even though she’s a clutz, how come she has such a good memory and an overwhelmingly good grasp of the surroundings, I wonder. Again… even though she’s a clutz.

 

「…..You just thought of something rude, didn’t you?」

 

「I was just thinking about how come such a clutz like you have such a good head on her neck.」

 

「Isn’t that where you’re supposed to deny it!?」

 

「I was trying to give you the best praise I could give though?」

 

While having such silly exchanges, I blew away the next Living Armor that appeared.

I’m starting to get a sense that we’re proceeding steadily as I defeated the monsters that kept appearing one by one.

 

As I was thinking about this, the next monsters that appeared were slightly different. They have a slightly tarnished silver-colored armor while holding a spear.

There are three of them. Even though the dungeon corridor is fairly spacious, it feels cramped when there are three of them lining up.

 

But it’s actually a good thing since it will limit their movement.

I mean, using a spear in a dungeon like this where the ceiling is low is nothing but a bad idea.

 

And they were huddled together at that.

An easy prey for my magic.

 

「《Dark Sphere》」

(《Dark Sphere》)

 

The magic flew out from my hand and I confirmed it hit the monsters.

Once the magic hit, all of the Silver Living Armor holding spears were blown off completely.

 

「Hm? I got them in one hit.」

 

「It’s because the silver ones are weaker than the black ones. Also, the one that you destroyed in one hit was only the Living Armor that received a direct hit of your Dark Sphere. Although you still managed to heavily damage the other two.」

 

「I see.」

 

I didn’t stop shooting chantless Dark Spheres with my mind even when I was talking with Sybilla. This is a form of practice to train my brain to think about something else while talking at the same time.

It’s a bit tricky, but it’s surprisingly doable even if I don’t chant with my mouth at the same time. I should also practice the double chant technique Sybilla told me about earlier later.

 

And of course, since I’m shooting the magic without double chanting right now, it’s less powerful than before.

But even so, the one that received a direct hit was destroyed instantly and the other one was significantly slowed down. I hit it once with a chantless Dark Arrow, and the Silver Armor fell apart as if its joints had been removed from its body.

 

「I see, so this is the ranged attack “Dark Sphere”. Not just the blast of black wave from impact, but the power from direct hit itself is quite powerful too.」

 

「Right, but you’re probably going to have a hard time hitting an extremely fast opponent with it.」

 

「Got it, at that time, I’ll use Dark Javelin to——」

 

「Or so I wanted to say, but let me take back my previous statement.」

 

「——hm?」

 

I thought that was a good opinion, but then I raised an eyebrow at Sybilla, who suddenly took back her statement.

Seeing my reaction, Sybilla held her head with a frown.

 

「No, it’s just that I can’t help but feel overwhelmed at the countless possibilities of what we can do with the amount of magic power as big as yours.」

 

「Don’t get overwhelmed on your own by your own expectations.」

 

「…Now then, going back to the topic at hand, there might come a time when your mouth won’t be able to keep up with the chant even if you want to shoot a barrage of Dark Arrow when facing an extremely fast opponent. When that time comes, you can instead do this.」

 

Sybilla puts her hands out in front of her and moves them back and forth alternately.

That’s… probably supposed to be the gesture of shooting magic.

 

「Instead of shooting your Dark Spheres directly at your opponent, you should spread them around like this to cut off their escape route. A quick opponent usually has a low defense, so it’s important to slow them down from early on to get the upper hand. The damage will accumulate on your opponent who no longer has anywhere to escape, and it will just be a matter of time before they’re defeated. An opponent who tends to run away will become vulnerable to attacks once they no longer have anywhere to run.」

 

……This Goddess sure can say such ominous and scary stuff with that beautiful face of hers……

Certainly, if I try to picture myself as the enemy, there’s no way I’m going to get through that unscathed, and there’s really no way to counteract it.

 

「I see. All right, let’s practice it a little.」

 

「From now on, I’ll tell you if I come up with another idea.」

 

「Please do.」

 

I immediately start practicing shooting magic alternately from both of my hands.

……Damn, this is pretty hard.

Let’s practice with Dark Arrow as we walk, there won’t be another adventurer coming into this dungeon anyway.

I mean, if you’re a veteran who can get past the black goblins on the first floor, you’ll definitely turn back when you see the color of the second floor.

 

After doing it a few times, I start to get the hang of it a little better.

Not how to chant the magic though, but training how to chant with my mouth and in my mind by stretching out a single letter, like 『A』 or 『Uー』 alternately in my head…

 

……

……….

……………….

 

「Hmf!」

 

「Kyaa!」

 

Surprise chop!

 

「What are you doing!?」

 

「I’m surprised that you even dare ask that question! You’re the one coming up with this alternate chanting thing, so what are you doing just looking at me in amusement from the sideline, huh!?」

 

This girl seriously dared to silently point her fingers at me with a face as if she was making fun of me.

 

Even I know I’m doing something objectively embarrassing!

It’s because Sybilla trusts me that I can demonstrate my abilities and conquer this dungeon, that’s why I’m still practicing like this even knowing it’s embarrassing!

 

Does this woman even have any concept of being tactful at all?

 

No, I guess not, of course.

It’s Sybilla we’re talking about here after all!

 

「Even if you say that… it’s really amusing after all, so I can’t help it you know?」

 

「Hmf!!」

 

「Kyaan!!」

 

I dropped an even powerful chop on her head.

 

She muttered 「I-I’m against violence….」 while holding her head, but I’m amazed she still managed to squeeze out such words while still in pain…

Sybilla suggested this technique, but if I can’t learn it because of Sybilla herself, then that’s just like putting the cart before the horse.

 

……I seriously think that there were a lot of Twilight Sorcerer-senpai in the past who couldn’t practice and died without being able to demonstrate their true abilities because they were so annoyed with Sybilla’s shenanigans.