Lightning
After selecting Herbalist and creating softening medicine, I move to 25th floor.
Will I be able to obtain intermediate job of Herbalist once it reaches Lv50?
However, it is really troublesome to level it up to Lv50.
I only try it now and then. It will be much easier to level it up when I go to higher floors.
“Sherry, which monster appears on Quratar’s 25th floor?”
“Black Frog. It is resistant to Water magic and it can use area of effect water magic attack. It is weak against Fire attribute. Its skin is slimy and it can repel blade unless slashed skillfully.”
Frog, huh?
Its weakness seems to be Fire magic.
However, now is not the time to set Intermediate Fire Magic as the skill of Jobless.
The Wind magic will be effective if I move to Haruba’s 25th floor.
Should I try to engage in one or two battles while keeping Ice magic as the skill of Jobless?
Black Frog has resistance to Water magic but not to Earth magic, so I can use Ice magic.
Using Ice magic will be optimal in case Gummy Slime and Tur Turtle appear, too.
“Roxanne, can you please lead us to a place with Black Frogs?”
“Understood.”
I should have specified ‘a place with a small number’ but Roxanne probably understood what I meant.
We advance under Roxanne’s guidance.
We encounter a group of monsters.
It is a group of 3 Black Frogs and 1 Tur Turtle.
So she did not understand it, after all?
Nope, since there are three Black Frogs, the three vanguards can take on one each.
So she understood it to some extent, huh?
Because the number of Black Frogs is higher, I cast [Burn Storm], [Ice Storm] and [Fire Storm] in succession.
Whether the Fire and the Ice magic can be used simultaneously or not, there is no way to know but to test it out.
Will they offset each other?.
Black Frog, like its name indicates, is a frog the color of which is black.
Because it is big in size, it looks gross.
If it had a scroll in its mouth, I would stand atop its head. (TN: Like a certain ninja)
Although its back is black, its abdomen is white.
It is not the best of the camouflages.
If it advanced while showing only its back, it would be tough battling it for everyone except Miria.
Roxanne, Miria and Vesta strike their respective opponents.
Without the girls receiving a single attack, the three Black Frogs collapse.
Since the duration of battles has shortened, there is no problem.
Using the Ice and the Fire magic at the same time seems to be fine.
Thereafter, I finish the remaining Tur Turtle off with [Dirt Ball], [Sand Ball] and [Ice Ball].
I shot a single target magic attack at a time. Eventually, it took three.
I’m not sure if [Sand Ball] was needed or not.
I thought it would collapse after [Dirt Ball] and [Sand Ball] but it did not.
Maybe I would have been able to kill it using [Dirt Ball] and [Ice Ball].
This floor is not the ideal but we will have to fight nonetheless.
“Since we have fought Black Frogs, how about moving to Haruba’s labyrinth?”
“Yes, I guess. It will be alright, I think.”
After receiving Roxanne’s approval, I move to Haruba’s 25th floor.
As for the skill of Jobless, I leave it unchanged to Ice magic.
The Wind magic is effective against Gumi Slime and Cyclops but it is preferred to use it one at a time.
There is another option: Lightning magic.
Should I ask Roxanne to initially search for either of the monsters?
Or should I search for both the Gumi Slime and the Cyclops since I want to test Wind magic?
But it will be a waste to use the Ice magic against Cyclops.
Should I search for a combination of Gumi Slime and Scissor Lizard then?
The Ice magic is effective against both the Gumi Slime and the Scissor Lizard.
Well, any would do, I guess.
It should be fine leaving it to chance.
I stop thinking about it and kick off the exploration without any instruction.
First group we encounter comprises two Gumi Slimes, one Cyclops and one Scissor Lizard.
Conducting a number of tests will be possible when there is a variety of monsters.
Leaving it to chance was the right decision.
Against Gumi Slime, both the Wind and the Ice magic are effective.
I launch a barrage of three spells — [Wind Storm], [Ice Storm] and [Breeze Storm].
Since I’m using Intermediate Wind Magic and the Ice magic, the Gumi Slime should fall first.
Wizard’s Basic Wind Magic, [Breeze Storm], should be effective equally against Cyclops and Gumi Slime.
Gumi Slime does not have any weakness against Earth magic.
With the types of magic and the types of monsters increasing, the difficulty of decision-making is increasing, too.
I have no choice but to think it through.
To keep myself from getting laughed at by Sherry.
It would be embarra.s.sing if they thought that their master is having problems.
Amidst the storm, the Gumi Slimes turn into smoke after three barrages of three spells.
Next, I try casting [Wind Storm].
The Cyclops collapses.
One was enough to finish the Cyclops off?
I shoot an [Ice Ball] at the remaining Scissor Lizard.
The Lizard has yet to fall.
I fire a [Sand Ball] next to finish it off.
In order to take a Lv25 Scissor Lizard out, 4 Intermediate Wind Magic + 4 Basic Ice Magic + 3 Basic Wind Magic + 1 Basic Earth Magic was needed.
I wonder if I will be able to use the optimum combination of magic if I solve this equation.
It seems unreasonable, seriously.
And there still is Lightning magic which I have yet to try.
As it is, even Sherry will not be able to solve it.
This would do for now.
I can reliably measure the difference in power of various magic if I move to a lower floor where I can take a monster out in one spell but there is no need to go to that extent.
And even if did, it would be of no use against Lv25 monsters.
After acc.u.mulating enough battle experience, I should be able to feel it naturally.
When I do, I will move on to 26th floor.
And strangely, I’m doing it.
Next, we encounter a group of two Gumi Slimes and one Cyclops.
I try [Thunder Storm], [Ice Storm] and [Breeze Storm].
It was my first [Thunder Storm].
Amidst the fluttering snow, something seems to be flas.h.i.+ng *chikachika*.
The flash is not distinct, though.
It is flas.h.i.+ng dimly.
Is it alright to call it lightning?
It would be a problem if I received a shock, however.
After a barrage of three spells, the Gumi Slime stops moving.
It has been paralyzed.
Because Miria has yet to reach that monster, it must be due to my Lightning magic.
I wonder for how long it will remain paralyzed.
The remaining Gumi Slime charges.
Roxanne takes it on from the front.
Miria and Vesta surround it from the sides.
When the Cyclops, that was obstructed by the Wind magic, arrives, Miria confronts it.
As [Ice Storm] is effective against Gumi Slime, and [Breeze Storm] effective against both Gumi Slime and Cyclops, only the Cyclops is left among this lineup in the end.
Letting Miria, who is holding the Estoc of Petrifaction, take care of the Cyclops was the right decision
However, the reason as to why Miria is taking on the Cyclops is because there are two Gumi Slimes and one Cyclops.
Since it was a combination of two-to-one, I would be taking care of the larger number first.
Although I have got a hang of the attributes of magic, I’m still unable to solve the equation.
Soon after the Cyclops comes to the front, I launch second barrage of three spells.
Paralysis did not proc this time.
As soon as I thought that, the Cyclops stops moving.
It is probably due to Miria’s attack.
Paralysis did not proc even after third barrage of three spells.
None of the monsters has turned into smoke either.
Intermediate Wind Magic is more effective against Gumi Slime and Cyclops, after all.
The Lightning magic is probably similar to the Ice magic. Using intermediate magic to attack the weakness will be better.
Next, I try casting [Wind Storm].
The two Gumi Slimes collapse.
Is this how far a Gumi Slime can make it?
Only the Cyclops is left. Per Roxanne’s instruction, the four of them clear the front.
She does understand it well.
I send out a [Breeze Ball].
But the Cyclops has not gone down.
“Did it, desu.”
Even though it did not go down, it has been petrified by Miria.
The Cyclops was already paralyzed. With no fear of counterattack, she attacked it aggressively from the side, most likely.
I take Durandal out and run to the four of them.
I wanted to check as to when will the Cyclops collapse but it cannot be helped now that it has been petrified.
The monsters become weak to magic when petrified.
It will complicate the equation.
“Was that Lightning magic?”
“That’s right.”
I strike the Cyclops using Durandal while answering Sherry’s question.
The petrified Cyclops goes down after one hit.
It had acc.u.mulated a lot of damage already, it seems.
“But it felt like you used the Lightning, the Ice and the Wind magic.”
“I did.”
Sherry is at a loss for words.
This might probably be the first time I used the magic of three different attributes at the same time.
I was able to add one more to the number of spells I can cast simultaneously after I acquired Grand Wizard.
But I will not tell her.
It would not end at just that. It would raise various other questions.
I shot Lightning magic thrice but paralysis proc’d only once.
Since the number of times I attempted it is not much, I cannot say with certainty but it seems to have its limits.
It can proc more if the number of monsters increases.
Or I can perhaps cast it twice at the same time if I set it as the skill of Jobless.
However, using Intermediate Wind Magic against both the Gumi Slime and the Cyclops is better.
Although the difference in the number of spells required to take it out is originally not much, there is a difference nonetheless.
If it makes a difference in the duration of battles, using Intermediate Wind Magic will be better.
Gumi Slimes and Cyclopes appear more often on Haruba’s 25th floor.
However, it is better to have Lightning magic instead of Intermediate Wind Magic on Haruba’s 25th floor since I would have a hard time if Scissor Lizards appeared.
There are not that many groups with that combination, though.
On a floor where many groups of monsters with opposing weaknesses and resistances appear, it will be better to set Basic Lightning Magic as the skill of Jobless.
Should I set Intermediate Wind Magic as the skill of Jobless then?
I invoke Skill Settings and set the skill of Jobless to Intermediate Wind Magic.
We encounter a group of Gumi Slimes and Cyclopes, two each, next. I slaughter them using only Wind magic.
A barrage of three spells — [Wind Storm], [Wind Storm] and [Breeze Storm].
To be exact, two barrages of three spells and an additional [Wind Storm].
The Cyclopes collapsed without getting a chance to do anything.
After all, it is more effective to use Wind magic when the monster’s weak point is Wind attribute.
I can fight on Haruba’s 25th floor without any trouble.
Without specifying any monster, I proceed with exploring the labyrinth.
The only problem with killing them quickly is that Miria’s petrifaction will not proc much.
It is more of a luxury concern.
Should I mix in a Scissor Lizards or two then?
Miria will be able to neutralize them that way.
We continue to explore till the evening without encountering any problem.
We come across a group comprising a Gumi Slime, a Cyclops and a Scissor Lizard.
I take care of the Gumi Slime and the Cyclops first.
With a lone monster left, Roxanne and Miria open up a line for the Scissor Lizard.
The Scissor Lizard does not stop moving.
I should try [Thunder Ball] here.
I will be able to restrict the movement of Scissor Lizard by inflicting paralysis.
I have yet to use a single target Lightning magic attack.
This is my first chance.
I cast [Thunder Ball].
A bright ball emerges overhead.
Lightning is coiling around the ball.
Ooh
Somehow, it looks cool.
Yep, it does look cool.
It looks same as the props used in the background when a Demon Lord makes appearance.
It is a flas.h.i.+ng Thunder Ball of lightning.
KUKKUKKU
People of Yamato.
My name is Gore. (TN: Originally Goa but I changed it to Gore. If it’s a reference that you guys are aware of, do tell us)
The [Thunder Ball] flies.
However, the Scissor Lizard neither got paralyzed nor got killed after getting hit.
A failure?
Although it is an enemy, for it to be able to keep standing after receiving the attack is appreciable.
I launch Wizard’s [Sand Ball] but the Scissor Lizard endures it.
After a pause, it starts running and closes in.
Next, I fire a barrage of three spells.
With this Thunder Ball, surely.
I will kill it with this [Thunder Ball], surely.
“Did it, desu.”
Huh?
The lizard stops moving.
What? Petrified? WhydidyouhavetodosomethingwhichIwasabouttodo!
Oh well. Now that it has been petrified, I can finish it off using magic.
I would have preferred to use Durandal, though, to deal the finis.h.i.+ng blow in order to recover MP.
This is the first time I feel displeased with Miria’s petrifaction.