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"Isn't it good to want to grow stronger quickly?" Ais looked at Ryoji seriously as she asked.
"In general, yes. It's a good thing." Ryoji paused, taking a moment to gather his thoughts before speaking again. "Strength comes from drive. Aside from natural talent or unique abilities, the biggest factor in how fast someone grows is their motivation. Strong willpower can push someone to break their limits and improve faster."
He was speaking from experience.
Ryoji also desired strength. That desire was why he locked himself in the Dungeon, throwing himself into relentless combat every day. His progress had skyrocketed; what took others a month, he achieved in just four days.
"But being too eager can also expose weaknesses."
"Weaknesses?"
"Yeah, mental ones." Ryoji nodded, continuing. "In battle, once your inner mind starts to crack, your focus slips. Your sword slows, your movements falter."
In other words, the reckless pursuit of power often comes at the cost of mental discipline.
A true swordsman needed more than just polished technique or powerful attacks. They needed a steel-strong mind. No matter how bad the odds, no matter the pressure or setbacks, they couldn't waver. They had to stay calm, calculating, adapting, fighting on without losing focus.
Without that mental training, even the most skilled fighter could collapse when their resolve was tested.
'Is my heart that fragile?' Ais asked herself the question.
She didn't know. Her battles usually ended in swift victory, her relentless offense overwhelming the enemy before they could push her to her limits.
"How do I train my mind, then?" Ais asked again, her tone earnest, like a student eager to learn.
"Meditation. Zazen. Doesn't matter what you call it." Ryoji answered directly.
Back when he'd first taken up the sword, his teacher, Nangou Torajirou, the War God, had made him begin with mental training. Sitting quietly, emptying the mind. That was the start of everything.
Thanks to his absurdly gifted innate ability, Ryoji had mastered it in just ten days. He'd reached a state of "clear mirror, still water", a mind like calm glass, undisturbed and clear.
Now, he was passing those teachings on to Ais.
"Meditation… I see. Thank you." Ais lowered her gaze in thought, then looked back up and sincerely thanked him.
"No problem. You get back to practice, I'm heading out." Ryoji gave her a casual wave and turned, walking off toward the baths.
Ais watched his figure as he left, not looking away until he was completely out of sight.
Then she exhaled softly.
It was the first time she'd greeted him properly.
And she was glad it had gone well.
...
After breakfast.
Ryoji packed his gear into a large travel pack and arrived at the front gate of the Loki Familia residence to wait.
He wore a sleek set of black training clothes designed for mobility. Over that, he'd strapped on silver light armor, chestplate, shoulder guards, elbow and leg protection. It gave him a streamlined but battle-ready appearance.
Before long, two girls appeared and approached him.
"Sorry for the wait."
They were both undeniably beautiful.
The first was the golden-haired elf he'd seen the day before. She wore the same pink, waist-length dress paired with a red shawl and white stockings, giving her a refined, delicate look. A gleaming magic staff rested in her hands, and a backpack was slung across her shoulders. She looked a little shy as she met Ryoji's gaze.
The second girl had long black hair tied into neat braids, wore round spectacles, and carried a small pouch over her shoulder. Her gentle features gave her a kind, approachable air.
Her name was Line Arshe, a Level 2 healer whom Tiona had introduced earlier. She was known for her strong healing magic. After Ryoji approached her yesterday, she agreed without hesitation to join their team.
"Thank you both for helping out today."
"It's no problem! I didn't have any plans anyway."
"N-No, I should be thanking you…"
As Ryoji made polite small talk, Line responded with a friendly smile, while Lefiya flusteredly waved her hands in protest, eager to be polite in return.
"Alright, then, let's head out."
Ryoji felt energized.
...
At the entrance to the Tower of Babel.
Ryoji pulled on his cloak and, alongside Line and Lefiya, stepped through the great archway into the Dungeon.
The moment they entered, other Adventurers nearby turned their heads.
"Wait, is that the 'Thousand Elf' from Loki Familia? And next to her… that's 'Lokolite,' isn't it?"
"Looks like they're heading in as a team."
In the Dungeon, adventurers from different Familias rarely partied up unless absolutely necessary. Teaming with outsiders risked miscommunication and conflicts, and by extension, potential feuds between Familias.
Familias functioned like tightly-knit clans. Whether it was Dungeon expeditions or even relationships and marriage, members usually stuck with their own.
Even marriage between different Familias raised complications, especially when it came to which Familia the children would belong to.
So, within Orario, teams made up of members from the same Familia were always the most stable and cooperative.
"Hold up, we should go over team roles before diving in." Just as Ryoji and Lefiya were about to enter the lower floors, Line called out to them.
"Team roles?" Ryoji turned, a little puzzled.
"Exactly." Line looked like she wanted to scold them for skipping the basics, but held her tongue.
"We're a three-person party, which is the smallest standard formation. That means we'll be dividing into vanguard, middle guard, and rearguard roles," Line explained calmly.
"The vanguard will face the brunt of the monster encounters, so it's a high-pressure role. The middle guard needs to support the vanguard while also watching the rear, which makes it even more demanding overall. The rearguard has the lightest load, mostly support and long-range casting."
"Then I'll take the vanguard!" Ryoji spoke without a moment's hesitation.
"Makes sense. You're the only swordsman among us, so the front line naturally falls to you." Line nodded, showing her experience. After a quick moment of thought, she turned toward the orange-haired elf girl standing quietly beside her.
"Lefiya, how about taking the middle guard? You're the highest level among us, after all."
Ideally, a Mage like Lefiya should have stayed in the rear to cast spells safely from a distance. But since Ryoji was already assigned to the front, the middle guard had to be someone capable of both offense and defense in case the formation broke.
Compared to Line, Lefiya's level was higher, and her physical stats were more developed thanks to her status as a Level 3 adventurer. Against monsters that capped out at Level 2 threat levels, she could hold her own if needed.
"Understood!" Lefiya raised her Magic Staff, her eyes focused with resolve.
Watching her, Ryoji couldn't help but think…
Her expression wasn't just about casting powerful spells. It looked like she genuinely wanted to master the staff itself, to become someone whose technique, not just the tool, made the difference.
Still, Riveria had personally allowed Lefiya to accompany him. That meant she judged the dangers around the 13th Floor manageable for this team.
There was no need to worry too much.
"Let's move out!"
(End of Chapter)