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Chapter 240: Changing one’s way of thinking
Translator: Tseirp
After coming to the labyrinth, I’ve noticed all kinds of things.
I was the only one having trouble dealing with the Shadow Wolves popping out from the darkness.
Although I say I had trouble, it didn’t mean that I couldn’t defeat them. It was just that if I was unprepared, I wasn’t able to defeat them immediately.
Thoughts about how I’ve fought stronger monsters than these Shadow Wolves before so why was I struggling like this circulated in my head and I was starting to get impatient.
Just then, Estia looked at me and muttered a few words.
“Luciel-sama’s movements look like they have returned to when I first met you three months ago.”
It sounded like she was saying I returned to a style where I emphasized on defense.
“I don’t think I’ve changed compared to before? I fight with safety as a priority.”
” … That’s … true.”
But it didn’t sound like Estia wanted to say that.
I was curious and asked what Estia really meant.
“Estia, please tell me what you really wanted to say. In a dangerous location, like a labyrinth, I don’t think refraining from saying something you noticed would benefit me.”
Hearing my words, Estia seemed to have made up her mind as she faced me and told me the real meaning behind her words.
” … I feel that Luciel-sama’s offense and defense rely too much on your sense of sight.”
“Too much on my sense of sight?”
“Yes. I feel that your senses were far superior when you were training in Grandol.”
Estia’s comment made me remember the training I had with Shisho at Grandol.
It’s true that I did sense something at that time but was it really that significant? I immediately asked Lionel and the others for their thoughts on the matter.
” … Lionel, Cathy, Kefin. Have you all noticed the same thing as Estia had said?”
” … Yes. It feels like Luciel-sama has lost your combat intuition.”
Lionel nodded to my question as he replied.
And then Cathy and Kefin added on.
“Luciel-sama was able to defeat a demon even with a much lower level compared to now and with your sense of sight and hearing crushed nya. But that feeling seems to have rusted without me noticing nya.”
“We decided to come to this labyrinth also because we wanted Luciel-sama to regain the senses you had at that time by relying on actual battles.”
Even though I’ve become stronger, I’ve grown weaker. Those words floated in my head.
“Of course, we don’t have enough time so we can’t do the same crushed eyes and broken eardrums training like Whirlwind did but I at least wanted Luciel-sama to find out about it yourself.”
Did I become that hopeless? I was too afraid to ask.
” … When did I lose sight of all that training that I did …”
“No, it’s not that you’ve lost it. Luciel-sama’s training polished your sense of danger and strengthened your will but because you awoke new abilities, you inadvertently relaxed your senses.”
Lionel’s words were phrased kindly but it showed that the senses I got beaten into me by Shisho in a short time dulled in an equally short time.
I was a little relieved that he said it was not lost yet. But it didn’t change the situation.
Although I certainly did think that I was complacent, I didn’t think that I had relaxed my senses. I don’t think I was laidback either.
But it must have been the case if they all thought that way.
I understood how bad my state was given how I didn’t realize my own condition.
” … So you all didn’t caution me because … you wanted me to notice it myself?”
“Yes. Although you certainly can realize it after we tell you, it is harder to forget something that you racked your brains on to reach an answer. Furthermore, I personally feel that you can reset your spirit by achieving it this way.”
Lionel’s words were both stern and kind.
It was enough for me to understand that they also had a lot of conflicted thoughts on how to deal with this problem.
“Was it because of my own complacency that I lost to Shisho and that I couldn’t react to the attacks from those demonized individuals at Ebiza?”
“If I’m correct, Luciel-sama only had a single serious combat within the three months you were at Nelldal?”
“Yes. Only the fight with the Water Dragon and Wind Dragon.”
“That’s enviable …. cough. Excuse me. That three-month duration actually gradually relaxed Luciel-sama’s heightened senses. Moreover …”
“There’s more?”
“It is natural for a warrior to want to use a newly acquired powerful ability. But there is no need to break the foundation that you’ve built up until today.”
“No, I’m not a warrior after all. Nevertheless, that’s true. Estia, and everyone, sorry. And thank you. I will try to be conscious of what I have learned. But I don’t think that I will be able to hone my senses immediately. It’ll possibly be more work for you guys but please support me.”
I didn’t want to hold them back even after I became stronger.
I’ll have to thank them for forcibly dragging me to the labyrinth.
“My level has decreased so I can compete with Luciel-sama.”
“I’ll support you nya.”
“Please do your best to regain it before we conquer this labyrinth.”
“It should be fine, it is Luciel-sama after all.”
“Thank you. Let’s continue then.”
And so, having discovered the things that I had lost, I started reading for presence and magical power instead of relying on just sight and we continued advancing through the labyrinth.
We reached the thirtieth-floor without any issues and waiting in the boss room were three Shadow Bears and five Black Bears.
“Did the difficulty level suddenly rise sharply?”
Evident from their names, they were bears but to be honest, the pressure they gave off was incomparable to the wolves.
“These Shadow Bears can also disappear into shadows.”
In addition, Kefin shouted out to inform me that the Shadow Bears could also use the cheat ability of hiding in shadows similar to the Shadows Wolves.
It’s a foul that such a large mass can disappear. While that thought was in my head, I sensed for the presence of my four companions and the monsters.
Lionel received the monster’s attack while Kefin and Cathy attempted to cut the arms and legs of the monsters with swift attacks to lower their fighting power.
In order to ensure that Lionel and I don’t get surrounded by those monsters with lowered fighting power, Estia fought while drawing the attention of the monsters onto herself as she avoided their attacks like she was dancing.
Then, Kefin and Cathy who returned to their positions will, together with Estia, target a single enemy and defeat it with certainty.
I devoted myself to casting healing magic on Lionel whenever he received any attacks and channeled magical power into my illusionary sword to cut any monsters that came to attack me.
“Luciel-sama.”
“Yeah.”
At the same time I heard Lionel’s voice, I felt a presence approach me from behind with amazing momentum so I drove in an attack in that direction.
“「Flaming Dragon Sword」!!”
I swung down hard with the illusionary sword after crying out the name of the skill, causing an as expectedly small dragon to fly out. It bit and burnt down the shadow that was approaching, causing a magic stone to surface.
I readied my stance to prepare for the next monster but the monsters fell into a mild panic and Kefin and the others dealt the final blows.
The last remaining Shadow Bear was dealt with alone by Lionel and he grasped a safe victory.
“Great. We’ve secured the boss room. I’m feeling hungry so maybe it’s time for a meal.”
I announced to everyone after we finished gathering the magic stones but everyone was acting strangely.
Did I do something wrong again? I thought to myself but Lionel quickly strode up to me and asked.
“What was that attack just now!? It didn’t seem like Luciel-sama learned a new spell but it was as if you utilized the power of an actual dragon.”
“Can you slash and send other attributed dragons flying out too?”
Following after Lionel, Kefin also asked with sparkling eyes.
” … Yeah, probably.”
“If you can use that attack, it can’t be helped that you misunderstood that you have become stronger.”
“If it can make the labyrinth monsters feel terror, it should be fairly powerful.”
“So you really can bring out your all when it is needed … I also have to quickly regain my strength and advance.”
“Perhaps Luciel-sama has been recognized by the Dragon God as well.”
While the excitement level of the two of them suddenly rose, Cathy and Estia looked from the sidelines as they smiled wryly.
“You two are overreacting. A place where the Dragon God resides would be a dangerous place so I probably won’t ever go there in my single lifetime.”
“”I see.””
Lionel and Kefin had pensive looks as their replies harmonized with one another.
While praying that this conversation would not turn into a flag, I started preparing lunch in the boss room of the thirtieth floor.
Author’s note:
Thank you for reading.
