Chapter 20

"Are we saved...?"

Aneri murmured.

"In a situation like this, how can you say something like that!? This is the worst situation! The Black Dragon has moved to some boss area through the 'Whim of the Door.' What if it's the tenth floor!?"

Luna immediately dismissed Aneri's words.

Most of the explorers who challenge the tenth floor's floor boss are newbies. Some might have only been explorers for a few days.

Such explorers would suddenly have to fight a deep floor boss.

If that were to happen, I can only imagine the sight of inexperienced newbies being trampled by the Black Dragon in terror.

The atmosphere among us became even heavier.

"I never thought that the 'Whim of the Door' would apply to floor bosses... We should have considered this possibility the moment the Black Dragon appeared in a place it shouldn't be. For now, let's immediately return to the surface and request the guild to forcibly return us."

Luna, who regretted her previous suggestion, quickly switched to a new one.

The guild card has a role other than registering the crystals on each floor.

That role is forced return.

Forced return is the act of forcibly moving someone inside the dungeon to the outside of the dungeon according to the guild's will.

However, it is only used when a criminal has fled into the dungeon or in an emergency, and the guild cannot use it arbitrarily.

This is undoubtedly an emergency.

We don't know which boss area the Black Dragon has moved to, but I doubt there are any explorers who can defeat it.

"Yeah. We'll probably be penalized, but this isn't the time to argue about that."

Derrick and Aneri look dissatisfied, but they don't refuse.

"After that, we'll replace Philie and Orun and go around the floor bosses. They should be exploring the dungeon with the newbies of 'Silver Hare of the Night Sky' today. We'll try to catch them when they come out after the forced return—"

"Wait a minute!"

Derrick interrupts Luna's suggestion.

It was indeed a suggestion that made you want to interrupt, but not listening to someone until they finish talking is one of his bad habits.

"...The injured should quietly receive treatment. We're going to be running from now on."

"Why are you bringing Orun in!? We don't need him! We're already in a slump. Adding someone with insufficient ability—"

"The treatment is done. Time is precious, so let's continue while moving."

"Stop interrupting people!!"

...Derrick, no one will agree with you even if you say that.

"Philie, can you cast [Agility Boost] on everyone?"

"Sure..."

Luna, ignoring Derrick's words, asks Philie to activate the support magic.

With our movement speed increased, we sprint towards the entrance of the 92nd floor.

◇

"...I forgot to mention earlier, but when you said you were in a slump, nothing has actually changed about you."

While running, Luna resumed the conversation that was interrupted when the Black Dragon appeared.

"But our abilities have actually decreased. Even my Heaven Flash... couldn't even damage it."

As I say this, a sense of frustration wells up.

Why didn't my strongest technique work!?

"The answer is simple. It's because Orun isn't here. The Heaven Flash you used just now, which didn't converge much magic, was only that powerful to begin with."

Not converging much magic?

It's true that the time spent converging has shortened compared to the past.

But that's because my [Magic Convergence] skill has improved, allowing me to achieve the same or even greater power in a shorter time.

"Orun used original magic to support Oliver's attacks, Derrick's defense, and Aneri's magic. Before we get into that, let me confirm a basic fact about support magic. You know the common effects of support magic, right?"

Derrick and Aneri look bitter at Luna's question. They seem unable to answer.

"The increase is determined by the caster, and the duration is determined by the recipient, right? I think the average duration is three minutes, so the caster has to recast it every three minutes, right?"

I confirm my answer with Philie, the professional.

"Yes, that's mostly correct. However, in this party, especially Oliver, has very high magic resistance, so the support magic needs to be refreshed every minute. Oliver is a nightmare for support casters..."

"Don't say it like that! If that's the case, then since Philie has a higher increase value than Orun, she's more capable. There's no need to change."

"Oliver's point is correct, but only if Orun were a normal support caster. Let me clarify, I also think Philie is an excellent support caster. In terms of support magic effects alone, she can even compete with Selma of 'Silver Hare of the Night Sky.'"

"Then, that clumsy but capable person is—"

"I said, if Orun were a normal support caster. Derrick, please be quiet. You're hindering the conversation."

"What!? —! —!!"

Luna seems to have used some magic. Derrick looks like he's shouting, but no sound is coming out.

In this party, only Luna and I have special abilities.

Combined with her special ability, her magic is full of mysteries. I've heard about her special ability before, but I couldn't understand half of it.

"Orun understood that he was inferior to other support casters even with his own abilities. That's why he developed several original magics to catch up and differentiate himself. One of them can increase the effect by about 50 times."

"That's impossible!! Such a thing... if it could be used..."

Philie is desperately denying it.

What has shocked her so much?

"Selma, who is called the 'Greatest Support Caster on the Continent,' is said to increase the effect by ten times. Orun used a magic that could increase the effect by fifty times, albeit for a very short duration of less than a second."

—What!?

He had a low increase value for support magic, didn't he!?

"You seem to understand now. Oliver's Heaven Flash and critical attacks, as well as Aneri's magic, benefited from this 50 times increase. Oliver was relying on Orun's support magic and shortening the convergence time. If you had converged properly, you could have damaged those wings."

So my Heaven Flash was an attack based on Orun's support magic...?

No, that can't be true.

"Aneri, you were mistaking Orun's special magic for your own power. Even when Orun and I pointed it out, you didn't listen. As a result, you developed the habit of casting magic quickly, even if it was weak. With Orun's support, even mid-level attack magic was effective, so you can't cast high-level magic anymore, can you?"

"Then, instead of just saying it, you should have shown me the increase in magic without using it, so I could feel it! Why didn't you do that!?"

"When Aneri joined the party, we had already reached the 86th floor. It wasn't a place where we could slack off. I think it was a bitter decision for Orun. Still, with Orun, your casting speed was attractive. Orun was trying to take you to the middle floors, but you refused because it was troublesome, didn't you?"

"...So, my defense was also supported by him...?"

"Yes. The duration is very short, but during that moment, you gain immense power. Moreover, since the magic is cast on equipment or magic, you don't feel the sudden heaviness when the buff wears off. —This is why I opposed Orun's departure. As I've said before... Do you understand now?"

Whether I wanted to or not, I was forced to understand.

The fact is, we couldn't even lay a hand on the Black Dragon, which we had defeated before.

We were a party that relied on Orun...?

No one could say anything more, and only the sound of our footsteps continued.

About twenty minutes after the Black Dragon moved to another floor, we finally returned to the entrance of the Great Dungeon.

Philie, who had been casting [Agility Boost] every minute while running, was panting and sweating profusely.

People who had been waiting for our return cheered when they saw us.

Ignoring the cheers, we headed towards the Explorer's Guild.

Thank you for reading to the end.

The story will return to the protagonist in the next chapter.

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