ch141-ch160 · 156-ch156

Chapter 156: Learn From Watching Others

"So five really is too much for you, huh?"

Soushi's having a rough time on Floor 9.

At this rate, looping Minotaurs might actually level him up faster.

"I mean, I don't even get what the point of fighting five at once is supposed to be?"

Normally you'd handle that in a full party, after all.

If five come and there are five of you, it's one-on-one.

"You're allowed to run around more, you know? There's no rule saying you have to hold your ground. Run until the enemies spread apart, then take them out one at a time. You don't even have to kill them—go for the legs, immobilize them, and it stays one-on-one from there. Makes things way easier."

He's way too hung up on fighting "clean"...

Though maybe I've been guilty of the same thing lately.

All I ever think about is one-shot kills, aiming for necks and magic stones.

'Learn from watching others,' huh.

Who knew—mentoring newbies might actually be a legit way to get stronger.

No, wait, that's only because Kasumi-san started turning everything into a contest...

But if running while fighting is my style, then maybe Soushi has a style of his own.

There's also Kasumi-san's style of receiving attacks and countering, so maybe I'll have Soushi try receiving with a shield?

"Oh, I think I just leveled up."

He was 9 as of yesterday, so that makes Level 10.

"Alright, let's go try a Minotaur once."

We head for the 'Gate to Floor 10.'

It's almost five, so once we beat a Minotaur, that's a wrap for today, I figure?

"You think any new jobs will show up?"

Soushi's expression has completely flipped from the sour face he wore against those five hobgoblins—he looks like he's having a blast.

For an adventurer, this might just be the best moment of all.

The anticipation of new jobs...

There are even people called job maniacs and job researchers who loop up to Floor 10 over and over without ever taking a job.

Apparently they don't just loop the dungeon—they also pitch in with production jobs like blacksmith apprentices on Floor 1.

Thanks to them, we know the appearance conditions for all sorts of jobs. Definitely not something to sneer at.

"Okay, I'll play bait. When the Minotaur drives its axe into the ground, attack. If it turns your way, run. Got it?"

Final check in front of the 'Gate to Floor 10.'

"'If we beat it, I write down every job that shows up.' Got it. No problem."

We move to Floor 10.

An empty stretch of nothing.

The Minotaur spawns in one minute.

"There it is. Soushi—don't overdo it."

I move in on the Minotaur first and slip past its side.

The Minotaur turns toward me—ready.

Now Soushi can attack from behind.

The Minotaur hoists its axe with both hands and swings it down.

(Slow...)

It feels that way because I've gotten stronger, probably.

Has it been two months since I first came here?

It feels like ages ago.

Soushi's got it lucky, you know?

I was all alone back then...

Huh? People normally come as five?

I think back to that video of five girls squealing and giggling as they beat down a Minotaur.

At long last, the Minotaur's axe bites into the ground.

"Hyaah!"

Soushi drives his kitchen knife into the Minotaur's back.

He must have felt it connect—he leaves the knife buried in its back and keeps pushing.

"Pull it out and back off, now! Bosses have huge HP—one stab to the heart won't kill them instantly!"

My mistake.

That was something I should've told him beforehand.

"Huh?"

Hearing that, Soushi yanks the knife free and puts distance between them.

The Minotaur rips its axe out of the ground and starts turning toward Soushi.

My turn, then.

"Right here~"

I jab its leg once with the jumonji spear.

The Minotaur staggers for an instant, then whips around and hoists its axe at me.

I check on Soushi—he's closing the distance again.

Good.

I'd pierced its heart, so it would die on its own eventually even if we just ran laps around it—but coddling Soushi won't do him any favors.

Going for the magic stone would end it in one strike, but for the sake of Soushi's earnings—and his motivation—I'd better not.

Someday he might be the one teaching somebody else, after all.

So for the first few rounds, he gets to land the kill properly.

"Hyaaaaah!"

Before the Minotaur's axe could come down, Soushi stabs the kitchen knife in from behind.

Stab, pull out, retreat. He's learning, all right.

"GRAAAH!"

That one landed.

The Minotaur can't help but let out a roar.

Then it starts turning toward Soushi again.

I circle around and knock the axe right out of its hands.

If I press an attack from here, I might end up killing it myself.

Kasumi-san laughed and let it slide when I did that, after all.

Hey, I learn from my mistakes too.

My Strength outclasses a Minotaur's by miles these days, so the axe went sailing off with a "poing."

Incredible—that was practically Hiramatsu-ryu! Recreating technique with raw strength!

"Soushi—finish it."

Soushi attacks head-on this time, at the Minotaur standing there stunned without its weapon.

The kitchen knife sinks into its left chest. The Minotaur twitches once, then goes still.

"Did we get it?"

That's a "didn't get it" flag!

Though I'm pretty sure it really is dead...

You're using that phrase wrong, you know?

"You check whether you got it by whether the job selection screen shows up, right?"

I already took a job here, so no screen appears for me.

Whether the Minotaur is truly dead is something only Soushi can know.

"Whoa, there's a whole bunch!"

Sounds like he's having fun.

Well, to be fair, my second visit here added 【Charge Spearman】...

"Write it down, write it down. And tell me what showed up, too."

I'll pass it along to Kasumi-san as well.

Sharing this kind of thing really makes it feel like a party.

'Available Jobs'

【Warrior】

【Mage】

【Scout】

【Swordsman】new

【Spearman】new

【Short Spearman】new

【Naginata User】new

【Staff User】new

【Club User】new

【Water Mage】

【Fire Mage】new

【Chef】new

"And that's all of them."

"Hm-hm, I see."

Two spear jobs was a given, and 【Swordsman】 and 【Naginata User】 appeared too.

Probably because Soushi wasn't only stabbing with the knife—he kept chopping down from above.

【Short Spearman】 being the only spear derivative might come down to the knife handle being a bit short.

As for 【Staff User】 and 【Club User】—Soushi misjudged distance plenty of times and bonked them with the handle instead of the blade.

His inexperience, ironically, expanded his job list.

Still, 【Staff User】 is the strongest sub-job, so I'm glad it showed.

【Fire Mage】 and 【Chef】 must be from the cooking he did the other day.

They came from a single cooking session—must be because he used the special skill 【Cooking】.

Using a skill makes jobs in that line more likely to appear.

What's more, they say high-rank jobs gained at Floor 30 almost never appear unless you've been using skills in that very line.

Which means, when choosing a lower-rank job, you have to pick one that learns skills in the same line as the high-rank job you're aiming for.

"Huh, they show up pretty easily. But no 【Monk】, no 【Knight】, and no 【Shielder】 either, huh..."

【Knight】 aside, there was no way 【Monk】 or 【Shielder】 were going to appear.

He isn't fighting bare-handed and he isn't using a shield—them showing up would be weird.

No scout derivatives either, and no 【Thread User】...

"So, bare hands starting tomorrow?"

"...Let's start with the shield, actually."

The road to the ultimate build is a steep one.