Episode 43.5

From floor 7 onward, the spawned magic beasts got comparatively bigger, which in turn made Julius fight better.

The enemy wolves started using magic on floor 9. One shot a fireball out of its mouth.

A magic barrier was generated and protected Julius.

Magic beasts on these floors would stop moving for a moment after they shoot magic. Julius swiftly ran up to the beast and cut off its neck with a graceful sword slash.

"Julius. Good work."

"Thank you very much!"

"Put that magic barrier-producing jewel away for now."

"Eh."

"That level of magic won't kill the you now even if it hit. Practice dodging magic without relying on a barrier and how to take a hit on your most protected spot."

"Yes. I understand."

Julius put the jewel into <Free Box>.

Jiza's gaze was poured onto that jewel.

They got to floor 10 that day. One small blue potion got dropped and no treasure chest drop.

They rode on a wagon back to the townlord's mansion, had meals, took bath and went to bed. Julius woke up early in the morning to practice swing in the courtyard. An upward slash. It was clear to Lecan that the boy was visualizing cutting a small wolf with all his might.

They got to floor 20 on the second day. By this point, the magic wolves would often shoot fireballs from a distance. Julius had learned how to skillfully dodge those fireballs. However he was having a hard time figuring out the magic beasts' mobility and tendency, he couldn't hit them well. Naturally, he ended up getting wounded a lot. Lecan healed the wounds with <Recovery> but the magic knight and mages noticed Julius's damaged leather armor and made a huge fuss worrying over him, they all turned a reproachful gaze at Lecan.

Ui brought her own pot with soup, warmed it up over the campfire Lecan lit up and shared it with everyone.

"It's really tasty, Ui-oneesan."

"Is it? I'm glad you like it."

A really gentle smile.

"Did Ui-oneesan made it yourself?"

"No. Our house cook made this one. They're really good at cooking, you know. Oh, would you like to have dinner at my house tonight?"

Julius looked at Lecan.

"Ah. Lecan-dono, you may come as well."

"I'm not going."

"Then I won't go either. Thank you so much for inviting me."

"I see. That's a shame."

Despite saying that, her gaze directed at Lecan was as if she was looking at garbage.

The mages also brought their own snacks and offered them to Julius. They were overjoyed when Julius delightfully ate every single snack.

By day three, they got to floor 31. Starting from this floor, the number of magic beasts and their types change.

"Julius. I'll fight this time around. You watch from the back."

"Yes. Master."

Multiple magic beasts would spawn at once starting on floor 31. However in most cases, there would be two on floor 30s, three on floor 40s, four on floor 50s, and five on floor 60s to 70s. And the colors of the beasts also became whiter and blacker on floor 30 onward.

Their magic attacks which were akin to slow <Fire Arrows> on shallow floors also gradually became faster and powerful, more resembling <Flame Spear> by now.

Lecan intended to suspend their expedition here.

By floor 30, the magic beasts tower over Julius, with great strength and sharp fangs and claws. They moved far more nimbly than humanoid magic beasts, Julius was struggling to face them, unable to exert his full potential.

From Lecan's viewpoint, the <Magic Wolves> on this dungeon floor 30s are far weaker than the <Armored White Specters> on Dungeon Tsubolt's Floor 120s. Julius who managed to prevail against those specters should not be struggling against these wolves. Yet in reality, he is.

It might be a good idea to do a fresh start once he's learned a bit more on how to fight animal-type magic beasts.

Hence, Lecan's decision to suspend the expedition for now, but he would like to take a look at floor 31 before that.

The magic beasts didn't exist when Lecan, Julius and Jiza got in their shaft on floor 31. After a bit while, black mist-like matter manifested deep in the shaft before two magic beasts spawned from it.

(Hou.)

(So they only spawn once we're inside starting from this floor huh.)

(Nice.)

(That'll give us time to fortify our formation after entering.)

One is white, the other is black.

"<Flame Spear>!"

Lecan held out his left hand and shot an offensive magic that flew more than 100 step ahead to land on and completely blow away the white <Magic Wolf>'s head.

Lecan had already charged forward by that point.

The black <Magic Wolf> wasn't moving for some time after it spawned, but then it growled menacingly at Lecan before lunging out. It appears there's a slight lag between their spawning and start of action.

When he got within 20 step from it, Lecan drew his sword overhead and swung it down right in the middle of the wolf's head.

The black <Magic Wolf>'s head got split in two before disappearing. A treasure chest remained in its place.

Opening it revealed a wand. About a half step long thick wand.

"<Appraisal>."

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

<Name: Wand of Ordas>

<Type: Wand>

<Endurance: Large>

<Mana Consumption: Small>

<Mana Convergence Rate: Small>

<Mana Discharge Volume: Small>

<Grace: Mana Control Up (Small), Magic Power Up (Small)>

"Master, you're amazing!"

Julius ran up to Lecan and looked up at him with sparkles in his eyes.

Jiza followed after him.

"Jiza. Weren't white <Magic Wolves> immune to magic."

"Just call me Obaba, Lecan-chan. <Magic Wolves> that spawn on this floor may look white, but it's not pure. They still have pretty high magic resistances however. And yet you blew its entire head away. So much destructive power and without preliminary casting, astounding really. And it hit a target more than 100 step ahead. Ordinary <Flame Spear> only has an effective range of 50 steps at most though."

"So that means the black one wasn't completely black either."

"Yup, you got it. But really, Lecan-chan you're quite interesting, aren't you. You went out of your way to defeat the white one with magic and the black one with a sword."

Lecan's magic worked on nearly pure white <Magic Wolves>, his sword slashes also worked on nearly pure black <Magic Wolves>.

"Obaba. On which floor do pure black <Magic Wolves> start showing up."

"Pure white <Magic Wolves> start spawning on floor 81 down. Very rarely though. Pure black <Magic Wolves> only spawn on floor 100 down. And with an extremely low rate at that."