Episode 16.11-12

After a full day rest, they went back to the dungeon.

The last dive didn't even earn them four gold coins each.

Lecan himself didn't think it was worth the effort, but according to Heles, it's an amount unheard of for a day's work on floor 11-15.

"Lecan. Are we really gonna stay here for five days?"

"It might take five days. Just keep that in mind."

"But there's a lot of people who comes back above ground every day in this dungeon right? I mean we'll need lotsa food to do lotsa exploring, and the bags to put stuff get full too."

"Eda."

"Yeah?"

"You should closely watch how other adventurers do things. You may learn something from them."

"Un."

"But do not imitate them."

"Eh?"

Eda pondered what that meant as she walked, but since it looked like she didn't get it, Arios chimed in.

"Eda-san. Our party's not like those other parties, are we?"

"Un. Lots of things are different."

"Therefore, what may work with other parties won't necessarily work with us."

"Un. I'm sure that's true."

"And there might be stuff that does suit us."

"There might be yep."

"And what works here might not go over well somewhere else."

"But you can just mimic the other party if you're with them."

"Can someone who always goes back above ground every single day be expected to explore a dungeon for a whole week straight all of a sudden?"

"Ah. I guess they can't."

"Right, they can't. And in the end, you end up only imitating things that can feasibly be imitated."

"Make sense."

"Doing the same thing someone does will only afford you to the same floor as that someone. It might be even shallower if you cannot perfectly imitate that someone. You'll never get to a deeper floor than them, never get any stronger than them."

"Un. Sounds about right."

"Besides, you may find out that you can't copy something even if you want to."

"What do you mean?"

"You saw how someone make a soup by putting in water and meat thus you tried to follow their example, but you had no idea that you should also put salt in so you didn't, how would it end up tasting?"

"Uweeh. That'd taste awful."

"Imitating only the forms won't get you anywhere. You also have to understand what you are doing. I believe that's what Lecan-san means by not imitating them."

"Un! Got it. Thanks."

"Don't mention it."

They went past floor 15 while they were talking, going downstairs arriving at floor 16.

"Now then, what kind of magic beasts are on floor 16?"

"For the next five floors from here onward, variants of lesser Octoular Great Spiders fill those floors. The variant on floor 16 has the ability <Giant>."

"Hou?"

"Their size is about twice as big as the spiders on floor 15."

"Eeeeh? Is it really that big?"

"They move a bit slower, I believe. But their size alone is quite a menace in itself."

After looking at one in person, it is indeed big. However, Lecan couldn't sense a pressure befitting of its size coming from it.

"Eda, shoot an arrow at it."

"Un."

Eda's arrow pierced the magic beast's heart. But it wouldn't die. It's enraged, shaking its body violently.

"Fumu. <Flame Arrow>!"

The magic beast stopped moving once Lecan's magic pierced its heart.

"Did that kill it? Surely not."

"No, I think it did."

"As expected of Lecan."

"<Move>!"

A magic stone came flying.

"You can fight them if you want, but it's not that fun. Eda."

"Un."

"If you're forced to fight this magic beast, do not assume vanguard position."

"Vanguard?"

"Being on the front. Not on the front means you've got to fall back. The only thing you can do in this case is baiting the magic beast with <Bow of Isya> from behind. A short sword cannot block an attack from that thing."

"Un."

"This magic beast isn't one you can fight with a sword or a bow. Use a shield and spear, or lure it somewhere a mage can defeat it. If you don't have someone that fits those roles in your party, do not engage these magic beasts. It's however possible bend this rule by making use of curse or poison on arrows, just not with <Bow of Isya>."

"I gotcha, Lecan."

"Let's proceed to the next floor."

Eda can actually defeat this magic beast with bows and arrows Lecan has hoarded in his <Storage>. However, Lecan's got no intention of handing them over.

And right as they walked off, Lecan suddenly stopped beside a cavity.

"Hold it."

"Eh?"

"Eda. You can send out <Sleep> now, right."

"Un."

"Can it hit that magic beast from here."

"Think it will if I just get a wee bit closer."

"Give it a try."

"Un."

Eda got down the slope, stopped midway down, and held out her right palm toward the magic beast.

"<Sleep>!"

After a slight while, the spider crumbled down.

"Alright. Arios, Heles. The spider's been put under <Sleep>. Kill it off."

"Yes."

"Both Lecan-dono and Eda-dono require not a wand nor preliminary casting, do you."

"Quit dawdling. Forget the mats. Just grab the magic stone."

<TLN: Catch the latest updates and edits at Sousetsuka.com >

The lesser variant of Octocular Great Spiders on floor 17 has the ability <Quickfeet>.

However, they don't move much until an enemy gets close to them. Meaning, use ranged attacks from above the cavity if you can.

Since its vital spot is extremely small, killing them with one hit proves difficult, however a hit from poison arrow will stop these spiders from moving. Afterward, simply finish it off with swords and spears.

A lot of adventurers adopted one such method. This floor is a hunting ground.

Lecan's group went down a floor as to not get in the way of those adventurers.

From floor 18 to floor 20 are unpopular destinations. Especially floor 20, the magic beasts posses <Warp>, an ability that allows them to instantaneously move all over the place without warning, practically no adventurer would go and challenge them.

Lecan's party went to floor 18 and had a meal there.

"Eda-dono, you're amazing. I had underestimated you. You could even use <Sleep> on top of your astounding accuracy with that magic bow. And you must be an expert at it to send out <Sleep> from that far away. That is quite an accomplishment at your age."

"Ehehehehe."

Lecan is sipping his tea with a displeased look on his face from a distance, slightly away from everyone else.

Arios walked up next to him and initiated a conversation in a low voice.

"Lecan-san. It seems to me you haven't found a floor that works, correct?"

"Yea. Lesser Octocular Great Spiders are too powerful strength-wise, and too big size-wise, they're no good as Eda's practical combat opponents. And these mortar-shaped nests aren't good too. You can snipe them from afar."

"Hmmm. To Lecan-san, does being good for Eda-san mean an environment where she can practice detecting enemies and dodging relatively dangerous but non-life threatening attacks?"

"Right."

"You're too overprotective."

"What"

"I understand that Lecan-san wishes to forge Eda-san. Eda-san possesses the potential that could transform her into an indispensable rear guard, but that's not enough, you also wishes for her to obtain the strength to at least brush away sparks of fire that go her way, correct?"

"Right."

"Then I can understand why you want her to learn how to dodge and defend herself. And if only she could detect enemies on top of all that, you believe that she would have more roles to pick in a party and could even go solo to a degree, right?"

"Right."

"But, do you truly believe combats with no risk to one's life could teach her how to dodge and how to protect herself?"

"Mwu."

"Do you believe she could blossom to new strength in fights that do not afford her to go all out?"

"Afford to go all out?"

"Yes. So far, Eda-san defeated all the magic beasts with your instructions such as shooting with her bow or casting <Sleep>. However, she has not unleashed her full potential yet. And full potential here includes the strength to decide which ability best used in which situation."

"That's true."

"Lecan-san, Heles-san and I haven't demonstrated the extent of our powers either."

"Yea."

"That's not good at all. Eda-san won't wake up to her instinct if we don't get in a situation where all of us are forced to unleash at least 80% of our strength."

"Instinct huh."

"Pardon me for overstepping my bound."

"No. I owe you one."