However, for top-tier Mages, it's entirely possible to dodge, move, and even defend, all while chanting a spell.
This turns them into moving fortresses, rather than stationary targets. This technique, which allows simultaneous combat and incantation, is known as concurrent chanting.
And the threat posed by a mobile fortress on the battlefield? It's immense.
That's why mastering concurrent chanting is considered essential for any Mage aiming for excellence. Riveria, one of the best in this field, had been mentoring Lefiya to help her reach that level.
"Is it hard to learn?"
"Hard is putting it lightly." Line let out a soft sigh.
Concurrent chanting was no easy feat. Even Line, despite being a Mage herself, hadn't managed to learn it. As someone specialized in support and healing magic, her job was usually to stay behind the front lines and patch up allies. She rarely needed to actively fight while casting.
In fact, whether a Mage could master concurrent chanting was often used as a standard to measure their potential and combat capability.
"So it's kind of like multitasking, huh?" Ryoji thought aloud for a moment, then shook his head.
"No... It's actually simpler than multitasking."
He knew this from experience.
When activating his special ability, he could only configure one type of speed at a time.
He'd been training hard, trying to reach a point where he could layer two, maybe even three speed types simultaneously.
His issue was similar to concurrent chanting, but arguably even harder, since his ability required genuine multitasking to process multiple setups at once.
By contrast, concurrent chanting could be learned through repetitive practice until the body moved on instinct.
"You make it sound easy! This is still a seriously tough skill, you know?" Lefiya puffed out her cheeks, looking just like a sulking hamster. Clearly not convinced.
Compared to when they first met, when she could barely meet his eyes, Lefiya had loosened up a lot over the past few hours. Their interaction now felt more like true companions from the same Familia.
"Wanna give it a try?" Ryoji smirked, raising a brow.
"Hmph! Fine, I will!" Lefiya stood up with a spark in her eyes.
"We've finished lunch anyway. Let's keep moving," Line added as she packed away her lunchbox and folded up the cloth, slipping both into her backpack.
And with that, their afternoon exploration resumed.
The trio made their way through a series of rock chambers, steadily navigating toward the stairway leading to the 14th Floor using the map as their guide.
On the way, they encountered another group of aggressive Almiraj, those horned, high-speed rabbit monsters known for ambush tactics.
"Don't run! Charge straight in!"
"Wha--!? Are you trying to get us killed?!" Lefiya was mid-chant, ready to unleash a spell, when several Almiraj hurled sharpened stone axes her way.
Startled, she broke her concentration, and the Magic Power she had gathered surged out of control within her.
A failed chant could trigger a mana backlash, an unstable burst of Magic Power that could damage the Mage themselves. In worst-case scenarios, it could even cause an explosion.
"Don't panic!" Ryoji shouted. "The more you give in to fear, the less you'll grow!"
"W-Who even says that!? You evil spirit!!" Lefiya nearly burst into tears on the spot.
She seriously regretted listening to Riveria yesterday and agreeing to team up with this guy for Dungeon practice. Sure, Riveria's teaching style was also intense, always packing her brain with theories, forcing her through evaluations, and casting cold stares whenever she failed.
But at least Riveria didn't throw her straight into life-or-death situations.
This evil spirit, on the other hand, demanded that she engage in actual combat, casting while dodging real attacks from real monsters. A total battle maniac who yelled at her not to run.
Run? Of course she wanted to run!
Lefiya wasn't exactly known for her endurance in close combat, if one of those rapidly spinning stone axes landed on her, even at Level 3, she might not survive it.
With a pack of Almiraj chasing close behind, Lefiya darted around the battlefield, weaving left and right at blinding speed. Her high Agility stat was in full effect, allowing her to narrowly avoid their deadly attacks.
Honestly, who's the real rabbit here? Ryoji thought with a smirk.
"Umm... isn't this a bit much?" Line winced from the sidelines. Even Riveria's training wasn't this intense. Ryoji's methods felt downright brutal.
"No. This is how it should be." Ryoji replied calmly, not looking away.
Line suddenly noticed his gaze was fixed on Lefiya's every movement. In his left hand, he held a blade that shimmered with a cold gleam.
'What's he planning to do with that?' Line didn't quite understand.
"Riveria is the strongest Mage in all of Orario. If she's been training Lefiya, her theoretical foundation should be solid." Without taking his eyes off Lefiya, Ryoji continued, "What she lacks isn't knowledge, it's field experience. Especially the kind where you're forced to cast while being chased down by actual monsters."
Even if Mages rely on incantations to fight, every combatant, regardless of class, needs live battle experience to grow. Only through repeated trials in life-threatening situations can real strength be forged.
…Unless, of course, you're born with some absurdly broken skill. In that case, you can disregard everything he just said.
"Those monsters aren't even armed! What are you afraid of?! Just charge in and finish them off!" Seeing that Lefiya was still hesitating, Ryoji shouted again. At the same time, he casually turned and dispatched two Hellhounds that had crept up from behind.
"C'mon already! Quit running and fight!" Lefiya finally snapped.
After several exhausting minutes of fleeing, she turned, eyes blazing with frustration. She raised her Magic Staff with both hands, And brought it down in a clean arc, knocking out all three Almiraj in one smooth sweep.
Ryoji: "..."
Almiraj were fast and dangerous with their natural weapons, but in terms of raw strength, they were only Level 1 at best. Against a Level 3 like Lefiya, they weren't much of a threat, as long as she kept her cool.
"Wait a second, are you practicing staff combat or concurrent chanting?" Ryoji walked over and dispatched the fallen Almiraj one by one, then shot Lefiya a confused look.
Lefiya: (.﹏.*)
'I am afraid you lunatic.'
"Forget it. We're doing this again!" Ryoji sighed, then lured over three more Almiraj from farther down the corridor and shoved Lefiya forward like a sacrifice.
Lefiya: "!!!"
She felt like screaming. What am I supposed to do now?!
"If you can't attack, then just focus on dodging! No one becomes strong overnight. Don't think about fighting back or defending yet. Your first step is to survive. Learn to evade. Then learn to cast while moving. One thing at a time. And above all, never show your back to a monster! If you let fear rule you now, then what are your dreams and ideals even worth?!"
Lefiya was once again surrounded.
It felt overwhelming.
And yet,
"I have to show Miss Ais… how strong I can be!"
Clenching her fists, Lefiya took a deep breath. With the sound of the monsters closing in behind her, she pivoted, not to flee, but to face them.
"I won't be afraid!"
(End of Chapter)
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