The Labyrinth Raids of the Ultimate Tank

Chapter 44: Magic

Translator: “Pink Tea” Editor: ”Ryunakama”

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The next day.

We began practicing according to the results of the discussion we had yesterday.

Coming to the training ground set up by the guild, we get to our respective training.

Not many people could be seen around.

Most adventurers won’t go out of their way to use this place.

They usually use actual combat for training.

Defeating a monster also makes the outer shell grow, so it’s quite efficient.

For the most part, adventurers here are those that came to practice magic.

Many adjustments have to be made where it comes to magic, force, structure, area, and a lot more.

The buildings around also provide shade. Well, though it’s a mere consolation.

Especially for Marius and Sinanis, considering how much they are going to move around heatstroke is a real danger for them.

Before I start training with Rafan, I first watch the other two pairs.

I wanted to observe their teaching methods, in case I can use them as a reference.

First Marius and Sinanis.

They immediately started training from simulating real combat.

Today Marius is using a straight sword instead of his katana.

「Guh…… Aaaa!」

Marius yelled. ……Is he trying to imitate a skeleton?

As Marius keeps crudely swinging the sword, Sinanis is fending him off.

But he keeps getting pushed back until finally, Sinanis’ sword flew into the air.

……As expected.

Rafan, who was also looking at them, tilted her head.

「What is that fighting style?」

「That’s the one that skeletons use. It seems Marius memorized it during our trip to the labyrinth yesterday.」

Marius’ training method is exactly the way he described it earlier.

Getting Sinanis used to the swordplay that the skeletons use.

Memorizing patterns should make dealing with them much easier. According to Marius, after remembering this we can try to do some real combat training on the 48th floor.

I agree with that idea.

At the moment, Sinanius won’t be able to handle even a single skeleton.

But learning their tricks, he should become good enough as a support.

「I suppose they use the same moves, but won’t the strength behind them differ?」

「Don’t worry about that. Marius is probably attacking with the same strength as skeletons.」

「How?」

「I took plenty of attacks from skeletons as well. So I understand their strength pretty well by now. Yesterday, we sparred with Marius a couple of times and managed to accurately adjust the strength.」

It seems Marius is really good with such tuning.

「……Both you and Marius-san are amazing.」

「No, I just gave him feedback. It’s Marius who does that fine tuning, so he is more amazing.」

Even monsters on the same floor had a degree of individual difference.

We split the skeletons, that we dealt with this time, into five groups, and Marius perfectly grasped the levels of strength of each one.

……His talent is terrifying.

Though I can’t tell if it is related to him being a guardian.

「……With such a method it might be possible to make one stronger versus skeletons in a short period of time.」

「Right? We can leave Sinanis to Marius.」

Well, to begin with, I was pretty sure that their training will go fine.

The only thing I’m worried about is if Marius will push it too far.

If they keep training like that, Sinanius should become able to help Marius even without acquiring new skills.

Next are Luna and Arika.

It looks like they are practicing magic.

The so-called joint spellcasting.

Merely casting a spell together is not that difficult, but as soon as it comes to raising synchronicity things get a lot more difficult.

Since Nin is not around, there is no other choice but to rely on the two for healing.

Even if they can’t get on the same level as Nin, if they at least get near it, it should be fine.

「Rafan, attacking or healing, what does Arika do better?」

「Attacking, I think.」

「……I see.」

That sounds a bit worrisome.

Asking someone who is specialized or likes attacking to heal, there are good chances that they won’t be too much into it.

Magic is heavily influenced by the state of mind and mentality.

I hope Arika won’t be healing against her will.

A bit anxious, I looked at her.

「Then, let’s cast another joint spell. 」

「Yes, Luna-oneesama!」

「……Ehm, err. ……I’ll start.」

「Yes, I will do my best!!」

Luna constructed the spell, Arika then followed her lead.

「Ehm, you are too close.」

「What are you saying, Onee-sama! The closer we are the higher the efficiency of our magic should be! First, we are ought to become more intimate!」

Rafan looked at them with a wry smile.

I probably have a similar expression.

「Rude-san, you are relatively good at magic, right?」

Rafan asked.

「Well…… I can do the bare minimum.」

「What is it like? You know, we aren’t good at magic.」

「……Which reminds me, yeah, that’s how it was,」

Many among dragonborn are bad at magic.

As far as I can tell, Rafan is a child of a human and a dragonborn, but even so, she can’t use magic as humans do.

What is it like, how do I even answer this?

「First, do you know what a magic circle is?」

「Yes. You are supposed to form it in your head and then adjust it, right? Dragonborns can’t do that.」

「Right. First, one has to form the base of the magic circle, the circle itself. Then, engrave the magic you want to use there.」

Force, range, speed, attribute…… And so on. A very precise set of parameters can be listed on the magic circle.

After finishing with that, pour magic power into it, making the described phenomenon manifest into the real world.

Anyone can use magic, as long as they are able to construct a magic circle.

「Yes… I heard about this. It involves the use of ancient letters, right?」

「Originally, yes. By now, they are tailoring it to the use of modern language as well.」

「Really? I really don’t know a thing about magic.」

Well, studying something you can’t use is pointless after all. That’s not wrong.

To use magic one has to analyze ancient letters.

The combination of those ancient letters turns the magic circle into magic.

The skillful application of ancient letters greatly improves the effectiveness of magic, but most can’t use magic in such a way.

Premade magic circles exist in this world, merely reproducing them inside your mind is enough to use magic.

Many cast magic by looking at the magic letters engraved there.

But since they aren’t tuned for the individual, all of the personal specifics, like unique attributes, the efficiency of mana conversion, and so on, are being thrown out the window.

Then again, various people have problems with various magic letters, and by omitting them, they can achieve higher power or efficiency.

「Rude-san, what kind of magic you can use?」

「Utility magic, somehow. I’m not good at offensive or healing magic.」

「I see. There are a lot of utility spells, right? For example, boosting defense or attack of allies, right?」

「……I’m not that good at spells directly influencing combat.」

Even so, I tried to adjust magic circles through trial and error, to somehow make it usable.

Adjusting magic circles, in other words, rewrite them for yourself.

For example, since I can’t handle offensive magic, I would try to remake the magic circle, omitting the characters related to it.

「Speaking of which, Rude-san. For magic, there are spells exclusive to the church and knights, right? Will our clan be able to do something like that as well?」

「I wonder. If we find an ancient magic circle in a labyrinth, then possibly……」

There are spells that knights and the church keep to themselves.

Knights mostly control capture and restriction type magic circles, while the church has exclusive healing spells.

Some clans also have such a monopoly on certain spells.

From time to time people find documents with new magic circles or yet undiscovered ancient characters.

The one who discovered them becomes their owner, and the only person to teach that magic.

That’s how the knights, the church, and clans get a monopoly on spells.

It seems that in the past they had strict regulations on that, but it’s not the case anymore.

In the end, people would still bring such secrets outside, trying to sell them for gold, making them available to the general public, maybe not to everyone, but if you have gold, the possibility is there.

「Ah, damn it, I’m tired! Let’s have a break!」

「Indeed. Rest is also important. Rude, if you are free, then how about a spar with me?」

Marius and Sinanis spoke, walking our way.

As they walked our way, Sinanis, covered in sweat, put a salted candy into his mouth.

One of the items that are said to be essential in raiding labyrinths. It doesn’t give any buff or anything but is necessary to maintain a healthy condition.

「I’m going to train now as well. ……And also, Marius. I have a question for you.」

「What is it?」

「What?」

I then whisper, so Rafan and Sinanis won’t hear me.

「Can that magic page, that you gave me, be used on someone else as well?」

「No, it’s a bit special. It went into the body of your little sister, right? That magic can be used only in combination with that page.」

「That really surprised me. If you knew it would go into her body, then at least warn me beforehand.」

「HA HA HA, sorry, sorry. I was looking forward to your reaction.」

This fellow.

I remembered when we spoke of magic.

If I made a copy, wouldn’t it allow for use of some kind of healing magic?

But it had no magic circles or anything similar to it.

Well, if he says that it’s some kind of special magic, then I guess there is no helping it.

Rafan enviously looked at Arika and Luna.

Arika jumps to hug Luna every time their joint spell goes well.

Luna shows no displeasure at that.

Though she seems to be a bit confused.

「Do you want to learn magic?」

「……Yes.」

An aspiration, huh. She has been staring at Luna and Arika for a while.

「……Well. I think you have your own unique talents. So it’s fine to just focus on polishing them. To be honest, I also hardly can do anything other than tanking.」

「I know. I know, but I want to use it at least once. I can use neither dragonofication nor magic. ……Nothing but things I can’t do all around.」

Rafan dropped her shoulders.

……She has her own worries, huh.

I hope that training can relieve some of those worries.

「Well, let’s start as well.」

「……Yes.」

During the battle, I want Rafan to take care of a single skeleton.

I pulled out the sword and took the same stance as Rafan.