Chapter Twenty five : Stagnant Levels And The Constantly Advancing Spirit
Once again Lucien woke up before the morning sun rose up.
"Uwah~. Ah~ sleepy. Nothing seems to be swelling up on my body so it was a hallucination after all."
While doing my stretches, I performed appraisal to check on my magic and basic magic practice.
"Ah, 「Chant Shortening」 level went up. And also 「Remote Magic Circle」 would become level I soon."
Although I do not use status check every day, I won't be able to confirm the skill proficiency of Holy Attribute Magic spells that I can't use right now such as 「Area High Heal」 and 「Dispel」 without checking.
"It's great that just yesterday alone I got over 800."
Those that rose were Magic Power Manipulation, Magic Power Control and Holy Attribute Magic but Holy Attribute Magic had grown by far the most.
In terms of skill proficiency, to become level I skill proficiency needs to reach 1000. Later levels would double in skill proficiency requirement.
Level I ~1000 Level II ~ 2000
Level III ~4000 Level IV ~ 8000
Level V ~16000 Level VI ~ 32000
Level VII ~64000 Level VIII ~ 128000
Level IX ~ 256000 Level X ~ 512000
With regards to increasing skill proficiency, depending on the level of magic as well as success in triggering the magic, skill proficiency would rise by at most 5.
For example, in the case of a level I 「Heal」, together with having a target to heal, only by successfully activating the image, magic power control and magic power operation would skill proficiency rise by 5.
Upon reaching level II doing the same thing would give 4, level III would give 3, level IV would give 2 and level V and beyond would give 1.
I read spell books repeatedly, while focusing on 「Magic Circle」 that can trigger magic by chanting and chant shortening, I piled on self-study day-by-day.
For magic skill proficiency, as long as the magic is triggered it will rise. Seeing indicators of growth, I suddenly felt motivated and reach a state of having the best condition.
"If I continue like this, it will become level VIII in half a year. The aim is counter stop by 20 years old!!" (TL: Kansuto/Counter stop in japanese gaming terms refer to when the counter reaches max and can't continue increasing.)
I went to the dining hall after completing my morning training.
"Good morning. I'd like a heap of servings today as well."
"Ara Lucien-sama, good morning."
"Please stop that. It's fine with just Lucien.
Being referred to as -sama somehow makes my shoulder stiff."
"You are strange after all."
The aunt laughed while saying so and served me a large serving.
"Please prepare a bento for me today as well. The serving size can be the same as yesterday."
"Ha~ please don't push yourself too hard."
"I'm fine. My current lifestyle is paradise compared to before (encountering the revolving lantern once a day)." (TL: Revolving lantern = He's referring to seeing his life flash by as he almost dies)
"It's okay then if that's the case."
In this way while I was taking my meal, I looked back upon hearing "Lucien" and saw Lucy-san there.
"Ah, Lucy-san good morning."
"Morning. Wait, I've heard that you have been assigned to be an exorcist?"
"Yeah. You've got the news so quickly."
"Are you alright? I've heard that (combat) it's quite harsh."
"There's no problem at all (besides it's only horror illusions)."
"I see. Since Lumina-sama is worried as well, if anything comes up that we can help with please let us know."
"Thank you. Ah, in that case, could you please tell me where can I buy parchment, pen and ink?"
"You can find those in abundance in the supplies warehouse."
"In that case please tell me where is the warehouse."
"Okay. Before that will it be better if we finish our breakfast?"
"Of course."
In this manner, I talked with Lucy-san, while she was drawn to the talk about my life in the Adventurer's Guild, we finished our meal.
After that, I was taught the location of the supplies warehouse and while carrying large amounts of parchment, pen and ink, I headed to the Undead Labyrinth.
『Guooooooo』
"Shut up. By the hand of holy healing, by the breath of Mother Earth, I wish for no harm onto my body and myself, return the unclean existence to its original path. Purification."
While checking the passage I've memorised yesterday, I drew the map on a piece of parchment.
I walked while defeating illusionary (under his impression) zombies and properly picking up magic stones (illusionary stones).
Spending around 1 hour for one floor, by 3 hours I've reached the fourth floor.
"Well then, what kind of monsters will appear now~"
By now, within my heart, I had completely dived into the labyrinth like I was playing a game.
Due to that "Despite not my forte, I'd like to try dual-wielding a short spear similar to those used by Gundam in my left hand and a one-handed sword in my right, if Instructor Broad saw this, I can only imagine the future of him rushing towards me to slash me in anger."
Currently, I explored while holding a thick lance in my left hand which can double up as a shield using it's short cross guard, and a one-handed sword in my right hand.
"Well if I gained a bad habit Instructor Broad will thoroughly fix me so I'll play around without disrupting my fundamentals."
I drew the map wherever there were good visibility and proceeded with the feeling of exploration. The monsters that appeared on the fourth floors were zombies as well but they wandered about while dragging swords, however their movements were obvious when they came closer so I didn't have a tough time at all.
In this manner I finished drawing the maps until the fifth floor and my second day's worth of exploration came to an end.
Today's earnings was 5372P, even more than yesterday so Kartia-san was worried and told me "Truly, don't push yourself too excessively".
"It's the beginning floors so I have no problem at all. Is it a problem after all if I earn too much (the budget of the headquarters would suffer)?"
"There's no such thing. Instead I am thankful for it."
"If that's the case (by doing so Kartia-san would remain employed?) I'll do my best."
"Oh yeah, what would you like to buy today?"
"Nope, please accumulate my points. I aim to buy that spell book but if I struggle in battle I'll buy something."
"I understand. Please do your best."
"Yes. Thank you."
Thus the second day of labyrinth exploration ended.
During dinner I met Granhart-san, he asked me about my condition and I answered that there were no particular problem.
"Is that so. If that's the case then it's fine. Also for your salary, it would be credited into your Healer's Guild account at the beginning of each month. You can verify that at the reception counter on the first floor so if necessary confirm it there."
After only telling me that, Granhart-san left the dining hall.
"He waited here just to convey that to me, I'm gradually beginning to understand that guy's character."
After that, I ate my dinner alone as usual, drank Object X and practiced magic before sleeping.
In the morning the next day, I began exploring but I found that traps were planted from the sixth floor onwards.
" … What is with this accuracy."
I accidentally stepped on the switch on the sixth floor.
Immediately an arrow flew out from the wall, pa.s.sing 2 meters right in front of me and disintegrated when it hit the opposite wall.
"Is this implying "These kind of traps will appear from here on out, tehe~" Is it that sort of notice?"
The monsters were as usual, zombie archers that approach closely even though they held a bow and arrow, and 『Kara kara』 zombie knights dragging the sword.
Ball of fires casting fireballs that do not even reach 10 km/hr with long cast times.
"I think that with these, even if I'm surrounded I won't die."
To think that this would become a flag, the me at that time was not aware at all.(TL: In japanese games this refers to a death flag or a sentence you say which leads to a deadly situation.)
Since traps began to appear from the sixth floor onwards, I properly record down the map of the area while exploring.
While carefully examining my movements, I realised that as one descends down a floor, the number of monsters increases and today's exploration ended with only reaching the sixth floor.
Today as usual I accumulated my points, ate dinner, drank Object X and practiced fundamental magic.
"Somehow I feel that my body's condition is getting better as the days pass by. Don't tell me!! Status open … I should have known."
I remained securely fixed at level 1.
"Oh well it's fine. I understand. However, my status are growing little by little. I'll go with the spirit of constantly advancing."
In this way after training, I sulked in bed and slept.
Some kind of event happened. Unlike excitement like that uneventful days passed by. I finished fully exploring up to the tenth floor in 10 days.
Although there was only 1 trap in each floor, I became somewhat cautious and there were many monsters which caused the delay in exploration.
The monsters were skeletons but skeleton knights equipped with a sword and shield and skeleton archers were spawned, the ball of fires also evolved into ghosts.
Also, as impossible as it sounds, under the command of the zombie leader, they attacked together in a group. I was surprised by that.
"Nevertheless purification magic is way too strong. It's like a cheat magic."
That's right. Just by chanting purification magic 3 times, all the 20 monsters neatly became magic stones.
In this manner I safely finished exploring but "That is definitely a boss room."
Thinking of what's behind the door in the tenth floor, while feeling nervous for my first boss battle I had set the goal of clearing it without taking any damage.
"Who or what would come out, are there no hints~. Oh just nice Jordo-san is here."
I caught Jordo-san who came to the dining hall for dinner and asked him about the boss room.
"What appears in that boss room?"
"Boss room? What is that?"
"Ah~ The place that looks like it has strong monsters."
"Ah~ah. You mean like those who attack together in a group (zombie leader group)?"
"Eh (within the boss room) they attack in a group?"
"Yeah. Anyway, you've already reached until there? I only reached there right before I passed on the responsibility of being an exorcist to you."
"Thanks for the compliment. Thank you for the information. With this I can think of a strategy."
"Mmm~ Well I'm glad that I could help."
Thus while I misunderstood, I decided to rush into the boss room at the tenth floor. (TL: Jordo was referring to the zombie leader commanded group and he has not seen the boss room before so it's a huge misunderstanding )