The skill 'Enchantment' wasn't as easy to master than the first skills I got.
It was similar to blacksmiths, who needed to practice their skills to get to a good level. The skill just gave a starting point and made it easier to gain experience. Without effort it was just a skill on my list.
So I practiced over the last weeks. Why it took so long?
I can't use it innumerable times. I felt kind of drained after enchanting.
I also found out the hard way that I could advance a single object not more than 3 times. The dagger I got from the hunters in my village was just scraps of iron now. So I sold it as material to melt down and bought a couple of new ones to practice on.
Even when I increased the durability, I couldn't increase the times to Enchant an object.
So I made the last two daggers with different enchantments.
The first was more durable and I enchanted the sharpness two times.
The other was only more durable, but those was increased three times.
It still couldn't match with top equipment, but at least its durability was that of higher equipment than I had.
I then enchanted my other weapons and armor.
I say weapons, but my already slightly burned and cracked bow snapped after my first enchantment, so I guess the durability influences the amount of enchanting.
I also found it hard for now to increase something other than durability or sharpness. Maybe, if I can practice my skill to a new level of understanding other enchantments could be given to objects.
Dreaming of a near unbreakable spear or a future where he could use magic with a staff that has increased conductivity, he smiles slightly.
Only a knock to the room got him out of his thoughts.
What would he do with such a staff, if he couldn't use it.
So getting out of his thoughts, he answered the door.
"Hey Alex, Mama Mia asks if you could help out today.", Syr stands at the door.
"Sure. I will be down in five minutes, okay."
"I tell her."
So my evening just got longer.
-
The next morning I roll out of my bed.
I didn't get nearly enough sleep, but I should meet Aiz and Tionz St 6am, so I need to get up.
Arriving on time with a quick bite of my breakfast in my mouth, I look around while swallowing.Then I saw the two chatting on a bench at the plaza. Well chatting is a little exaggerated as Tiona talks and Aiz nods from time to time. A member I didn't know would come was Tionas sister Tione. She was around Finn the last time I talked to the two and as she wasn't present the last time the two rescued me, I nearly forgot her.
"Morning, you three.", I greet them.
"Morning.", Tiona says and Aiz gives me a simple nod.
"Morning. Hope you don't mind if I join. Name is Tione and I am the older twin."
"By four minutes.", Tiona complains.
But before it arts out I intervene: "Nice to meet you, I am Alex. I am lucky enough they join me, so who am I to complain.", I say with a little smile.
"Are you ready?", I ask and all of them nod.
"Okay. What is the plan?", I ask.
"The plan?", Tiona asks with a slightly tilted head.
Aiz also doesn't seem to understand which she communicates me with a raised eyebrow.
"What I meant is how deep do you want to go. And since all three of us are melee fighters, what is our formation in the Dungeon? I don't know what Tiones position is, but if all four of us are melee fighters, we should have a plan against monsters with long-range attacks."
I don't know much, but those are the basics teached by a friendly guild employee to me.
"Never thought of it.", Tiona tells me honestly.
"I am a brawler, but don't we just to dodge and beat up the monster?", Tione asks.
"Normally I would do that, but the attack I dodge could hit one of you so it shouldn't be a good option. For starters, how about a diamond formation. I am the weakest, but have the longest reach so how about I take the lead?"
"Not bad, but how deep do we go?", Tiona asks.
"How deep do you normally go?", I question.
"If we only have time till noon, we go to the 20th floor or so. Most of the time we hunt till the 25th floor. With stronger familia members we go down to the 40th floor or the like.", she explains.
"Then how about we start to go the 18th floor and learn to cooperate. Then we can discuss to go back or deeper depending on the time. But we shouldn't get to deep.", I suggest.
With Ryuu, who is also a Level 3 I wouldn't dream of going that fast, but I know she alone could go down and up in half a day.
Being in a party with three members at her level shouldn't be slower even when she prioritised Agility, as our clearing speed is phenomenal.
Still we hunted in our various styles, but I tried from time to time to cooperate. The problem is that the monsters below level 2 are one-shotted by everybody. But at floor 13, they would fight closer to each other, to have the back of others and prevent ambushes from behind. They did it so naturally that maybe it is more of an instinct or intuition for them. I also tried my best, but you just can't compare an adventurer, who just leveled up to level 2 and 3 girls at the top of level 3. They also had greater experience in killing those monsters, so they each killed 3 in the time I hunted 1.
I must say though our synergy wasn't as bad as I thought at the beginning.
The twins used their strenght to brawl, while Aiz was so fast with her short sword that it looked like she killed before her last opponent died. It was quite a view.
I had a greater reach and had a more defensive stand, which was completely unnecessary it seems, but maybe it was just, so I wouldn't storm off hotblooded.
But it wouldn't be a bad idea to buy a new bow for the future as I think in these situations a long-range attacker would make it faster to clear.
I just didn't fancy the idea of using a bow now that I am more comfortable with the spear, so I should find an answer when we are back at the surface.
And in that tempo we advanced all the way to the 18th floor at after around 4 hours. It was really fast, but getting here and back would take 8 hours, so I didn't like the idea of going deeper for now.
"How about we rest and then head back."
"Can't we go deeper?"
"Not now, but you gave me a good idea, Tiona. Do you guys can have two free days in a row?"
_______________________________________________
Hey there,
here a slightly late chapter.
Again I am sorry, but in return
I have already worked on the next two chapters
of this series and because I have more time next week
there should be bonus chapters uploaded.
Hope you enjoy.
Till then.